Glock 20 and Barsto question

[nsf003]

I heard somewhere that you can buy Barsto barrels for your 10mm Glock 20 in 357 Sig 40 Auto(i think)and 9mm, changing the caliber. Is this true? Would you have to buy different magazines?

Technically speaking, could you shoot an 40 Auto round in a 10mm chamber and a 380 round in a 9mm chamber?

nsf

[JohnKSa]

A Glock 20, with appropriate barrels can fire .357 Sig, .40 S&W, and 10mm using the original magazines.

Function may suffer a bit in some pistols since the .357 Sig and the .40 are a bit shorter than the 10mm and may hang up during the feeding process. Generally, this is not the case and the pistols work well with the different barrels.

9mm has a different size cartridge head, so while it is possible to purchase 9mm barrels for the Glock 20, there is a much greater chance that there will be function problems. You may also have some troubles getting the 9mm to work in your original magazines since the 9mm has a smaller case diameter.

Shooting a .40 S&W in a standard 10mm barrel isn't really a good idea. It may work, but it stresses the gun in ways that were not intended by the manufacturer.

To understand why this is so, take a 10mm barrel and drop a 10mm cartridge into the barrel. Now, do the same thing with a .40. You will notice that the smaller round drops down much deeper into the chamber. That means that the extractor claw is the only thing holding the cartridge in place so that the striker can hit the primer. That's not a job it was meant to do. The size of the cartridge is supposed to hold it in place.

Eventually, this extra stress will break your extractor. It might happen very quickly or it might take hundreds of rounds.

In a life or death situation if that were the only gun and the only ammo I had on hand, I would do it in a heartbeat. It's not something I would EVER do otherwise.

Revolver cartridges have rims which hold the rounds in place. That's why it's usually ok to shoot a shorter revolver round in a longer chamber. (e.g. .38sp in a .357mag)

One more thing about switching barrels/calibers. You may have to adjust your sights for each barrel switch.

[nsf003]

You would get these barrels from Barsto?

nsf

[Coronach]

Oooooooooooh...and I was contemplating the purchase of a Glock 20 and a Glock... a glock...a... damn, can't remember, the full-size .357 sig Glock. Now it looks like I just "need" the Glock 20.

Of course, those full-cap pre-ban Glock 20 mags just plain suck, price wise.

(If someone tells me that Glock 22 mags will work in the glock 20, I'll kiss them)

Mike

[nsf003]

They might not work, 40 Auto is shorter then 10mm. Then again, they might because the 10mm ones can feed 40 Auto and 357 Sig.

I have no idea.:confused:

nsf

[JohnKSa]

Mike,

I would be mightily surprised if the magazines from .40 Glock would work in the 10mm models.

The 10mm cartridges are quite a bit longer and so the mags must be bigger to accomodate them.

Actually, it's a BIG relief to be able to tell you that--Lisa doesn't let me kiss anyone besides her...

nsf003,

Jarvis, Barsto and others (KKM?) will sell you custom barrels for your Glock 20 chambered in various calibers.

My guess is that prices will run between $200-300. I would recommend that you ask for a "drop-in" barrel. Their other models are designed to be fitted by a gunsmith for maximum accuracy. For most (99.9% ?) folks, the drop-in barrels will shoot more than accurately enough and will save the money and hassle of gunsmith fitting.

For the bargain minded, Federal Arms Corporation (not to be confused with the ammo company) sells stainless steel conversion barrels for around $90. Many people have reported good results with these barrels--I guess you pays your money and you takes your chances.

One big plus for some is that the caliber swap barrels are invariably made with standard Ballard rifling which means that lead bullets can be used.

While you're at it, you might consider an extended 10mm barrel for hunting. The 10mm out of a 6" or 6.5" barrel is a mean hunting round--it'll give the 41 mag a run for its money.

Good shooting,

John

[blades67]

The Glock 22 magazines will not fit in the Glock 20.

[Coronach]

That was kinda what I was thinking, too. But, I had no idea that you could get drop-in bbls for the G20 that fired .40 and .357Sig, either, so I figured I might as well ask. :D

Query: what other calibers can you convert the G20 to? I imagine it would be a pretty flexible platform, given that its 1. large enough dimensionally to handle 10mm and 2. strong enough to handle 10mm. I'm guessing 'no' to .45ACP and its brethren...

Mike

[nsf003]

I think that they have to be 40/10mm cartrudges, because of the extractor.

No 45, no 9mm.

nsf

[KilgorII]

9X25 dillon.

[blades67]

.224 BOZ.;)

[Coronach]

.224 BOZ

Yeah. That'd be pretty sweet. Think I could get a bbl set up for that? I'd buy a reloader in a heartbeat and asking on the reloading forum just how the h*ll you neck a .40 cal case down to .223 ... ;)

Yeah, I got yer 'penetration' right here... :D

Mike

[Flexmoney]

Coronach,

You have quite a few options with the G20. There is a guy putting together a group order for KKM barrels over on GlockTalk. Drop me an email if you are serious (I think his barrel purchase goes in in just a few days).

I know a thing or two about these Glocks, I'd be happy to help out. (I am in Central Ohio too, btw.)