asphirosis Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 (edited) [Hi, all! I just joined, and this is my first post] I have a 2011 Elite Match 9mm (standard rifling). I'm looking to switch to .40 and use this in IPSC, and want to know which of the following barrel options would be best: 1) EAA's website has their "match grade" barrel for $185 (only in 6"), I'd take it to a gunsmith to cut it from 6" to 4.75" and fit it to a new .40 slide. 2) Henning's website has a Lothar Walther polygonal cone linkup barrel for $225, (again, needs gunsmith's fitting help). 3) OR just simply get EAA's conversion kit (non-match grade, I assume) - (no gunsmithing required) for $245. I want to make sure I don't waste money on more than I need, however, I am willing to pay more if it's going to be worth it (accuracy wise). ADVICE?? Edited September 7, 2011 by asphirosis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Just get the EAA Conversion kit. You can basically get two versions of the .40 top end. The first is the one made for the Match (Straight Barrel). The Second is the one made for the Limited (Cone Barrel). I would suggest that you get the Limited .40 caliber conversion kit as that will come with the best quality barrel and rear sight. It is more expensive though. The last time I ordered one it was $465 for the Limited .40 caliber conversion kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asphirosis Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Perfect. That's just what I was looking for. As long as the Limited .40 conversion kit will slide right onto my Match 9mm frame, that sounds like the route I'll take! You guys are great... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Asphirosis> The "Match" and "Limited" pistols are both based on the same Large Frame design. So the slides are interchangeable between the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asphirosis Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 I called EAA, and they confirmed that the Elite Limited upper is compatible with the Elite Match frame, HOWEVER, she said a gunsmith would need to fit the slide to the frame. Is this a recommended move, or would that be unnecessary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nealio Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 For what its worth, my Match slide will not go onto my Limited frame. I haven't tried vise versa though. However, your conversion slide may go onto the Match frame (since the Match frame is the standard frame, while the Limited is the custom frame). I would see if it slides on without modification first. You may get lucky. If not you can take it (or send it) to a gunsmith to have it fitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asphirosis Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Ok, so my answer is "if needed." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 It is a crap shoot on needing fitting or not. I have ordered three Limited .40 uppers before and two went right on without needing any fitting. The last one needed quite a bit of fitting on the rails. Some times the slides can be excessively bowed like a banana left or right. The one slide that I had to fit was slightly bowed and this bow caused the need to fit it. When you order the replacement slide you can ask that they check the slide to make sure that it does not have excessive bow. If they get you a fairly straight slide it should slip right on without any fitting needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Sometimes it's the luck of the draw: My Match 45 slide fits my Limited frame, but the Match 40 slide doesn't the Limited frame. Additionally the Match 45 slide will not go on the Match 40 frame, but the Limited 40 slide will go on the Match 40 frame. And everything fits my Match 45 frame. I'm quite sure some laws of Boolean logic have just been broken by those combinations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nealio Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 I'm quite sure some laws of Boolean logic have just been broken by those combinations. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridman225 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I have an elite match lower w/ a limited cone fit barrel upper. Works great. I don't know if a fitting would be needed but it slides perfectly as it is now. I've posted pictures of it here on this site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david s Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Just get the EAA Conversion kit. You can basically get two versions of the .40 top end. The first is the one made for the Match (Straight Barrel). The Second is the one made for the Limited (Cone Barrel). I would suggest that you get the Limited .40 caliber conversion kit as that will come with the best quality barrel and rear sight. It is more expensive though. The last time I ordered one it was $465 for the Limited .40 caliber conversion kit. What is the advantage if any of Polygonal Cone barrels (Lothar Walther,Gold Team) and the Cone barrel in the Limited when it comes to accuracy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 In my experience, the polygonal barrel is not anymore accurate than the regular rifling when I did some benched test shots with my loads. They were both much more accurate than I could ever be. I was only going out to 50 ft, though. From what I've seen with my loads, the polygonal barrel (on my Limited) give me a higher power factor for the same load fired out regular rifling (on my Match). So in theory, I can bring my loads down more if I wanted to. (Since my Match is my backup gun, I do still want to make PF to that will be the project this winter... how low can I go but still have an acceptable margin for accuracy and PF?) The heavier cone barrel does help with recoil management (even though it is still a moving mass in the system). It's made follow up shots much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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