Convert Glock 23 to 9mm

[DMW1116]

I’ve heard a time or two that a Glock 23 in 40 S&W can be converted to a 9mm with a barrel change? Any truth to that? I found a good deal on a Glock 23 but I’m mostly set up for loading and shooting 9mm. Is it as simple as a barrel and maybe magazine change?

 

[Buzznrose]

Pretty much just a conversation barrel is all you need for range work. 9MM Mags may work better but I’ve used Glock .40 Mags in my G19 many times without issues.

 

[JohnKSa]

For range work, that's correct. A conversion barrel is all you need. Even your .40 mags will work for range work.

If you want your gun to be 9mm for self-defense purposes, there are a number of changes that should be made to do a proper conversion for maximum reliability.

 

[LiveLife]

Is it as simple as a barrel and maybe magazine change?

Yes.

I use KKM/BCA/Lone Wolf/Tactical Kinetics 40-9mm conversion barrels for my Glock 22/23/27 and Glock 17/MagPul magazines.

If your 40S&W magazine followers and springs are new, they may work to reliably feed/chamber 9mm rounds so try it first. If they don't, you can use 9mm magazines.

Bear Creek Arsenal/Lone Wolf and most other aftermarket barrels use 1:16 twist rate which provides good accuracy on par with factory barrel and compatibility with lead/coated lead bullets with better than factory accuracy.

KKM uses slower 1:24 twist rate and has produced smallest consistent groups compared to other barrels, especially with lead/coated lead bullets.

Tactical Kinetics 1:10 twist rate is compatible with plated/jacketed bullets and produces comparable accuracy with factory barrel. (BTW, Glock twist rate is 1:9.84)

If you reload, KKM has longest leade/free bore to allow longer than SAAMI max length of 1.169" OAL, beneficial if you plan to load longer rounds for 9mm Major. My BCA barrel came reamed and will allow 1.169" OAL with most FMJ/RN bullets. Lone Wolf and Tactical Kinetics have shorter leades that require shorter OAL as listed in this reference thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...let-max-working-oal-col-for-reference.848462/

 

[shootstraight57]

I have read that you can also convert with just a barrel swap out to .357 Sig.

 

[DesertFox]

I have read that you can also convert with just a barrel swap out to .357 Sig.

Yes, making the G23 and G27 amongst the most versatile.

 

[PzGren]

I have an old G23 that was converted to 9mm by changing the barrel to a Lone Wolf ported barrel and using G19 mags. I liked the Glock G23/9 enough to leave it in 9mm configuration, I also changed the extractor and the trigger housing with a 9mm ejector. I had a later G23 that also had an extra 9mm barrel and a G32 barrel that I gave to one of my sons.

 

[Tallball]

I switch my G22 back and forth between 9mm and 40.

I use a Lone Wolf conversion barrel and a G17 9mm magazine.

I've had zero malfunctions.

It probably changes the POI somewhat, but I'm not recalling that detail.

 

[Rodfac]

Both Lone Wolf and Star Lake bbl's worked well in my wife's G-23, with 9mm magazines. And....both were more accurate than the original Glock .40 S&W bbl. Best regards, Rod

 

[Riomouse911]

I used a stainless conversion barrel from Brownells, a new 9mm extractor along with G-17 mags to convert my Policia de Puerto Rico trade-in G-22 .40 S&W to 9mm. I probably didn’t need the extractor, but it was only a few bucks and takes 90 seconds to swap out, so I figured why not.

The gun has been A-1 with both .40 S&W and 9mm ammo.

.40:

9mm:


Stay safe.

 

[sgt127]

It’s been too long for me to remember. Is the breech face identical on the 27-23-22-35 and the 26-19-18-34?

Barrel. Ejector and extractor are caliber specific as I recall.