To reach the necessary power factor in the open class, I installed a Blacklist Glock 34 barrel on my Glock 17. It has not only allowed me to satisfy the required power factor, but the reduced grouping size has brought the accuracy of a bullseye pistol to an affordable price level. I guess I may have been outshooting the stock Glock; then again, I’ve been a hand gunner for 50 years.
Perfectly agree. As always, thank you. I would add a couple less important details: 1. If you want to shoot uncoated lead bullets, then swapping to a traditional rifled barrel is safer. 2. Your factory Glock barrel or other polygonal rifled and nitrided barrel will last 50,000-100,000 rounds if not more. You may start to see lock-up being a little loose, after that many, which would translate to slight decrease in accuracy, but as Aaron says, if you can’t outshoot your gun.. 3. Aftermarket barrels for most guns have a higher chance of being less reliable than factory, especially when they tighten tolerances to improve accuracy. If the purpose of the gun will ever be self defense, then reliability is much more important than a slight increase in accuracy. Thanks Aaron, keep it up.
You made some great points. One more I feel is worth tossing out there is properly fitting a barrel to an existing gun. You can cause some damage, or induce malfunctions if you just drop an oversized barrel in to a gun without having it properly fitted. You'll also generally get better accuracy out of a match barrel that is fitted by someone who knows that they're doing, than in a drop-in barrel. The trade off in tighter tolerances can be a greater risk of malfunction when things start getting fouled up though, so everyone will have a balancing point for the application of the gun. For coatings... the gun still needs lube. Lots of companies market coatings in a way that makes it seem like the correct way to run a gun is without lube. A good lube will reduce wear, migrate junk away, and keep friction down to help the guns run better. Aside from those things, another great video.
I found another reason to use an aftermarket barrel in a pistol: competition. So, I have one competition gun at the moment, and I want to use it for IDPA. Problem: it's ported, thus making it illegal for every division in that particular shooting sport. I swap out the barrel to an aftermarket non-ported barrel. Voila. Competition legal in IDPA, in two divisions, depending on how customized your gun is. It's also a good way to jump between different divisions with only one handgun, like in USPSA, where porting kicks you into Open... You may not want to do that at that point, you know?
Ron Bridgefarmer. That and "match barrel" doesn't really mean anything anymore. 30-35 years ago a match barrel required about $400 (in 1980s dollars) worth of tools to make it fit and function, and if done properly would shoot 2 inch groups at 50 yards.
Only aftermarket barrel I got were for 10mm Glocks. I reload for quite cheap and 10mm brass is expensive. Factory glock barrels could render some brass useless so it make financial sense to get a barrel for that.
I own a Glock 20 10mm gen 4 but I purchased a new Storm Lake .40S&W conversion stainless barrel to shoot .40 out of the Glock 20 10mm. It uses the same Glock magazines, springs. 😉. I did have a few minor problems, misfires with .40 rounds(factory) but nothing crazy. I found the small, 3-4mm change in bullet size from the .40 to the 10mm can make a difference sometimes so I would NOT use conversion type pistol barrels for CCW, duty or personal defense. Just get a after market brand for range use or training.
as always good video, i have a glock 23, and wanted to change it to 9mm so i got a cheap lone wolf 9mm barrel, 1000 rounds through it no problems, got tired of 40 cal...
I have a question for you Aaron. I would love to see either a quick Q/A video on back sight height when used with a RDS. Is it necessary to have suppressor height sights with a RDS or could more traditional sights be acceptable? And any kind of discussion on cowitness vs 1/3 lower cowitness involved with that. Thanks so much! Love your videos and instruction.
Aaron, Can you talk briefly about pros/cons of a gun that "locks up" better/tighter as a result of a barrel machined differently than the factory? Why would a quality manufacturer provide a barrel that locks up "looser". Obviously it's intentional.
I’m to the point where I’m shooting my Glock 22, during seated and arms-on-knees slow fire (1 shot per 1 or 2 seconds) into 2.5” to 3.0” groups at 30 yards with most hollow points I’ve tried. I think I’m going to get a Bar-Sto barrel, so I can cut the group size to half that at 30 and shoot out to about twice that range. It would make it excellent for short range hunting and that much more precise for defense and for a long shot to reliably end an active shooter scenario.
