10mm Barrel, what to get?

Contribution from GSW10

Okay, so that was a rhetorical question, this is a discussion, dammit!

First, there aren't really a whole lot of options out there for a G20 Build, even less for a G40. But there are some choices, none of them are super cheap. If you got in on the MGB PF45 deal, this is especially a consideration -do you 'shoot' for something cheaper and keep the whole cost down, or decide since you saved money on the frame to roll-over the savings and invest in a higher-end barrel?

Second, there are a few types to consider: Ported, Threaded, Standard, Target-Crowned, Etc.

Finish would be another aspect to consider -'raw' stainless, Nitrided, PVD coated, Cerakoted, etc.

Style would be another consideration, as some manufacturers offer fluting, engraving, etc.

The standard for any Glock build is set high with an OEM part. Excellent quality, reliability, longevity and price (well, normally...🙄). But some of these factors can be adjusted to find a different balance for a Builder. And, Glock is not particularly well-known for adding any 'flare' or style to their components -this itself helps maintain lower prices, and possibly contributes to reliability as well, for various reasons.

Okay, without further preamble, here are maybe some of the better choices for anyone building a 10mm...

Starting with stock OEM Glock G20, and comparing two barrels it is obvious they have a specific recipe, and follow through with it. Glock keeps a good set of tolerances throughout -not 'perfect', sorry, but still very good. Compare one Glock barrel to another, and the differences are virtually impossible to see. Machining and finish are excellent -hard to beat this, unless you have a specific design change you need...

The stock G20C barrel offers the same no-nonsense function as the basic Glock barrel. However, it trades-off a little bit of power for a little bit of control and comfort, with reduced muzzle-flip and reduced felt recoil. It CANNOT be used in a standard G20 slide however, and I have never seen an aftermarket offering. G20C models are discontinued, so good luck finding a new one, but you can build a new 'C', if you can find (or make) a 'C' slide -barrels can still be found, just a bit rare.

Bar-Sto was an interesting surprise. I got a good lead on this one, I won't say what I paid for it, but these retail at roughly twice the MSRP of a stock Glock. This one is semi-fit, meaning it wouldn't even lock into the slide without some smithing. I am growing to like this option, as it eliminates many tolerance-variables in any type of Build, no matter what brand of parts you are fitting together. In this case, an Alpha Wolf slide, which matches up to stock Glock very precisely. Not for the faint-of-heart or necessarily a beginner, definitely a 'no' for anyone in a hurry, fitting a barrel is still fairly straight-forward and doable with the right tools and some patience. Whether installing on a Glock OE frame or a Polymer 80 Build, a fitted barrel vs a 'drop-in' will make for a tighter gun with less slop, that is usually a good thing, at least to a point. Bar-Sto's steel is extremely hard though, and I was surprised at how much time and effort it took to remove any material for fitting.

In the case of this particular Bar-Sto, it also offers a triple-port design and a target-crown. One thing I don't like about this combination is the more delicate end of the barrel -easier to damage if dropped- and that it sticks out farther, well past the protection of the slide. Not necessarily the ideal 'combat' barrel, but certainly good as a defensive barrel and fantastic for target-shooting. An interesting item to note, Bar-Sto's rifling is opposite to Glock and Alpha Wolf. Not sure why. Maybe it was meant for South America? 😜

Alpha Wolf barrels are another great choice, I think. An upgrade from their 'Lone Wolf' product line, the fluting is tasteful and could even have some function, in theory. The flat-black finish is as tactical as it gets, and looks good too -beauty in function. Available in 'normal' and 'threaded', this is the big-boy threaded G40 6.61" barrel. It defines the length if their barrel boxes, everything else floats in there. Wolf's Alpha barrels tend to be a little tight in the chamber, but usually a good polishing will set them right.

Some comparison notes I found interesting: Glock has the least chamber support of any of these. Their finish is probably the most durable, but Alpha Wolf's is better than decent. I haven't decided on Cerakoting the Bar-Sto or not, I probably won't though, as I said this isn't an ideal combat barrel. The feed-ramps are the most dramatically different areas of the three brands. Bar-Sto's looks the most 'engineered', not sure if any have a true advantage over the others though.

• So, who else has any particular experience or opinions about these brands?

• What other brands have you found for 10mm barrels?

• If you have had the chance to try them out, how do they rate?

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