The Rohrbaugh Forum

Rohrbaugh Products and Accessories => Rohrbaugh R9 (all variations) => Topic started by: cargaritaville on March 17, 2015, 07:50:53 PM

Title: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: cargaritaville on March 17, 2015, 07:50:53 PM
"Awhile ago, Dick Metcalf of Shooting Times did a test of ported HGs. He used both ported and standard versions of the same model pistol and revolver. All shooting was conducted from inside a shed, through a portal to the outside, in near total darkness. To sum it up, he found no discernable difference between either gun in the amount of flash, regardless of whether the ammo was standard or "low-flash". ALL of them induced a temporary obstruction of his night vision which would've hurt his ability to continue the fight after the first round.
Now, the porting does offer a somtimes noticeable increase in control. So, velocity loss concerns aside, his contention was that you should go for it. As to particulate matter blasting toward you, you must check your gun with the intended load. All revolvers spew out from the barrel/cylinder gap anyway, and some autos through the chamber opening upon unlocking. I would not personally shy away from the porting, but I would test it to make sure."
This is a quote from an individual VICTORLOUIS in The Firing Line Forum back in 2000. The reason I looked at it was an interesting conversation I had with Bob Cogan, the owner of Cogan Gunsmithing. He does a huge business porting all makes and kinds of firearms. He carries a ported firearm along with all the other employees there. He told me about an article written by a Dick Metcalf for Sporting Times. Above is a synopsis of it by VICTORLOUIS. I could not find the actual article online.
I once owned a Rohrbaugh Cogan R9. It was beautiful and had numerous modifications to it including porting. I never shot it. It was a safe queen until I sold it last year. I decided to sell it because of some of the negative comments from this Forum's members about porting. In all fairness to them, there are a lot of negative comments from a lot of people regarding porting. There are also a lot of positive comments out there as well. My experience with porting has been I like the increased control that I feel when shooting a ported gun. I have never shot a ported gun at night.
So.....I have a NIB R9 Stealth that I am about to send off to Cogan for some modifications. Do I port or not?
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: MICHPATRIOT on March 17, 2015, 08:18:48 PM
Hello I'm new to the forum but not to handguns..my only question would be if it might effect reliability when you change the slide speed by dumping pressure and forcing the barrel downward into the slide...might be just fine or you may end up tuning the pup with a different round to compensate..I wouldnt rush into any snap decisions without considering the possibility that other than perfect results could follow a modification on a pistol this small..YMMV. If slide speed were to slow dramatically maybe a lighter/worn recoil spring might be the only tune needed..I would try to talk to a ported R9 owner first if I were going down this road.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: tracker on March 17, 2015, 08:34:07 PM

Why anyone except Bob Cogan would want to port a functioning R9 is beyond my wildest comprehension. Even IPSC rules only allow the slide to be ported in certain classes. A close quarters self defense weapon like the R9 does not require porting to be more effective. Personally, I want all of the gas pressures to be linear and not shared with the vertical plane. Porting an R9 would be similar to a Urologist recommending prostrate surgery for a mild BPH issue. DO NOT PORT IT.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: Richard S on March 18, 2015, 08:34:13 PM

Why anyone except Bob Cogan would want to port a functioning R9 is beyond my wildest comprehension. Even IPSC rules only allow the slide to be ported in certain classes. A close quarters self defense weapon like the R9 does not require porting to be more effective. Personally, I want all of the gas pressures to be linear and not shared with the vertical plane. Porting an R9 would be similar to a Urologist recommending prostrate surgery for a mild BPH issue. DO NOT PORT IT.

And the choir said, "Amen!"
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: backupr9 on March 19, 2015, 10:22:47 PM
AMEN!
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: JoshA on March 20, 2015, 08:45:19 PM
Talk to gpa.

His custom Coonan is shweet. I'm sure he knows a bit about it.

http://www.rohrbaughforum.com/index.php?topic=7132.0

That being said, I probably wouldn't port mine, but wouldn't shy away from buying a ported model if the right opportunity arose. The recoil isn't hateful on a standard R9, but less recoil is always better  8)
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: tracker on March 20, 2015, 09:00:51 PM
The question was, "Do I port it or not?" It is an entirely different matter if you own one and are trying to sell it. gpa's is beautiful but still appears to be a solution in search of a problem.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: Richard S on March 20, 2015, 09:22:14 PM
Personally, I liken porting a Rohrbaugh R9 to installing an afterburner muffler on a Ferrari. It serves no useful purpose and desecrates a functional work of art.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: PsychoSword on April 05, 2015, 02:07:26 PM
Porting an R9 makes about as much sense as screen doors on a submarine.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: cargaritaville on April 05, 2015, 02:18:02 PM
Several analogies...all the same point. I am not going to port. Thanks for the honest input. End of Story.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: JoshA on April 05, 2015, 09:31:32 PM
Several analogies...all the same point. I am not going to port. Thanks for the honest input. End of Story.

That's good because porting an R9 would be about like adding a second rectum to relieve gas Norm! :o

 Hahaha. Just had to join in all of the analogies. Sorry.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: cargaritaville on April 05, 2015, 09:34:13 PM
Josh: Isn't it time for you to get back to the home?...Remember your meds... You'll be ok.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: tracker on April 05, 2015, 09:36:40 PM

"Standby for turn to starboard---heel to port."
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: Richard S on April 07, 2015, 12:00:39 AM
Jibe, jibe ... mind the boom!  8)
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: Brenden on April 07, 2015, 10:33:49 PM
I'm late here but I also do not see the use of porting the Pup!
No analogies here though.  ;)
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: PsychoSword on April 23, 2015, 08:36:40 PM
I'm glad nobody said that it would be "a solution in search of a problem". Really sick of hearing that one.
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: Richard S on April 23, 2015, 08:42:43 PM
As you will have read, it was so described. But then there are only so many ways in which to describe the obvious.   8)
Title: Re: Port or not to Port my R9
Post by: tracker on April 23, 2015, 08:57:43 PM

Never let it be said that I don't have a firm grip on the obvious.