Threaded barrels

[GJM]

Forever, I have wondered about threaded barrels. Generally they show up at a Timmie class with the guy with a beard, M&P and Surefire light in a Raven holster. Since I never saw their suppressor, I wondered why.

The whole field gun quest has gotten me thinking about reliability, penetration, and carry-ability. Interrelated with penetration is velocity, as in enough to get through a thick animal's skull. Once I figured out the HK45C would run Super, it occurred to me that the Tactical model with threaded barrel, extends the barrel from just under four inches to about 4.5 inches. While you don't get extra sight radius, you get the velocity of a full size HK45 of USP in a more compact pistol format.

While I have no illusion .5 inch of barrel means anything in most service loads for traditional use, it may increase velocity enough with a penetrating load to make the service pistol more viable in the field pistol role. Thoughts?

[StraitR]

Forever, I have wondered about threaded barrels. Generally they show up at a Timmie class with the guy with a beard, M&P and Surefire light in a Raven holster. Since I never saw their suppressor, I wondered why.

The whole field gun quest has gotten me thinking about reliability, penetration, and carry-ability. Interrelated with penetration is velocity, as in enough to get through a thick animal's skull. Once I figured out the HK45C would run Super, it occurred to me that the Tactical model with threaded barrel, extends the barrel from just under four inches to about 4.5 inches. While you don't get extra sight radius, you get the velocity of a full size HK45 of USP in a more compact pistol format.

While I have no illusion .5 inch of barrel means anything in most service loads for traditional use, it may increase velocity enough with a penetrating load to make the service pistol more viable in the field pistol role. Thoughts?

I think if you can put positive, quantifiable data to this, you're on to something. Otherwise, your inner Timmie is coming out.

[HCM]

It will prevent your gun from going out of battery in the event of a contact shot.

[JR1572]

It will prevent your gun from going out of battery in the event of a contact shot.

I prefer to use a WML for that.

JR1572

[StraitR]

It will prevent your gun from going out of battery in the event of a contact shot.

With a bear?

[CCT125US]

What's the chrono say? How does it translate to expansion vs. penetration?

You do have a chrono right?

[Default.mp3]

It will prevent your gun from going out of battery in the event of a contact shot.I'm pretty sure the exact opposite is true, at least in my experience playing with my threaded barrel on my P30LS, as pushing on the barrel will force it out of battery. I have specifically carried my non-threaded-barrel gun for EDCing when I was too lazy to rezero the one with the threaded barrel.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

Interesting thought.

Hopefully this doesn't send things off on a tangent but I occasionally have the threaded-barrel renditions of guns, simply because Canadian laws require a 4.2" barrel. That often makes threaded barrels legal on compact (or at least mid-sized) guns.

For example, I have a threaded G19. I've never thought about the effect on performance; it's just a way to get a 19 here. People here do the same with threaded HK45Cs, exactly as described in your post. Technically it's illegal to take them into the bush for most people (and the exceptions aren't especially interesting, although in my area at least they actually are somewhat readily available for people who work in remote areas) but if you could magically survey all of Western Canada on any given day during hunting season, how many handguns would you find? Thousands. Hunters with handguns as emergency backups are super common, although, much like Alaska, magnum revolvers are the standard, and HKs running .45super? I don't know, there's probably five or six of them, and four or five are probably in safes 99.9% of the time.

Anyway I guess if you had the inclination you could probably compare velocities to a known standard and work out the relative performance envelope of a given round, and whether another half inch of barrel could put you into an ideal performance envelope, but I just had a masonjargarita and can't take that line of reasoning much further.


I mean obviously (or at least I hope it's obvious) I wouldn't be the guy pretending to need a threaded barrel to go with my suppressed beard, if I grew a beard, and threaded a suppressor onto it. But I can imagine that if you wanted to do the detail work on figuring out the ideal velocity of a given projectile you could certainly tailor it to perform in a smaller, more hikable, and thus more huntable, package. I realize now this paragraph is constructed of initially two, and now three, totally disconnected sentences, and I apologize.

