Magna-porting (or some variant) a rifle barrel

notsorichguy

notsorichguy

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 99.1%
212   2   0
Location
The city that rhymes with fun
Hey all.

I have a R700 in 375 H&H. The recoil isn't bad, when shooting a "normal" amount..... but I'm about to load up and test 3-4 different ladder tests, sure you see where this is going....

The last time I did this with a boomer (378 Weatherby MK5) it was wearing the OEM brake and after an extended range session it was "wearing" on a fella....

A brake is not an option, as the irons in this girl work very well and the front sight is very close to the end of the muzzle and I do not wish to futz with something that works.

So I'm thinking 3 or 4 ports on either side of the front sight would be more than enough to tame this beast, as well being ascetically pleasing to the eye.

My "normal" go-to shop for stuff I don't want to handle for myself is also not an option (long story).

Is there a "Magna-port" shop in Canada? If not who would be capable of drilling a couple holes in the barrel with-out buggering it up..... I can drill holes as well as the next guy, but I'd like it done right.....

Oh, and I'd like it done in under 6 weeks.....

Thanks for your input,
Cheers!
 
I have a Mauser action rifle in 375 H&H that I had Magna-ported that also has iron sites.

The porting works very well.

A friend of mine has a Brno rifle with a wood stock, and is heavier than my rifle. His has no type of porting. We both noticed that my rifle, despite it's lighter weight, kicks less than his.

If your going to be shooting that rifle a lot, then the Magna-porting would be worth it.
 
I owned a rifle that was built by KS Arms in Edmonton. It had a banded front sight (Ruger #1) so Karl reamed the last 1" or so of rifling out, and ported either side of the sight ramp. More like a integral brake rather than magnaporting which is done right through the rifling. I never owned the rifle before hand, but it was certainly accurate when I had it.

I hope my description was clear enough to understand...
 
Last edited:
Sheesh, you don't want much, do you John? I used to know of a place in Winnepeg years ago but I fail to remember details. I know that Kerry Higgins (now deceased) at Saskatoon Gunsmith Shoppe used to use this outfit. Kerry's wife still runs the shop (very well, I might add).

I believe magnaporting is an EDM process and from what I've been told about it both by two users and Kerry Higgins is that this type of porting is fairly effective. I don't think it gives the effect that a lot of brakes now give, but it takes the edge off.

If you want to retain rifling to the end ofthe barrel, EDM porting would probably do the trick (does not leave a burr). If it proves ineffective or defective (messes with accuracy somehow), you could then go the route that Double Gun suggested (which I believe is also a good option)....if you were willing to take risk of paying for two procedures, I suppose.

Other than that, I don't know a great deal about magnaporting :rolleyes: Just my thoughts, for what they're worth...

Rooster
 
No one in Canada is Magna-Porting... haven't been for years...

Never as good as a brake, but I have seen a lot of Magna-Ported barrels with bore damage close to the ports, due to dust and debris in the barrel and it being fired... I would not Magna-Port any rifle of mine.
 
guntech said:
No one in Canada is Magna-Porting... haven't been for years...

Never as good as a brake, but I have seen a lot of Magna-Ported barrels with bore damage close to the ports, due to dust and debris in the barrel and it being fired... I would not Magna-Port any rifle of mine.
Click to expand...

Is there anything you would recommend instead?

I don't think I need a traditional brake for recoil reduction and I really don't want to alter the design of the rifle either....
 
I would recommend a good shoulder pad (PAST Magnum) and break your 3-4 ladder tests up either over a long shooting session with breaks or over a couple of days. Basically don't shoot it to the point that you're fatigued.

I once shot two BPCR silhouette matches in one day in order to catch up and qualify for the Sask Provincials. I shot one full match (40 rounds for score, probably 15-20 sighers), waited a half hour and then shot a second full match. Then shot two more full matches over the next two days. By the end of that weekend of shooting (if memory serves I also had a shoot off at the end) I had shot around 250 rounds of 500gr 45-70 with 75% of them being from the prone position. I was completely exhausted. All that recoil has a cumulative effect and I really felt it. Shooting shouldn't be a chore...break up your days and eschew the brake on your rifle.
 
notsorichguy said:
Is there anything you would recommend instead?

I don't think I need a traditional brake for recoil reduction and I really don't want to alter the design of the rifle either....
Click to expand...

I once installed a flush fit side port brake and mounted the front sight on it... when finished it appeared as part of the barrel. Can't find a picture of that anymore...
 
double gun said:
I owned a rifle that was built by KS Arms in Edmonton. It had a banded front sight (Ruger #1) so Karl reamed the last 1" or so of rifling out, and ported either side of the sight ramp. More like a integral brake rather than magnaporting which is done right through the rifling. I never owned the rifle before hand, but it was certainly accurate when I had it.

