Ammo recommendations for use with G20 .40cal conversion barrel?

[s0nspark]

I am contemplating the purchase of a KKM .40cal conversion barrel for my G20... just to give myself more options with ammo.

Does anyone have any particular recommendations on what .40cal ammo to use or avoid? I've heard some ammo is too weak to work reliably... Speaking of reliability, should I view the conversion barrel as just a range toy or is it suitable for more serious use? ;-)

Thanks!

[The_Shadow]

Well testing is the only way to know what works and what doesn't work.  Most of the regular 40 ammo should work though.

I use my handloaded stuff thru my StormLake 40 barrel in my G-29 without much issues...The chamber is very close tolerance (tight, almost like a chamber gauge) and shooting cast loads it will soot up and some rounds will not feed totally.  Quick cleaning and it will run again.

However the accuracy is great...

[sqlbullet]

+1 to letting experience tell you about reliability.

Most factory ammo is going to be fine I would guess.

[Turo]

My KKM conversion barrel shoots any .40 I've ever found.  Even with the higher power spring I use for hot 10mm, the fairly weak Winchester White Box .40 fires just fine.

[RMM]

Based on everything I've read, a G20 with the stock 17lb spring should cycle reliably with most any 40 S&W ammo.  I've watched several videos where a 10-40 conversion barrel was used with several 40 S&W loads without any hiccups. 

I know it isn't recommended, but I ran a box of Federal Champion 40 S&W through my stock G20 barrel with no cycling problems.  I even tried staggering 10mm-40 S&W rounds in a couple of magazines to see if the 10mm magazine would feed them reliably and I didn't have any problems. 

[s0nspark]

Cool - I went ahead and ordered a KKM barrel. If nothing else it will give me another option for practice... I have gotten paranoid of late about being able to get good 10mm ammo ;-)

Thanks, all, for chiming in!

[pacapcop]

I was having feeding issues with Aqiula .40 S&W in Lone Wolf conversian barrel.Federal,Remington,PPU,no issues.

[justin10mm]

When I bought my Lone Wolf 10-40 barrel I bought two boxes of Winchester Ranger 180gr. FMJ ammo to break it in with. With the factory spring I had a failure to feed once or twice every mag. The cartridge would get started in the chamber but would bind up and not let the slide go fully forward. I think the problem was with the bullet's profile.

After shooting through all 100 rounds I have had no issues since with other types of ammo. I've tried PPU 180gr. FMJ and Winchester Bonded JHP with no problems at all.

I routinely carry the conversion barrel around the ranch and take it hunting. I trust it just as much as the factory barrel with the added benefit of it being more accurate too.

Here is a hog I shot using the .40 conversion barrel and Winchester 180gr. BJHP ammo at about 15 yards.