As a reloader, I would love to have a Glock 9mm aftermarket barrel with the same chamber dimensions as the factory barrel. When you call some of the aftermarket barrel companies to inquire about their chambers they quickly tell you that Glock chambers are dangerous, you should not reload, and that their barrels are the answer.
Defense Resources I might have fired 10,000 rounds of reloaded 9mm ammo through Glock barrels, and another 5000 or 6000 through a KKM barrel. The brass all feels the same going in the sizing die.
Do you recommend learning your pistol before sending it to Arsenal for the expensive "Patrol" overhaul? That in itself seems to go along with learning to outshoot your barely before putting in a custom one. I priced a patrol enhancement on my Gen 4 G19 and it is not cheap and most likely wouldn't improve my shooting ability.Thanks
Me: Do I need a gold barrel. Absolutely not. Also me: Would a gold barrel look cool? Absolutely. Looks for gold barrels online.... Me: Can I outshoot my Glock 19? Absolutely not. Also me: Should I buy a Wilson Combat? Absolutely. Solid vid bro. Sort of like golf. Am I an absolute hack? The answer is yes, but if you saw me walking up to the tee box in my color coordinated Nike gear you'd be like damn son is he the club pro? Before I duck hook the ball into the tree line 50 yards ahead....
Aaron, if you're still reading these comments could you explain the pros /cons of SS AR-15 barrels. Mainly if they should be avoided when the shooter is known for "mag dumps" from time to time.
More malfunctions with my G29 KKM barrel. A lot more. Sucks bc I live in black bear and wild pig territory and thus have a use for hard cast lead ammunition.
I own 2 Glocks. A gen 5 9x19mm 26, a gen 4 Glock 20 10mm(cerakote slide). My 26 gen 5 is factory stock but I will trick it out soon. 💵😉. The Glock 20 10mm uses a standard 10mm barrel but I got a Storm Lake stainless .40S&W barrel for range shooting, practice. 10mm FMJ is not easy to find or cheap. 👎
So I might be wrong here, but SAAMI specs have to do with cartridge dimensions, pressures, and chamber dimensions. Checked out S3F's website after this video and saw this under the Rifling description on the Glock 19 Nitride Barrel PREORDER: "Saami spec 9mm Rifling".....does SAAMI actually have guidelines for rifling or is this another BS claim by them?
Compensator or suppressor = yes. Competition = yes. Anything else . . . as long as you're getting combat-effective hits . . . no. Or . . . if you want to frustrate CSI ballistics :-)
I bought a Lone Wolf threaded 9mm barrel for my Glock 19 a while back. The only thing I don't like about it is the thread protector works loose when I shoot. It's so bad that I've got in the habit of just removing it at the range for fear it's gonna come flying off while shooting and get lost. Is this an issue for other brands? Are there any solutions to this problem?
I had the same problem, put a tiny little drop of blue loctite on the threads and haven't had it since. Am still able to get it off when I need to for cleaning without any issue too, just be sure not to use much at all.
CountryBoyPrepper Silencerco makes a thread protector that has an O-ring embedded in it. I've shot mine extensively and it's never come loose. I think it's around $20 but I prefer it over using loctite and/or risking losing the piece at the range.
I bought a thread protector with a set screw from ebay. I couldn't find one anywhere else with the SJC threads. Threadlocker on the barrel and the screw and it stays put.
"If your shot groups look like a constellation map" LMAO
awesome video. completely agree. well done.
To reach the necessary power factor in the open class, I installed a Blacklist Glock 34 barrel on my Glock 17. It has not only allowed me to satisfy the required power factor, but the reduced grouping size has brought the accuracy of a bullseye pistol to an affordable price level. I guess I may have been outshooting the stock Glock; then again, I’ve been a hand gunner for 50 years.
indeed
Perfectly agree. As always, thank you. I would add a couple less important details:
1. If you want to shoot uncoated lead bullets, then swapping to a traditional rifled barrel is safer.
2. Your factory Glock barrel or other polygonal rifled and nitrided barrel will last 50,000-100,000 rounds if not more. You may start to see lock-up being a little loose, after that many, which would translate to slight decrease in accuracy, but as Aaron says, if you can’t outshoot your gun..
3. Aftermarket barrels for most guns have a higher chance of being less reliable than factory, especially when they tighten tolerances to improve accuracy. If the purpose of the gun will ever be self defense, then reliability is much more important than a slight increase in accuracy.
