Maga na porting a rifle

[North Nick]

Hello,

I bought a Browning A - Bolt in 7mm Mag with Mag na porting.  I am having some accuracy issues.  Is it possible that the Mag na porting may be controbuting to it?

Thanks,

North Nick

[tjkanavel]

IN my opinion I would say no.It actually should make you be more accurate because of the less recoil.I have never heard of any Magna-ported rifle or handgun becoming less accurate after the work has been done to it.I would try a different load or ammo.

[Zachary]

Maybe yes, maybe no.

All guns are accurate with some loads and inaccurate with others.  As such, your rifle may not be getting good accuracy just because you haven't yet found a load that it likes.

As for Mag-na-port, while it is true that a reduction in recoil will allow a shooter to shoot better groups (assuming that he has hearing protection without which would cause more flinching), it could, on the other hand, definately cause a loss in accuracy. How?  Well, it depends on how much care the gunsmith took in doing the porting.  Keep in mind that, with mag-na-porting, someone is actually drilling holes into that portion of the barrel through which your bullet will travel.  If the gunsmith does not do a good job, like if he leaves metal shavings or a bur on the inside of the bore, then that will affect accuracy.  That's why I don't like mag-na-porting.  With a traditional muzzle brake, you are not touching the inside of the barrel at all.  Rather, all you are doing is creating a thread on the OUTSIDE of the barrel.  Yes, with muzzle brakes you are "extending" the barrel length, and some people find that to affect the "balance" and/or "swing" of their rifle.  To me, adding and extra 1 1/2" to 2" is not a big deal, and even so, I would rather have a muzzle brake than a magna-port.

Zachary

[Rangr44]

[Keep in mind that, with mag-na-porting, someone is actually drilling holes into that portion of the barrel through which your bullet will travel. ]

Not True.  Mag-Na-Port is a patented process, done by SSK Industries, wherein the slots (usually - shotguns get round holes) are made in rifle barrels by the EDM (Electromagnetic Discharge Machine) process - no drilling, no burrs.

One electrode of the proper shape is placed in the proper spot in the bore, and another positioned exactly opposite it, but outside the bore - and the holes are made.

Many ripoff/copycats do drill holes, etc - and pass it off as Mag-Na-Porting - but it's not the real thing, any more than a new $10 Gucci Handbag.

[Zachary]

Let me clarify that when I meant "holes" I didn't specifically mean holes or slits.  To me, anything that is cut through a barrel is a hole of some sort or another.

I was not aware of this EDM process, although you are correct that others imitate the Magna-port style by actually drilling/cutting the holes/slits.

Still, however, EDM process or not, there is just something that doesn't sit right with me about making any changes to the inside of the barrel.  Remember, there is rifling with a certain rate of twist inside the barrel.  If a hole/slit cuts across the actual rifling, then the actual rifling has been altered.  How much and how significant?  I don't know, but I would reasonably imagine that there would be some change in accuracy.

Again, my "diagnosis" is not necessarily that the magna-porting is the clear reason for the bad accuracy.  It might be in whole, or in part, and maybe not at all.  It just depends on how the work was performed.

Zachary