Glock 23 convert to 9mm reliablity

[gomer pyle]

I'm strongly considering converting my 23 to a 9mm. I can't really sell my 23 to buy a 19 because I customized my grip to fit my big hands. I thought about putting my upper up for trade but don't really expect that to happen. I've looked at the Lone Wolf barrels and have read that I would need to change extractor and ejector to be 100% reliable. Is this true? This is a carry gun so I definitely want it 100%.

thoughts?

[Karnage]

I have never had any issues using the stock .40 extractor and ejector with the 9 mm conversion. That being said, if I were going to carry it with the conversion barrel installed I would change the extractor and ejector. The parts are inexpensive and they are easy to change. It's cheap insurance.

[gomer pyle]

What brand barrel did you run?

[cannoncocker]

I run a Lone Wolf 9mm conversion in my Model 23 Gen 4.  I have changed neither the extractor nor the ejector.  I did replace the recoil spring with a Glock model 19 OEM only because I had a spare on hand. I have fired well over 800 rounds of mixed 115/124 gr without a hiccup.  I cannot speak for the gen 2 or gen 3.

[gomer pyle]

Good deal. The more I think about it the more I think I might still carry 40. I'll get the LoneWolf barrel and practice in 9mm and put the stock barrel back in for defense.

[nightrunner]

Kind of a thread hi jack but not really. What is everyone's thoughts on the legality of it? Carrying a firearm modified to shoot a caliber it wasn't designed to? We have all heard don't carry one with a modified trigger or reloaded ammunition, how about a conversion barrel?

Normally I would err on the side of caution and just buy the factory version, but I am specifically interested in a HK P30L in .357sig.

[GlockSpock]

Kind of a thread hi jack but not really. What is everyone's thoughts on the legality of it? Carrying a firearm modified to shoot a caliber it wasn't designed to? We have all heard don't carry one with a modified trigger or reloaded ammunition, how about a conversion barrel?

Normally I would err on the side of caution and just buy the factory version, but I am specifically interested in a HK P30L in .357sig.

I don't understand the fears of modifications, etc for carry handguns. Why aren't the following ever worried about?

Why did you purchase and carry a $1200 handgun. Was it because it would help you kill more efficiently?

Why were you a member of your local range? Was it so you could practice killing people more efficiently?

Why did you carry a Glock? Was it because you wanted to play being a cop?

Why did you carry more than one round in your gun? Were you planning on shooting more than one person?

Why do you have a flashlight on your gun? Is it so you can blind the people, giving you the upper hand while you murder them,

I mean, worrying about a conversion barrel giving you trouble? Sheesh.

The only thing you need to worry about in terms of a conversion barrel is if it operates reliably.


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Edited October 26, 2015 by CZ9MM

[Patton]

A good shoot is a good shoot, but a prosecutor will use any approach they want to for an edge. The same can be said for a civil trial. However, I don't think a conversion barrel will make too much of an issue. The same arguement can go for your defense though if you use the same ammo and handgun used by law enforcement.

I found ammo that my conversion barrels do not like, but feeding and ejection have always been 100% with the two Lone Wolf barrels I have owned. There are people who run 40 extractors in 9mm Glocks to help cure erratic ejection. A 9mm magazine is a must for self defense in my opinion. If I put several hundred rounds through a conversion barrel with about fifty of those being my carry load I wouldn't hesitate to carry it. However, why bother when you alread have a tried and true weapon. What are you really gaining besides two rounds and what may or may not be less recoil?

[JC57]

I don't have a Glock 23, but I have a Storm Lake conversion barrel for my Glock 22.  Drops in, no other modifications needed, other than some G17 mags.  Never had any problems with it.

 

It's not a carry gun for me and I leave it with the factory barrel except at the range.  However, for functioning and accuracy I would have no worries carrying it with the 9mm barrel and mags in it if I were so inclined.

[gomer pyle]

I've looked at the storm lake barrels but there site said fitment is required. I guess I'll try just a barrel and see how it goes before I do the extractor/ejector.

[Jack]

If your not going to use the 9mm for carry you don't even need to buy a 9mm mags. I've fired a few hundred rounds of 9mm out of my .40 mags with out any issues all. In fact I was disappointed with how boring reliable the 9mm conversion was. I was hoping I could use it as a training aid when the gun malfunctions. But it hasn't yet.

