[NSMG]

I have a glock 21--my indoor range only allows lead bullets--I have fired some through my Glock---I know it is recommended for jacketed only---I also see why--heavy lead fouling after 50 rounds---all the replacement barrels ive seen are made from 416 Stainless Steel --- looking for one in 17-4PH stainless steel-or 4140-type chrome-moly--or the same material Glock uses to make their barrels -the following post from another site goes into a lot of detail as to barrel failure in 416ss barrels
http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=1999
maybe 416 ss has been reformulated--I know there is a lot of opinion out there re barrels---I dont have any myself--I'm just looking for something I can shoot safely--i dont need that 1 in 1000 or 10000 barrels that decides to fail because it was made from a material that is easy to machine--but is not ASME approved for use in making a pressure vessel/barrel.Barrel makers may not be candid about failure rates in their product. I use reloads as well as factory ammo--reloads and reused brass can be a problem--so I've read.Maybe I should not use reloads at all in the Glock-(every makers manual says-dont use reloads)-I can save them for my S&W 625--
I emailed Glock asking for a source for replacement barrels--they did not get back to me.I love my Glock and would like to take it to the range.I signed up here because I think I can get an informed opinion.Thank you

[JR]

What can I say? Looks like many have already assigned this guy as an expert on the subject. (how do we document his 42 yrs as an expert?) He says the barrels will blow, I guess the conversation is over.

LWD has been offering barrels the last 10 years. We are the largest Glock barrel producer in the market and we use 416. The odds of a failure in one of our barrels are beyond 1/10,000. We have NEVER seen more than 2 failures in any year since our beginning. The failures that were reported were tested for hardness and all were attributed to over pressure loads.

If you need better odds than 1/10,000 I recommend you pick up another hobby because the Glock factory barrels have KB'ed around that number.

[NSMG]

Thx for the reply.
Are Glock barrel makers using 416R today instead of the type of 416ss that was used in prior years?
This barrel maker(http://www.schuemann.com/Information...7/Default.aspx )
only produces 1911 barrels-and they have similar comments on their site about the suitability of 416ss with sulphur as the earlier 1911 forum post.
Details are covered under the Technical Information--barrel steel section.They use 416 Stainless bar produced by Carpenter Steel and is called Type 416R Stainless, where the R designates Rifle Barrel Quality.
Thanks for your comments.

[JR]

LWD uses 416R. I can not speak for any other manufacture however would only assume so.

[NSMG]

Thank-you JR--I just ordered one from Accurately Shooting Firearms
in Abbotsford, BC .I didnt go far enough into the LW site before posting--I see now under some categories that it says 416R in the description under Special features.