Thoughts on milling compensator into slide?

[vicwolf95]

I see Springfield Armory has introduced a version of the HellCat Pro that incorporates built-in compensation: https://www.springfield-armory.com/...ro-handguns/hellcat-pro-comp-osp-9mm-handgun/

I'm thinking I could easily modify my Hellcat Pro to have identical features. Simply drift out the existing front sight and mill a slot in the slide using a ball-end mill. Then mill a matching slot in the barrel. The front sight dovetail would need to be re-milled aft of the newly created compensator, then the slide would require refinishing.

I'm reaching out to the broader community to see what I might be missing. It seems abundantly doable, shouldn't affect mechanical operation in a negative way, and the new compensation should mitigate against the loss in weight. This option is particularly appealing as it does not add to the overall length of the pistol nor does it complicate field stripping.

This would seem a useful service CA gunsmiths could offer on a variety of pistols, considering the complications with threaded barrels and the assault weapon laws.

I appreciate Radian and similar manufacturers offer products that offer CA legal compensation options; unfortunately they do not cover the full spectrum of pistol makes and models.

Thoughts?

This is usually referred to as “porting.” It can help control muzzle rise and reduce felt recoil, so it’s a solid choice for range work or performance shooting. However, porting redirects gas and pressure upward (and sometimes back toward the shooter), which in a close-quarters, defensive situation can be a disadvantage more muzzle blast and flash in your face, and more chance of gases or debris (pieces of the bullet) being experienced by the shooter.


If forward shrapnel is a concern, ram-jet or enclosed compensator styles are often preferred because their design contains or redirects gases differently than simple slide/port mods.

 

[Hamburger Monster]

sorry I missed that. I will say though that if you didn't need to change recoil spring from stock on a ported glock 19 that means the port isn't doing much. You can't outrun physics, and the stock glock recoil spring is rated pretty heavy. A functional compensator will require tuning. Not to say you can't tune it and have it work well, I'm just saying I personally think it's not worth the effort on 9mm because what I said above are real considerations.

Well I believe we have to things going on with ports and or comps

1, the gasses are pushing forward on the forward edge of the port. This will reduce the backwards recoil. It can also affect the slide as it can pushing forward on it and the barrel by making unlocking more difficult. Thus recoil spring tuning may be needed

2, the gasses push down on the barrel due to the upwards jet created. This has negligible affect on the unlocking of the slide/barrel. But can help greatly on muzzle flip

Number 2 is what I was focusing on when I did mine. And I believe most ports will be for too. All reviews and slow motion videos I've watched for ports/comps are always measuring muzzle flip and not rearwards recoil

So, in regards to what a port/comp is intended to do, I stand by my statement that I and others don't need to tune the recoil springs or will have ammo issues with some types. I can't tell that mine is any louder then before and no additional fouling or build up either.

A larger comp on the end of an extended barrel is a different beast and may impart enough forward force to create problems. Not unlike needing a Nelson/piston device for suppressors. But a milled in port/comp in the barrel/slide is mostly for muzzle flip so it doesn't create the same issue

 

[ZeroFoxGiven]

Can't remember the user's name, but there is a guy on youtube that ports his own guns. Shows you how to, effects afterwards, etc. Worth checking out.

 

[Deleted member 16735]

Well I believe we have to things going on with ports and or comps

1, the gasses are pushing forward on the forward edge of the port. This will reduce the backwards recoil. It can also affect the slide as it can pushing forward on it and the barrel by making unlocking more difficult. Thus recoil spring tuning may be needed

2, the gasses push down on the barrel due to the upwards jet created. This has negligible affect on the unlocking of the slide/barrel. But can help greatly on muzzle flip

Number 2 is what I was focusing on when I did mine. And I believe most ports will be for too. All reviews and slow motion videos I've watched for ports/comps are always measuring muzzle flip and not rearwards recoil

So, in regards to what a port/comp is intended to do, I stand by my statement that I and others don't need to tune the recoil springs or will have ammo issues with some types. I can't tell that mine is any louder then before and no additional fouling or build up either.

A larger comp on the end of an extended barrel is a different beast and may impart enough forward force to create problems. Not unlike needing a Nelson/piston device for suppressors. But a milled in port/comp in the barrel/slide is mostly for muzzle flip so it doesn't create the same issue

Fair enough!

