Review: Lone Wolf 9mm Conversion barrel for Glock 23 (Gen2)

[LeftLaneInPA]

I recently purchased a 9mm conversion barrel for my Gen2 Glock 23 (normally .40 S&W) as well as two OEM Glock 19 9mm magazines from Lone Wolf Distributors. The barrel is currently advertised for $99.95 with free shipping.

It is advertised as made in the USA. The barrel itself is stamped "USA". I know there was some concern about Lone Wolf barrels being made overseas.

The barrel arrived quickly via USPS First Class package with tracking. It is "satin finish" stainless steel. Instillation was simplicity itself: I removed the stock .40 S&W barrel out and replaced it with the Lone Wolf 9mm barrel. Reassembly, as usual with a Glock, went easily and without a hitch.

Other than the sights, which are standard Trijicon three-dot night sights, everything else on the pistol is OEM. Back in the early 2000's I sent it back to Glock for a "parts upgrade" where some of the internals were replaced with up-to-spec parts.

I am using the OEM extractor and recoil spring.

Since installation, I've shot approximately 220 rounds and I have experienced no failures or malfunctions. Shot was 100 rounds of 147-grain Winchester "Train" FMJs, 50 rounds of old 147-grain "subsonic" "Law Enforcement Only" JHPs, 50 rounds of 115-grain Winchester "White Box" FMJs, as well as about 20 rounds of 115-grain Winchester "Silvertip" JHPs. Other than the 147-grain "subsonic" rounds appearing to have an unusually high felt recoil (an observer said "those look like they have some snarl in them") despite not being marked as +P, everything fed and shot without problems.

Accuracy was "acceptable combat accurate", easily being able to keep everything in the 7-ring of a B-27 target at 25 yards. It did seem to shoot "low" with my sights set up for .40 S&W, so I may have to get them adjusted. Most shots were within the 8 and 9-rings at 25 yards.

I've noticed some wear on the barrel after the 220 rounds. In some places, the "satin" finish has worn away and shiny stainless steel is now showing. This doesn't bother me, but I thought I should mention it. You can see it in the attached pictures.

The brand and caliber stampings on the barrel are on the "interior side" of the barrel, so it's not normally visible until you disassemble to pistol and take the barrel out.

LWBarrel_1.jpgLWBarrel_2.jpgLWBarrel_3.jpgLWBarrel_4.jpgLWBarrel_6.jpg

[ar15jules]

I don't particularly care for these because you SHOULD change out your extractor, spring loaded bearing and trigger housing mechanism with ejector. There are reasons they are different. Improper timing of the entire weapon system would be a concern. The parts are cheap and easily swapped out.

[Gunsnwater]

I have the same conversion barrel with the same experience. I also have the 40 replacement barrel for lead. It works well also. Both shoot to point of aim.

[coalcifer]

I have had a Lone Wolf 40/9 barrel in my G22 for seven years. The gun has seen several thousand rounds of both .40 and .357sig run through it using those factory barrels. The conversion barrel has had over 15000 rounds through it without any issues. This gun is used most often when teaching handgun classes. The three different calibers allows all level of students to experience the different caliber rounds, so they can decide what best suits them. I have made no other mods the the G22, as the conversion barrel is really a .40 blank bored to 9mm.

[Bang]

The .40 ejector is straight. The 9mm is bent slightly to the right of straight to match the smaller head. The difference in ejection between the two might affect where the spent shell lands, but as far as I (gen III 23) can see it's a so what. The extractor in mine is a new .40 and I have never had an issue with 9mms.

When I first acquired the gun (used) I bought a 9mm barrel for it, and shot it that way for about a year (not a particularly high round count). One day when cleaning the gun I had the .40 barrel and 9mm barrel near each other on the bench and noticed the .40 looked fatter. I miked both, and realized the 9 was a loose fit and ordered the proper Alpha conversion 9. But even with the loose fitting wrong 9mm barrel, the gun functioned fine and was decently accurate. I think the undersized barrel was more of a battering problem than an accuracy one.

The alpha 9mm (and the 357 SIG) both exhibit wear where contact is made, and I even lightly lube them. It's the kind of wear that shows how acute our vision is, not wear that means gun going bye-bye.