Lone Wolf Glock Conversion Barrels

Lone Wolf Distributors of Oldtown, Idaho has enabled the Glock Models 22 & 27 (and others) to become even more versatile and valuable. A strong statement that some may not agree with. Let me first state that in my lifetime of using and carrying handguns, I had never believed that I would own a Glock or any other Polymer Pistol. I liked the permanence of Steel!

I bought my Generation 3 Glock 22 from J&G Sales in Arizona. It was a Police trade-in and it was billed as being in “Very Good + to Excellent” condition. When the Gunsmith/Dealer that I utilized to make the transfer received the pistol, I had him check it out for me to ensure that it was safe, and in the condition advertised. The pistol looked like it was almost in “Like New” condition. There was no holster wear, blemishes or faults found in or on the pistol. The gunsmith confirmed my thoughts, saying the pistol was indeed “Like New” and very sound.

I like the Glock! Never thought I’d say that… It feels right in my hand and I can still carry the big pistol concealed. I have practiced with it every weekend for 6 months, and it is as easy to shoot as any of my revolvers. The .40 S&W cartridges get to be a little pricey for just shooting on the range, and I was looking for a good alternative, but I did not want to invest into a Glock 17 just for practice purposes. One thing about the Glock that I did not like was that the Guide Rod was Plastic. With the beating that it takes and the heat build up on the barrel during a sustained firing sessions, I decided to opt for a Stainless Steel Guide Rod with a Captured Flat Spring. I got the one offered by Lone Wolf Distributing.

That is where Lone Wolf Distributors (LWD) became known to me. I purchased their Guide Rod and Glock Grip Plug to close the gap in the pistol grip and noticed that they had conversion barrels for the Glock 22 and others. The conversion barrel is available in several configurations, in 9 mm (9 x 19) and .357 Sig, standard barrel length, barrels with compensators and barrels with threads for silencers. I ordered my conversion barrel in standard length 9mm since the ammo is more readily available than the .357 Sig and would afford a less expensive way to train with my G-22. When I received my barrel, I found a conventionally rifled bore, not the polygonal bore that Glock uses, so that was a plus, in that I could use lead bullets in the Glock safely, if I chose to do so. The barrel also had the Lone Wolf logo etched onto the top of the barrel along with the numbers 40-9, which would serve as a good reminder as to which barrel that I had installed in my Glock. You can also get the barrel without etching. The barrel was noted as being a “Match Grade” barrel so my expectations were high on improved accuracy. LWD said that no ‘fitting’ or gunsmithing is needed, that their conversion barrel was “Ready to use, pre-fit drop in…” Upon inspection I found that the feed ramp was highly polished, which the Glock should have had all along. I cleaned the barrel with Break Free LCP, installed the barrel and loaded up 6 magazines that I purchased on-line at CDNN.com. I bought 3 Glock 17 OEM mags and 3 KCI G17 mags. It is nice that Glock has standardized the size of their frames and magazines. Ammo used was standard Winchester White Box 115 g. FMJ 9 mm. The conversion barrel did fit nicely, and the barrel walls were thicker in order to maintain the .40 S&W outside dimensions.

On my range, I set my targets at 10 yards. I expected to not have maximum accuracy until the barrel had at least 200 rounds through it. I was pleasantly surprised that the accuracy and function of the LWD Conversion Barrel in the G22 was exceptional. To make the testing come out in even mag loads, I shot 204 rounds of 9 mm (12 Mags). I had absolutely no problems with the Glock. Not one Failure To Feed (FTF) or Failure To Eject (FTE) in this test of the LWD Conversion Barrels (or in shooting the .40 S&W ammo beforehand). The Glock is very reliable, and now, thanks to Lone Wolf, is much more accurate.

When I started shooting from a sandbag rest, the 1st target and mag showed a nominal group spread of 5″ (see figure 1) and pretty much stayed that way through about 8 mags. At that point, I noticed that the groups were starting to tighten up and I was getting several targets (I shot 1 Target for each mag of 17 rounds) that had a multiple round ragged hole (see figure 2). In effect, the conversion barrel has given me another Glock to shoot at a very reduced price. This is a win-win option for anyone who owns a G22. The groupings with the LWD Conversion Barrel are much tighter than those of the OEM Glock Barrel in .40 S&W. The barrel thickness on the Conversion Barrel is a thicker wall with very sharp and clean rifling (See figure 3), and the Lone Wolf etching on the top of the barrel chamber is clear to see. Lone Wolf Distributing has a definite winner in the 9 mm Conversion Barrel. I may just try out the .357 Sig barrel conversion… It uses the same .40 S&W magazines since the .357 Sig is a necked down .40 S&W! Also in figure 3 you can see the comparison of the original Glock Barrel and the Lone Wolf 9 mm barrel, and the new Stainless Steel Guide Rod. The pistol actually seems to function better with the all steel guide rod. Casing inspection did not show the ‘Glock Swell’ due to a loose and unsupported chamber, which is good news for those who want to reload their spent cartridge cases. I may even look into getting a new .40 S&W barrel for the Glock, as I am impressed with the accuracy from the Lone Wolf Barrels!

The following information is taken from the Lone Wolf Distributors website:

Lone Wolf Distributors match grade replacement barrels are manufactured from the highest grade mill select 416 stainless forgings. CNC machined and heat treated, providing a life time of service and unparalleled accuracy at an affordable price. The standard groove and land rifling make this an excellent choice for those who wish to shoot lead, plated or jacketed bullets. Intended for use in the Glock 22,31 only. We do recommend you use the correct 9mm magazine with these conversion barrels to guarantee reliable feeding. Use G17 9mm mag for G22, G24, G31 and G35 conversion.

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