[TRaGiK]

Been wanting a aftermarket barrel for a little while so that I could shoot lead out of my G20, and also one a little longer than stock for more velocity. Heard too many bad things about Lone Wolf (either unsupported chamber, or chamber too tight), and didn't want a 6 inch barrel. Ended up going with a Storm Lake 5.3 inch barrel.

Put around 125 - 150 rounds through it today, and it functions perfectly so far, with great case support. I was a little worried about this barrel to begin with, as I thought it may have too much support in the feed ramp area, and was worried about the chamber being too tight (SL chamber measures .428, stock Glock barrel measures .433).

I put 7 factory loads through it, and several different reloads of my own (using new brass, once fired, and multi-fired brass). ALL functioned 100 percent, and velocity gains were from ~40 to 110 fps. I was honestly only expecting about a 50fps gain, AT MOST, but was pleasently suprised with more than that in most cases.

Here's the chrono data. Only used the SL barrel today, so stock barrel velocities were done several weeks ago, but on a day with similar temps, humidity, etc.

Factory ammo

Winchester Silvertips
SL bbl averaged 1227 fps.
Stock bbl averaged 1186 fps.

Remington 180gr FMJ
SL bbl averaged 1125 fps.
Stock bbl averaged 1045 fps.

PMC 200gr FMJ
SL bbl averaged 1066 fps.
Stock bbl averaged 1010 fps.

Georgia Arms 180gr JHP (advertised 1150fps)
SL bbl averaged 1204 fps.
Stock bbl averaged 1123 fps.

Underwood 180gr XTP averaged 1355 fps.
Stock bbl averaged 1290 fps.


Home grown ammo

Warning: Most of, or all of, the data below EXCEEDS book data. They have been safe in *MY* stock, and aftermarket barrel, but might blow your gun up. Use with caution...work up to it...etc.


155gr XTP, 10.2gr Power Pistol, 1.26 OAL

Averaged 1440 in SL bbl.
Averaged 1360 in stock bbl.

180gr XTP, 9.5gr Power Pistol, 1.26 oal
Averaged 1340 in SL bbl.
Averaged 1280 in stock bbl.

180gr HAP, 8.0 Power Pistol, 1.26 oal
Averaged 1176 in SL bbl.
Averaged 1120 in stock bbl.

180gr HAP, 9.0 Power Pistol, 1.26 oal
Averaged 1307 in SL bbl.
Averaged 1197 in stock bbl.


I'm very pleased with this barrel, and wish I bought it at the same time I picked up my G20. I still need to put some more rounds through it to make sure it's going to be reliable, but so far so good.

 

[Taterhead]

Good report TRaGik. I am glad to hear that the new barrel is working out well for you.

 

[TRaGiK]

One thing to add. I get NO smiley's or case bulges with any ammo now.

With the stock glock bbl, I'd get smiley's in about half of the Underwood brass, as well as about half of my full power 180gr XTP's.

 

[ModGlock17]

Awesome. Figuring about $0.17 a brass case and a barrel total cost of $170 (round up), you're breaking even after about 1,000 rounds of reloads. After that, all savings is icing on the cake.

 

[2240]

I've been happy with my SL barrel also. I did not buy a LW second time around because I wasn't happy with the first one. Would have went with a Barsto but could not find one at the time without the long wait. Thanks for contributing.

 

[acg8276]

One thing to add. I get NO smiley's or case bulges with any ammo now.

With the stock glock bbl, I'd get smiley's in about half of the Underwood brass, as well as about half of my full power 180gr XTP's.

Makes sense with a chamber .005 tighter. Also might be where you found the extra velocity. No energy wasted expanding the casing, enrgy more focus on getting the bullet out of the barrel.

 

[gofastman]

can you post a pic or two of the chamber support?

 

[TRaGiK]

I'll try to get a pic up tomorrow, comparing chamber support.

 

[ModGlock17]

FYI. Here's mine, more data points for ya. Hope OP posts his.

From left: LWD 6", Stock G20, KKM 6", StormLake G29 extended (4.58" ?)

 

[leadslinger13]

I thought LWD as offering better chamber support than that? i was under the impresstion it was along the lines of the other after market barrels. Hmmmmm. unless LWD specs change i guess KKM or Storm lake are going to be my Long barrel purchases in the future.

 

[_The_Shadow]

I have two Storm Lake barrels for my Glock 29, the 10mm which has run great and has good support. The other is a 40S&W conversion...this one is also very tight for the 40S&W cartdidge. I used it yesterday and had some issues using older handloads w/cast bullets, and the brass was tumbled in older used walnut media.

