Sunday, November 7, 2010

Lone Wolf Glock Conversion Barrel Range Report And Review



I recently decided to try my luck at the Lone Wolf conversion barrel for my Glock 23.

The particular Lone Wolf barrel I purchased converts my stock G23 .40 S&W pistol, making it possible for me to utilize the less expensive 9mm round because I’m a cheap bastard and because the .40 caliber round is frightening to me and the recoil hurts my delicate hands.

Besides the barrel, all I had to do was procure a couple of G19 9mm magazines.

I purchased my factory Glock 9mm magazines from Beech Grove Firearms because they are cool and they deserve my business.

Lone Wolf states that their barrels are “drop-ins,” that no gunsmithing or farting around is necessary, and that even a dumb fuck like me could do it.

Fit and finish are beautiful, and Lone Wolf says their barrels are, "... manufactured from the highest grade mill select 416 stainless forgings. CNC machined and heat treated..."

Whatever THAT means...but I bet it means they are bad-ass gun barrels made out of a single billet of American-made, hard-as-fuck steel and they have a laser etched wolf on them so they are evil and forbidding and will scare the shit out of one's enemies.

Maybe.

(I heard that one can order the barrel without the awesome wolf laser etching if one wants to. I suggest contacting Lone Wolf for further information, though.)

Now…I read on the intardnets that converting my factory G23 would result in multiple horrors:

-Failures to feed (FTF).

-Failures to extract (FTE).

-Brass ejecting into the shooter’s face.

-General heinous damage to the firearm.

-Conversion barrels are good for plinking, but not good enough to stake your life on them in a carry situation.

I decided to find out for myself. I am the boss of me, and nobody tells me what to do.

So there...

Today, I fired approximately 300 rounds of 9mm, and 150 rounds of .40 through my G23, alternating between barrels/calibers after firing two magazines of each caliber.

I made no changes to my G23 other than the barrels and magazines.

Here are my findings and impressions.

-No FTFs or FTEs.

-Obviously, recoil was much less “snappy” with the Lone Wolf 9mm barrel.

-Accuracy with the Lone Wolf 9mm barrel was markedly better than the stock Glock .40 barrel.

-Brass ejection was noticeably weaker with the Lone Wolf barrel. The brass did not eject half way across the range, but nor did it eject directly back into my face. It ejected up and to the right of the shooter at a total distance of about four feet…perfectly acceptable in my book.

-I could find no noticeable damage to my G23 after shooting it today. Everything looks peachy to me.

-Based on today’s performance, I would not hesitate to carry my Lone Wolf conversion barrel equipped-G23 on a daily basis.

So…for the price of the barrel and two magazines, I effectively have two reliable guns now.

Groovy.

I heartily endorse this product.


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Here are some jaw-dropping photos so that you, the gentle reader, can compare and contrast stuff and maybe make your own judgments.

Click on the pictures for pants-wetting clarity!

Keep in mind that the photos were taken immediately following my shooting session, and that the firearm had not been properly cleaned.

If you look closely, you will see lubricant, dirt, brass residue, and other filth.

My G23 likes it like that because she is a nasty, stinking whore...just the way I like it!


Top View


Bottom View


Side View With Rounds In Chambers



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.40 Slide Side View



9mm Slide Side View


.40 Slide Top View



9mm Slide Top View



.40 Slide Bottom View



9mm Slide Bottom View



.40 Lower Receiver



9mm Lower Receiver


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.40


9mm

19 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review, i've wondered about those "drop in" conversions. The humorous right up give me quite a few laughs ...

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  2. You are quite welcome. I like to be helpful to my fellow gun-nutters! I think these conversion barrels are going to be quite useful during the upcoming zombie apocalypse when we may run out of one caliber and have to switch to another. It's all about utility, improvising, and adapting to changing conditions. Keep your powder dry, my brother.

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  3. Great Review I'm sold

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  4. I loved your review and your writing style rocks! I have the Glock 23 also and headed to Lone Wolf for my 9mm barrel promptly.
    Thank Walter Zombie
    Nevada Shooter

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks, and you're welcome, brother. It's a great product, and Lone Wolf ain't payin' me a nickel to say it either. I just returned from a range trip today and put over a hundred more 9mm rounds through my G23 conversion barrel. No problems...