Thanks Aaron, keep it up.
You made some great points. One more I feel is worth tossing out there is properly fitting a barrel to an existing gun. You can cause some damage, or induce malfunctions if you just drop an oversized barrel in to a gun without having it properly fitted. You'll also generally get better accuracy out of a match barrel that is fitted by someone who knows that they're doing, than in a drop-in barrel. The trade off in tighter tolerances can be a greater risk of malfunction when things start getting fouled up though, so everyone will have a balancing point for the application of the gun.
For coatings... the gun still needs lube. Lots of companies market coatings in a way that makes it seem like the correct way to run a gun is without lube. A good lube will reduce wear, migrate junk away, and keep friction down to help the guns run better.
Aside from those things, another great video.
I found another reason to use an aftermarket barrel in a pistol: competition.
So, I have one competition gun at the moment, and I want to use it for IDPA. Problem: it's ported, thus making it illegal for every division in that particular shooting sport. I swap out the barrel to an aftermarket non-ported barrel. Voila. Competition legal in IDPA, in two divisions, depending on how customized your gun is. It's also a good way to jump between different divisions with only one handgun, like in USPSA, where porting kicks you into Open... You may not want to do that at that point, you know?
That was an Instagram awesome video! Lol! Caliber change is the only reason I change to aftermarket barrel
Great info Aaron. So true. Unless you are very very good a match barrel isn't gonna do crap for ya.
Ron Bridgefarmer. That and "match barrel" doesn't really mean anything anymore. 30-35 years ago a match barrel required about $400 (in 1980s dollars) worth of tools to make it fit and function, and if done properly would shoot 2 inch groups at 50 yards.
Ty for all the great info Matt Damon!
Only aftermarket barrel I got were for 10mm Glocks. I reload for quite cheap and 10mm brass is expensive. Factory glock barrels could render some brass useless so it make financial sense to get a barrel for that.
I own a Glock 20 10mm gen 4 but I purchased a new Storm Lake .40S&W conversion stainless barrel to shoot .40 out of the Glock 20 10mm. It uses the same Glock magazines, springs. 😉. I did have a few minor problems, misfires with .40 rounds(factory) but nothing crazy. I found the small, 3-4mm change in bullet size from the .40 to the 10mm can make a difference sometimes so I would NOT use conversion type pistol barrels for CCW, duty or personal defense. Just get a after market brand for range use or training.
Great commentary. Always on point.
as always good video, i have a glock 23, and wanted to change it to 9mm so i got a cheap lone wolf 9mm barrel, 1000 rounds through it no problems, got tired of 40 cal...
"De gustibus non est disputandum." There is no arguing with taste. or as Nutnfancy would say, "Second kind of cool" is always a good enough reason.
You did a really good job on this video as always.
I have a question for you Aaron. I would love to see either a quick Q/A video on back sight height when used with a RDS. Is it necessary to have suppressor height sights with a RDS or could more traditional sights be acceptable? And any kind of discussion on cowitness vs 1/3 lower cowitness involved with that. Thanks so much! Love your videos and instruction.
Aaron, Can you talk briefly about pros/cons of a gun that "locks up" better/tighter as a result of a barrel machined differently than the factory? Why would a quality manufacturer provide a barrel that locks up "looser". Obviously it's intentional.
The hardware aside - when it comes to accuracy/marksmanship, it's not the dope on the weapon, it's the dope behind the weapon...
Well said.
I’m to the point where I’m shooting my Glock 22, during seated and arms-on-knees slow fire (1 shot per 1 or 2 seconds) into 2.5” to 3.0” groups at 30 yards with most hollow points I’ve tried. I think I’m going to get a Bar-Sto barrel, so I can cut the group size to half that at 30 and shoot out to about twice that range. It would make it excellent for short range hunting and that much more precise for defense and for a long shot to reliably end an active shooter scenario.
As a reloader, I would love to have a Glock 9mm aftermarket barrel with the same chamber dimensions as the factory barrel. When you call some of the aftermarket barrel companies to inquire about their chambers they quickly tell you that Glock chambers are dangerous, you should not reload, and that their barrels are the answer.
Defense Resources I might have fired 10,000 rounds of reloaded 9mm ammo through Glock barrels, and another 5000 or 6000 through a KKM barrel. The brass all feels the same going in the sizing die.