Long story short, even though all rounds were checked a cartridge case gauge, soon as I had shot a few, soot and carbon built up in the chamber, then some cartridges began to stick not allowing the gun to return to full battery.

My next step will be a very slight rounding over and polishing of the feed ramp to smooth out the transision. However I may place the few older rounds I have left in the tumble with better corn cob media to slick up the brass on those.

I thing the older brass is most of the issue but I want this conversion to run 100%!

 

[TRaGiK]

Here's a blurry cell phone pic of my stock barrel, and the SL barrel.

 

[bac1023]

Cool

Thanks for the info.

 

[ModGlock17]

I thought LWD as offering better chamber support than that? i was under the impresstion it was along the lines of the other after market barrels. Hmmmmm. unless LWD specs change i guess KKM or Storm lake are going to be my Long barrel purchases in the future.

From what I gathered, they were fine then some time in early 2011 we started to hear about these issues. I think I bought mine in Mar-Apr 2011. And the picture tells the story. 21Carrier bought his, sometimes after mine with the same problem. I remembered opening the shipment box, looking at the barrel they sent me, and felt unimpressed because it didn't look refined. I was expecting a refined product.

Something changed, as if they switched supplier or got tired to customer support calls complaining about feeding issues so they widen the support hoping to get less CS calls. Just my guess.

LWD got their finger in a bunch of product categories rather than focusing on just a few things and do it well, like KKM or StormLake.

 

[TRaGiK]

Did some more shooting yesterday, testing for reliability.

Functions perfectly with everything I've ran through it EXCEPT Hornady 200gr FMJ (reloads). Fail to chamber problems. It did eat up 200gr XTP's just fine though.

I think with some very slight work to the chamber mouth, it'll eat the FMJ's just fine as well.

 

[glock20c10mm]

Did some more shooting yesterday, testing for reliability.

Functions perfectly with everything I've ran through it EXCEPT Hornady 200gr FMJ (reloads). Fail to chamber problems. It did eat up 200gr XTP's just fine though.

I think with some very slight work to the chamber mouth, it'll eat the FMJ's just fine as well.

If the barrel is working 100% with everything else, so far at least, I would NOT touch what seems to be a potentially "perfect" barrel. What I would do is tweak the one handload to work in that barrel like all the other loads have so far.

 

[TRaGiK]

If the barrel is working 100% with everything else, so far at least, I would NOT touch what seems to be a potentially "perfect" barrel.

It's not perfect if it's not 100%. Same load functioned perfect in a stock glock barrel.

Besides, it's not like I'm wanting to put the grinder on it. I just polished up the feed ramp, and polished up the chamber mouth on the lower half of the chamber.

 

[glock20c10mm]

It's not perfect if it's not 100%. Same load functioned perfect in a stock glock barrel.

Besides, it's not like I'm wanting to put the grinder on it. I just polished up the feed ramp, and polished up the chamber mouth on the lower half of the chamber.

I hear ya, just saying, and I get what you've added. Though I would still add to your additional comment above that what runs perfect in the stock Glock barrel with a comparatively gaping chamber entrance to what your SL offers in the same respect is truly an apples to oranges comparison.

Therefore unless you plan to add a relatively gaping chamber entrance to the SL barrel, which you're not going to, the stock Glock barrel should expectedly feed a wider variety of ammo more reliably than the stock Glock barrel.

If the handload is safe for the stock Glock barrel then I would simply use the stock Glock barrel when carrying that load. Anyway, like you said, no grinders, just polishing.

 

[Kegs]

Excellent choice.

 

[TRaGiK]

Though I would still add to your additional comment above that what runs perfect in the stock Glock barrel with a comparatively gaping chamber entrance to what your SL offers in the same respect is truly an apples to oranges comparison.

Therefore unless you plan to add a relatively gaping chamber entrance to the SL barrel, which you're not going to, the stock Glock barrel should expectedly feed a wider variety of ammo more reliably than the stock Glock barrel.

If the handload is safe for the stock Glock barrel then I would simply use the stock Glock barrel when carrying that load. Anyway, like you said, no grinders, just polishing.

Fair enough. Also, fwiw, I'm out of those particular projectiles, and don't plan on purchasing more. However, I figure a light polishing can't hurt anything, and can only help. There was some very light tool marks on the feed ramp, and it's now polished to a mirror finish. Around the chamber mouth, the polishing basically just knocked down any rough edge that might be there.

Couldn't get the velocity I was looking for the with stock barrel, but easily do (and then some) with the SL barrel.