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  6. Have a 27 so I'll have to figure out what barrel length to get.
    Thanks & enjoyed.

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  7. Glad you like the story. This link might help you decide what to do with your G27:

    http://www.lonewolfdist.com/Products.aspx?CAT=241

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  8. Thanks for the review Walter, if you need anymore parts from us please contact me at Zack@LoneWolfDist.com

    I also featured this blog post on our own company blog, www.lonewolfdist.com/blog

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've had the same combination for well over a year now and have never encountered nor heard of the "problems" identified by naysayers with stock ammo.

    My barrel is actually one of the threaded ones for use with another goodie. The only hiccups have been when testing my personal reloads, which I can't fault either Glock or LoneWolf. Excellent review!

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  10. Damn. I am humbled by your kind words, by the communication from the cat from LoneWolf, and their inclusion of my review on their wwebsite!

    I will not be accepting any freebies from anybody, 'cuz I'm just a nobody blogger who appreciates an American company that produces a quality product which performs as advertised.

    Sorry about the potty mouth LW (not really), but that's kinda just the way I am...raised by wolves and a little rough around the edges.

    Semper Fi.

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  11. Damn! That's the best review about any product that I've ever read.

    Seriously.

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  12. If thats the best language you can use it tells me you're a little lazy and ignorant.I will take no advice from you when you talk like a punk.

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  13. As if I give two shits what an anonymous cunt like you thinks.

    Leaving a message such as this without signing your name to it tells me you are a gutless pussy.

    I don't know why you would read this piece to begin with, as you are obviously too much of a coward to own or use a firearm to defend yourself, and you are obviously too fucking stupid to understand satire or the repeated warnings you were given about foul language.

    Go fuck yourself with a rusty chainsaw.

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  14. Entertaining, brief and to the point. Not considering LWD for a conversion, but a longer, threaded, barrel for my G17. It was nice to read an actual review of this company's product instead of some forumfags talking crap because it's not ultra-elite-operator status.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your kind words. You get it, obviously. And yes...I'm just an everyday Joe who likes guns...not an elite SEAL/Recon/Sniper/Green Beret. Nor am I a firearms expert by any stretch of the imagination...

      I own Lone Wolf's Glock conversion barrel and recoil spring (purchased at full price with my own money), so I can only speak to the quality of them...but it's good stuff. Never had a problem with either one. I would assume the threaded barrel is of good quality also.

      Thanks for visiting.

      Delete
  15. I am wondering why the barrels are a left hand twist and the factory barrels are a right hand twist. Any logic behing this?

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  16. I am not an expert...although I play one on the intardnets...but it may have something to do with Glock being all proud of their shit and saying you shouldn't fire hand-loads or lead-jacketed ammo from their factory barrels because they have some kinda funky-assed high-tech Austrian rifling that is not understandable by the common man.

    I think maybe Lone Wolf said, "Fuck you, Glock," and made their barrels cool so we ignorant Americans could shoot whatever the fuck we wanted through them and not worry about shit.

    All I know for certain is that the Lone Wolf barrel is accurate as fuck, and I don't fret about nuthin' when I use it.

    I would suggest consulting Lone Wolf directly for the straight gouge, however.

    Thanks for visiting.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I ordered the 9mm conversion and the .357sig. I too and a cheap fucker and I never know when one of my buddies will leave a box of .357 out in the open. I figure if I can borrow 5 boxes, the damn barrel will pay for itself.

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    Replies
    1. I think you will be pleased. Utility is the name of the game, my brother. We cheap bastards need to stick together and keep an eye out for gear that is adrift, for gear adrift is a gift from God himself.

      Delete

Feel free to comment away with your bad-ass selves. Just remember...this is MY fucking house, and I will not be insulted or maliciously fucked with here. Good-natured ribbing is cool, but if you and I don't have some kind of previous relationship, you had best mind your fucking manners or I will relegate you to the intardnets dustbin.

To know me is to love me.

Or something.

Maybe.