Glock 20, 38 super not feeding, help

[b0b]

So I get a Lone Wolf "38 Super" barrel for my G20SF and I'm pretty excited to have a second cartridge to shoot in this thing. Barrel is not a problem.

Problem: 38 Super rounds turn up as they leave the G20 magazines, causing misfeeds. They are pointing up at a 45% angle when they come out of the mag.

I have two theories:
1) the semi-rim is the problem.
2) the mag lips are too wide.
3) both.

If the problem is 1) then all I have to do is buy some 38 SuperComp or 38TJ brass from Starline and I'm good to go. But I have to make an $80 investment to find out.

If the problem is 2) then

a) new brass will be a waste.
b) I have to crush the mag lips, which makes those mags useless for 10mm. I'd have to mark the altered mags so I don't get them mixed up, which just makes my life too complicated.

JR at Lone Wolf said he's heard the pistol works with 9x23 but he hasn't tried it. I just sent him a note asking if he had to crush the magazine lips to get 38 Super to feed reliably.

Any of you guys have experience with success or failure with 38 Super in a G20 or any other pistol with a double stack mag? If you had a problem, what was the solution?
Thank you

 

[DasFriek]

Ive not tried the 9x23 in my G20,but i think if you can get a 9mm magazine to fit in there it may fix the issue.
A side question,is it possible to shoot 9x19 9mm in the 9x23 barrel?Im sure the mag wouldnt work from the 10mm tho.

 

[ReloaderFred]

Both the 9x19 and 9x23 Winchester headspace on the case mouth. The 9x23 is 4mm longer than the 9x19, so in answer to your question about ammunition interchangeability, the answer is, "no". It's possible the extractor would hold the 9x19 case against the bolt face with enough strength for it to fire, but it's not a good practice.

I've fired 9x23 ammunition in a .38 Super barrel without problem, but the .38 Super is a straight wall case, while the 9x23 is a tapered case. Since the 9x23 case is so thick, this doesn't really present a problem, but the chamber can foul after a few rounds and need to be brushed out.

I don't recommend shooting any caliber ammunition in a firearm it's not chambered for, though. This was simply done to see if it could be done safely.

In talking to Paul Nowack of Winchester, he told me he did shoot IPSC for a year with a .38 Super barrel, using 9x23 Winchester ammunition, before there were any barrels chambered for the 9x23. Paul was the person who got Winchester to produce the 9x23 in the first place.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[JTQ]

The mag lips are too wide. You are using mags with feed lips designed to hold a .40 round to hold a .355 round. I'm surprised the feed lips even hold the cartridge in the magazine. You need to find some .38 Super/9x23 Win, Glock magazines (if there are any). As mentioned above the .38 Super and 9x23 are longer than the 9x19, so even if you could somehow jam them into a 9MM magazine (not likely), it would be dangerous.

Factory 9x23 Win is hotter than factory .38 Super. The barrel could probably take the extra power, but nobody is going to tell you it is a good idea simply from a liability standpoint. Another problem with the 9x23 is making sure the extractor can grab the case, since the .38 Super is semi-rimmed while the 9x23 is rimless.

 

[wditto]

Beretta 96 mags will work with 40 or 9 , but no other brand I know of will......

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Problem: 38 Super rounds turn up as they leave the G20 magazines, causing misfeeds. They are pointing up at a 45% angle when they come out of the mag.

Between the narrower diameter of the cartridge in front causing it to ride higher in the feed lips and the semi-rim giving the cartridge a fulcrum to pivot on, this does not surprise me. Surely a reputable company like Lone Wolf would have thought of and tested this.

 

[Quiet]

+2 on the magazine feed lips being too wide for the .38Super.
Your solution is too crush/bend the magazine lips closer together. You won't be able to use 10x25mm in it, but you could use 9x19mm in it (get another conversion barrel).


No magazine modification needed to convert from 10x25mm to...
9x25mm
.40S&W
.357SIG