Extended length replacement barrels improve accuracy?

[Jeremy1066]

I have been looking at extended length drop in barrels for my G19. Lone Wolf offers a 4.6" barrel (G17 length) and a 5.3" (G33 length). In my mind, this would increase velocity slightly and also improve accuracy somewhat while still keeping the G19 size. Is my thinking correct? Or would the sole improvement in accuracy be derived from a longer sight distance (longer slide in the G17 or G33)?

 

[leftsock]

If you're like me, more regular practice and working on the fundamentals will improve my accuracy more than an extended barrel or longer sight radius. My main shooter is a G17.

 

[Fixer]

I would imagine a slightly longer barrel would help, but how much might not be very measurable. Sort of like the little tweeks to drag cars. They may spend a couple grand for just tenths of a second. For them its worth it. You will ultimately have to decide if the cost outweighs the gains.

 

[FredMcIntire]

As a Glock armorer, I can tell you without a doubt that the pistol, as it comes from the factory, is more accurate than most shooters will ever find out.

Practice, practice, practice will improve your accuracy more than anything else will. Spend that money on ammo and range time.

 

[Txlur]

As a Glock armorer, I can tell you without a doubt that the pistol, as it comes from the factory, is more accurate than most shooters will ever find out.

Practice, practice, practice will improve your accuracy more than anything else will. Spend that money on ammo and range time.

What these guys said. Also, my personal accuracy is very similar on the G17 and G19 platforms, both gen3.

 

[Jeremy1066]

Ok. It's not that I'm looking for a shortcut to practice. I am proficient enough with it "as-is" that I can put 15 rounds inside an 8" target at 10 yards. Is that good? Heck, I dunno but it feels like it is acceptable. I'm just looking for more. I'm a guy! Thanks for the responses.

 

[barrelmaker_2002]

The inherent accuracy of a gun has little to do with its barrel length and you would have to use match ammo or some finely produced handloads to notice the difference. This is why most high end target .22 guns (for Bullseye or ISSF) have a 3.5 to 4 inch barrel even though the maximum length in the rule book is 6 inches. Note said guns will generally be designed to have the maximum allowable sight radius.

Anyway, with typical ammo, you will see the most noticeable difference with a longer sight radius and more practice. Back when I had a G19 as my EDC, I was tempted to use some Lone Wolf parts to put a G17 length slide on it, knowing that the longer slide would have little impact on how concealable the gun was.

(specifically, you would need a longer slide, barrel and their dustcover extension - see this link for details: Lone Wolf Distributors - Products - Slide Conversions)

Of course, I sold the G19, but that is a topic for another thread.

 

[zclevenger]

I have an m&p 45 and I put a storm lake 5.3inch threaded barrel on it and I practice quite frequently and couldn't tell a difference

 

[NHT3]

As a Glock armorer, I can tell you without a doubt that the pistol, as it comes from the factory, is more accurate than most shooters will ever find out.

Practice, practice, practice will improve your accuracy more than anything else will. Spend that money on ammo and range time.

I'm also a Glock armorer and completely agree. Accuracy is not improved with a longer barrel, just your perception of the target VS the front sight.. Use the money to buy ammo and practice.

 

[Leo]

Bullseye shooters sometimes used an aristocrat rib that stuck the front sight a couple inches in front of the barrel on their .45's (1911's monly in those days) Some small bore shooters use front sight extension brackets that place the front sight another 6 inches in front of the barrel. Some High power competitors add a "bloop tube" again adding sight radius without adding barrel.

Sometimes there is accuracy potential in velocity. I doubt an extra inch or two of barrel will increase a pistol caliber velocity enough to make any difference. If a lengthened barrel does not include a longer sight radius (like with a long slide conversion) you will not gain anything and your holster probably will not fit right anymore.

 

[kludge]

Ok. It's not that I'm looking for a shortcut to practice. I am proficient enough with it "as-is" that I can put 15 rounds inside an 8" target at 10 yards. Is that good? Heck, I dunno but it feels like it is acceptable. I'm just looking for more. I'm a guy! Thanks for the responses.

Is that rapid fire or slow fire?

You can look at it two ways...

In a fight for your life, that will work, but the pistol is probably capable of 1" groups or less at that range.

I like to tell people this: Shoot at a speed and distance that you can shoot baseball sized groups, then move the target back or shoot faster, depending of which part of your skills you want to work on.

Dry firing, a lot of dry firing, using a good grip and trigger pull, is a lot cheaper and a lot more effective at reducing group size than any other type of practice that I know of.

 

[esrice]

In my mind, this would increase velocity slightly and also improve accuracy somewhat while still keeping the G19 size.

 

[9mmfan]

One reason one may want a longer barrel would be to put an add on compensator or, for Glock owners, run hard cast ammo through them. From what I've read, factory barrels can't handle hard cast rounds