Glock 23 help

contenderv07

contenderv07

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Hey everyone, my brother in law found his dads Glock 23 (his dad just passed). My brother in law wants to keep it BUT he's a little recoil sensitive and he wants to make it a little more "shootable." Do yall recommend steel guide rod, maybe a trigger kit, heavier spring? My brother in law is just getting in to handguns and really likes the 43x I have, but wanted to keep the 23 for sentimental reasons, so the 23 will not be his EDC. Also is this a gen 2?? Thanks for any help!

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@contenderv07

that is a gen 2 G23. The lack of “S&W” on the caliber stamp suggests it was manufactured after ~1996. So I’d put that G23 between 1996 to 1998 as the gem 3 came just after that timeframe. If it’s in very good shape I’d be interested in it as I suffer from Glock collection syndrome.

regarding 9mm conversion barrels, ive never had problems with the one I have used but the ejector, breech face and thus extractor position are not optimized for 9mm. They are setup for a larger case head diameter. There are folks out there who have reported functioning issues. I’m not against 9mm conv barrel but I personally wouldn’t carry one.
 
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I believe it needs to be an actual conversion barrel and not just a barrel from a g19.

That is also my same advice though. Convert the gun to 9mm. Keep all of the original parts around especially if it's a sentimental gun.

You may need more than just a conversion barrel and some g19 magazines. At the very least I would recommend switching to the g19 ejector. The g23 ejector will technically work but it doesn't work as well. You may also want to change the extractor.

I don't know how familiar you are with the Glock platform but these are all extremely easy parts to replace. None of it requires gunsmithing. It's simply replacing parts. If you need help LOTS of us around here know how to change all of those parts.
 
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Geezer said:
So, due to their mistake, they went back and charged you for those months where you weren't insured and didn't have a claim? Not sure that they did you right.
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92G said:
@contenderv07

that is a gen 2 G23. The lack of “S&W” on the caliber stamp suggests it was manufactured after ~1996. So I’d put that G23 between 1996 to 1998 as the gem 3 came just after that timeframe. If it’s in very good shape I’d be interested in it as I suffer from Glock collection syndrome.

regarding 9mm conversion barrels, ive never had problems with the one I have used but the ejector, breech face and thus extractor position are not optimized for 9mm. They are setup for a larger case head diameter. There are folks out there who have reported functioning issues. I’m not against 9mm conv barrel but I personally wouldn’t carry one.
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C-doodle said:
I believe it needs to be an actual conversion barrel and not just a barrel from a g19.

That is also my same advice though. Convert the gun to 9mm. Keep all of the original parts around especially if it's a sentimental gun.

You may need more than just a conversion barrel and some g19 magazines. At the very least I would recommend switching to the g19 ejector. The g23 ejector will technically work but it doesn't work as well. You may also want to change the extractor.

I don't know how familiar you are with the Glock platform but these are all zeroed extremely easy parts to replace. None of it requires gunsmithing. It's simply replacing parts. If you need help LOTS of us around here know how to change all of those parts.
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Yup. I believe a conversion barrel would be a great way to enjoy it. The barrels are machined so that the outer diameter is the same as a normal 40 barrel, but the inside is rifled and chambered for 9MM.

As 92G and C-doodle said, great for a range toy but not really for serious use. By the time you replace the extractor and all the necessary components, might as well just get a slide.

Speaking of which, maybe if might be a neat idea to get a whole new slide? Just a thought. If that's a Gen 2 I don't imagine there would be a ton of fitment issues for throwing on a Gen 3 slide but it might be good to contact the seller/vendor and confirm. There are a ton of places that sell slides now.
 
I’ve never owned a 9mm Glock. The only way I’ve ever shot 9mm is in one of my .40 Glocks with a conversion barrel and 9mm mags. Never had an issue with any of them, and no other parts swapped out. I’ve only used Lone Wolf conversion barrels…but the old school ones before all the Alpha stuff and other lines became available.

ETA: to be fair, the above statement is true until I bought some P80 frames earlier this year…first 9mm pistols other than a CA Pitbull
 
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9mm swap is the best option

I would also recommend buying the weakest crappiest ammo available. Russian stuff seems to be underpowered and my favorite for just a range day of fun. Very little recoil compared to federal ammo.
 