[GJM]

My field loads, whether the Buffalo Bore .45 Super, 230 FMJ-FP or the Lehigh Xtreme penetrator, don't expand. At service pistol velocities, more velocity is a good thing in achieving penetration. For example, the Buffao Bore .45 Super load chronographs at only 1,060 in my USP 45 full size. I have not had a chance to chrono that load in the HK45C, but I bet it is only high 900's, and extra velocity would be welcome. Garrett Cartridges, for example, makes their Defender load for the .44 magnum Scandium revolvers at 1,020 out of a four inch barrel. That load, though, benefits from a big meplat, and being hard cast. More velocity from an extended barrel in the 45C or USP 45 full size, might allow me to get the same velocity out of the Underwood Lehigh penetrator load in 45+P, for example, as I get from their 45 Super load.


Tony at JM can leave the bottom of his appendix holsters more open, easily accommodating the extended barrel while maintaining the general footprint of the pistol with its regular barrel.

[ReverendMeat]

It will prevent your gun from going out of battery in the event of a contact shot.

I don't see how a threaded barrel would do that.

[HCM]

With a bear?

No one said it was going to be easy.

[HCM]

I don't see how a threaded barrel would do that.

Extends beyond the end of the slide.

[ReverendMeat]

The barrel is locked to the slide, pushing on the barrel will still take the slide and barrel out of battery.

[Luke]

It will move the slide, but I've never seen one that unlocks and drops the slide, then again this isn't something I test a lot lol. Anybody have anything that the barrel will unlock and drop from the slide? I'm in bed and too lazy to check.

[ReverendMeat]

Pushing on the barrel as far rearward as it can go will unlock it from the slide, but before that happens it still moves the slide far enough to disengage the firing mechanism.

[HCM]

Does anyone have a threaded barrel to try this out dry ?

[ReverendMeat]

Default.mp3 in post #7.

[Default.mp3]

Does anyone have a threaded barrel to try this out dry ?For science (kinda... n = 1 and all that):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=716XfsFyzvE

Thus, the threaded barrel on my pistol actually pretty much nullifys the WML's capability to act as a stand-off device (hence my refusal to EDC it with a threaded barrel).

[JCS]

For science (kinda... n = 1 and all that):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=716XfsFyzvE

Thus, the threaded barrel on my pistol actually pretty much nullifys the WML's capability to act as a stand-off device.

Great video! I wonder if the results would be the same with a striker fired gun? Hopefully someone will test it.


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[BCL]

Great video! I wonder if the results would be the same with a striker fired gun? Hopefully someone will test it.


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They are. I tested both a USP9-SD LEM and Gen4 G17, both were pulled out of battery enough to prevent the hammer/striker from falling.

[Gray222]

I have several threaded aftermarket barrels. I have them so that I can use a suppressor on those pistols.

Otherwise I'd have a non threaded aftermarket barrel.

No reason to have a threaded barrel if you don't have a suppressor. Unless you want to look cool and/or live in a communist state which requires stupidity.

[JCS]

Very interesting! This has me wondering. Does having a threaded barrel vs non threaded make your gun more likely to go out of battery in contact shots?


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[Buckshot]

Very interesting! This has me wondering. Does having a threaded barrel vs non threaded make your gun more likely to go out of battery in contact shots?


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No, both both barrels are VERY likely to go out of battery in the struggle surrounding a contact shot.

[matt7184]

I find that the threaded barrels on some guns will also help the mounted WML cleaner. With that said none of my carry 19s with APLs have threaded barrels.

[Dagga Boy]

I find that the threaded barrels on some guns will also help the mounted WML cleaner. With that said none of my carry 19s with APLs have threaded barrels.

That is why I have run them in the past on guns I didn't have a can for. But, I guess it was actually to look cool.

[JodyH]

My HK45 Tactical nightstand pistol has a threaded barrel and a Surefire X300U. The extra 1/2" can't hurt velocities and it does keep the light cleaner and not as pockmarked.
And Tactical.... T...A...C...T...I...C...A...L...!

[Tamara]

Gen4 35 I bought came with a threaded LWD 9mm tube as well. I hate the way the thread protector won't stay on the damn gun.

[Nephrology]

Gen4 35 I bought came with a threaded LWD 9mm tube as well. I hate the way the thread protector won't stay on the damn gun.

That's lone wolf for you. My buddy in college who literally spent >2k on Kel-tec products in one afternoon at the gun show (think about that) also loves LWD and bought one of their slides. The rear sight of the Ameriglos that he bought for it drifted in and out of the dovetail with mild thumb pressure. He blamed this on Ameriglo's product.... yeah...

same LWD slide had an LWD .357 SIG barrel that constantly experienced FTFeeds in the form of nosedives into the ramp. Yeah.

