Thoughts on ported slides?

Golddiggie

Golddiggie

NES Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
15,605
Likes
7,505
Location
Pelham, NH
Feedback: 48 / 1 / 0
I was browsing the interwebz and see that I can get a new slide that can be ported (at purchase time) for $75. That got me to thinking, and posting this thread. Slide is for a full size 1911 (for reference).

What needs to happen before you actually see any benefit from having this. More interested in 45 ACP pistols (re:1911's), but would be interested to know if it doesn't really make a positive difference on those. Or if it makes a noticeable difference (in a positive way) there.

If you've run guns without and then with slide ports, post up. Especially if everything else (between the two) was identical. Or what else needed to be done to make it worth having. This can be anything from more hardware swaps to changes to the ammo run through the pistol.
 
I had one of the Springfield Armory 1911's years ago that had a factory ported barrel and slide. The range I was at was under a tin roof. The porting reduced muzzle flip/recoil, but then I'd flinch every
time from the concussion under the tin roof. So, the shot would go off, and a split second later I'd flinch as the noise/concussion hit me. Had a Glock 19c with factory ported barrel/slide. Reduced recoil, but had a lot of muzzle flash. A little faster to shoot quickly, but annoying. YMMV.
 
Porting is more useful in higher pressure cartridges in a lightweight handgun. A 1911 is already heavy and 45acp is relatively low pressure. Personally I would not spend m $$ porting a 45acp 1911. My S&W model 69 is a 30 oz 44 mag L frame. Muzzle flip is a bit much. That would be a good candidate for porting.

If shooting competitively then different story.
 
I own a 1911 pin gun, 45 with a real 3 vent comp... it does help, with hot, gassy loadings. There's no way in hell I'd ever port a barrel, though... I can't imagine how that would be effective unless it was like the way that svi does it with those big vents... unless you have a specific purpose for this gun (gun games) I would probably just skip it. It's pretty horrendous on a gun for self-defense because the venting of hot gases make contact or close in shooting drills a pretty hairy affair....
 
A ported slide does nothing. If the slide was drilled with large ports i'd guess it was done to make the slide lighter which in effect would make it go back to battery faster. It could be done just for looks as well. Some like the look, they drill out the slide but then they end up using stronger springs to slow the slide down.
 
Aside from aesthetics, I think many companies like STI offer slide cuts because it reduces the weight (obviously) and can allow you to run a lighter recoil spring and a lighter load that will reliably cycle the action.

Very common with guys running limited .40 2011’s in USPSA. STI also makes 9mm 2011’s with slide cuts which I think are more commonly used in 3-gun since they don’t have power factor requirements.
 
It reduces the reciprocating mass. It helps keep the slide speed up on guns with comps since the comp slows down the slide. On a gun with no comp, it helps prevent muzzle dip when the slide closes. It's a balancing act with recoil spring weight and slide weight

Slide cuts also help take they weight off the front on guns that are typically nose heavy because of full length dust covers and bull barrels.

Are they beneficial..on an open gun...definitely. non comped gun...not really.

I had a 2 EAA limited guns. One with slide cuts, one without. The one with recoiled a little harder. You felt the slide hit the frame harder, but the sights settled quickly. The non cut gun was softer, but slower to settle. In the end I shot the non cut gun better. I have since dumped the EAA and gone back to 2011 guns and I don't use slide cuts anymore on limited guns.
 
Last edited:
Fixxah said:
Zero benefit. Reading comprehension fail from post #2.
The ported slide seems like a nice way to collect dirt/dust etc.
Click to expand...
This 100%. The Only gun I’ve ever ported was my Smith 329pd. That was worth it for obvious reasons. Spend the money on ammo.
 
You can always get ported barrel/slide and, if you don't like the flare and noise, switch out for a non-ported barrel. I've thought about trying a Glock 19C and keeping a non-ported barrel nearby.
 
edmorseiii said:
Unless you have a reason to speed up the slide, it's pretty much man jewelery.
Click to expand...
I've been diggin' the look of slide cutouts lately and toyed with the idea of getting a glock done. holy smokes, it's freaking expensive! I wish I thought of it before I retired and had access to a machine shop. i'd bet one of the better machinists could have milled the cuts in a slide for me.
 