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[Karnage]

What brand barrel did you run?

Lone Wolf

[whitewolf001]

This is the brand I'm getting for my G32. I've seen the tests they've done and it stomps both the Lone Wolf and factory barrel when shot from a vice. I was THOROUGHLY impressed.

http://s3fsolutions.com/product/s3fsolutions-glock-23-9mm-conversion-drop-in-match-grade-barrel/

[gl19gobang]

Just buy a Glock 19 too.

[DaveTN]

I’m confused... a 9mm is more reliable than a .40 in a Glock?
If you take/send your 23 down to Glock GA, won’t they make it right?

[JReedEsq]

I don't think the issue is that the 9mm is more reliable, but rather, the OP prefers to shoot 9mm.  There are those that think the benefit of faster follow-up shots is worth the slightly smaller hole.  We don't need another caliber debate, but I used a 9mm conversion barrel in my Glock 27, and decided I was more accurate with 9mm (in a sub-compact pistol).  I had no function problems at all and I didn't do anything other than switch out the barrel and use a 9mm (G26) magazine.  I ended up selling my G27 and going back to a G26 as my EDC summer pistol rather than carry the 27 with a conversion barrel.  To answer the OPs question about reliability, I put at least 300 rounds through it with the conversion barrel without one malfunction.  I think it was reliable enough, but then again I never carried it that way.  I found the .40 slightly less fun to shoot but the difference in the recoil wasn't enough to make me think I couldn't effectively use the .40 for self-defense.  I am rambling now but I am trying not to exaggerate the way people do in caliber threads.  I have a preference for 9mm in the smaller pistols, but when you get to larger ones, I just can't feel as much difference in recoil, or my accuracy and I have a harder time making up my mind.  I guess that's why I have a 22 and a 17...   

 

I should add that my conversion barrel was a Lone Wolf.  It worked fine even with Tula and other less than ideal ammo.  

Edited October 30, 2015 by JReedEsq

[TNWNGR]

I’m confused... a 9mm is more reliable than a .40 in a Glock?
If you take/send your 23 down to Glock GA, won’t they make it right?

 

If we take what the OP said into consideration the frame modifications on his G-23 make the prospects of a favorable trade on a G-19 unlikely. He's interested in the 9mm and has correctly figured his most cost effective approach to this matter is a drop in 9mm barrel. I think its a good ideal and would personally go with the LW barrel and just shoot the darned thing. The guns already been modified so an after market barrel of a different caliber's not going to make much of a difference.

[gomer pyle]

If we take what the OP said into consideration the frame modifications on his G-23 make the prospects of a favorable trade on a G-19 unlikely. He's interested in the 9mm and has correctly figured his most cost effective approach to this matter is a drop in 9mm barrel. I think its a good ideal and would personally go with the LW barrel and just shoot the darned thing. The guns already been modified so an after market barrel of a different caliber's not going to make much of a difference.

Put better than I can. While I prefer 40, it is very snappy. I ordered the LW barrel and will try it out as soon as it gets here.

[Patton]

To be honest I have never really felt that much of a difference between full power defense loads in 9mm and defense loads in .40 with compact Glocks. I have both a 19 and a 23. My 27 does feel a little snappier than my 26. Edited October 30, 2015 by Patton

[JC57]

My reason was purely ammo availability for practice.  At the time I bought the gun, we were in the middle of one of the big ammo panics and it was hard to come by.  I could find .40 but not 9 or 45.  So I figured I'd go for a 2-for-1 deal, in case later on 9mm was available but .40 was not.

 

I can shoot the .40 about the same as 9mm out of the full-sized Glock.  By that I mean that the bullets go where I aim the gun, with no particular difference in accuracy or speed of followup shots.

 

In the smaller frame, I opted for a Glock 26 in 9mm.  That's the one I carry if I carry a semi-auto.  By the time I added that one, ammo availability was back to more or less normal and for that size of a gun, 9mm is plenty for me.

 

The only reason I picked the Storm Lake over the Lone Wolf was that I didn't like the black logo on the top of the chamber in the LW barrels, which was all there was at the time.  So for an extra $10 or so I got the SL which has an engraved but not blackened logo.  A minor issue, certainly, but that was why.

 

The Storm Lake barrel was a straight drop-in with no fitment required for my gun.  I can swap them out at the range in a couple of minutes.  Makes for cheaper practice sessions.