• You are using the old Black Responsive theme. We have installed a new dark theme for you, called UI.X. This will work better with the new upgrade of our software. You can select it at the bottom of any page.

Best barrel for a G20 bear loads?

MFInc

MFInc

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
246
I'm building a G20 clone and it's barrel time. I'm mainly building this for bear/hog protection and will be running underwood's or buffalo bullets when i venture into the forest. Lighter stuff and reloads other times. I've read some barrels have trouble feeding the 200+ grain lead bullets. I've looked at KKM but would like a threaded one, not sure i want to wait 6 weeks. Alphawolf would be my second choice., but findimg a threaded one is not easy also. And then there is Trybe defense. I do have one of their 9mm Coversion barrels on my 23 and it's worked good and acurate, but i have read bad things about their g20 barrels on OP.

What are you G20 users running, and how has it performed with heavy loads? TIA
 
I recently bought a Glock 20 Gen 5 to take on a fishing trip to Alaska.
I did a LOT of reading and heard everything from “don’t shoot hard cast at all in a Glock barrel” to “clean the barrel after shooting no more than 10 and you’ll be fine.”
I didn’t really want to spend almost $700 on a new gun then turn around and spend $250 on an aftermarket barrel. Plus, I read that some aftermarket barrels can make the gun less reliable.
I ended up buying a couple boxes of Federal Premium Solid Core 200 grain. It’s made for dangerous game and doesn’t affect Glock barrels due to its coating. Gets great reviews.
 
welldoya said:
I recently bought a Glock 20 Gen 5 to take on a fishing trip to Alaska.
I did a LOT of reading and heard everything from “don’t shoot hard cast at all in a Glock barrel” to “clean the barrel after shooting no more than 10 and you’ll be fine.”
I didn’t really want to spend almost $700 on a new gun then turn around and spend $250 on an aftermarket barrel. Plus, I read that some aftermarket barrels can make the gun less reliable.
I ended up buying a couple boxes of Federal Premium Solid Core 200 grain. It’s made for dangerous game and doesn’t affect Glock barrels due to its coating. Gets great reviews.
Click to expand...


Yeah, what i've read so far the, the glock barrel doesnt like lead. Plus they seemed to tumble after at 50 yards after 200 grains from what I've saw so far. Reliability is my #1 concern. I do reload as well so I'm trying to avoid bulging my cases like my 23 did before I changed it's barrel. I have a few boxes of various 180 grain JHP bullets already for break in. They have 200gr Bear and Buffalo rounds at sportsmans, but they are $50 for 20....I will look for those Federals.
 
I have a KKM barrel for my Gen 3 and it runs good with 200 grain Buffalo Bore. It is more accurate than my stock barrel and can shoot lead because it is conventional rifling.

Those Solid Cores look like a good option.

There is a website that tracks actual bear shootings with firearms and it seems to indicate that shot placement is more important than caliber.

I think a good load in a good gun is more important that over-the-top performance.
 
red rick said:
I wouldn’t build one for bear defense . I would run it stock and with it’s reliability reputation and find hard cast ammunition that is reliable and doesn’t tumble with the factory barrel .
Click to expand...

Totally disagree.

Kinda going at things backwards there imho

Had real good luck with lonewolf barrels, especially if you have a bit o patience. Kkm requires some fitting, and if you have to ask, its beyond your purview.
 
The biggest grizzly was killed with a single shot 22lr by a five-foot 63 year-old Cree woman, Bella Twin, in Canada in 1953. She knew where to place the bullet in the skull to kill and drop the bear.
Stick with absolute reliability. Know where to place the shot under every circumstance.
google Bella and read her story.
 
About bear defense…..let me remind you, yes you can kill a bear with a .22. In a situation where a bear attack is imminent or is happening, killing the bear is not the point…..STOPPING the bear is the point.
 
Dan-O said:
Kkm requires some fitting, and if you have to ask, its beyond your purview.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I've got 4 KKM barrels with hundreds of rounds through them that function fine with no fitting needed. And another two that are still unfired, but which fit and hand cycle in the guns.

So I'm asking, what has your experience been that required fitting KKM barrels?
 
welldoya said:
I recently bought a Glock 20 Gen 5 to take on a fishing trip to Alaska.
I did a LOT of reading and heard everything from “don’t shoot hard cast at all in a Glock barrel” to “clean the barrel after shooting no more than 10 and you’ll be fine.”
I didn’t really want to spend almost $700 on a new gun then turn around and spend $250 on an aftermarket barrel. Plus, I read that some aftermarket barrels can make the gun less reliable.
I ended up buying a couple boxes of Federal Premium Solid Core 200 grain. It’s made for dangerous game and doesn’t affect Glock barrels due to its coating. Gets great reviews.
Click to expand...


