Comp vs ported?

[fredster22]

  Have hunted many years and owned many rifles but really never ran into this before. As an example lets take a 30-06 comp barrel as
understand it is a screw on piece with holes to reduce recoil but blast is sent back to sides & rear. Now if your get the same bbl said
to be ported with permanent holes drilled  in the end is there any significent difference in the end results or is it about the same?
  I have never owned either is why I am asking. Have a chance to get a ported 06 bbl & just was curious.  Fred

[45-70.gov]

i hate ports breaks   etc.

but  you   might like  the  shorter  barrel when you cut  off the ports

do  you where ear  and  eye protection when  hunting??

are   you recoil shy??   reload lighter bullets or  get a  30-30

[fredster22]

 None of the answers above answer my question, thank you. I am not recoil sensitive nor have a hearing problem, Have killed multiple
deer with a Rem 760 pump and several with a Handi Ultra 30-06. Why I am asking is for grandchildren who may experience a problem,
and was wondering about difference. Thanks Fred

[45-70.gov]

i  feel  the blast from ports
am  sure your grand kids are more sensitive  tham us old guys

some breaks  are  worse than others

i  don't hunt with  ear protection.......so  no  ports  hunting
some times  but  not  always   wear eye protection....seen   breaks kick out carbom  fowling
my  50 bmg   cleared   the bench  once  with its  blast

thanks   for helping train another generation

[pvtschultz]

It has nothing to do with how it is attached or made into a barrel.  It is all about function.  

A compensator does just that.  It directs the muzzle blast primarily upwards to reduce muzzle climb to speed up a follow on shot.  See the M-16 and many of the race guns out there.

A muzzle brake again does just that.  It directs the muzzle blast to the rear of the weapon creating a forward thust to reduce felt recoil.  You'll see these on all sane 50 BMG rifles and most field artilliary.  

Both can be screwed on or machined as part of the barrel.  Both have the distinct disadvantage of adding significant noise levels to rifles and (censored word) up all the people around you at the gun range.  I think brakes are cool, don't get me wrong.  They would be benefitial on a long day sniping prairie dogs with a magnum caliber rifle.  THey won't be beneficial for your grandkids and will harm their hearing at the least.  If you want to reduce recoil, load up some reduced recoil loads like the ones on Hodgdon's website.  

http://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

[sr sawyer]

  
I have had experience with the screw on break and Mag-Na-Porting.  To me they work equally well in reducing recoil and muzzle lift.  IMO they are great for kids just learning to shoot and anyone sensitive to recoil or just taming a mean kicker.

The down side is the increase in the shooter heard noise and muzzle blast for those around you.  "Good"  hearing protection is an absolute must even when hunting.

Make sure the porting is by a reputable source because I have heard, but not experienced, that some are not as good as others.  I have never regretted Mag-Na-Porting my 300 Weatherby.  Since the porting those little bloody semi circles between my eyebrows, that occured when hunting and shooting conditions that were not ideal, have disappeared.

Ken

[Sourdough]

I shoot a 338/378 Weatherby, with a break.  Benefits, and disadvantages.

Benefits:  Reduced recoil, Reduced noise out to the quarry (meaning if the animals are beyond 100 yards they don't notice the shot), With no muzzle jump you get to see the bullet strike.  Last year my partner and I shot two Moose out of the middle of a herd of 18.  The other Moose never flinched, they seemed to be totally unaware of the shots we made.

Disadvantages:  Tremendous blast to the shooter and anyone beside or behind them.  Hearing protection is a must for shooter and by-standers.  One of my neighbors shot one shot from his Rem Ultra Mag, with out hearing protection.  That's all it took, today he wears hearing aids.  He had significant permanent hearing loss from just one shot.

[44 Man]

I have had both, and I like both.  The comp is nice on my AR .223 as I am able to watch through the scope as the bullet goes downrange.  It does increase muzzle blast at the range, but in the field that is not a concern.  I also have several guns that are Mag-na-ported.  Ken Kelly and his group do a fantastic job and yes, it really does work.  Is there a big difference?  I think a comp has the edge, but with Mag-na-porting, you do not have to cut and thread your barrel, and where a comp 'can' affect accuracy if it is not perfectly done, the Mag-na-port does not.  You will have to sight in again and raise your point of aim after having either as the recoil reduction is a real thing.  Me, on a small bore or 'non magnum', I would take the Mag-na-port.  On a .35 whelen, maybe I would go to the comp.  Either way you will not be dissapointed.  Just make sure people at the range on either side of you are wearing ear protection (they should be anyway) and warn them out of courtesy.  I find the extra noise at the range is not a good reason not to have recoil reduction.  44 Man

My Mag-na-ported .35 rem Marlin.  She is a real pussycat to shoot


And my 'comped' AR.  I don't like the extra length that the comp added to the barrel, but it works well.

[vabowhntr]

I have a 30-06 and a 308 that I shoot the managed recoil loads for deer out of.  They both do a very good job on deer out to 200 yards with less recoil than a .243.

[briannmilewis]

Be warned about the extra noise mentioned by others. I just started centerfire shooting late last year. I purchased decent earplugs for me to use at the range, didn't like the bulk of the ear muffs. Second day at the range, I was on the right end bench of the 50 yard line, and there was a guy with some ported/breaked canon on the left end of the 100 yard line, not a 50 BMG. There was about 50ft between us. It took one shot from his gun to damage the hearing in my right ear permanently. The shockwave was so severe I could feel it go from the right side of my head to the left side. Needless to say, I never go to the range without ear muffs, and if there is anyone shooting ported/breaked rifles, I step back from the firing line and wait till they are done. Porting and muzzle breaks are very inconsiderate configurations to your fellow shooters at the range, as well as being potentially dangerous to your fellow shooters hearing.

[44 Man]

In my experience porting only adds minimally to the noise factor since what small amount is redirected, is sent only about 30 degrees from vertical and is something easily handled with your ear plugs or muffs.  But my comped AR is LOUD.  Those big open sides to the comp redirect a huge blast to the sides.  There are 'quiet' muzzle brakes now where all of the venting is towards the front so it goes where the normal muzzle blast goes.  They are not as effective as a regular muzzle brake, but they are more considerate of others.  44 Man