10mm-Auto

General => Gunsmithing => Topic started by: my_old_glock on May 03 2017 07:50:47 PM MDT

Title: The Alpha Wolf barrel is (not) junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: my_old_glock on May 03 2017 07:50:47 PM MDT
6 Months ago I bought an Alpha Wolf 6" 10mm barrel from Lone Wolf. I paid the extra $30 for the Alpha Wolf barrel because I thought it would be better than their standard older style barrel. After putting several 100 rounds through it, I came to the optinion that the (my) Alpha Wolf barrel is a piece of junk. My shorter stock G20 barrel shoots tighter groups.

(http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1362/13695381/24585439/413322806.jpg)
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: The_Shadow on May 03 2017 08:42:03 PM MDT
Wow that's a let down.  What about the sights?  Have you tried a smaller aiming spot?
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: my_old_glock on May 03 2017 09:03:35 PM MDT
Quote from: The_Shadow on May 03 2017 08:42:03 PM MDT
Wow that's a let down.  What about the sights?  Have you tried a smaller aiming spot?

I don't think it is the sights because my 9x23 barrel works great.

I didn't think about it until now, but I should put the 6" AW barrel in the stock G20 slide and see how well it does. Maybe it just doesn't work out of their long slides, but it should.
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: The_Shadow on May 03 2017 09:33:47 PM MDT
Yes you can try that too!
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: sqlbullet on May 04 2017 08:00:59 AM MDT
I hope you find the magic combo.  Nothing sucks more than investing in a performance improver only to get worse performance.
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: sep on May 05 2017 06:38:40 AM MDT
Maybe it's your load?  Maybe the shorter Glock barrel likes that particular load.  Rifle barrels shoot better with some loads than others...wouldn't pistol barrels react the same way?

In my preliminary 10mm testing, loading 200 grain Beartooth WFNGC bullets and DoubleTap WFNGC bullets, both bullets showed an accuracy preference for Blue Dot vs Long Shot. I have some 200 grain WFNPB Montana Bullet Works loads fueled by Blue Dot ready to test against  the 200 grain WFNGC Beartooth bullets for accuracy. I expect one bullet to shoot more accurately than the other.

Maybe a different load will bring out the accuracy of your Alpha Wolf barrel?   
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: cwlongshot on May 05 2017 08:34:55 AM MDT
I have a older LW barrel 5.5" ported thats at least as accurate as factory...

If I EVER get my  slide back I can do a side by side like you have done.

How does the crown look?

CW
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: sqlbullet on May 05 2017 08:54:51 AM MDT
While still valid to try some different loads, looks like this was factory sig ammo.
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: tommac919 on May 05 2017 10:32:29 AM MDT
Was just at the range an hour ago.... Stock G20 except 20 lb spring.

A bulls eye shooter was there and asked if he could shoot my Glock  ( he was shooting a series 70 45acp with 12lb spring/target loads, punching centers ).

At 50 ft, he manged to do only what I could do from a bench... he shot 5 rounds and had less than a 2" spread

Load is Xtreme heavy plated 180gr and 10.2 of Blue Dot.

So the glocks can be accurate, the load ( even I noticed this ) can make a diff.  BD and 180 just happen to be an accurate combo.
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: cwlongshot on May 06 2017 06:52:45 AM MDT
I have found and read many times of others finding issue as well with plated bullets...

I shoot quite a bit of them too but have yet to find one that was as accurate as my cast or commercially available cup n core bullets. I am not sure how many different recipes or brands of ammo you have tried yet...

What I am saying is personally I would NEVER judge a firearms accuracy solely on plated ammo alone.

Good call on letting someone else try. We almost never shoot as well as we think we do. :) (I know I don't! :) )

BTW, did you ever inspect that crown?

Good luck and KEEP SHOOTING!

CW
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: my_old_glock on May 07 2017 08:55:26 PM MDT


I checked the crown. It looks good.

I will slug the barrel when I find my lead balls and have time.

I don't think it is the ammo, but it could be.

Lone Wolf is like LEE precision. They sell stuff that is very affordable, but every once in a while you get something that is just plain crap and has to be returned.



.
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: cwlongshot on May 08 2017 04:58:04 AM MDT
As I said I don't have my 10MM slide, so I cannot compare these barrels for you. BUT I did do some shooting and this shows really well the accuracy issues with plated bullets. These are Extreem bullets and I have found them usually to be pretty good.