I hope my description was clear enough to understand...
Click to expand...

Very clear.
Magnaporting definitely works well. The best reason for it is the prevention of muzzle rise during recoil and no obvious sign of porting unless you take a closer look..
Double Gun way would be my second best bet if front sight or banded muzzle is in the way.
Let's not kid our self 375 Mag do kick, a lot especially with trendy those days light weight rifles.
At 64yo my personal pain limit of non braked rifle is 35 Whelen and all those statements that say 458WM is a pussycat is just a boasting nothing more.
GR8's 2c worth....
 
Last edited:
BUM's post makes a lot of sense.... and normally I would agree,

but....

One of the ladders I'd like to do is a full retard +p+ 300gr load which is definatly well above published load data.... I'm capable of handling recoil as much as the next guy, but the "theoreticals" of this load have me 2nd guessing my constitution.... and the desire to only shoot the ladder once have me thinking that a method of taming recoil would maybe be wise.... especially as I would be using a rest from a solid bench, which in my experience, always increases felt recoil....

Another reason I do not want to futz with the irons is that currently both 270 and 300 gr factory ammo print to point of aim fairly well, and I do not want to mess that up!

I guess I'll just have to cowboy up and "take my lumps".....

Thanks for the input fellas!
Cheers
 
Suppose you humour us & justify your desire for such a punishing load? I know we have some big gophers around here and the rabid fanged whitetail aren't nearly as common as they used to be...

I have an eight pound .358 Norma that, with 250's, is a beast as well. I eventually just bucked up and shot it only as much as I reasonably could. At a bit more than 2700 fps, I figured that was probably enough to take care of most of the critters around here.... at least the ones I'm not really, really angry at ;)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not averse to testing the limits of almost anything, but sometimes discovering the limit may be best left at that - testing. Once. The danger of insisting on riding the punishing 'edge' may be that the perceived enjoyment could fade very quickly.

On the other hand, I'm more than willing to help out with your sensitivity training :evil:

Rooster
 
358Rooster said:
Suppose you humour us & justify your desire for such a punishing load? I know we have some big gophers around here and the rabid fanged whitetail aren't nearly as common as they used to be...

I have an eight pound .358 Norma that, with 250's, is a beast as well. I eventually just bucked up and shot it only as much as I reasonably could. At a bit more than 2700 fps, I figured that was probably enough to take care of most of the critters around here.... at least the ones I'm not really, really angry at ;)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not averse to testing the limits of almost anything, but sometimes discovering the limit may be best left at that - testing. Once. The danger of insisting on riding the punishing 'edge' may be that the perceived enjoyment could fade very quickly.

On the other hand, I'm more than willing to help out with your sensitivity training :evil:

Rooster
Click to expand...

Thanks pal! lol

I have about 200 pieces of Hornady BTSP 300gr.... which are not in production anymore.

The desire is to have 1 OMG jeebus load that is suitable for scaring college kids and guys I want to look like chumps!

The goal (achievable or not is yet to be determined) is the 300 gr pill at 2750 (ish). Why? Cuz I want to destroy my shoulder and have shoulder surgery a few decades ahead of schedule!

The rifle does weigh 9# with-out an optic, or rings. Which IMHO is fine for standard loads.

If the rifle weighed 10#+, I wouldn't have any qualms about giving it a try.

And I have a dream about a safari on the dark continent one day, and I'd like to be prepared for it a decade in advance, as opposed to scrambling 6 months before the flight leaves!
 
Ill let you borrow my 375ultra mag if you want to get 300gr's rocking at those speeds. 2750fps out of a H&H will take one stiff load to achieve. Ill let you shoot my 250gr load at 3100fps and you likely wont want to try a 300gr load. I got a few recoil pads i can let you borrow if you want to subject yourself to that many ladder tests.
 
If i can make it out to shoot this year with him ill try to remember to bring it and guys can take a few shoots with it. Its nothing to shoot it standing, its off a bench where its not much fun after a few rounds.
 
mudpro said:
If i can make it out to shoot this year with him ill try to remember to bring it and guys can take a few shoots with it. Its nothing to shoot it standing, its off a bench where its not much fun after a few rounds.
Click to expand...

You should come to the clinic in May..... I'll let y borrow a '14 and I'm pretty sure there is still a spare bunk in the RV too!
 
I found a long time ago that shooting 458 and 450 Ackley from the bench load testing was no fun..........I used a sand bag between my shoulder and the butt of the rifles and the pain was gone and 20 or 30 rounds was no big deal. It's a bit of a pain getting a proper hold and a clear picture through the scope but it can be done. It really tames the big stuff and makes load testing possible, and even a little enjoyable.............the Ackley would still remove my muffs and shooting glasses every round and give me a whiplash headache after 30 or so rounds, but no shoulder pain at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom