Open Major Glock 17, why not use a factory G34 barrel?

[boomfab]

I've got an open G17 with a threaded KKM barrel. The chamber is extremely tight. My OAL is not too long, the chamber is just too tight on the lower third of the brass. I've tried Dillon and Redding dies, same issue. All rounds pass the 9mm case gauge.

I'm considering having an extra factory G34 barrel I have laying around chopped and threaded just like the KKM.

The factory Glock barrel is much harder and stronger than the KKM since the Glock barrel is tennifer coated and hammer forged.

Before anyone says something about fully supported chambers...the factory G34 barrel has quite a bit more chamber support than the KKM.

So, am I missing anything that would cause me an issue with using a factory Glock barrel with major ammo?

[ede]

i use the same make aftermarket barrel with lead and jacketed bullets with no problem in glocks. i do use a EGW U die. i've used a factory barrel in 9mm for 9 major. i gave up on the glock because the mags don't leave a lot of extra room for loading the ammo a little long. still use it for steel challenge and GSSF and minor loads.

Edited December 5, 2009 by ede

[nphd2000]

I've been told if you send the barrel to KKM with a dummy round of your ammo they will throat the chamber for you. I was having the same problem, different bullet profiles allowed me to use different OAL. However, the higher capacity mags were the limiting factor of OAL.

I am building a G17 open gun with a CCF stainless frame and had the same idea about the G34 barrel. With the oversize locking block of the CCF the stock barrel works better than an aftermarket barrel. If you decide to modify the G34 barrel let me know how it works out. I may try it for my CCF project.

Edited December 6, 2009 by nphd2000

[MarkCO]

Because of the way the Glock barrels are made and coated, I would worry about work hardening the surface and creating stress risers and microscopic cracks machining on it.

[boomfab]

Because of the way the Glock barrels are made and coated, I would worry about work hardening the surface and creating stress risers and microscopic cracks machining on it.

The machining of the threads will blow through the tennifer as it is not very deep into the metal. Under the shallow tennifer, it's just plain old hammer forged steel.

I've got a threaded G17L barrel on one of my G34's for use with a suppressor, it works perfect.

[the duck of death]

I had the same problem w/a G34 KKM barrel. Send it back to them and tell them to ream it w/their NATO reamer, all will be well.

[fritzthemoose]

I've got an open G17 with a threaded KKM barrel. The chamber is extremely tight. My OAL is not too long, the chamber is just too tight on the lower third of the brass. I've tried Dillon and Redding dies, same issue. All rounds pass the 9mm case gauge.

I'm considering having an extra factory G34 barrel I have laying around chopped and threaded just like the KKM.

The factory Glock barrel is much harder and stronger than the KKM since the Glock barrel is tennifer coated and hammer forged.

Before anyone says something about fully supported chambers...the factory G34 barrel has quite a bit more chamber support than the KKM.

So, am I missing anything that would cause me an issue with using a factory Glock barrel with major ammo?

never used anything else than factory barrels and have thousands of major through them without problem. In my opinion its an old myth that you cannot shoot major with a factory one. Yes there were some 10mm and .40 going kabum but that was years ago

[fritzthemoose]

I've been told if you send the barrel to KKM with a dummy round of your ammo they will throat the chamber for you. I was having the same problem, different bullet profiles allowed me to use different OAL. However, the higher capacity mags were the limiting factor of OAL.

I am building a G17 open gun with a CCF stainless frame and had the same idea about the G34 barrel. With the oversize locking block of the CCF the stock barrel works better than an aftermarket barrel. If you decide to modify the G34 barrel let me know how it works out. I may try it for my CCF project.

which experience do you have with the ccf? heard that they dont work will unless you redo them from a to z

[Duane Thomas]

Before going to the expense of having a comp fitted, why not just have the chamber reamed on the barrel you already have? Easily accomplished, and comparatively inexpensive.

[Flexmoney]

I've got an open G17 with a threaded KKM barrel. The chamber is extremely tight. My OAL is not too long, the chamber is just too tight on the lower third of the brass. I've tried Dillon and Redding dies, same issue. All rounds pass the 9mm case gauge.

I'm not sure that you have isolated the issue. You are probably in the right ball park.

Your OAL might not be too long, but the chamber might be too short. Some KKM barrels (and this one would be a prime candidate) come "short chambered"...with the idea that the gunsmith will finish ream the chamber to length once the barrel has been fit to the gun.

As DT said, finish reaming the chamber is a much easier path.

[nphd2000]

I've been told if you send the barrel to KKM with a dummy round of your ammo they will throat the chamber for you. I was having the same problem, different bullet profiles allowed me to use different OAL. However, the higher capacity mags were the limiting factor of OAL.

I am building a G17 open gun with a CCF stainless frame and had the same idea about the G34 barrel. With the oversize locking block of the CCF the stock barrel works better than an aftermarket barrel. If you decide to modify the G34 barrel let me know how it works out. I may try it for my CCF project.

which experience do you have with the ccf? heard that they dont work will unless you redo them from a to z

I have a lightened 35 slide on a CCF stainless frame that I shoot in Limited 10. It took some time to work out the recoil spring/guide rod balance but once that was solved it runs good. With the weight of the frame it shoots softer than the polymer frame. The gun seemed a little bulky at first but during a small local match it doesn't become cumbersum (I will tell you I notice the difference on my hip by the end of the day). I actually bought the frame to build a 24 but the factory weight 24 slide kept snapping the heads off the polymer guide rods. I still think a lightened 24 slide with the CCF stainless frame would be a sweet Limited gun. After the 17 open is finished I may get back to cutting up the 24 slide and giving it another try.

[fritzthemoose]

let me fire off my question to you too. whats your experience with the ccf? heard that they dont work well meaning that you have to rework them and that they are not necessarily drop in with tuning parts. that htey are hard to setup you mentioned already

[kmitchl]

Give the standard Lee sizing die a try. I put a LW barrel in a G34 and started having problems with rounds that passed the Dillon case gage that would not chamber. I started using the Lee sizing die and the problem went away.

I've tried Dillon and Redding dies, same issue. All rounds pass the 9mm case gauge.

[Duane Thomas]

let me fire off my question to you too. whats your experience with the ccf? heard that they dont work well meaning that you have to rework them and that they are not necessarily drop in with tuning parts. that htey are hard to setup you mentioned already

That's a bit of thread drift. If you're really interested, here's a thread with five pages of commentary on that topic:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...CCF+Glock+frame

[nphd2000]

Does anyone know if the length of the stock 34 barrel and a threaded KKM are the same length? Would it have to be cut down, crowned, and threaded? Any guess on cost and who would do such a job?

[boomfab]

I just sent my extra G34 barrel off to ADCO firearms to be cut and threaded. $65.

I have more 10x more trust in factory Glock parts than any aftermarket stuff.

[boomfab]

Does anyone know if the length of the stock 34 barrel and a threaded KKM are the same length? Would it have to be cut down, crowned, and threaded? Any guess on cost and who would do such a job?

Yes, the G34 has to have a some length cut off before it's threaded to make it like the G17 KKM barrel.

[nphd2000]

boomfab,

Did you try the barrel yet?

[boomfab]

boomfab,

Did you try the barrel yet?

I got the barrel back, it is cut and threaded perfectly.

I have the comp loctited back on, just waiting on some nice weather to shoot.

[Duane Thomas]

Coolness!

[nphd2000]

boomfab,

Did you try the barrel yet?

I got the barrel back, it is cut and threaded perfectly.

I have the comp loctited back on, just waiting on some nice weather to shoot.

Still didn't shoot that gun with the modified barrel?

Adco suggeted I wait until this week to send my barrel in but I wanted to make sure you had no weird accuracy or bullet tumbling problems.

[boomfab]

Not yet. It's bee in the single digits here a lot.

I have no doubt it will work fine. I've had other Glock barrels cut/threaded for suppressed use and they are perfect.

[boomfab]

I shot the cut down G34 barrel today. Perfect. No more malfs.

[Duane Thomas]

Another satisfied customer here at BrianEnos.com.

[nphd2000]

I shot the cut down G34 barrel today. Perfect. No more malfs.

Great to hear. Before the holidays Adco told me to wait until the first of the year. I wanted to send my barrel out but I sent 2 e-mails and have heard nothing back. I don't want to just send my barrel without hearing from them first.

Anyone else know where to have this work done?