This is my G35 shooting 155g Extreem plated bullets with a lite load of Clays for about 1050 fps. Its my plate loading.

This was  30' or so

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/CWLONGSHOT/C5B886E9-9CB6-4C7D-91CE-DECC0653120E_zpsuorkxytt.jpg)

This was 25 yards... same gun and ammo...

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/CWLONGSHOT/8de4d444-b5af-49b2-90be-c0fd79cf736c_zps3fqqlbvo.jpg)

How can same gun and ammo enlarge groups so drastically beyond so few years... Answer, in my findings,  its unstable usually because of the bullet.

CW
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: The_Shadow on May 08 2017 07:20:12 AM MDT
It seems to be the projectile itself that is culprit?  I've seen cast bullets actually shoot tighter groups at 30 yards.
I don't have a picture, but I put a lot of 40S&W using my G-29 cast 175 grain bullets over 8.4 grains of Blue Dot through a Storm Lake 3.78" conversion barrel that were <4" at 30 yards.
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: cwlongshot on May 08 2017 12:31:48 PM MDT
Im my experience the ONLY cast bullet that has become unstable was the FULL wad cutters in my 38 Bulls-eye guns and that occurs past 50 yards.

Slow fire in some courses is 50 yards others its all at 25 yards. My 45 load is a 200 SWC and that bullet is good as far as I have shot it. I have loaded it in the long colt at nearly 2000 and shot it at 200 yards with accuracy!!

I load allot of the cast copper flashed bullets cause a couple ranges I shoot actually dont allow Lead. (STUPID as there is lead in the bullets... but thats there rule not mine... ANYHOW its easier to just load all plated. Its cheaper then cup n core, mostly accurate enough as these 3 gun Games are close range and even the occasional 50 yard shot is OK as the zones are generous.

Yes something to do with the bullet. Berries was AWEFUL! in my guns. speaking about .400 only here. I like the Lucky13 Bullets that are poly coated. These are about the same as berries but worse from the feeding standpoint. Extremes seem to be best I have tried so far. But as you can see, they too fall off accuracy wise. Unsure WHY only sure that it occurs!

I happened to have just finished the second to last box of extreams yesterday. I saw American Reloading had a bunch of CUP-N-CORE pulls for about the same as my extream costs, so I bought five boxes of them this time.

CW
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: First Manchu on May 14 2017 10:03:20 AM MDT
I agree with sep. It could be the ammo. You may have to experiment a little to see what the barrel likes in your pistol. Different brands and hand loads might make a difference.
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: my_old_glock on June 01 2017 07:53:19 PM MDT
Quote from: my_old_glock on May 07 2017 08:55:26 PM MDT


...

I will slug the barrel when I find my lead balls and have time.

...

I slugged the barrel. I used an electronic inspection micrometer. The slug measured 0.40100 over 3 points. Yes, I measured it to a half-of-a-tenth of an inch. The force required to push the slug through the barrel was even; no loose or tight spots.

So it is not the bore diameter that is causing the problem.


.


Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is (not) junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: my_old_glock on October 14 2019 08:40:09 PM MDT

I tried the Alph Wolf barrel again and it worked just as good as a stock Glock 40 6" 10mm barrel.

This time I had a steady bench rest (a tree stump).

Both are still not as good as I would like, but I only tried them with SIG factory ball 10mm ammo.

I will eventually try them both again with some handloads. Check back in 2 to 3 years :)) for an update

.
Title: Re: The Alpha Wolf barrel is (not) junk compared to the stock G20 barrel
Post by: rognp on February 22 2020 04:54:33 PM MST
Dragging this up out of the dustbin. Not so much to argue barrels, although most 40 cal bullets are 0.400" or even 0.0005 " less. My G20 barrel is about the same 0.401". Generally bullets under groove diameter are not the best combination for accuracy.

What Ive seen with plated bullets is that some barrels shoot them well while others dont fare so well. Berry's 180gr hhps group around 16-18" at 30 yds out of my G20. The wierd thing is that at least one of a string will be absolute dead center at POA.  Xtremes are some bettermaybe 6". On the other hand these bullets out of my SS P220 will group as well as most any other.
I think these bullets sometimes crack or loose the plating and get really unbalanced.