Glock Accuacy G23 converted to 9mm vs G19

[sacad]

Has anyone tested for accuarcy using a Glock G23 (.40) converted to 9mm (lone wolf 9mm barrel) vs a Glock 19 (9mm). Is the accuarcy the same or not so by ?% percent.

As I'm a first time handgun buyer and have decided to go with a Glock, I'm stuck between the two. Primary use will be to get a aloot of shooting practice at a decent ammo fee with good accuracy as i'm a stickler for accuarcy but at the same time be able to have good stopping power at home.

[JBP55]

They vary from gun to gun but you probably will not notice any difference between the G23 with the OEM barrel and the 9mm LW conversion barrel.

[sacad]

Thanks for the responce JBP55

What I'm trying to see is if the G23 (.40) using a LW conversion barrel down to a 9mm will be as accurate as the G19 (9mm)

thanks

[BlueOvalBruin]

You should be able to get 2 inch groups at 15 yards with either configuration. Not super accuracy but good enough for combat or practical gun games. What do you want to use the gun for? If for home defense and games I'd recommend a bigger frame (G17). Carry would be a different story (even being a big guy I wouldn't mind carrying a G35 or G21).

[JBP55]

G4 G17 shooting 124+P HST from a rest at 75'.

[sacad]

thanks for all you feed back - JBP55 - thats inmpressive.

BlueOvalBruin my main use will be practice as well as having something at home for a little secutity. But since I don't have big hands looks like it's going to be a G19 - for comfort and cost of ammo. once agian thaks for your input

[FLSlim]

Good decision. If you're going to use it for home security, stay with the stock G19. I like the accuracy of my G23 with the LW 9mm conversion, but when it comes to reliability (carry/home security) I wouldn't bet personal safety on an aftermarket conversion barrel.

Edited September 12, 2010 by FLSlim

[Handgun World Show]

I agree, accuracy should be about the same. Lone Wolf barrels seem to be good for shooting reloads (lead bullets) and that's it. If you convert a .40 to 9mm and use good quality 9mm magazines, it should run well enough at the range during competition, but I wouldn't do it when carrying. Maximum reliability is what it's all about. I don't want to take any more chances than I need to.

[Duane Thomas]

Probably worth noting at this point that self-defense is really not what we're about on this board. This is a shooting competition related message board. While the occasional self-defense oriented post is not completely verboten, still it's a topic we highly discourage.

[SteveZ]

Probably worth noting at this point that self-defense is really not what we're about on this board. This is a shooting competition related message board. While the occasional self-defense oriented post is not completely verboten, still it's a topic we highly discourage.

Duane..I think the point that Bob and the others were trying to make was just a "reminder" that if the gun was used for carry, that it should be converted back to its orginal form in all aspects, including the magazine.

However, this brings up a different subject. You know my history in IPSC, I started back in the early 90's when there was the ongoing debate of "gamer vs martial artist". I got involved in IPSC/USPSA from the simple standpoint that I wanted to improve my gun handling skills. I didn't care about competition, I wasn't looking to win. I was using IPSC as a vehicle to learn about myself and improve my skills....and for the record, I wasn't delusional thinking it was going to teach me tactics. I considered myself to fall into the "martial artist" group...that lasted for about 3 years when I decided I wanted to be a competitor.

Why am I bringing this up? Over the last few years, there has been an explosion in new handgun owners. In our IPSC101 classes that we put on, a majority of the students come into the game not interested in competition but rather the defensive use of a handgun. I think they look upon it the same way I did when I was getting started; a means for them to improve their gun handling skills. Some of them get hooked, some shoot a couple matches and fade away. But I think the "face" of IPSC and IDPA (which has also seen a large increase in participation) is changing a bit and its more back to the roots of of both games and the cornerstones of which they were founded (I'll refer you to the 8 Principles of Practical shooting mentioned at the front of the USPSA rulebook...which just found its way back in a few years ago). IDPA even has DEFENSIVE as part of its name. Heck...you've even a written article about how you were carrying your G34 and right after an IDPA match, you were approached by some shady character and "little did he know you had just come from a IDPA match and he didn't know what he was up against".

