If you get into the Chicom stuff you may have issues swapping parts out for USGI, especially flash supressors and castle nuts. They spot welded a lot of them and the thread patterns may be different.
I shoot Winchester 2 3/4" Platinum Tips out of my 870. Before I put the rifled barrel on it, I shot Brenneke 2 3/4" heavy field short mags. Those always put em down, but they usually ran a bit. They were very, very accurate for a rifled slug.
That is a really awesome idea! I never would have thought about that. I beleive I can do that. It is going to be a long journey indeed, but worth it in the end.
Going to do it, I am finally going to be able to get an LRB M14SA receiver. The plan is to build an all TRW M14 clone. It is going to be a long process, but I think it will be worth it in the end.
Not sure about a handgun, but porting makes a rifle significantly louder because the report is directed 90 degrees to you instead of away from the muzzle. It will also increase the concussion felt by the shooter.
I was the only guy in my group to get a limit this morning. It only took me about an hour and a half, but it took almost two boxes of shells. It took about a box just to figure out what the heck I was doing.