Looking to put a 9mm conversion on my G22.

[osok-308]

So I have a Gen 4 Glock 22 that I've been looking to possibly convert to 9mm as a possible ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE [panic] gun, so I can shoot two calibers out of it. (Luckily I bought some 17 mags before the ban came into effect). I am looking at a lone wolf conversion barrel and I am aware that it is recommended that I change out the recoil spring as well as the barrel. Now here is where I have a few questions. I know that I can get an aftermarket gen 4 Glock 17 recoil spring or, I can get a gen 1-3 style spring with an adapter to fit the gen 4 slide. I am curious as to what you guys (the ones with experience with the different recoil systems) think of this? Also, I have read in certain forums and seen some videos where people recommend swapping out the ejector and the extractor, I am curious if anyone familiar with the conversions changes these out or not? Is there a difference is reliability if I just keep my .40 extractor and ejector? or is it a big enough difference that I should change them? Thanks guys.

[ray1970]

As far as the extractor and ejector, I'd just leave them alone. In fact, some people have actually been putting the 40 cal extractor in their 9mm guns as a way to improve ejection.

[SAnd]

I have a Glock 23 with a Lone Wolf 9mm conversion barrel. I have only put about 300 rounds of 9mm Ball ammo through it so far. The only thing I replaced is the barrel. I use Glock 19 mags. Everything else is stock 23. I have had NO failures of any kind in those 300 + rounds.

[osok-308]

ray, that sounds good to hear that it can function well without changing those two parts. SAnd, is your Glock 23 a gen 4 or one of the earlier ones? I've just read that the new recoil springs can cause feeding issues.

[Big E3]

I know everybody seems to think that you need to change extractors but I never have on mine. Something never mentioned is that the depth of the extractor groove on the 9 and 40 cases is approximately the same diameter, officially 8.8mm, my calipers show 8.6mm on the cases I checked. Keep in mind when they developed the 40S&W round it was designed to fit in guns with a 9mm frame. The claw of either extractor will be just as deep in the groove of either round. I believe the 40 case was designed with the same bottom of groove depth so that S&W could build a 40 cal gun with less modifications. I sold all my 9mm Glocks and now have conversions for my 27, 23, 22 and 35 all gen 3's, all Lone Wolf, no recoil spring change, no problems. I wish I had more info on the gen 4's, the only issue would be recoil spring difference. I have been told that Glock uses the same weight recoil springs on 9 and 40, I don't know.

[SAnd]

ray, that sounds good to hear that it can function well without changing those two parts. SAnd, is your Glock 23 a gen 4 or one of the earlier ones? I've just read that the new recoil springs can cause feeding issues.
My 23 is a Gen 4. I did some checking after I bought mine and found I have the improved extractor and spring assemblies. What read at that time seemed to indicate that the problems were worked out by the time I bought mine in early 2013. I don't remember the details of what the improvements were on the springs.

[Jamnanc]

My 32 w lone wolf 23-9 barrel runs fine with no other changes. Only 200 ish rounds through it though.

[JohnnyEgo]

This is probably an apples to oranges comparison, but I bought a Lone Wolf threaded conversion barrel for my G35, and I've been ambivalent at best about it. I prefer to run cheap Winchester 115gr unsuppressed, and moderately expensive Winchester Super X 148gr FMJ when suppressed. I have to juggle between three recoil springs to get it to run reliably between the two types of 9mm and it's native .40. It will run fair with both 9mm rounds and the 17# spring, but the 115gr will often just dribble out, and I get more FTE frustration than I like. Too much stuff to carry for the novelty of conversion. If the singularity occurred, I'd probably spend my limited time grabbing two or more dedicated handguns than tracking down the conversion parts.

http://www.johnnyego.com/firearms/berettas/target06a.jpg

[Great-Kazoo]

http://www.johnnyego.com/firearms/berettas/target06a.jpg

That one of those 1400 yd targets ?

[osok-308]

It's not exactly apples to oranges since I was thinking about getting the threaded version, it's more like apples tip slightly different apples. Do you notice issues while running it unsuppressed or is that only while it's suppressed?

[JohnnyEgo]

The issue is unsuppressed with the 115gr. The 147gr combined with the added back pressure of the silencer is sufficient to fully cycle with the 17# spring. I don't remember what the soft spring is, but I think it's something like 13# to get the 115 to eject more than a couple inches from the gun.

[JohnnyEgo]

That one of those 1400 yd targets ?

Yep. Clean as a whistle. ;)