 

[presscheckpino]

Consider also back bore the grooves at the end of the port so that

Can't remember the user's name, but there is a guy on youtube that ports his own guns. Shows you how to, effects afterwards, etc. Worth checking out.

Pewpewcnc and engineers armory both has porting videos

 

[Experimentalist]

So I have a data point of exactly 1, where I installed a ported Bar-Sto barrel into my Glock 34.

The barrel in question: https://barsto.com/product/glock-model-34-ported-inside-the-slide-cut-out/

The pistol continues to run like a clock, no issue with the stock recoil springs.

But again, that is a data point of 1 with essentially zero statistical significance.

 

[Experimentalist]

Thanks for the video references ZeroFoxGiven and presscheckpino.

I found this video to be particularly interesting:

Unfortunately he reports that he did get hit by some jacket shavings while practicing shooting from retention. He doesn't say if he counter-bored the muzzle; I wonder if rifling forward of the port contributed to the jacket failure. Certainly seems plausible.

Thanks for the help everyone. I am now smarter on this topic than I was before I started this thread.

 

[ShootFirstFirster]

Thanks for the video references ZeroFoxGiven and presscheckpino.

I found this video to be particularly interesting:

Unfortunately he reports that he did get hit by some jacket shavings while practicing shooting from retention. He doesn't say if he counter-bored the muzzle; I wonder if rifling forward of the port contributed to the jacket failure. Certainly seems plausible.

Thanks for the help everyone. I am now smarter on this topic than I was before I started this post.

Just think about the logic when you do it. Theres a reason professionals counter bore on a super large cut out(relative to something like a mag-na-port or c variant glock. If you have the capability might as well do it right.

 

[AR15barrels]

Also for that style port/comp: are you sure it is rifled at the end?

Some integrally comped slides have a shorter barrel and a chamber specifically milled into the slide to seal up excess gas and make it vent out the top.
The OP can't do the same thing with a non-compensated slide because non-compensated slides are all open inside where the barrel runs and you won't be able to ADD the material necessary to support a shorter barrel and then mill a comp into the barrel.

 

[Experimentalist]

Expanding on the topic of counter-boring the barrel, I've been reading through one of the references in my personal library, "The Accurate Muzzle Brake" by Troy Newlon (1).

While this reference is focused on muzzle brakes for rifle applications, there is a wealth of information on the topic in general. In regards to the exit hole on muzzle brakes, on page 18 the author writes "The absolute minimum for function, accuracy and safety is 0.020" over bullet diameter... Beware though, go over 0.040" and recoil reduction will suffer".

He goes on to recommend forming the bulk of the exit hole utilizing a drill, then using a "chucking reamer" to finish out the final 0.006" or less.

ShootFirstFirster deserves a hat tip for bringing the subject up in the first place. I thought leaving the rifling in place would work out fine, the bullet was already twisting at the requisite rate. Hindsight shows the fallacy of that belief, and the video I previously posted above just reinforces the point with the injury suffered by the videographer from errant bullet jacket.

Thanks to everyone who posted. I was confident I would learn from the interaction, and you did not disappoint.

Reference (1): Newlon, Troy, "The Accurate Muzzle Brake - The ultimate guide to building muzzle brakes", Second Edition, Newlon Precision, 2012, https://newlonprecision.com/products/the-accurate-muzzle-brake-book

 

[Joker67]

I bought this to deal with the P365XL. It’s helped a lot. https://www.ironmind-store.com/No1-Captains-of-Crush-Hand-Gripper/productinfo/1251/

I also used this video to modify grip technique:

Everyone is different but I am combining a bit of both. Adding strength and leveraging the pointer finger of the support hand against the trigger guard. It works well but takes a lot of practice .

Much cheaper than porting for controlling recoil and faster follow up shots.

 

[DJD100]

There's also the Sig P365 Spectre Comp method of porting a longer slide so that the barrel is not effected, works nicely on my P365 in comparison to the shorter non-ported slide (same barrel).

In the Sig's case the RSA changes due to slide weight, and the extra weight of the long slide beyond the end of the barrel also helps with muzzle rise, plus importantly the sight radius and the barrel itself are unaffected.

Not sure if the Hellcat can utilize a longer slide though?