What is the underlying reason we all participate in these games? To improve our pistol handling defensive skills should we ever need them. If someone posts a question about shooting with both eyes open and someone happens points out that it would be a good skill to master and can help in defensive situations, are they going to be told "we don't talk about that here"? I guess discussions about which sights are best for competition/defensive use are off the table too? As you know, I just completed my one year experiment in shooting my carry gun (a G19) in production division to get more proficient with what I carry...I shouldn't talk about that either?

I don't think you're going to see a post from Bob and the others pointing out the merits of different SD ammo (HST vs GD vs Ranger) but I will say this...BE has evolved over the years (I'll hold my comments whether I think its for the better or worse) I've seen it from the very beginning ( I jumped on board about 2 weeks after this forum was created). Things change over time ( I never thought I'd ever see the day we'd have an entire forum devoted to vendors) and so do the players. Many of the players these days are entering the game from a defensive point of view. Everything old is new again. It maybe something the forum should take into consideration.

Edited October 10, 2010 by SteveZ

[Nik Habicht]

Steve,

I'll jump into this one for a moment. Like you I've been around since 2001. Like you I started in these games to improve my gun handling skills. Where we have a slightly different approach is probably due to my exposure to the mod team since shortly after we started. I know that Brian wants the board to focus on competition -- and that he very specifically doesn't want to see it turned into a board where the chest-thumping 9mm vs. .45, or Hydra-shock vs. Golden Sabre discussions ensue....

Then again, I'm pretty sure that Brian would be fine with reading about what you learned during your one year carry gun in competition experiment -- as would I....

It's all going to come down to how the subject matter is presented: If it has to do with "the shooting," or the evolution of skills and how to go about getting better, i.e. the personal growth of competing/training/shooting, that's all perfectly o.k.

A discussion on best carry holsters? Marginal but probably o.k.

A discussion on whether to carry factory or handloaded ammo for self defense, or a couple of the first paragraph examples -- that won't get much traction....

There's lots of places to talk about that stuff -- there's not many where folks can talk about improving their skills...

[Handgun World Show]

I'm a huge proponent of handgun competition and I've introduced many people to the sport. I've shot IDPA almost 4 years and USPSA for 2 years prior to that. And I need to improve, so at the encouragement of my friend Steve Z, I joined this forum. Another point of mention is that Steve and I are reviewing Brian's book on my podcast right now and listeners have been emailing me stating they like it a lot. I'll bet Brian sells a few more books because of it.

However I have a slight problem with the reference to "chest thumping 9mm vs. 45acp, Hydrashock vs Golden Sabre" discussions. That's simply not what I was referring to by stating that I wouldn't carry a gun with an aftermarket conversion barrel in it. The poster before me also made a comment about personal safety with a conversion barrel.

I've been reading this forum for the past couple weeks and like the discussion and it's helped me with my game. How about if we refrain from jumping to conclusions and focus on the original intent of this thread which was about the accuracy of a 9mm conversion barrel in a Glock 23?

Edited October 11, 2010 by Handgun World Show

[SteveZ]

There's lots of places to talk about that stuff -- there's not many where folks can talk about improving their skills...

Hi Nik...I agree that there are lots of other places for people to get deep into SD/HD discussions and there aren't many places where people can go to discuss improving their skills....but the rhetoricial question is .... improving their skills for what? I guess all I'm saying is that our game has its roots in defensive use of a handgun and for many their competiton handgun is also their SD/HD handgun and because of that, these discussions are going to pop up from time to time....and letting them run their course may not be a bad thing...especially if others can learn from the discussion.

Regarding my 1 year experiment with my G19. Someday I may write something up about that but it was very enlightening for me. I learned a lot about my shooting technique primarily because every time I shot the thing, I did so with an completely open mind without trying to evauluate what was happening in the shooting tense. I didn't try to consciously see anything...I was just aware what was happening and then would make little tweaks to my technique and see what worked. I learned that having my strong hand thumb riding close to the frame (as if riding the thumb safety on my STI) caused the gun to torque in my hand during the second shot of a fast pair....the first shot was on...the second shot went to the left because I was putting pressure on the back of the gun and twisting it slightly. At first, I thought it was caused by trigger finger placement but experimentation proved that not to be the cause. Then one day at the range while just shooting, I actually saw the back of the slide slightly twist in my hand doing speed shooting....a ha! I found the symptom of my problem and with a simple shift of my strong hand thumb, corrected the problem. The ONLY way to realize this was to shoot from a 100% awareness point of view....let the subconscious see whats happening and once it did...it let me know what it had found. Its all there right in front of you for you to see....but only if you let your mind see it.

