Shooting shotshell in ported barrels

[roysha]

Over the weekend an acquaintance and I were discussing shotshell, factory and reloads, in handguns, primarily revolver. He mentioned that SPEER warns against shooting them in ANY ported barrel. Later he sent me copies of the SPEER manual citing those recommendations. His earlier SPEER manuals did not make any mention avoiding shooting them in ported barrels. SPEER claims it is possible for pieces of plastic and possibly even shot can be forced out the port causing a hazardous situation to shooters and bystanders.

THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO SHOT CAPSULE TYPE SHOTSHELLS FOR HANDGUNS!!



In a way, this reminds me of the "no cast bullets" in an M1 Carbine myth, because it will plug the port and piston, which has pretty much been refuted by thousands of shooters.

If this is true, how is it that one can shoot ported shotgun barrels? I realize the shotgun port is quite far forward so the shooter is probably OK, but bystanders would still be at risk. Also, most handgun ports are oriented up, whereas many of the shotgun ported barrels have multiple holes located on top and SIDES of the barrel.

I don't own any ported handguns so I can't do any testing but I suspect it is a case of CYA by SPEER in case some idiot does something stupid and tries to blame it on the port/shotcapsule combination.

What are you feelings about this?

[Dan Cash]

Shotgun shells, today, are loaded with some type of plastic shot cup that separates the shot from the bore and would prevent escape of shot through the ports. Generally, this does not apply to shot loads in hand guns and I can see that a definate hazzard exists. Any porting or muzzle brake will blow debris through its holes and presents a certain hazzard to bystanders but not like bare shot passing through a muzzle brake or porting on a handgun.

[eastbank]

i have two browning trap-skeet ported shotguns, as we require ear portection when on the range, they are no problem.

[schutzen-jager]

iirc the ports direct the pressure upward, forward, or both directions - this would mostly negate the hazard to anyone in front of the firing line or muzzle where they should not be -

[roysha]

Shotgun shells, today, are loaded with some type of plastic shot cup that separates the shot from the bore and would prevent escape of shot through the ports. Generally, this does not apply to shot loads in hand guns and I can see that a definate hazzard exists. Any porting or muzzle brake will blow debris through its holes and presents a certain hazzard to bystanders but not like bare shot passing through a muzzle brake or porting on a handgun.

I have amended my initial post to clearly indicate that the shotshell loads are WITH capsules, to which the SPEER notes and data allude.

[charlie b]

The Speer shotshell capsules for pistols are different than shot wads for shotguns. They are a brittle plastic, made to break apart on leaving the barrel. I could see how plastic slivers could be shoved out a ported barrel.

[stubshaft]

The original T/C Hot Shot barrels were ported, and they were also made of a brittle material.

[deces]

iirc the ports direct the pressure upward, forward, or both directions - this would mostly negate the hazard to anyone in front of the firing line or muzzle where they should not be -

Like this?

[schutzen-jager]

Like this?

yes -

[Thin Man]

I have owned several revolvers (and the occasional semi-auto) with ported barrels. These firearms frequently show lead build-up in the ports from having fired lead boolits in them. The worst was a Taurus short barrel revolver in 41 Magnum. With higher pressure behind the projectile we get more energy to empty that material out of the barrel. Cleaning this junk out of the ports is no fun. I suspect any fractured Speer shot capsule could push plastic out of the ports, perhaps even tiny bits of lead. This said, all of these ported handgun barrels were vented either straight up, also slightly down on both sides, taking the path of travel of errant debris away from by-standers. After all, how many of us would fire any handgun with an observer forward enough to the muzzle to "catch" these flying missiles? I want all other people near the firing line well behind me.

[243winxb]

THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO Speer SHOT CAPSULE TYPE SHOTSHELLS FOR HANDGUNS!!

The plastic would melt, just like the lead i clean off my 44 mag, Mag-Na-Port m29-2.