✅Ported vs Comped Barrel Comparison

[xounlistedxox]

I ran a side-by-side test comparing an Aim Surplus ported barrel and an Aim Surplus Just the Tip (JTT) “comped” barrel in Glock 34 setups to see if there’s a meaningful difference in recoil and muzzle flip. Made this one because of the friendly debate I had with a member of another focum awhile back about ports vs. comps.

Short answer: yes, but barely.

The ported barrel (8 small ports) did a slightly better job than the JTT comp barrel (single larger port), but the difference felt like ~5% at most.

Both setups were reliable through a few hundred rounds with no feeding or cycling issues.

I noticed the loss in muzzle velocity due to the ported barrel... rounds were actually bouncing off the paper!*

Grip texture and controls made a difference, one setup had RTF2 texture and the other has a gas pedal, which likely helped overall control in their own ways.

Slide velocity felt slightly softer on the ported barrel, but nothing dramatic.

Bottom line: Both barrels work, both reduce muzzle flip a bit, and neither is a game-changer versus the other. Pick the one that fits your build and shooting style.

Video here if you want to see the shooting comparison:
👉

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*Obviously kidding

What is your favorite setup Comp or Port? Or do you just like more recoil with slower splits?

[sigfan91]

I have a JTT for my P365. I thought it made a difference.

I also have a FireDragon ported barrel for my P6. I don’t think that one worked nearly as well. But that also could be because the P6 is much heavier and larger than P365, so the difference from a port is less pronounced than being on a smaller pocket sized pistol like the P365.

[xounlistedxox]

I have a JTT for my P365. I thought it made a difference.

I also have a FireDragon ported barrel for my P6. I don’t think that one worked nearly as well. But that also could be because the P6 is much heavier and larger than P365, so the difference from a port is less pronounced than being on a smaller pocket sized pistol like the P365.

I have several of the JTT barrels and they all make a noticeable difference in muzzle flip, probably the best bang for your buck in a comp as of right now!

[k1dude]

Several custom shops have been porting with comps for a while now. The combo is evidently a whole lot better than one or the other. Expect a whole bunch of new ported with comp guns to be announced this coming Shot Show.

[eaglemike]

That's not a compensator. It's just a forward port.
There is no flat plate area or chamber for the gasses to work against.
They can call it anything they want..
That's why there isn't much difference.

[xounlistedxox]

That's not a compensator. It's just a forward port.
There is no flat plate area or chamber for the gasses to work against.
They can call it anything they want..
That's why there isn't much difference.

Respectfully, that definition isn’t accurate from a mechanical standpoint.

The JTT barrel has anintegrated compensator. The gas redirection happens after the bullet exits the rifled portion of the barrel, effectively acting like a tiny compensator built into the barrel. This does not have a gas bleed and typically lose little to no velocity.

With ported barrels, the gasses are escaping while the bullet is travelling through the rifled bore of the barrel. This gas bleed causes a reduction in gas pressure, typically leading to a loss in velocity.

[eaglemike]

Respectfully, that definition isn’t accurate from a mechanical standpoint.

The JTT barrel has anintegrated compensator. The gas redirection happens after the bullet exits the rifled portion of the barrel, effectively acting like a tiny compensator built into the barrel. This does not have a gas bleed and typically lose little to no velocity.

With ported barrels, the gasses are escaping while the bullet is travelling through the rifled bore of the barrel. This gas bleed causes a reduction in gas pressure, typically leading to a loss in velocity.

It's creative advertising to call that a compensator.
It's a barrel with a port in the top.
Make a few compensators, and then you'll understand the difference.
I built some as early as1990, and video'd the difference in performance for various designs.
Note: I'm not saying it doesn't affect muzzle rise to some degree. If you chrono and compare, the barrel with the forward port should have a little more velocity.

[Nrai2020]

You’re saying that rounds were bouncing off of paper?

[xounlistedxox]

It's creative advertising to call that a compensator.
It's a barrel with a port in the top.
Make a few compensators, and then you'll understand the difference.
I built some as early as1990, and video'd the difference in performance for various designs.
Note: I'm not saying it doesn't affect muzzle rise to some degree. If you chrono and compare, the barrel with the forward port should have a little more velocity.

I think where we’re talking past each other is design tradition vs mechanical definition.

I agree this is not a traditional, standalone type compensator, and I’m not claiming it performs like a multi-baffle race comp. But “compensator” isn’t defined by having a removable device, flat plates, or a separate attachment, it’s defined by when and how the gas is used.

A ported barrel vents gas while the bullet is still traveling through the rifled bore, bleeding pressure before exit.

On the JTT, the rifling ends early. The forward section is smooth and functions as an expansion area, where gas is redirected after bullet exit. That distinction matters. Gas acting after the bullet leaves the rifling is, by definition, compensation, not porting.

I also agree the effect is mild (compared to larger comps), which aligns with your chrono point. A small expansion volume with limited gas will produce limited compensation. Aim Surplus claims 20% in muzzle flip reduction while using a ransom rest. That doesn’t change the mechanism, only the magnitude.

So no, it’s not a classic threaded comp.
But it also isn’t a conventional ported barrel.

Mechanically, it’s an integrated / internal compensator, even if the performance gain is modest in comparison.

[xounlistedxox]

You’re saying that rounds were bouncing off of paper?

Have you read the entire OP? * is important.