Ok....back to your regularily schduled programming....Glock conversion barrels. :-)

[Nik Habicht]

However I have a slight problem with the reference to "chest thumping 9mm vs. 45acp, Hydrashock vs Golden Sabre" discussions. How about if we refrain from jumping to conclusions and focus on the original intent of this thread which was about the accuracy of a 9mm conversion barrel in a Glock 23?

Hi Bob,

my intent here wasn't to jump to conclusions but to provide some background for the Forum Guidelines -- that portion of a sentence may have been too cryptic, to come across the way I intended. I was attempting to point out what content wasn't part of the vision for this board, as well as to provide some guidance on what aspects of "defensive shooting" topics might pass muster....

[Flexmoney]

But since I don't have big hands looks like it's going to be a G19 - for comfort and cost of ammo. once agian thaks for your input

The G19 and the G17 have the same size grip and trigger reach, right? The G17 is just longer on the bottom (and that gives the advantage of a tad more gripping surface...without more girth). So...hand size shouldn't really matter there.

I used to see a lot of folks show up to matches with the G23. ...I suppose with the idea that it is somewhat compact, yet powerful. In almost all those cases, it proved to be the wrong gun for them (IMO...from watching their performance).

If I only had one gun, it would be a G17. Works great for gun games. There is plenty of good 9mm ammo for defense. The full size gun gives no compromise for home defense. And,I can CCW it OK. If CCW is the primary concern, then the G19 is a bit better there, and gives up a bit more in the other areas.

FWIW, I have been carrying a G26. I also have shot it in a number of matches this year. I am a rusty Grand Master with the Glock...probably just shooting at the Master level at best... The G26 vs. my G34 gives up about 10%, in my estimation.

I would only recommend the G23 to the VERY experienced shooter. Most might think they are doing OK with them, but I have yet to see that prove itself with any shooters new to the platform.

A G22... seems to smooth things out over the G23.

[BoyGlock]

and a G35 is smoother than a 22

[Handgun World Show]

I happen to really like the G19 and compete with it frequently in IDPA. Steve Z from this board has motivated me to do the same one year experiment with my carry gun G19. However I also don't like the G23. Too uncomfortable for me to shoot. Follow up shots and transitions seem to be faster for me wtih the G19. The OP's question about accuracy of a conversion barrel is a good one. I've heard some people rave about their increased accuracy, but I couldn't achieve any better accuracy with a G23 and dropped in Lone Wolf 9mm barrel, than I could with stock.

I too have competed with a G26 just for the fun of it and didn't do too bad. The only benefit I seem to get out of a G34 is of course the increase sight radius for shots of 20 yards or more, but that's all. The balance of the G19 feels better to me. The grip shape to me seems the same as a G17.

[conrad]

I just had a guy give me a 9mm factory Glock barrel. And rebuild kit. So what you guys are saying is that I can put that 9x19 barrel in my G22. The barrel length is the same but the outside diameter of the barrels are not. The .40 cal barrel is 15.00mm and the 9x19 barrel is 14.50mm. I put all the parts in my g22 and it did cycle. But I'm just worried about the barrel diameter difference.

[G-ManBart]

I would only recommend the G23 to the VERY experienced shooter. Most might think they are doing OK with them, but I have yet to see that prove itself with any shooters new to the platform.

A G22... seems to smooth things out over the G23.

Yep, we go back and forth between G22s and G23s as standard issue, and the 23s definitely have a bit more snap to them. People just don't seem to realize that a G23 is pretty light for even standard Major match ammo, and that isn't nearly as hot as defensive ammo. It's really more than most people can shoot well without quite a bit of practice (we plan on 3500rds). R,

Edited December 18, 2010 by G-ManBart