Aftermarket Barrels - Why?

[Joe D]

I guess I tend to get a little confused as to why anyone would want to dump the Glock barrel. I own quite a few Glocks and have never had one that was not accurate enough for IPSC or IDPA. Guys we shoot at a huge target. I gave up on shooting lead .40 loads in matches a couple of years ago. The .40 generates a lot of smoke, much more than a .45 does. I found that in certain stages the smoke obscured the targets.

All of my G35s and G34s shoot golf ball size or better groups at 25yds. I think proper bullet and powder selection has more to do with good accuracy than anything else. I have settled on Titegroup and either Rainier or West Coast bullets. I like the WC 147 gr 9mm bullet and the Rainier 180 gr. HP in .40.

Some complain that the Glock barrel causes too much bulge in the fired case. Who cares? .40 brass is dirt cheap - $8 - $12 per m delivered. The load I use to make Major only bulges the brass .001" more in the unsupported area anyway.

Most shooters would be better served to keep their stock barrel (that feeds anything you throw at it) and spend their money on more practice ammo.

[Ironman]

Hi Joe,

How many grains of Titegroup do you use? I do not have a chronograph and need to get close to major pf so I can get use to the feel. I have been loading soft (3.6 gr) and checking the guppy with my stock barrel compared to the KKM that I got for my son. I got him the KKM because of all the Kaboom stories and wanted to make sure he would not have any of the 6:00 blow out problems. There is a difference between the two barrels but if no one is having any problems with the stock glock barrel, like you say why spend the money.

Jim

[L9X25]

Joe,

You point on spending more money on practice ammo is well taken. However, If you can use lead as your practice ammo, by using an aftermarket barrel, you can save even more money for practice ammo. If you do not have to buy and segregate you brass by Glock/1911 fired and can use the same loads and ammo for both you have saved money and simplified life. Many people shoot jacketed in major matches and shoot lead for practice and local matches. An aftermarket barrel is a good investment in addition to being a good improvement in your Glock.

Leo

[ryucasta]

Joe,

My standard advice when asked by a newbie that wants to compete with a Glock in any of the shooting sports is to replace the sights and get a trigger job. When asked about changing the barrel I usually advise against it.

Having said that though all of my carry and competition Glock’s have aftermarket barrels and to me it's simply a matter of preference and what your particular pocket can afford.

BTW, it was great talking to you yesterday and hopefully you'll get that Open gun built soon so you can post some pictures of it.

[diehli]

Do KKM .40 barrels have fully supported chambers that are kinder to brass?

[ryucasta]

Gorilla,

You can take brass that been fired through a KKM barrel and it will drop into a case gauge with no problems.

[Joe D]

Leo, I have shot many thousands of lead bullets through my stock Glock barrel. If you stay away from soft bullets and clean the barrel once in a while then there is no problem using lead bullets in a Glock barrel. I used Valiant 180 gr. bullets.

Jim, I load 4.3 gr. of Titegroup with a WSP primer in .40. The OAL is 1.125". 930 - 940 fps in both of my G35s. I load the 9mm with 3.0 gr. and a OAL of 1.135", same primer. Velocity in the G34 ran about 865 - 870. I posted a target over on the Glock Talk Forum that grouped under 1" with this load. I think the post was titled Glocks Won't Group?.

Gorilla, there is no such thing as a fully supported barrel. Some do offer a little more support than the Glock barrel. Remember, you lose some reliability when the chamber gets smaller.

[Ironman]

Thanks Joe

[Flexmoney]

I wanted to post this earlier...but I didn't want to mis-quote The Great One.

"I can't reliably shoot 3" or better groups at 25 yards. Not from a standing position. My gun and I combination surely can not. Probably wether rested or not. Maybe 30,000- 40,000 rounds ago that one may have been accurate enough to allow me to shoot that well, but not now, or last year before I retired it.

However, that gun and I can hit the head of the IDPA or IPSC target everytime at 25 yards so I don't think I really care if it is much more accurate than that. We all get a little to worried about how well the gun shoots instead of recognizing what the gun needs to do and then learning how to do that.

If you can hit a 6" head at 15 yards you are probably above average. If you can hit that same target at 25 yards you are WAAAAAAY above average! If you can shoot 3" groups on demand, you are God level, or maybe even as good as Brian.

Rob"

[skeeter]

most everyone that i know that switched barrels did it for the lead bullets. i did it becaused a kb'd the glock barrel and cracked the chamber. got a kkm and it works, but i wish i had gotting another glock barrel for the feeding the kkm is much tighter and i had to get use to the tighter chamber

[diehli]

Thanks, ryucasta... maybe I'll see you at Norco.

[h4444]

I did it because I had a squib in mine and bulged the barrel. It was in the middle of a match. I've had squibs before, but I felt or heard NOTHING, so I cleared the pistol (mistake - didn't check "what" ejected), and went back to work.,,,,Shot another 90 to 100 rounds that day, never a problem.

I went to clean the gun that night and sure enough, just outside the chamber it was bulged, but the gun kept on running with no sign of problems.

We had a man vs. man steel shootoff that day and the gun performed well.

I replaced it with a Wilson,,,,,runs great.

H4444

[the duck of death]

*QUOTE*

I guess I tend to get a little confused as to why anyone would want to dump the Glock barrel.

I shot my G23 two times with full power loads with the Factory barrel. After looking at the bulged brass I ordered a KKM and wouldn't shoot the gun until it was installed.

As stated previously the fired brass from the KKM drops into a case gage.

That Glock barrel is scary.

[Joe D]

Duck, I guess I have just been lucky. I have fired over 100,000 rds of 165+ PF .40 without any problems. I will be happy to take any "guppy belly" Glock brass. I still do not see any reason to dump the stock Glock barrel.

[Tree Rat]

BTW.......who does good fits for say the Briley or Barsto?

TR

[Nik Habicht]

Barsto does incredible fitting on their barrel. The 6" G21 top end they build locks up tight and shoots incredibly well. 5 shot groups with all rounds touching at 25 are possible if the shooter does his job. It's a much better fit than the original top end....

[Mad Scientist]

Uncle Joe,

After shooting a 9 glock with major loads and poping 2 cases on the 6

I feel that suport under the case is paramont. with 40 and slower fast powders like you use there should be no problems.Glock barrels do what they were designed to do very well feed and function 100% of the time. Glock barrels can be made to shoot very acuratly 1 inch groups at25 have been seen out of one of the 34 s that the kids used with the right loading.

So if you watch your powder choices and are resonable Glock barrels will out shoot most peeople and the change is more a mental uplifting or confidence builder. This confidence probable has more to do with over all acuracy improvment than the acurace of any particular barrel over another.

KKM barrels as per Kevin are slightly more supported than stock unless you order one of his new barrels inn 9 that he is making for me. he has moved the ramp back and added extra material all the way around .

I finished fitting the barrel into a 34 this week and will be blending every thing together .The gun is fitted much nicer than what you saw in the begining. I think I have all the bugs worked out and would like to see you soon I think you will be impressed. When are you going to be in town?

John Nagel