I read a thread where a guy had his G.Gun shortened and recrowned to rid it of the ports. My gun is loulder than any band I've played in and I was wondering if there were any alternatives to chopping the barrel or new gun. There seems to be enough meat up there.. is it possilbe to thread the holes then fill them w/ blind screws? The tap would have to leave a tapper so the screw would have to be torqued the last quarter turn or so. Would this be possible w/o creating a fragmentation grenade on the end of a gun?
cw

Seaweaver,

I don't think that plugging the ports will make the gun that much quieter. I cut the barrel of my rifle just behind the ports, removing 2.25 inches. It now seems louder and the muzzle rises more. I didn't like the way the ports kicked up dirt or dust; I generally hunt in close cover.

I've heard of people plugging the ports with screws, but I've never done it or seen it. It seems like a sound idea. The pressure near the end of the barrel is much lower than the chamber. The bore might be hard to clean at the plugs.

If you don't use hearing protection you should consider it.

A longer barrel would seem quieter for the shooter.

direwolf,
My pop used to shoot a non ported 45/70 and when he shot mine at the range he noted that my gun was much loulder but the muzzle didn't jump near as much. I am going to find the ear plugs I've seen in wood shops, it's a horse shoe affair that can be set w/ one hand.
Where are you in the peach state?

Hey guys...

It funny but the real Ranch Dog ~ Sheila (picture left) knows my two ported Marlin's. When we are at the range and I pull one of them out, like this afternoon, she picks up and sulks off like a coyote that has just been moved off of a day old gut pile by a flock of buzzards. You know, real low back swagger looking over her shoulder. She hates the ported rifles even though see wears ear plugs like a good range-dog!

Out in the pasture, she doesn't seem to mind as she knows the rifles mean "bidness"!

Ranch Dog,
The new postal match is the best news I've gotten since we were "evicted". You gonna have a cast bullet match for us lead slingers too, since this is the Beartooth site?

I was afraid that the match was history but it's really nice of you to restart it here. Hope there's enough participation to make it worth your time & trouble.

I read about someone asking about this match but there wasn't enough info to figure out what it is... So what is it and is it going to make my wife mad if I participate?:)
cw

Steelbanger and Seaweaver...

Yeap, there's going to be a Postal Match and Marshall has most generously agreed to host it on the BTB/Shooter's Forum web site. It will be open to any centerfire leveraction so the Marlin boy's are going to ha'f to "cowboy" up to keep the standings they made last year.

Seaweaver... the only way your wife will get mad is if you out shoot her. My wife is already tuning up her M99 300 Savage. Let's see... I reload her ammo :p

I'm polishing up all the details and it might take a few days to get the forum ready... watch for the info.

Seaweaver,

I don't think that plugging the ports will make the gun that much quieter. I cut the barrel of my rifle just behind the ports, removing 2.25 inches. It now seems louder and the muzzle rises more. I didn't like the way the ports kicked up dirt or dust; I generally hunt in close cover.

I've heard of people plugging the ports with screws, but I've never done it or seen it. It seems like a sound idea. The pressure near the end of the barrel is much lower than the chamber. The bore might be hard to clean at the plugs.

If you don't use hearing protection you should consider it.

A longer barrel would seem quieter for the shooter.



I agree....the shorter the barrel the louder it gets. It's not all the fault of porting that is damaging to the ears. Sounds ridiculous but every inch you cut off makes the barrel that much closer to your ears :)

If you choose to chop (which some have with decent performance) you will have to deal with the main reason the ports were added....muzzle rise. The first shot I ever took with the 45-70 was the "SS" with a scope that immediately wacked me in the eye and my thumb wacked my nose. I like the ports as long as I have ear protection.


Perferator

Seaweaver,

My shooting buddy bought one of those Quest Extreme carbines in 308. It's a MkIII SMLE with a cut down barrel, flash hider and ports. He hated the ports! Said it was the loudest 308 he had ever heard. He blocked the ports by having them welded shut and turning the barrel to smooth it up.

He promptly blew out both welds with the first few shots! He tried it again and other than one hairline crack that seems to leak a little gas, it is holding. So far anyway!

Reb

Reb,
It sounds like the welds were bad from the start. My limited knowledge of welding is mostly centered around ss steel, but I thought the idea was to heat the metals till they are homogeneious. The first round sounds like brazing. The second sounds like an incomplete weld. Does the gun still shoot stright?
cw

To each, his own.
Personally, I like my ports, and other than a Cowboy, I'd have any new Marlin lever gun I may buy ported.
I've yet to witness any of the alleged "lead / jacket material shaving" phenomenon, and the reduction in muzzle climb is well worth a little noise.
I use hearing protection while sighting in, but not while hunting.

Seaweaver,

I seem to recall, on Marlin Talk, that several people posted that Marlin would replace the ported barrel with a non-ported free of charge. I think you may have to pay for shipping. The only other suggestion would be to have someone turn a piece of round stock on a lathe to slide over the ported area. You would have to cut a longitudinal slot in it to miss the front sight. I would drill and tap a hole on each side that corresponds with a port hole. Use a cone point set screws to hold it in place. It would probably look pretty ugly and would no dought change the barrel harmonics some.

Seaweaver,

I seem to recall, on Marlin Talk, that several people posted that Marlin would replace the ported barrel with a non-ported free of charge. I think you may have to pay for shipping. The only other suggestion would be to have someone turn a piece of round stock on a lathe to slide over the ported area. You would have to cut a longitudinal slot in it to miss the front sight. I would drill and tap a hole on each side that corresponds with a port hole. Use a cone point set screws to hold it in place. It would probably look pretty ugly and would no dought change the barrel harmonics some.

BaBore-

Seems to me that Marlin was charging $100 or so for the re-barrel service on the ported GG's. I guess the way to find out is to contact Marlin Customer Service.

Try, this bbl reg price$84 around half on salehttp://www.e-gunparts.com/DisplayAd.asp?chrProductSKU=453940&chrSuperSKU=&MC=

Been trying to think of a good reason you couldn't just tap the holes and plug them. Always a danger of a screw working loose and ping-ponging arround the range (or through your neighbors eye)...remote but possible.

Would leave bilind holes on the insided of the barrel...wouldn't do any more damage to the bullet then they did before, but would be a great place for fouling to get trapped.

Could remove the front sight, have a metal tube made to fit over the barrel at the ports, and soft solder it in place, replace sight...would be ugly. Would be possible to draw out a slotted version of that tube that could be locked closed, and then turned and locked in place to allow the ports to function...have it both ways (Savage tried it on some rifles). Suspect unless you have a machine shop to use, it could get expensive (but i think I'd like the choice).

Do remember some .22Short rapid fire guns with ports just ahead of the chamber...they had filler screws so you could adjust the jet effect. Pressure just ahead of a .22short match chamber is pretty high (probably 11-14K...muzzle pressure on a 45/70 "warm" load maight be close to that), but the concept work for them.

Try, this bbl reg price$84 around half on salehttp://www.e-gunparts.com/DisplayAd.asp?chrProductSKU=453940&chrSuperSKU=&MC=

Just thought I'd mention that those barrels probably have Micro-Groove rifling. In case anybody looking at them prefers Ballard rifling instead.