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PSA: Lone Wolf barrels

100K views 502 replies 72 participants last post by  Mrs. VR 
#1 ·
For the past several weeks I've been seeing a lot of threads regarding LWD barrel issues, not only on this forum but others as well. Figured I share my opinion and experience.

LWD barrels are notorious for short throats in their chamber. Either they are crappy machinists or they have no idea why Glock weapon owners purchase aftermarket barrels.

I was an LWD dealer for a couple years. Customers had problems, I tried to get LWD to address them, but they didn't budge. They seem to want to make a decent, cheap barrel for jacketed bullets and if you want to shoot lead, make a dummy, pay $30, and they'll throat the chamber to fit your ammo. That's a crap way of doing business. What they should do is learn how to properly cut a chamber to accomodate jacketed and lead bullets.

What should a guy do? Buy something else. Storm Lake and KKM Precision have their finger on the pulse. I have more experience with KKM than Storm Lake and that's my default recommendation.

Currently, I'm not a dealer for any barrel manufacturer. I'm not mentioning or promoting so I can make a profit by any potential sales. I'm informing so shooters can buy right from the start. I really wish LWD would get real and wise up, but it seems like they are set in their ways, which is a shame.
 
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#3 · (Edited)
Lone Wolf Distributors are just that distributors. Their barrels are made somewhere else by someone else. Right on their description of their barrels they put.
Tighter dimensions than the original.
They shoot factory new ammo just fine. which to me means the real problem is with the reloader and not the barrel. I own several of their conversion barrels and would recommend them.
The big joke is the people who replace a factory barrel with an after market barrel to get better accuracy. In all likelihood the factory barrel is already more accurate than most shooters need or can use. If you need a barrel to shoot lead or want a conversion barrel go ahead and buy one. If you want a more accurate barrel you would be better off practicing more or taking a class than buying a replacement barrel.
 
#5 ·
Lone Wolf Distributors are just that distributors. Their barrels are made somewhere else by someone else.
Their name, their skin. If it's known customers that shoot lead have chamber issues with their branded barrels, then LWD should address this by fixing it or posting a warning in the product description.

They shoot factory new ammo just fine. which to me means the real problem is with the reloader and not the barrel. I own several of their conversion barrels and would recommend them.
They generally shoot jacketed and plated fine. Lead is where they fall short. I still have a threaded LWD barrel for a G30 that shoots plated and FMJ just as well as any other barrel.

My post was more geared toward those that want an aftermarket barrel for lead. They spend $100 on a barrel and it causes problems for them that should be addressed before the barrel is sold. LWD should know by now customers buy their barrels to shoot lead, so they should have their barrels throated to facilitate this. That is my point. Buy a LWD if you want, but be prepared to have problems with your lead fitting the chamber properly to the point it has to be sent back to be throated. Other barrel brands do not have these issues.
 
#7 ·
I didn't know LW didn't "make" their own barrels. That seems odd to me. Most companies don't make all the stuff that they sell. Ford doesn't make every little part in their cars. But they are considered Ford parts. Same with this barrel. It's made for LW to LW specs. It is their barrel. They own it. They are proud of it. It is their baby. It may be tighter then people like. But I have never had a issue getting my ammo to fit their barrel. Even if you add the $30 to the price the barrel is still cheaper then most others. Only other option is Storm Lake. I don't know what their throats are like. KKM has a tight chamber and short throat. That is just the way these things are made.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I have 2 LW barrels, zero issues.

Shot a few Missouri lead bullets through my G17, no issues.

That was too smoky so I now shoot moly coated bullets through them... no issues their either.

They *will* rethroat them for free if you send them some of your cartrdiges.... not a bad deal. I think their main desire is a tight chamber for jacketed. If you need it opened up for lead, they will do that.

Makes sense to me, I guess, but I can see it might be annoying to someone who doesn't know how they operate.

The fact that they're $50 cheaper than KKM is a big deal to many.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Freakshow, can you provide some links to back your statements?

First I've heard of any issues with LWD barrels. Got a LWD .40 to 9mm barrel for my g23, hundreds of rounds down range without a problem.
 
#11 ·
For the past several weeks I've been seeing a lot of threads regarding LWD barrel issues, not only on this forum but others as well. Figured I share my opinion and experience.

LWD barrels are notorious for short throats in their chamber. Either they are crappy machinists or they have no idea why Glock weapon owners purchase aftermarket barrels.

I was an LWD dealer for a couple years. Customers had problems, I tried to get LWD to address them, but they didn't budge. They seem to want to make a decent, cheap barrel for jacketed bullets and if you want to shoot lead, make a dummy, pay $30, and they'll throat the chamber to fit your ammo. That's a crap way of doing business. What they should do is learn how to properly cut a chamber to accomodate jacketed and lead bullets.

What should a guy do? Buy something else. Storm Lake and KKM Precision have their finger on the pulse. I have more experience with KKM than Storm Lake and that's my default recommendation.

Currently, I'm not a dealer for any barrel manufacturer. I'm not mentioning or promoting so I can make a profit by any potential sales. I'm informing so shooters can buy right from the start. I really wish LWD would get real and wise up, but it seems like they are set in their ways, which is a shame.

Bingo

I've just had a "discussion" with LWD and reached the same stone wall.

I'm thinking that their mission statement and marketing ploy is to get the first time buyer of a aftermarket barrel and plan on only a one time sale. It must be tiresome working at their customer service desk and get all that heat. And the temperature is rising fast in there with all the bad ink they are getting. I wished that I had done a better job of research on the product and their customer service.

