G20 Vs G29 , reliability for a woods gun.

[flux]

Reading through the 45 super thread, and various 10mm threads on the forum, I have got a few questions.
1.) When using 10mm loads loaded to full power 10mm spec, is there a difference in reliability between the G29 and G20?
2.) Does the shorter length of the G29 sacrifice much in terms of velocity? Will I end up with .40 performance out of the shorter length barrel?
3.) Do the Gen 4 Glock 10mm need any additional modifications to reliably shoot hotter 10mm loads.
Is the G29/G20 still a viable 10mm option? Would ideally like to stay with Glock, HK is not exactly available here. I will most likely be reloading for it.

[Oldherkpilot]

Reading through the 45 super thread, and various 10mm threads on the forum, I have got a few questions.
1.) When using 10mm loads loaded to full power 10mm spec, is there a difference in reliability between the G29 and G20?
2.) Does the shorter length of the G29 sacrifice much in terms of velocity? Will I end up with .40 performance out of the shorter length barrel?
3.) Do the Gen 4 Glock 10mm need any additional modifications to reliably shoot hotter 10mm loads.
Is the G29/G20 still a viable 10mm option? Would ideally like to stay with Glock, HK is not exactly available here. I will most likely be reloading for it.

Be aware that the partially unsupported chamber on the Glock barrel can be a problem for reloading. The bulge in the case can be resized but that area will still be a weak spot. This is especially a problem with hotter loads. If the weak spot lines up with the bottom of the chamber (bad luck) the case may rupture. In my case, the magazine blew out of the mag well and the extractor flew out. No damage to me or the pistol, but it was a bit scary.

I would recommend an after market barrel if you plan to reload for your 10mm (which you should). Even with a fully supported chamber, I would still start with virgin brass. Since Glock is the most prevalent 10mm, a lot of once-fired brass went through a Glock. Some folks find reliability issue with AM barrels, but I cannot speak to that personally. The Glock I "disassembled" was a friends.

If your situation allows the larger version, I think you'll find it more enjoyable with the max loads in the 10. Good luck to you-the 10 rocks!

[GJM]

The 29 runs factory 10mm loads of modest (.40) power factors. I haven't heard of folks doing the work to make the 29 reliable, like they have with the 20.

[steve]

If size is a factor then a G23 might not be a bad choice. Hotter .40 loads are on the heels of 10mm and some exceed the 10mm lite that is out there. 13 rounds vs 10 in a package that is very reliable.

[Gun Mutt]

GJM has done much to change my perspective on field pistols. I highly recommend his G23.5 thread.

I'll never get rid of my beloved, decades old, G20, but my nagging urge to try another G29 has been quieted, probably permanently. The G29 that I owned was miserably unreliable with the heavy loads my G20 gobbled up. Two trips back to Glock failed to remedy its malady.

[HeavyDuty]

When I moved to moose country last year I seriously considered picking up a 10 - I do railroad and other photography off the beaten track. In the end I decided I was better served with a 27.5 and a reload or two.

[vcdgrips]

Outside of my lane:

For a woods gun where concealability is not a concern, why not go with the G20 and the drop in 6 inch barrel to get even more oomp pah pah?

Alternatively, if one already had a .40 cal platform, the work done by GJM would be my starting point.

Gladly would defer to others in this realm.

[the Schwartz]

Outside of my lane:

For a woods gun where concealability is not a concern, why not go with the G20 and the drop in 6 inch barrel to get even more oomp pah pah?

Alternatively, if one already had a .40 cal platform, the work done by GJM would be my starting point.

Gladly would defer to others in this realm.

Another option is the Glock 40 (for those who'd feel weird about having a barrel that protrudes significantly past the end of the slide).

If someone has not yet already come up with a conversion barrel that will allow the 40S&W to be fired in the G40, I'll bet that eventually someone will.

[GJM]

My understanding is that ammo manufacturers worked with gun makers to develop defensive loads in 9/40 that performed and functioned. To my knowledge, that hasn't been done in 10mm. Manufacturers come up with a 10, and we become the test pilots to try to find field loads that penetrate and function. There is a significant opportunity for an ammo manufacturer to develop field loads and test them in different platforms, to achieve a reliable combination of penetration and function.

[Clusterfrack]

1.) When using 10mm loads loaded to full power 10mm spec, is there a difference in reliability between the G29 and G20?

As @GJM said, we haven’t seen anyone put in the effort to test a G29 with full powers 10mm loads. I’m skeptical it would work well. My testing suggested that as loads get hotter, slide velocity increases and outpaces the mag spring, causing FTFs. With a compact G29, that should be more problematic.

Regarding chamber support: G4 barrels have good support. G3, not so much.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....-Hardcast-Load