Golddiggie said:
What needs to happen before you actually see any benefit from having this. More interested in 45 ACP pistols (re:1911's), but would be interested to know if it doesn't really make a positive difference on those. Or if it makes a noticeable difference (in a positive way) there.
Click to expand...

You need to remove real weight from a 1911 slide (as in tri-topping) before the sights track better. This will get it from 14oz to 10oz. Yes, you can tell the difference.

Can you post a link to the slide you're talking about?
 
bill o said:
You need to remove real weight from a 1911 slide (as in tri-topping) before the sights track better. This will get it from 14oz to 10oz. Yes, you can tell the difference.

Can you post a link to the slide you're talking about?
Click to expand...
This slide which has a pull-down for adding "ports" to it. Hence my OP and thread title. Using their term for it, not something I pulled out of my rear hole...

I'll probably not get this anytime soon. Maybe if I decide to build up a race gun of my own I'll look at it again. Right now a project on the horizon is to get a new barrel (with comp) for what was my father's 1911 race gun. The barrel is pretty much shot out at this point. Already have a line on the set I'm going to get. If it needs fitting, I have a smith also primed for that. Local guy that's in Hudson (NH) and seems to know what he's doing. ;) He'll be getting my FrankenPara soon to cut for Novak LoMount sights (going to bring the sites to him too to make sure they fit right, his recommendation there).
 
A ported slide just redices weight of the slide......oh.....and looks cool to SOME.
 
Golddiggie said:
This slide which has a pull-down for adding "ports" to it. Hence my OP and thread title. Using their term for it, not something I pulled out of my rear hole...

I'll probably not get this anytime soon. Maybe if I decide to build up a race gun of my own I'll look at it again. Right now a project on the horizon is to get a new barrel (with comp) for what was my father's 1911 race gun. The barrel is pretty much shot out at this point. Already have a line on the set I'm going to get. If it needs fitting, I have a smith also primed for that. Local guy that's in Hudson (NH) and seems to know what he's doing. ;) He'll be getting my FrankenPara soon to cut for Novak LoMount sights (going to bring the sites to him too to make sure they fit right, his recommendation there).
Click to expand...

That's a good deal for $75. I'd prefer the cuts a little further forward and without the serrations, but that's just aesthetics.
 
Supermoto said:
Are you going to use the gun for competition or just playing at the range?
Click to expand...
No plans for getting back into competition shooting. More for range fun. It sounds like I could probably get the same benefits (whatever they are) in a non-comp'd barrel just by tuning my loads. With the new powder measure I picked up (with the micrometer adjustment) I can record the charge setting to get back to where I need it pretty easy. So setting up a few charges for 45ACP is going to be little issue moving forward. I'll be putting the powder measure that this one replaced on the shelf for the long term. I'll probably keep it simply because my father had bought it (been gone for 24 years now).
 
Golddiggie said:
I was browsing the interwebz and see that I can get a new slide that can be ported (at purchase time) for $75. That got me to thinking, and posting this thread. Slide is for a full size 1911 (for reference).

What needs to happen before you actually see any benefit from having this. More interested in 45 ACP pistols (re:1911's), but would be interested to know if it doesn't really make a positive difference on those. Or if it makes a noticeable difference (in a positive way) there.

If you've run guns without and then with slide ports, post up. Especially if everything else (between the two) was identical. Or what else needed to be done to make it worth having. This can be anything from more hardware swaps to changes to the ammo run through the pistol.
Click to expand...

Mag-na-port International--The Mag-na-port Process: Handgun Porting


View: http://youtu.be/-lNKLLEkHwk
 
Golddiggie said:
No plans for getting back into competition shooting. More for range fun. It sounds like I could probably get the same benefits (whatever they are) in a non-comp'd barrel just by tuning my loads. .
Click to expand...

Yep and tuning the recoil spring, mainspring weights and the firing pin stop radius.
 