[Tamara]

same LWD slide had an LWD .357 SIG barrel that constantly experienced FTFeeds in the form of nosedives into the ramp. Yeah.

I will say that the barrels I have from them* do function fine, or at least they have thus far. Only the 9mm one has more than a couple hundred rounds through it, though.


(*9x19 and .357SIG conversion barrels for the Gen4 35 and a 9x25 Dillon barrel for my Gen3 20.)

[Nephrology]

I will say that the barrels I have from them* do function fine, or at least they have thus far. Only the 9mm one has more than a couple hundred rounds through it, though.


(*9x19 and .357SIG conversion barrels for the Gen4 35 and a 9x25 Dillon barrel for my Gen3 20.)

I'm sure some of their products are fine but I would rather spend the extra money for a barrel I can trust... especially given how cheap S3F products seem to be on gunbroker.

[El Cid]

That's lone wolf for you. My buddy in college who literally spent >2k on Kel-tec products in one afternoon at the gun show (think about that) also loves LWD and bought one of their slides. The rear sight of the Ameriglos that he bought for it drifted in and out of the dovetail with mild thumb pressure. He blamed this on Ameriglo's product.... yeah...

same LWD slide had an LWD .357 SIG barrel that constantly experienced FTFeeds in the form of nosedives into the ramp. Yeah.

I have 3 threaded bbls from 3 manufacturers (Silencerco, Surefire/ZEV, and KKM). All of them will start to lose the thread protector (and the suppressor) after a couple of shots or dry slide manipulations. They are all right hand threads. I wonder if the Euro left hand threads (HK, Glock, Sig) do this? Anyone know?

As for the OP... The extra velocity can't hurt anything with penetrating rounds. And if you're like the bulk of us here it's a great "excuse" to get a can one day.

[Default.mp3]

I have 3 threaded bbls from 3 manufacturers (Silencerco, Surefire/ZEV, and KKM). All of them will start to lose the thread protector (and the suppressor) after a couple of shots or dry slide manipulations. They are all right hand threads. I wonder if the Euro left hand threads (HK, Glock, Sig) do this? Anyone know?I believe so; I've seen people on HKPro complain about factory H&K threaded barrels losing thread protectors, and those are in 13.5×1 LH. For thread protectors, I would say the best way to prevent it from loosening would probably be with a thread protector with an o-ring inside of it, so that it has more friction; mine from Tornado Technology seemed to have worked okay with the limited amount of rounds I used it with, though it took me way too long to get.

[Nephrology]

I have 3 threaded bbls from 3 manufacturers (Silencerco, Surefire/ZEV, and KKM). All of them will start to lose the thread protector (and the suppressor) after a couple of shots or dry slide manipulations.

Fair counterpoint.

[El Cid]

I believe so; I've seen people on HKPro complain about factory H&K threaded barrels losing thread protectors, and those are in 13.5×1 LH. For thread protectors, I would say the best way to prevent it from loosening would probably be with a thread protector with an o-ring inside of it, so that it has more friction; mine from Tornado Technology seemed to have worked okay with the limited amount of rounds I used it with, though it took me way too long to get.

Good to know - thanks! I don't use the TP while shooting. It's for storage and transport for me. It does irritate me that the cans will work loose. Had a buddy recommend Rockset. It does of course break down with heat, but it's not like I'm going to shoot a 2 day class with it on there. Also read about Teflon/plumbers tape, anti-seize, etc. Haven't had a chance to test any of them yet, but pistol cans for me are novelty items. They are fun and I own them because I can and because they give Libtards fits of hysteria.

[Gray222]

Re thread protectors

I just take them off and leave them in a bag.

I've yet to do anything to any of the threads which somehow effect their function.

[Sero Sed Serio]

I have a SIG P226 with a factory threaded barrel (13.5x1LH), and when I first got it the thread protector would work loose sitting in the safe. But with a heavy dose of Slip 2000 grease on the threads, it stays locked on tight (the first time I was actually worried I would need a wrench or something). I take the protector off to shoot and it's pretty much a range gun, but I assume the grease would hold things in place under live fire or in a holster.

[JodyH]

I've never once had the factory thread protector loosen on my HK45T.
In fact, it often takes a pretty good twist to remove it for cleaning.
Maybe I got the perfect combination of tolerance stacking between the barrel and protector.

One trick I've heard of for a problem protector is Teflon plumbers tape, throw a wrap around the threads and it keeps things tight with no mess.