I guess gun smithing is stretching it. Armoring maybe.
Anyway, I'd noticed that the velocity spread between my Glock 19 and Glock 34 was not nearly as much as I had expected, despite the large difference in barrel lengths. So I figured I'd do a little testing on the same platform. I have a non-threaded Swenson barrel on there. The G17 is my bedside gun. I had also grabbed a threaded BCA barrel for about $40 a year or so ago. Works fine, but the machining is shit. Even with polishing the feed ramps, you can still clearly see the chatter marks on it. But it works fine. I grabbed an Aim Surplus barrel for $50. Because, why not? I like cheap and cheerful (understanding I am not often going to get great quality).
So in the shoot out, using my 115gr and 147gr handloads. I can't recall the exact figures, I want to say 4.3gr BE for the 115s and 4.4gr of CFE pistol for the 147s.
The Swenson non-threaded turned in 1143fps and 13fps SD and 994fps and 13fps SD respectively.
BCA threaded barrel 1123fps and 14fps SD and 978fps and 13fps SD respectively.
The Aim Surplus barrel 1052fps and 12fps SD and 920fps and 20fps SD respectively.
Dang! I know a lot of factors go into determining just how "fast" a barrel is. And IIRC, Swenson advertises that theirs is a tighter fit. Which stacks up with how rounds chamber from what I've found. A lot less slop in the chamber than the few other brands (even Glock) barrels I own. And all my Swenson barrels have needed some level of fitting to a slide (even a Swenson slide) to get them to run. But so far, the G17 Nitride unthreaded and G19 nitride unthreaded and SS threaded barrels have all been very accurate and seem to have very good velocity. Run great once fitted.
This testing had been started in part because I noticed in testing loads between my G19 with threaded Swenson barrel and my G34 with threaded Brownell's barrel, the G19 was turning in performance only a little slower than the G34. Despite the G34 having an inch and a quarter longer overall barrel length. Like ~15-20fps faster for 147s for the G34.
So to me, very interesting with the G17 barrel test. Half an inch longer barrels for the threading and one is ~15-20fps slower than the shorter barrel and the other one is ~70-90fps slower. I can grok how the former can happen, the latter, man, seems like an issue with it.
I decided, well Swenson barrels have, so far, treated me well. So I grabbed a G17 nitrided threaded barrel for my G17 since they are on sale now. I mean, that cheap, why not? If I am out $60 with shipping in tax, oh well. Sucks, but oh well. If it works as well as the non-threaded...but is...you know threaded so I can run my can on it. Great. And if the velocity stacks up to be as good or actually better than the non-threaded, that also seems like a nice perk.
I also shot all three barrels standing, with a rest (so crouched down over the bench to use the rest). I probably should have just shot off hand as I can manage just as good accuracy as what I turned in here (it was drizzling so the chairs were wet on the uncovered range or I would have sat). The one flier is 100% me. From left to right, Swenson, BCA, Aim Surplus barrels. A bit of the vertical stringing was me trying to crouch down and use that rest. That BCA, noticeably worse than the other two. All shot at about 12yds. So consider it more of a horizontal accuracy test (well, again, other than the BCA which is just a much larger group in general). 8 rounds of my 115 handloads (yes, but Aim and Swenson, 2 rounds through the same holes).
PS the Aim surplus barrel is going back. Requested and they accepted a return. As cheap as it is, nah. Even if I only get $30 back once I pay for shipping to them and any restocking fees they might decide to hit me with. Better than having a slow paperweight.
Anyway, I'd noticed that the velocity spread between my Glock 19 and Glock 34 was not nearly as much as I had expected, despite the large difference in barrel lengths. So I figured I'd do a little testing on the same platform. I have a non-threaded Swenson barrel on there. The G17 is my bedside gun. I had also grabbed a threaded BCA barrel for about $40 a year or so ago. Works fine, but the machining is shit. Even with polishing the feed ramps, you can still clearly see the chatter marks on it. But it works fine. I grabbed an Aim Surplus barrel for $50. Because, why not? I like cheap and cheerful (understanding I am not often going to get great quality).
So in the shoot out, using my 115gr and 147gr handloads. I can't recall the exact figures, I want to say 4.3gr BE for the 115s and 4.4gr of CFE pistol for the 147s.
The Swenson non-threaded turned in 1143fps and 13fps SD and 994fps and 13fps SD respectively.
BCA threaded barrel 1123fps and 14fps SD and 978fps and 13fps SD respectively.
The Aim Surplus barrel 1052fps and 12fps SD and 920fps and 20fps SD respectively.
Dang! I know a lot of factors go into determining just how "fast" a barrel is. And IIRC, Swenson advertises that theirs is a tighter fit. Which stacks up with how rounds chamber from what I've found. A lot less slop in the chamber than the few other brands (even Glock) barrels I own. And all my Swenson barrels have needed some level of fitting to a slide (even a Swenson slide) to get them to run. But so far, the G17 Nitride unthreaded and G19 nitride unthreaded and SS threaded barrels have all been very accurate and seem to have very good velocity. Run great once fitted.
This testing had been started in part because I noticed in testing loads between my G19 with threaded Swenson barrel and my G34 with threaded Brownell's barrel, the G19 was turning in performance only a little slower than the G34. Despite the G34 having an inch and a quarter longer overall barrel length. Like ~15-20fps faster for 147s for the G34.
So to me, very interesting with the G17 barrel test. Half an inch longer barrels for the threading and one is ~15-20fps slower than the shorter barrel and the other one is ~70-90fps slower. I can grok how the former can happen, the latter, man, seems like an issue with it.
I decided, well Swenson barrels have, so far, treated me well. So I grabbed a G17 nitrided threaded barrel for my G17 since they are on sale now. I mean, that cheap, why not? If I am out $60 with shipping in tax, oh well. Sucks, but oh well. If it works as well as the non-threaded...but is...you know threaded so I can run my can on it. Great. And if the velocity stacks up to be as good or actually better than the non-threaded, that also seems like a nice perk.
I also shot all three barrels standing, with a rest (so crouched down over the bench to use the rest). I probably should have just shot off hand as I can manage just as good accuracy as what I turned in here (it was drizzling so the chairs were wet on the uncovered range or I would have sat). The one flier is 100% me. From left to right, Swenson, BCA, Aim Surplus barrels. A bit of the vertical stringing was me trying to crouch down and use that rest. That BCA, noticeably worse than the other two. All shot at about 12yds. So consider it more of a horizontal accuracy test (well, again, other than the BCA which is just a much larger group in general). 8 rounds of my 115 handloads (yes, but Aim and Swenson, 2 rounds through the same holes).
PS the Aim surplus barrel is going back. Requested and they accepted a return. As cheap as it is, nah. Even if I only get $30 back once I pay for shipping to them and any restocking fees they might decide to hit me with. Better than having a slow paperweight.
