Lone wolf barrel

[gs50401]

My 23 was always reliable but not accurate enough to really get me very excited about using it at the range.

I bought it a few years ago when 40 S&W was the only ammo that I could find for center fire handguns.

This past week I put a LWD 40 S&W barrel in place of the stock barrel. What a difference!  My Smith M&P and 9mm 1911 might be in danger of becoming safe queens.

Some others have had poor luck with them but my experience has been outstanding so far.

[Savage]

I have been using LWD barrels in my Glocks for years. Haven't gotten a large improvement in accuracy over the factory barrels with any of them. The LWD barrels are well constructed drop in barrels that may deliver an accuracy improvement in some guns. In my experience with the five I've bought, their greatest merit was the ability to shoot lead without concerns. For the $100 or so they cost, they are well worth the money!
Savage

[Glock Doctor]

   If you're going to have trouble with an LWD barrel it'll happen pretty quick after installation.  The most common complaint is the chamber is too tight.  This can cause feed problems.  Because of this many pistoleros won't use a, 'match grade' LWD barrel in their EDC. 

It is, by the way, a myth that you can't shoot lead bullets in a standard Glock barrel.  1,000 's of pistol shooters do.  The caveat is that you've got to know how.  Most people have little or no experience with the reloading and use of lead bullets.  This is the reason, 'Why' Glock, GmbH 'RECOMMENDS' that lead bullets not be used. 

The frequent and successful use of lead bullets in a Glock pistol is entirely possible; and you do not, necessarily, need cut rifling in order to do it.  As for accuracy, itself, there shouldn't be a great deal of difference between a 3rd generation factory barrel, and an LWD. 

[Savage]

In my experience, repeatable "Lockup" is a larger factor than a slight tightening of chamber dimensions or rifling type. This seems to especially true in pistol cartridges. Chamber dimensions and crown become more of a factor in bottleneck rifle cartridges given that the twist remains constant. The LWD barrels are good barrels, but like the factory barrels they are drop ins. Not saying that you will not get an accuracy improvement from one, just saying it doesn't by it's self make an inaccurate pistol into a tack driver. There are many factors that determine the extent of leading in a barrel. Some lead like crazy with any lead ammo you'd care to put through them, others are very forgiving. In my experience and observation, a cut rifled barrel shoots well even with a significant amount of leading. This can be critical on a hot day shooting a 200 rd match in a total actual shooting time of several minutes. Most reloaders (Like Myself) load for multiple pistols in each caliber. It might be possible to work up the optimal load for each pistol in every caliber to minimize leading, but not very practical for a volume shooter. This makes the LWD barrels a good investment for those of us that shoot lead. If there is an improvement in accuracy, it's a bonus. If accuracy in the sole reason for a barrel swap, a good quality barrel fitted by a smith is a better investment.
Savage

[gs50401]

On my 23 ,I felt that I could shoot better than the gun with the stock barrel but the gun is better than me with the lone wolf barrel.

I haven't shot cast through it yet.

[1894cfan]

I've never used Lone Wolf barrels, YET. That being said, you got to take into account what these firearms were ment(sp?) to be used for.......military/civilian defensive weapons! YMMV HTH

[panman]

I have two lw tubes for my g22.the 40 shoots very well,as,does the 9mm.NO problums with lead .
                                panman .

[His lordship.]

I bought a LW barrel in 9 X 19 last year, it does not shoot as accurately as my Glock factory barrel.  I also noticed that the top of the barrel chamber area rubs on the top inside part of my slide internally, due to a tighter fit of barrel and slide.  I guess that is what LW was intending.  Nice to have a spare barrel though in case I want some variety.


I don't plan to get any more LW barrels for my other Glocks at this time, they shoot fine with the factory barrel.

[curator]

Lead bullets cause leading when the alloy strength is exceeded by the chamber pressure and/or when the bullet size is under throat/groove diameter of the barrel. Lead alloys will pressure melt when the pressure exceeds about 1450Xbullet Brenell Hardness Number. Simply put BHN 20 will begin to lead if chamber pressures exceed 29,000psi. Some bullet lubes will allow you to push this a bit higher. The 40S&W runs about 28-35,000psi. There is no reason why lead bullets of the correct hardness cannot be used in the smooth Glock factory barrel. The Glock barrel's internal smoothness is a plus, not a minus when it comes to leading.
 
 Lead bullets under groove diameter "may" obturate and fill the grooves but usually the hot early powder gas squirts down the unfilled grooves and melts lead off the sides of the slug, blowing this down the barrel. Bullets then run over these lead dropletts and irons them into the bore. Accuracy goes to He## and pressures rise. At low chamber pressures like .38 Spl and .45 Colt, alloys with BHN 8-12 will obturate despite being slightly undersize at 8-10,000psi and not leave leading.
 
 I have shot a lot of "hard" cast bullets from my factory .40 S&W Glock 23 barrel. I size them to .402" and lube with Lee Liquid Alox. They are water dropped wheel weight alloy of BHN 24+. I use a load that produces almost exactly 28,000psi. Leading is non-existant. However, not water-drop-quenching these bullets results in a BHN of 12 which leads like crazy with this same load. Copper jacketed bullets do not have these problems because cooper melts at four times the temperature of lead and is much harder. Also, undersize copper jacketed bullets will self center in the bore despite being slightly undersize.

[poncaguy]

I have LW barrels gor my Glock 22, 9mm and 357 Sig..............I leave the Sig on it. All barrels worked well...........