RoverSig

I ordered a KKM drop-in barrel from MGW for the P320 Carry and am very impressed by how accurately it shot today. The next step is to consider having Sigarmorer fit a 4.7 Bar-Sto barrel (with the LCI) to the M17. So not all problems are the gun, some are the shooter; but having a barrel I know is accurate (e.g., in this case, the KKM 3.9" drop-in) takes away worrying about the gun and allows me to concentrate on my shooting - grip, sight picture, trigger press, etc.

I sent a contact email to the Sigarmorer to ask about fitting a 4.7" Bar-Sto or KKM barrel my M17. For the P320 Carry build, since this is a build with a new FCU ($219) from a M17 that was stripped for parts, a left-over WC Carry II grip module, and a new slide I purchased from Sig -- I needed a barrel. There was no "factory barrel" in the first place, so now I am going to see how the KKM "drop-in" barrel works. The other P320 Carry (well, really a M18) I've had seems to work pretty well with the Sig factory barrel so expensive improvements on that can wait.

Reviewing the Bar-Sto and KKM web pages, it reads like a fitted aftermarket barrel can achieve very good accuracy (1.5 to 2 inches at 25 yards from a rest). It is my guess that a semi-fitted or drop-in barrel can achieve good accuracy if it matches up with the particular slide with which it will be used (presuming it is of good manufacture, rifled properly, accurate in its own right, etc.). The problem with the first drop-in barrel I bought, which opened up my groups at 7 yards by 100% spread over the ones I shoot with a stock P320, may be its level of happiness with the particular ammo I am using, or that the particular barrel doesn't fit well with that particular slide. A gunsmith might fit it a bit better and get better results if it is the latter problem. I would like to send a pistol to Bar-Sto or KKM for them to fit a barrel -- and may do that with the M17 that sits in the safe next to the two P320 Carry models...

I am shooting 115 grain 9mm running around 1145 fps - S&B, Magtech, Blazer Brass - relatively inexpensive ammo available from various internet sellers at around $239-$269 per 1000. Ammo type and brand might be a factor; perhaps Brand-X doesn't like this stuff. (My self-defense ammo, and occasional range ammo, is 124 grain). My first P320, actually a M18, does fine with this stuff and gives me good groups. The Brand-X barrel I bought expanded that to 6" groups at 7 yards. I ordered a KKM barrel that may require a little fitting and will see what it likes; I can fit the barrel hood anyway if needed. The standard twist rate for Sig barrels in the P320 is 1:10; for the Brand-X barrel, also 1:10; for KKM, the standard twist rate is 1:16. We'll see if that has any practical effect on how the pistol shoots. I'd like to send three P320 family pistols out to Bar-Sto or KKM to have them fit a barrel; maybe I can do that later. We'll see how the KKM drop-in barrel works. I'd watch out for Brand-X -- not a great product and not "drop-in" in the English language sense of the words.

I recently bought an aftermarket "drop-in" barrel for building a P320 3.9" pistol with a new slide and a used FCU (like new). The barrel came from a well-know company (not Bar-Sto or KKM). Well, the pistol shot a 6" group at 7 yards, compared to a typical 3" group at 7 yards with my other P320 3.9" pistol. And examining the slide and the new drop-in barrel, after 150 rounds the barrel hood is beat up on the top corner, and the abutment on the edge of the breech (which was new) has been beat up in one spot along the side of it. When in battery, the top of the barrel hood where it meets the top of the breech face has a bigger space on one side compared to the other. So what was the benefit of buying an aftermarket "drop in" barrel? At least it was on sale ($135). More to the point, what would be the benefit of buying a KKM or Bar-Sto aftermarket barrel that needs fitting and getting the barrel fit to my P320? Granted, the barrel is not the only factor in my accuracy (trigger, sighting, grip, etc., all have effects) but in this case the new "drop in barrel" from Brand-X doesn't appear to be doing much good. This is not really a cost-benefit question, that's a separate issue, this is more of a "what is the degree of benefit, if any" question. Thanks.

Fortunate enough to find 8 lbs of Unique at Green Top, near Richmond, VA, on Friday, 6 March. They also had a little Bullseye and a little Power Pistol. Nothing on their shelves today, Monday, 9 March. That's the first time in a long time I've found Unique, so I think things may be starting to look up. At least it tells me some Alliant powders hit the distributor last week... I agree with the idea that you have to keep looking at the local shops and if you have a gun show, get there early on day one. Powder can be found, with persistence and some luck -- although my "notifications" at half a dozen big internet vendors haven't generated a single notice for HP38, W-231, Unique, or AA#5 in the past six months.

Hard to find here (Northern Virginia) too. But Chris at Hodgden's indicated recently, in an email, that we could expect to see a bunch of W231 hit the market this Spring. I like HP38/W231 and consider it one of my go-to powders (I like Unique, too, but end up having to compress it a bit to load it into a 9mm case...).