Calling all Glockers

[robin48]

I am going to order conversion barrels for my G22. A 9mm and .357 Sig. Which aftermarket barrel do you recommend?

[kb4ns]

I've never bought conversion barrels, but I have bought aftermarket barrels in the same caliber so I can shoot lead. I've been more than pleased with Lone Wolf Distributors barrels.

[Guest Bronker]

...I've been more than pleased with Lone Wolf Distributors barrels.

This.

I have the G22 with the 9mm barrel. No complaints so far.

I actually keep one in my Go-Bag, with two loaded G17 mags, because I'm likely to be caught out with my G22, but most likely my G19. This way, I am ready for anything, regardless of which gun I have.

Now before the flaming begins, I understand that you don't want to rely on a after-market barrel for EDC. If I've resorted to my Go-Bag contents, then EDC has gone full-force SHTF, and I'll make due until I take a G17 from a deader zombie.

[robin48]

I have considered buying Glock factory barrels also. I guess conversion was the wrong word. If Glock barrels would that change the edc opinion?

[Patrick Henry]

I know several guys with Lone Wolf conversion barrels. They have Glock 23s and bought the 9mm conversion barrel. You cannot use a Glock 9mm conversion barrel in a S&W .40 cal. Glock. You must buy after market. The reason is you need a 9mm barrel whose outside diameter matches a S&W .40 cal. barrel's diameter to properly fit the slide of a Glock S&W .40 cal. Lone Wold barrels are drop in and do not requirer any fitting. One of the guys took the Glock armorers class and asked the instructor a number of times if the Lone Wolf barrel would damage the Glock, all the instructor would say is Glock does not recommend the use of after market parts.

[kb4ns]

What Patrick there said is correct. A 9mm Glock OEM barrel is a no-go in a .40 slide. IF I had to choose a gun with a non-factory barrel for EDC, it'd be a Lone Wolf in a Glock, but I'd still rather avoid it.

[JC57]

I have a Storm Lake 9mm conversion barrel for my Glock 22 Gen 4. It has worked flawlessly and seems to shoot about as accurately as I do. No problems at all after about 250 rounds of FMJ ammo through it.

It dropped right in with no modifications required. The only other thing I did was use Glock 17 magazines for the 9mm ammo. Didn't have to do anything to the ejector or extractor.

I don't happen to carry it with the conversion barrel but I wouldn't have any reservations in doing so.

[robin48]

I may be dull but what is the problem with carry with a different barrel after shooting a lot through it

[glockster157]

The LW or Storm Lake conversion barrels work but to make them 100% reliable you would probably need to switch to a 9mm ejector. I believe the extractor is the same. I used a LW 9mm conversion barrel on my 27. It worked OK but the brass would fly off in different directions, sometimes at my feet, over my head, toward my face....Fine for plinking but I wouldn't stake my life on it. Personally, I got to where I never used it. I would just grab a 9mm for for 9's and 40SW's for the 40. So I sold it. One other thing, it would be the thing to have if you were shooting a lot of lead bullet reloads.

[Seaslug]

I may be dull but what is the problem with carry with a different barrel after shooting a lot through it

There's not one if it's proven itself reliable. It's just a "peace of mind" thing for some folks who are skittish about the potential for failure of anything non-factory. I've actually known of several folks who have dropped in conversion barrels as a permanent modification, and I've never heard any complaints. If this is your intent, however, you'll want to be sure to swap to the correct ejector for the caliber (as has been mentioned previously). Also, you should be just fine with a Lone Wolf barrel. You can pay a lot more for other brands, but I'm not sure you actually GET anything more. I'm one of the eleventy billion or so Glock Certified Armorers, FWIW.

[leroy]

Seaslug makes a great point in post 10 above ^^^^. The day of problems with parts interchangability in the semiauto pistol industry (...and the AR industry, as well...) was laid to rest with the advent of CNC tooling. That is why you have a bizillion manufacturers of semi-custom 1911's and 2 bizzillion parts manufacurers who make parts that are basically "drop ins."..

The equipment used to build parts like barrels, slides, and even the little stuff is so good today; it's no problem to swap whatever parts you want to swap; no matter the vendor.

Bottom line-- Buy the parts you like and install them. The worst thing that can happen is the parts may need a bit of hand fitting (...think Barsto semi-drop in here...).

Why, then, does Glock (...and lots of other OEM manufacturers...) recommend not using aftermarket parts...? Because Glock sells parts and competes against the other guys who are making parts just as good (...and, in many instances, better...) than standard Glock parts.

Remember, they are in business to make money; its the capitalist system in action (...which i heartily endorse...). I would buy the barrel i liked and start shooting with it. I'm thinkin about a Storm Lake 357 sig barrel for a lightly used Glock 27 we recently acquired myself. I bet it will work like a charm.

leroy