Another way to market?? "Let LWD custom make a barrel to be a perfect fit for your reloaded lead ammo. We know that you want you Glock firearm to function each and every time and so do we. Send us two dummy rounds and we will custom reamed your chamber to ensure perfect fit". Just incorporate the $30 fee into the price of the barrel and charge $139-179 dollars and be done with it.

How many barrels would we all then buy? I would be good for around 4-6.

Simple....can be hard for some.
 
#12 ·
I have 2 LW barrels, zero issues.

Shot a few Missouri lead bullets through my G17, no issues.

That was too smoky so I now shoot moly coated bullets through them... no issues their either.

They *will* rethroat them for free if you send them some of your cartrdiges.... not a bad deal. I think their main desire is a tight chamber for jacketed. If you need it opened up for lead, they will do that.

Makes sense to me, I guess, but I can see it might be annoying to someone who doesn't know how they operate.

The fact that they're $50 cheaper than KKM is a big deal to many.

That is just the opposite of the emails that I have received from their customer service(?) department just yesterday.

It was saying that for $30 and the cost of postage it would be rethroated. It's not the money, it's the aggravation and the time involved that irritates most of us.
 
#15 ·
A bit slow on the uptake with firearms, so forgive me. Are we talking ONLY about reloaded LEAD ammo?

If so, I don't use either, don't intend to, so I'll excuse myself from the room.

Thanks.
 
#17 ·
Is it a question of LW barrels not feeding lead or not feeding certain bullet profiles?

When I made the horrendous mistake of buying a G30 I found that the stock barrel would not feed my Lyman 200 grain SWC'S. Ordered a LW barrel hoping this would correct the problem... it didn't.

Contacted LW, they asked me to return the barrel with several dummy rounds. Had the barrel back in 5 or 6 days, (they paid for return shipping). Although feeding was a bit better it was certainly not anywhere close to being acceptable.

Bought a Lyman 225 grain RN mould. Feeds like a charm which again begs the question, is the failure to feed certain bullet profiles in a LW barrel the fault of the barrel or more closely connected to the geometrical design of the Glock feeding system?

I've used the exact same Lyman mould for well over .45 years and the G30 is the only gun I've ever owned that they would not feed through.

I also echo Little Stevie's thoughts that they never used to charge for modifying the chamber... the $30 charge appears to be something relatively new.


Jack
 
#18 ·
I had to send back my 6" 10mm barrel due to feeding issues with jacketed bullets. The 10mm barrel would not feed FMJ's, JHP's or WFNGC's consistently anywhere between 1.25"-1.26". The barrel has been 100% since it came back, but I was pretty pissed that a jacketed bullet, loaded to book specs, was a problem for this barrel.
 
#20 ·
There is no such thing as book specs for OAL. Rounds are loaded to length for specific barrels and cylinders.


Jack
 
#21 ·
Freak, I'm confused, (as usual). If Lee came up with a SWC design that would feed through a Glock, a G30 or what ever), and the bullet is lead how can we then say that LW barrels won't feed lead? Didn't the change in profile address and fix the problem?


Jack
 
#22 ·
I think we are mixing things up. Two basic issues.

1) Glocks as a very generalized rule don't like SWC. MOST people shooting SWC are shooting lead. But not all. That has nothing to do with the barrel. It's a Glock design issue. It's simply not designed for SWC's

2) LW has "chambering issues" with many people. The rounds just don't chamber because of a tighter chamber and/or shorter throat. THIS is the issue most people struggle with Lone Wolf about.
 
#23 ·
Freak: They are really charging $30 to open them up now? They used to do it for free.

I also had LWD sell me a Glock .40 barrel that was machined to 9mm barrel OD. Not good quality control. They replaced it at no cost to me, but really?
 
#24 · (Edited)
OK, might as well give 2 cents as well.

I agree with the statement the reloader is the problem and not the barrel. The barrel fits within a particular segment of the market. They are known to be short throated, but so are CZs.

I recently bought a LWD for my G34 after looking several months for good priced KKM, in the end I decided to take a chance and bought a new LWD at half the price of the only KKM distributor that had one in stock.

Upon receiving it I "plunk" tested my 135 RN BC moly at 1.150 OAL it failed UNTIL I shortened the OAL to 1.130

I tested a PD 124 FMH loaded out to 1.169 and it passed, BC 147 FP loaded out to 1.150 and it passed.

So the way I see it, it really depends on the bullet profile a reloader uses. It is better to have the bullet just off the lands? Is it better to have excessive throating to accommodate all bullet profiles?

Really it's a crap shoot dependent on what your requirement are, is how I see it.
 
#25 ·
Freak, I'm confused, (as usual). If Lee came up with a SWC design that would feed through a Glock, a G30 or what ever), and the bullet is lead how can we then say that LW barrels won't feed lead? Didn't the change in profile address and fix the problem?


Jack
The fact the Lee SWC feeds in a Glock is merely coincidental. This was a competitor to the Lyman 185gr SWC. This bullet was designed before Glock pistols were even on paper. The Lee 190gr SWC has been discontinued for several years. I have a two cavity mould of it. I discovered it fed in Glocks when I had my G30 a few years ago when #68s didn't.

Feeding SWC in a Glock and chambering in a LWD barrel are different things.
 
#26 · (Edited)
This is common knowledge. Use the search feature on gun forums and you'll find threads that discuss this many times over the past few years.
Freakshow, you made a broad statement titled as a "PSA" "For the past several weeks I've been seeing a lot of threads regarding LWD barrel issues"

It's not up to me to prove your statements. I'd just like some links so that I can see what others are saying to back up your statement. What you call common knowledge is new to me, and I'd like the opportunity to learn.
 
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