glock 29 4.6 barrel worth the slight velocity increase on certain loads

[jdub1836]

i got rid of my LWD long slide and traded for a band spankin new glock 29 with some extras. I got the better end of the trade as I did not have the factory slide and the gun was beat up from the ranch. The LS was built by another guy and had serious feeding problems and was the main reason I got rid of it. The main reason I like 10mm is the fact that it is plain bad ass hog stopper but also it is also a hell of a lot better than 6 shots in a single action hunting revolver if I come across some illegals carrying drugs in south tx. Which happens about once a month. So the fact that it had failures to feed, extract, and stove pipes meant it had to go. I am not one to go to the smith and get it tuned all the time or I'd be using a 1911 10mm(which is still want so bad) and the fact that it was too big to lug around the ranch while doing work, uncomfortable to wear fly fishing on different rivers in south tx where illegals cross, pig opportunity or pissed off pig opportunity and the occasional fly fishing trip in black bear country and it was hard to draw in the truck when we come across pigs that are moving fast and pistol is usually the only thing fast enough to get a shot off on them as they cross a ranch road. It was darn accurate and a cannon with a UW hard cast out of that 6.6 inch barrel it would put pigs down as they were running away.(up the rear into the vitals). I am in south tx so we are trying to eradicate them and every ranch owner wants lead in them no mater what.

To the real question so I have a glock 29 now that I can always have on me, conceal carry, and shoot a pig or deer at closer ranges. On gun blast with 180 gr BB GDs there was less than a 50 fps difference in the stock 20 and 29. My question is should I slap a LWD 4.6 inch barrel in it for hunting? Is it worth it? I am extremely accurate with it and I have no doubt in my ability to hit a doe or pig at 50 yards. What ammo is going to give me the most energy in the shorter barrel? I have UW 180 GD, Hornady XTP, DT 200 HC and UW 220 HC. Common since tells me if I am going to take longer shot with it a solid is going to be my best bet to insure I get through the vitals. For white tails 30 yards and in would the UW GD's be more effective? I don't want to here anything about a g29 is not suitable for hunting bc I have done it, seen it, and can hit a paper plater at a 100 yards all day from sticks or a good rest.

Next part is purely optional haha just me rambling on as I had a few cups of coffee:

Just a quick background on me if anyone cares I grew up shooting a luger long barrel out to 175 yards with the pop up elevation sights, 1911s. and a collection of nearly 1000 hand guns since i was 7 years old with dad and his dad, my Ret. Col. USAF grandpa who flew F-84's over Korea and F-105's over N. Vietnam. I know many of y'all are into history so I'll share this. 2/3 of the F-105's got shot down in the early part of the war when we were bombing north vietnam. The aircraft looks like a big f-16 and is a strike bomber sort of like a dive bomber/fighter. So he did extensive training when he was over there with the seals and other ground soldiers in his spare time. knowing he had a good chance of having to bail over enemy territory. He carried that luger with a 32 rd drum, rifle stock and converted to full auto only. A m1 carbine paratrooper tapped to his shoot, his m-1911, standard issue 38(model 10 i believe) a snubbie 38, a walther 32 and a 25 in his boot with no spare mags, he said the last two bullets were for him incase one didn't work. He was the C.O. of the 357th TFS after his C.O. had a flame out and bailed out over the china sea and had a fatal parachute failure. Long story short I am far above average in hand gun proficiency. I was training with bb gun pistols since i can remember and doing tactical reloads on 1911's before i was 10. I am extremely confident and accurate but also a humane and ethical hunter. I've NEVER lost a deer. I have had to get dogs but that was bc a friend was bow hunting and his buck went 7 miles before losing it with half an arrow in it. I shot it a month later with half an arrow shaft and broad head still in it with my rifle and it wasn't even limping. I've been deer hunting my whole life and love long range shooting and ballistics but my true love is pistols, and hand gun hunting. I never got into wheel guns except NAA mini 22 mags with the advance in short barrel deffensive ammo and keep on in my pocket and one in my boot. I do want a 610 10mm and wish charter arms would make a 10mm and wouldn't mind having a 10mm derringer in my boot. 

[mag360]

Pretty cool story there.  I do have a question about the naa minis.  Why those? I carry a glock 26.  I think you made a good choice on the 29.  Ive been debating switching out my g20 for a 29 on my permit.  In my county mr sheriff boss man says I only get 3 on the permit.  I think the barrel length is worth upgrading to and you can easily switch back.  They should have a 6" g29 barrel in stock in a few months too.

[hammeredbean]

FWIW.  I have killed 7 White Tail Deer with my 3" SP101 Revolver over the past few seasons.  All were humane quick kills using factory federal JSP (not hollow points) ammo.  I never recovered a bullet as they always made two holes.  Since last season I sold my trusty little revolver because I wanted a G29 and had no gun budget. 

This season, I am using it (G29) with factory barrel & handloaded 200 gr cast lead.  These little guns are legal to use where I live and they will sure do the job!  I ascribe myself to the full penetration/2 hole theory vs the 1 hole/max energy dump theory.  These critters run even when shot with high powered rifles....so I get a better blood trail with 2 holes.  So for me, if a bullet makes one hole, it failed. 