The leading in Glock barrels and their lead bullet issue was with soft cowboy loads, not hard cast.

Pretty good article below on the G20-5

https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/glock-g20-gen5-mos-review/
 
Glock does not recommend SOFT lead bullets. Many use them in handloads anyway with no ill effects and just thoroughly clean the barrels often to prevent lead buildup. You won't have any problems shooting HARDCAST lead loads through a Glock barrel. In fact, you can get more muzzle velocity and penetration using hardcast than you can get with jacketed bullets. I'd be fine with Double Tap or Buffalo Bore loads. I've never used Underwood, but they are probably fine too.
 
Buzznrose said:
The leading in Glock barrels and their lead bullet issue was with soft cowboy loads, not hard cast.

Pretty good article below on the G20-5

https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/glock-g20-gen5-mos-review/
Click to expand...
Good article. Thanks for posting.
I had read that the Gen 5 barrel had different rifling than previous Gens so I contacted Glock.
Here’s the answer they gave me:

Glock firearm are rated up to and including +P rated ammunition that also meets
SAAMI industry standards. Only jacketed ammunition is recommended.
 
I put a Kkm in my Gen 4 G20, mainly because 10mm brass is expensive and I don't want bulges, but also so I could load some soft lead SWC's.
Before I changed it, I shot a few boxes of hot 200gr coated hard cast in the stock barrel with no problems.
 
WisBorn said:
@MFInc good luck with your build. I just bought a gen5 G20 and plan on leaving it stock with the exception of the Red Dot.
Are you planning on a longer than stock barrel? Just curious.
Enjoy your build!
Click to expand...
I’ve thought about a red dot. Which one did you go with?
In what ways does it help? More accurate? Quicker target acquisition?
Does it affect the handling of the gun?
 
welldoya said:
Good article. Thanks for posting.
I had read that the Gen 5 barrel had different rifling than previous Gens so I contacted Glock.
Here’s the answer they gave me:

Glock firearm are rated up to and including +P rated ammunition that also meets
SAAMI industry standards. Only jacketed ammunition is recommended.
Click to expand...
They also recommend only using factory ammo…so there is that…
 
welldoya said:
I’ve thought about a red dot. Which one did you go with?
In what ways does it help? More accurate? Quicker target acquisition?
Does it affect the handling of the gun?
Click to expand...
I went with a Holosun 407A3. It has a 3moa dot and fits on the plate that comes with the G20. I have only put 200 rounds through the gun. 100 with the dot and 100 with the sights.
The accuracy is better. I also think it will be easier to get on target.
 
WisBorn said:
I went with a Holosun 407A3. It has a 3moa dot and fits on the plate that comes with the G20. I have only put 200 rounds through the gun. 100 with the dot and 100 with the sights.
The accuracy is better. I also think it will be easier to get on target.
Click to expand...
Another new option is the Holosun SCS, which has a footprint that mounts directly to the slide on the Glock MOS models (not Slimline G43X/48)

https://holosun.com/products/reflex-sight/scs/scs-mos.html
 
WrongHanded said:
Interesting. I've got 4 KKM barrels with hundreds of rounds through them that function fine with no fitting needed. And another two that are still unfired, but which fit and hand cycle in the guns.

So I'm asking, what has your experience been that required fitting KKM barrels?
Click to expand...

My bad. I had a senior moment and got kkm and bar-sto confused.
 
WisBorn said:
I went with a Holosun 407A3. It has a 3moa dot and fits on the plate that comes with the G20. I have only put 200 rounds through the gun. 100 with the dot and 100 with the sights.
The accuracy is better. I also think it will be easier to get on target.
Click to expand...
I was just looking at that one. PSA has them on sale for $240.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Lennyjoe
  • Locked
New Storm Lake G20 6" barrel arrived
Replies
1
Views
501
tc300mag1
T
J
  • Locked
10mm handgun hunters and G20 owners?
Replies
16
Views
1K
jonboynumba1
J
Will Fennell
  • Locked
G20/Doubletapammo+Boar=DRTpig
2
Replies
29
Views
3K
glock21detroit
G
Panzerschwein
  • Locked
G20 10mm w/ .40 S&W conversion?
Replies
14
Views
2K
judgedelta
J
WrongHanded
  • Locked
My New 10mm Woods Gun
2 3
Replies
60
Views
3K
Lennyjoe
Lennyjoe
Back
Top