@Ranger007 Don't think that type of porting would fly on a 1911 with a barrel bushing. Maybe with a bull barrel. If I remember, I'll ask the smith that I'm having do some work on the FrankenPara about it (on either of the guns I have). IF he's comfortable doing it, or not. It might be a cool add to one of my carry guns, that is going to use faster ammo. I also want to see what effect going to a lighter (185gr vs 230gr) projectile has to the guns behavior.

Supermoto said:
Yep and tuning the recoil spring, mainspring weights and the firing pin stop radius.
Click to expand...
I've been tuning the recoil spring on the FrankenPara since I don't have any for the DE1911C yet. I'm disappointed that I can't get any lighter springs for the HK45C. Which means I'll have at least two 230gr sets for range shooting.
I've also recently changed the mainspring weight from the original to a lighter one. The original was too stiff to easily rack the slide. Changing it to one a couple pounds lighter was all it took (if the original was a standard weight).
I'll have to look into "the firing pin stop radius"... Haven't heard/read that one before.
I did change out the firing pin spring to a heavier one in the FrankenPara since I also changed the recoil spring. It came with the package from Wolff. Needless to say, I have more than a few different weight of recoil spring for the full size 1911 now. I ordered another of one I already had too. I put them all together though, so I won't order one I already have again (in theory at least).
 
Last edited:
↑
I'm talking about a ported SLIDE not barrel people .
Zero benefit. Reading comprehension fail from post #2.
The ported slide seems like a nice way to collect dirt/dust etc.

Not so much "reading comprehension fail" on my part as "assumption" (and we all know what that leads to). I assumed that if you were looking for a slide that was ported that you'd want a barrel that was ported as well for recoil reduction, and without the addition of a ported barrel, it wouldn't make any difference. My bad. I'll just send myself to banned camp... [rolleyes]
 
Qwikdraw45 said:
↑
I'm talking about a ported SLIDE not barrel people .
Zero benefit. Reading comprehension fail from post #2.
The ported slide seems like a nice way to collect dirt/dust etc.

Not so much "reading comprehension fail" on my part as "assumption" (and we all know what that leads to). I assumed that if you were looking for a slide that was ported that you'd want a barrel that was ported as well for recoil reduction, and without the addition of a ported barrel, it wouldn't make any difference. My bad. I'll just send myself to banned camp... [rolleyes]
Click to expand...
What happens at band camp, stays at band camp... ;)

I can't see how a ported barrel/slide combo would work in a standard 1911 configuration with a barrel bushing. As I mentioned earlier, it would probably work with a bull barrel, which only one of my 1911's has. I'll see what the smith I'm going to have do some other work thinks about getting that done to that 1911. If it's not a good idea, then it dies right there.

I had given some thought to changing one of the barrels (the FrankenPara) to one that was longer and ported. When the barrel is more in need of getting changed, I'll look into that again.

It is good to know that the cuts in the slide make little sense without matching cuts in the barrel. So not a total loss there. ;)
 
Golddiggie said:
What happens at band camp, stays at band camp... ;)

I can't see how a ported barrel/slide combo would work in a standard 1911 configuration with a barrel bushing. As I mentioned earlier, it would probably work with a bull barrel, which only one of my 1911's has. I'll see what the smith I'm going to have do some other work thinks about getting that done to that 1911. If it's not a good idea, then it dies right there.

I had given some thought to changing one of the barrels (the FrankenPara) to one that was longer and ported. When the barrel is more in need of getting changed, I'll look into that again.

It is good to know that the cuts in the slide make little sense without matching cuts in the barrel. So not a total loss there. ;)
Click to expand...

Springfield Armory V12

wm_3648954.jpg
 

Similar threads

Thoughts on an AMT Javalina Longslide in 10mm?
2
Replies
30
Views
671
Kylep427
Kylep427
Gunsmith Recommendations for Ported Barrel
Replies
28
Views
962
Broc
Broc
Georgia on my mind
2 3 4
Replies
104
Views
2K
StevieP
StevieP
Question on mailing AR lower
Replies
9
Views
284
LuvDog
LuvDog
muzzle device on a barrel over 16
Replies
3
Views
212
Pentium9mm
P
Back
Top Bottom