Should I? Will it reduce muzzle rise significantly? I plan to use the gun for multi-gun matches and keep on hand should I need to defend my family and myself in my home.
Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
- Thread starter The Gump
- Start date
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
I would say no, don't port it. If you're using it for multi gun, porting puts you in Open class, at least it does where I shoot.
I think it helps with the muzzle rise a little bit, but not that much if you're shooting target loads.
I would say no, don't port it. If you're using it for multi gun, porting puts you in Open class, at least it does where I shoot.
I think it helps with the muzzle rise a little bit, but not that much if you're shooting target loads.
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
You could have it back bored by Hans Vang without the porting. That helps as well.
You could have it back bored by Hans Vang without the porting. That helps as well.
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pete Sake</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Should I? Will it reduce muzzle rise significantly? I plan to use the gun for multi-gun matches and keep on hand should I need to defend my family and myself in my home. </div></div>
No. I milled two rows of three holes in the top of one of my old 870 12 gauges just to see if porting it would have any effect, it only barely felt lighter. I just didn't get enough discernible reduction in kick to even warrant the time it took to port it.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Pete Sake</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Should I? Will it reduce muzzle rise significantly? I plan to use the gun for multi-gun matches and keep on hand should I need to defend my family and myself in my home. </div></div>
No. I milled two rows of three holes in the top of one of my old 870 12 gauges just to see if porting it would have any effect, it only barely felt lighter. I just didn't get enough discernible reduction in kick to even warrant the time it took to port it.
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
You aren't using it for trap shooting, which is about the only place it helps. Its mainly a money making tool for the people who do it although if you get it done very well then it helps a little, but nowhere hear like it does when porting a pistol.
You aren't using it for trap shooting, which is about the only place it helps. Its mainly a money making tool for the people who do it although if you get it done very well then it helps a little, but nowhere hear like it does when porting a pistol.
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
Don't port it. All you're going to get is more noise. I wouldn't do it.
Don't port it. All you're going to get is more noise. I wouldn't do it.
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
I now have a VA hearing aid I guestimate costing $2500-ish in my left ear because somebody fired a ported Mossberg 12ga about 6ft away roughly this time last year, and I wasn't ready.
I'm fairly convinced porting doesn't work well enough to justify the negative side effects.
If one thinks 12ga recoil is an issue (I sure do), switching to 20ga is a very viable solution. IMHO, modern 20ga loads leave every little on the table vs traditional 12ga loads, but the guage reduction opens up shotgunning to lots of folks who have legitimate issues with recoil.
For example, the typical Federal 2 3/4" 20 Buck load puts twenty some-odd #4 buck pellets in the air at velocities comparable to 12ga, and with a limbsaver slip-on, recoils perceptibly less to me than a .308.
20ga Slugs and Sabots shoot at least as flat and accurate for me as 12ga, are at least adequate, and recoil is far less. Up here in Central NY, the deer tend to be somewhat bigger (160-180lb undressed weight) than seems to be the average further South, yet most slug hunters up here are currently running a 20ga.
I also wonder what a slanted AK-74 style muzzle sleeve would do to tame muzzle climb for a shotgun without adding significantly to the sound signature. I wonder if it would even significantly alter the patterning.
Greg
I now have a VA hearing aid I guestimate costing $2500-ish in my left ear because somebody fired a ported Mossberg 12ga about 6ft away roughly this time last year, and I wasn't ready.
I'm fairly convinced porting doesn't work well enough to justify the negative side effects.
If one thinks 12ga recoil is an issue (I sure do), switching to 20ga is a very viable solution. IMHO, modern 20ga loads leave every little on the table vs traditional 12ga loads, but the guage reduction opens up shotgunning to lots of folks who have legitimate issues with recoil.
For example, the typical Federal 2 3/4" 20 Buck load puts twenty some-odd #4 buck pellets in the air at velocities comparable to 12ga, and with a limbsaver slip-on, recoils perceptibly less to me than a .308.
20ga Slugs and Sabots shoot at least as flat and accurate for me as 12ga, are at least adequate, and recoil is far less. Up here in Central NY, the deer tend to be somewhat bigger (160-180lb undressed weight) than seems to be the average further South, yet most slug hunters up here are currently running a 20ga.
I also wonder what a slanted AK-74 style muzzle sleeve would do to tame muzzle climb for a shotgun without adding significantly to the sound signature. I wonder if it would even significantly alter the patterning.
Greg
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
My dept spent big bucks on Vang-Comp 870s all decked out including the ported barrels. After sending tons of 00 buck downrange with it versus a standard barreled 870, I can say the porting does nothing at all and has no value whatsoever.
My dept spent big bucks on Vang-Comp 870s all decked out including the ported barrels. After sending tons of 00 buck downrange with it versus a standard barreled 870, I can say the porting does nothing at all and has no value whatsoever.
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
I found the Knoxxstock (now owned by Blackhawk) made an incredible difference in felt recoil on my 870. Slugs are no longer painful and buckshot is relatively mild. I can send a 100 rounds down range at a time without shoulder pain.
But I do recommend you check out vangcomp.com. Their metal shell follower and oversize safety are great improvements. I'm using their oversize safety without problem with the Knoxxstock becuase I have a GG&G single point plate between the the stock and reciever. The Vangcomp backboring does a great job reducing buckshot group size if your gun's patterns open up too much at distance.
I found the Knoxxstock (now owned by Blackhawk) made an incredible difference in felt recoil on my 870. Slugs are no longer painful and buckshot is relatively mild. I can send a 100 rounds down range at a time without shoulder pain.
But I do recommend you check out vangcomp.com. Their metal shell follower and oversize safety are great improvements. I'm using their oversize safety without problem with the Knoxxstock becuase I have a GG&G single point plate between the the stock and reciever. The Vangcomp backboring does a great job reducing buckshot group size if your gun's patterns open up too much at distance.
Re: Porting my 18" 870 HD barrel..
The knoxx recoil reducing stock does work well for really stiff recoil like slugs but I dont see a lot of difference with the low recoil buck or with target loads...I guess it still helps some, but it also has a tendency to slap your cheek so there is a riser you can get for it.
Off topic maybe but the Fed flight control buck is the best defense shotgun ammo I have ever seen. Extremely tight patterns even out of an 18" cylinder gun. The low recoil version is just icing on the cake.
The knoxx recoil reducing stock does work well for really stiff recoil like slugs but I dont see a lot of difference with the low recoil buck or with target loads...I guess it still helps some, but it also has a tendency to slap your cheek so there is a riser you can get for it.
Off topic maybe but the Fed flight control buck is the best defense shotgun ammo I have ever seen. Extremely tight patterns even out of an 18" cylinder gun. The low recoil version is just icing on the cake.
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