The 40 S&W Glocks will work with a Glock 9mm barrel. We've tried it at Battery Oaks. It will run and function but the OD of the barrel is smaller than the opening in the 40 slide. It will work but, I wouldn't recommend it for long term usage.

Also, the 9mm will fit and feed in the Glock 40 magazine.
 
contenderv07 said:
thanks everyone for the help! I think the conversion barrel is probably the way to go. I did find this one for a really good price but wanted to see if anyone has heard of it https://www.gorillamachining.com/Go...lack-Nitride-9MM-conversion-barrel_p_973.html
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I've not heard of that brand, but have played around with barrels in that price range. The machining will likely be crude, and the finish will wear off quickly at the usual glock touch points, but at this stage of manufacturing it's probably pretty easy to make a barrel that will 'work'. If you're not swapping out the ejector block then it's going to be a little suspect anyway, so for a casual who's not shooting much and/or relying on it I don't think you can go wrong.
 
DRT makes some very light grain ammunition for .40. Like 105 grains. Extremely low recoil. May be worth getting a box or two of that before he invests in a new barrel.
 
+1 for the Lone Wolf conversion barrel and 9mm mags. I used one in a G23.4 for several years and ran many thousand rounds without failure. I did run a Gen3-style recoil spring at around 12# as recommended by Glockmeister. Other than that, ejector and all other parts were stock G23.4

xtp308 said:
Get a lone wolf conversion barrel. I have the same setup in a gen 3, never had a problem.
Just keep your mags separated…
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Have a Lone Wolf 9mm for my G22 SBR when I run it in my Roni, the G23 G4 police trade I just got came with an Alpha threaded barrel.
 
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The big choice is keep it in 40 or convert it.

The conversion options seem well covered above, but I wouldn't trust it for self defense until it was well vetted.

The other option is pick up lightly loaded .40, like blazer brass or something of the weaker variety, add a grip plug, tungsten guide rod, etc to try to tame that snappiness. Talon grips or something of that sort can also help with "perceived" recoil just by virtue of having a better grip.
 
Cole_McD said:
The big choice is keep it in 40 or convert it.

The conversion options seem well covered above, but I wouldn't trust it for self defense until it was well vetted.

The other option is pick up lightly loaded .40, like blazer brass or something of the weaker variety, add a grip plug, tungsten guide rod, etc to try to tame that snappiness. Talon grips or something of that sort can also help with "perceived" recoil just by virtue of having a better grip.
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Excellent advice.
To add to this, try to stay at or under 165gr pills. If handloading is an option 135-155gr will shoot beautifully in this gun. Especially if paired with a non-captured guide rod and reduced weight flat wire recoil springs from Wolff gun springs.
 
I would be weary of having a mix n match Glock 23 frame/slide, after market 9mm barrel, and various mag combo and making that the weapon system my life or family’s life depends on in a worst case scenario. It will probably be fine 99% of the time, but that’s not good enough in that scenario. But not saying to get rid of it, I have two sentimental handguns that I rarely shoot but will never get rid of.
 
FWIW, and for thought.

I ran drills about every other weekend for two years with my Gen3s (23s & a 35) in 9X19, 40, and 357 - changing only the barrels. Factory 40 & 357 in the 23s, a BarSto 357 in the 35, and Lone Wolf 9mm conversions. Ammo: mostly 124 & 147 with 115 gr in 9mm; 180 in 40S&W, and 124 in 357Sig. Standard pressure and +P. Long ago, I stopped using coated ammo like the early cheap Russian stuff with the green coating that would absolutely gum up my pistols.

The last 12+ months of this testing, I added a Gen 4 G31; using factory 40 & 357 barrels, a Lone Wolf 9 conversion barrel. Later, I repeated these drills on another Gen4 G31, with similar results.


The only changes I made were the barrels. No problems. Not a single issue during the two years, or since. And swapping the barrels at each range session lets me compare the recoil & accuracy for myself. Reliability has never been a problem. One Saturday morning after those two years, I thought ok, that’s enough. If necessary, I’m comfortable that I can confirm nothing has changed, and run my Glocks as needed.

Just FWIW, and YMMV.
 
Has he shot it yet? IMO, the recoil of .40 is more manageable in my G23 than 9mm in G48. (I just got done whinging about it in another thread.)
That being said, conversion barrel would make sense for ammo cost & availability.
 
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