I am impressed with the factory barrel and lead.  I just tried this out last week with 200 gr Rim Rock truncated cone bullets and it works nice in my gun.  I ponder though, is 180 gr or 200 gr the most ideal 10mm compromise between power and speed?  Someday I will try some 180's.  But then again, 200 is such a nice round number. HaHa..  Good luck.

[Gen4G20]

That poor guy with the LWD long slide and all those problems. Anyways congratulations on the G29 and personality if you found the only significant difference is 50fps, to me that is not worth a barrel swap especially with your shooting background. 150fps yes again just my opinion, buy more ammo and not the barrel.

[Turo]

I can only offer my own experience with my G29 and G20 and reloading 10mm with Hodgdon Longshot, but the difference in velocity is right at 40 fps. My carry/HD load is a 180gr XTP that comes out of my G20 at 1260 fps (~630 ft-lbs of muzzle energy). The same ammo shot in my 29 comes out right at 1225 fps.

For a $150-200 investment, I don't really think that 40 fps is worth it. Spend the money on some spare mags and some extra full-power 10mm ammo.

[Dave84]

That's a great sounding load Turo. I totally agree. Why spend the money on that to make your compact gun not compact?

[jdub1836]

The thought behind it Turo was that I could switch the barrel when at the rancho or even just when sitting. I really appreciate the info you guys gave me and I might get a 9x25 or match 10mm standard length. I just can't justify the dillon other than it is just plain cool. Prob is my brother sold his reloading stuff so I'm Prob just going to get another gun(much needed single stack 9 or the new Glock 42) or some triji n.s. for the 29. I just can't believe how much the xds is compared to the competition, it feels, points, and trigger feels great. I just don't want to spend nearly 600 bucks on a boot gun. I'm a big dude and the 29 doesnt bother me. Has anyone tried alien gear holsters? They are supposed to be more comfortable than a cross breed, at half the price and free kydex shells FOR LiFE! I should of asked Santa.

[Dave84]

I would recommend a cm9, shield, lc9s over the xds. All are much more reasonable.

[jdub1836]

So I got the shield cool gun... Back to 10mm go to my you tube page john wright or search 100 yard glock 29 underwood 180 gold dots on Google and there's a vid of me shooting standing and another vid shooting from sticks at a 8-12 inch plate. I was amazed on the amount of hits I was getting and the video was towards the end of my range session, so I was a little beat up already and not taking my time. I put 100 GA arms 180s and a few box of UMC's. The data I read from a guy that chrono'd says the UMC's are faster but I'll tell you the Ga arms stuff has much more felt recoil and hit the steel much harder. I love that stuff. The umc just has a little bigger metplate so I prefer it for hogs out of the truck after 3 or 4 hard cast bc after those first few rounds those hogs are going everywhere and I don't like to waste, just want holes in hogs. Also, using those full power underwood loads I was amazed at how little recoil I was getting wild double tapping. Almost 0 muzzle flip it is amazing how much of a difference The long the grip reduces recoil. 50% according to Tom Gresham. I am more than confident to shoot pigs with hard cast at 70 yards(Im in tx so not worried about recovery just my land getting trashed and my corn and protein bills). And 100% confident now on taking deer out to 30, 40 or even 50 yards. Practice practice practice and then practice some more.
Any thoughts on more percise sights for a glock? The combat sights are so fat that it is definitely limiting my range. And I do not want to put RMR on this gun. I want a thinner front post or something along those lines. I now want the 9x25 bartel to really reach out on steel and pigs. Thanks my 10mm friends.

[Dave84]

Great choice. I like the trijicon HD sights a lot. MUCH better than the stock. I don't know that they'd be the best long range sights though.

[gandog56]

Makes me wonder what my 6" Fusion Firearms boosts me to.

[frankt]

I think the G29 is just about perfect just the way it is.

I carry mine as my CCW on the way to the woods and back. For deer and hogs i9t is sometimes my primary weapon and sometimes on backup duty waiting for a close shot. I have a black rear sight and an orange front sight with tritium and it works well in the dark woods.

The deer have not been kind to me and are unwilling to give me a shot. I killed two hogs, one I walked up on and one from a stand and the 10mm put them right down.

I use handloaded 180gr Hornady HAP bullets. The HAP is the XTP without the skives to help expansion. I wanted more penetration on pigs and so far they are working fine.

While I think the G29 is fine just the way it is, i have been thinking of the new optic ready 10mm Glock coming out soon, the G40. I think it might be an awesome hunting weapon and a red dot optic would extend the range for my old eyes.

[Rlee276]

I have an extended barrel in my 29 .. It doesn't give much if any more velocity. But with 180 ge hand loads I'm getting 1300fps

[gandog56]

Then there is the boost my 16" Mechtech CCU in 10mm might give me. I need to get me a chronograph one of these days and do a definitive, on my two 5", one 6", and 16" barrels.

[Biggfoot44]

 I bought a G29sf for its versatility. As soon as real life requirements stop intruding on my gun expendatures , a 4.6in bbl has been my plan from the start. In the states I mostly hunt , a 4in min bbl is required, in addition to any vel increase. I usually carry full size pistols , so the additional length isn't a problem.