Same here.
Do you recommend learning your pistol before sending it to Arsenal for the expensive "Patrol" overhaul? That in itself seems to go along with learning to outshoot your barely before putting in a custom one. I priced a patrol enhancement on my Gen 4 G19 and it is not cheap and most likely wouldn't improve my shooting ability.Thanks
I just realized who you remind me of: Jaime Hyneman.
rupert93r lol. That's a new one.
Me: Do I need a gold barrel. Absolutely not. Also me: Would a gold barrel look cool? Absolutely. Looks for gold barrels online....
Me: Can I outshoot my Glock 19? Absolutely not. Also me: Should I buy a Wilson Combat? Absolutely.
Solid vid bro. Sort of like golf. Am I an absolute hack? The answer is yes, but if you saw me walking up to the tee box in my color coordinated Nike gear you'd be like damn son is he the club pro? Before I duck hook the ball into the tree line 50 yards ahead....
Dude? Why do you make so much sense?
Will you do a dbal video? no experience with them, don't what's good or bad!
Aaron, if you're still reading these comments could you explain the pros /cons of SS AR-15 barrels. Mainly if they should be avoided when the shooter is known for "mag dumps" from time to time.
I choose to replace my trigger versus the barrel. Will it make me a better shooter? Nope... but I hope that I am more consistent on the trigger...
KARASU357. If you haven't replaced the trigger yet, you probably aren't shooting well enough to need a better barrel
I agree.
More malfunctions with my G29 KKM barrel. A lot more. Sucks bc I live in black bear and wild pig territory and thus have a use for hard cast lead ammunition.
I own 2 Glocks. A gen 5 9x19mm 26, a gen 4 Glock 20 10mm(cerakote slide). My 26 gen 5 is factory stock but I will trick it out soon. 💵😉. The Glock 20 10mm uses a standard 10mm barrel but I got a Storm Lake stainless .40S&W barrel for range shooting, practice. 10mm FMJ is not easy to find or cheap. 👎
Thks
I've got a topic for questions answered. Do you still have the Sage Hog?
TiN so hot right now.
So I might be wrong here, but SAAMI specs have to do with cartridge dimensions, pressures, and chamber dimensions. Checked out S3F's website after this video and saw this under the Rifling description on the Glock 19 Nitride Barrel PREORDER: "Saami spec 9mm Rifling".....does SAAMI actually have guidelines for rifling or is this another BS claim by them?
Charles Sizemore if they do it's new, because I've never heard of it. According to ANSI/SAAMI 2015 there is no such thing.
Did some reading. The only thing I saw that could be considered "SAAMI Spec" is the test barrel they use.
Bar sto vs Jarvis barrels?
what are your thoughts on a lone wolf threaded barrel for g19?
dubvc1. 😄
Great information. Curious if that is a Glock 17?
Compensator or suppressor = yes. Competition = yes. Anything else . . . as long as you're getting combat-effective hits . . . no.
Or . . . if you want to frustrate CSI ballistics :-)
What barrels do you personally like and of course dislike?
RAZORJB I use Blacklist and Agency. Both come from Azimuth
SageDynamics thanks, thought you were sponsored by S3F
RAZORJB lol. No. Never have been.
S3F are from Azimuth too aren't they or atleast used to be?
S3F claims to make their own barrels.
Those video should not get one thumbs down!
I want a 10mm barrel for my aia mark 4 10mm mag..
I bought a Lone Wolf threaded 9mm barrel for my Glock 19 a while back. The only thing I don't like about it is the thread protector works loose when I shoot. It's so bad that I've got in the habit of just removing it at the range for fear it's gonna come flying off while shooting and get lost. Is this an issue for other brands? Are there any solutions to this problem?
I had the same problem, put a tiny little drop of blue loctite on the threads and haven't had it since. Am still able to get it off when I need to for cleaning without any issue too, just be sure not to use much at all.
CountryBoyPrepper Silencerco makes a thread protector that has an O-ring embedded in it. I've shot mine extensively and it's never come loose. I think it's around $20 but I prefer it over using loctite and/or risking losing the piece at the range.
Thanks!
I bought a thread protector with a set screw from ebay. I couldn't find one anywhere else with the SJC threads. Threadlocker on the barrel and the screw and it stays put.
FN