Using a Caliber Conversion Barrel vs. Buying Factory Gun?

[Lapietra]

I had a spirited conversation with a gun shop owner regarding using a Lone Wolf Dist. 40-9mm conversion barrel in my G32 vs. getting a Glock 19.

I have known this gentleman for many years and certainly do respect his opinions. He was quite emphatic that you sacrifice reliability when you go with a conversion barrel because the gun was not manufactured for the caliber I was shooting.

Now I have been shooting conversion barrels for many years and argued that I have never had a FTF, FTE or jam out of both my G32 with both my Storm Lake and LWD 9mm conversion barrels, nor my Sig 229 .357 sig conversion barrel (Barsto I think).

So what is your opinion? Would you trust your life with a gun that has a conversion barrel?

[Marlin Hunter]

So what is your opinion? Would you trust your life with a gun that has a conversion barrel?

NO

I am not familiar with the guns you mention, but doesn't the 9mm and 40 have different size brass? You would also need a new slide and magazine. I have contemplated the same thing with converting my 1911 45 ACP to 9mm, but for the cost of everything, I could just put in a couple hundred more $$ and buy a new 9mm.

[InGrAM]

NO

I am not familiar with the guns you mention, but doesn't the 9mm and 40 have different size brass? You would also need a new slide and magazine. I have contemplated the same thing with converting my 1911 45 ACP to 9mm, but for the cost of everything, I could just put in a couple hundred more $$ and buy a new 9mm.

Sorry but you are wrong. A 40 to 9 swap is easy. Just a barrel and magazines with glocks (look around people do it all the time). A .38 super to 9mm in a 1911 is easy just a barrel and magazine swap. (certain models of 1911) Also a .38 super to 9mm to 7.62x25 is a swap you can do aswell. 3 calibers in one 1911 platform.

Back to op.
Yes, I would trust my life with a conversion. If you shoot the gun enough to know its reliable then it is reliable. Think about it this way.... Why would you want yet ANOTHER gun registered to you? The Canadians do it all the time with firearms. Buy one frame and have multiply calibers in one gun.

[jdg30]

I've had good luck with a KKM 40-9mm barrel for my Glock 27. It's never had a malfunction so far in at least 500 rounds. I just use the barrel and Glock 26 mags and it's been flawless. I don't have a doubt it would work when I really need it to.

If a conversion barrel malfunctions just clear it and continue firing. Any gun can malfunction even if it's firing the caliber it was designated for.

Also, I've gone both ways on the route you're considering. I got a Glock 27, then a 40-9mm barrel for it and liked it a lot. Then I started thinking that I should just get a Glock 26 for designated 9mm shooting so I did that. I stopped using the G27 with the conversion barrel but deep down I wished I had just stuck with the G27 and extra barrel only, so I sold the Glock 26 and haven't regretted it. The G27 with the conversion barrel functions exactly the same as the Glock 26 did. If you don't really want two of the same gun in different calibers then get one with a conversion barrel and you'll like the gun more because it's more versatile and you don't have to clean two different guns after shooting. That's my opinion. If you need a dedicated caliber for a CCW, then get the caliber specific guns.

[Oceanbob]

NO

I am not familiar with the guns you mention, but doesn't the 9mm and 40 have different size brass? You would also need a new slide and magazine. I have contemplated the same thing with converting my 1911 45 ACP to 9mm, but for the cost of everything, I could just put in a couple hundred more $$ and buy a new 9mm.

I respectfully disagree my friend.

I have 8 conversion barrels in 15 GLOCKS they all run 100%.

And yes, they run as good as the original weapon.

My favorite is my 9MM conversion barrel that runs in my Glock 35 (.40 caliber)

Simply change the barrel and use Glock 17 mags and Its GOOD TO GO.!

Be well
Bob

Here it is:

[locosway]

I had a spirited conversation with a gun shop owner regarding using a Lone Wolf Dist. 40-9mm conversion barrel in my G32 vs. getting a Glock 19.

I have known this gentleman for many years and certainly do respect his opinions. He was quite emphatic that you sacrifice reliability when you go with a conversion barrel because the gun was not manufactured for the caliber I was shooting.

Now I have been shooting conversion barrels for many years and argued that I have never had a FTF, FTE or jam out of both my G32 with both my Storm Lake and LWD 9mm conversion barrels, nor my Sig 229 .357 sig conversion barrel (Barsto I think).

So what is your opinion? Would you trust your life with a gun that has a conversion barrel?

If it's a SD/HD gun then buy the caliber you want to use and don't use a conversion barrel. I know they work well, and mine has never had a problem, but why even chance it?

Range work, classes, that's all fine running a 9mm barrel on a .40 gun to save money. But when you're home, why run the 9mm barrel? If you want to shoot 9mm as your primary defensive round, then get a 9mm gun. This is just my $.02...

I have a Glock 20 and a .40 LWD barrel for it. It works perfectly, but I still use my Glock 17 as my primary defensive gun.

[FuzzyBrows]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovnRGyCpeYU

[rubber duckie]

glock .40 magazines shoot 9mm just fine.

now with barrels... i was looking for a 9mm conversion barrel for my p226, someone on here PMed saying a FACTORY 9mm barrel would work. although very skeptical i went ahead and bought a used 9mm barrel, to my surprise it took 100 rounds without an issue.

would i trust my life on my conversion? not until i can round about 500 through to see if any problems come up.

[Lapietra]

I too have had 100% reliability with my coversions, but the gun store owner's comments about difference in ejectors, spring weights, etc were enough get me thinking about the issue.

[robcoe]

Did a .38 super to 9mm conversion on my RIA 1911, and so far(800 rounds) it has had no problems after I got the right length of barrel link installed.

I have had factory guns that were less reliable than my converted gun.

[jmsenk]

I had heard that .40 barrels take 9mm as is - havn't tried this out for myself yet, but I have been considering a conversion barrel for my FN, just for the economics of it. (range work, training, etc.) but yeah, when I get home and lock and load for whatever might come through my door, it will be chambered in .40 Caliber.

[Ricky808maui]

I got a glock 23 40 cal...... Really considering the KKM 40-9......

[Spyder]

I had heard that .40 barrels take 9mm as is

???

[Lapietra]

[QUOTE=jmsenk;6589503]I had heard that .40 barrels take 9mm as is - [QUOTE]

A .40 barrel does not shoot 9mm. You need a 9mm conversion barrel.

[SJgunguy24]

I had heard that .40 barrels take 9mm as is - havn't tried this out for myself yet, but I have been considering a conversion barrel for my FN, just for the economics of it. (range work, training, etc.) but yeah, when I get home and lock and load for whatever might come through my door, it will be chambered in .40 Caliber.

Please don't shoot 9mm rounds through a 40 cal barrel. They are not even close to being the same size. You could get a bullet that doesn't clear and the next shot could rupture the barrel. Sigs have dimensional differences between 9mm and 40cal. Your gtg with most guns when going from 40 to 357 sig. The extractors and mags are the same.
Personally I wouldn't trust any caliber conversion unless I swapped the entire upper. That's one of the nice things about Glocks, the frames are all the same (except for G36 single stack 45) just different uppers.