Educate me on glock conversion kits please.

[teddy12b]

The next purchase I intend to make in life is a Glock 20SF in 10mm.  I've been trying to read a lot about them and learn whatever I can.  One thing that keeps popping up is buying a conversion barrel kit for it.  I'm at a loss here and I don't really understand these, because I've never used one.  I went to lone wolf's website last night and they had conversion barrels for the G20 that would make it a 357sig, or 9mm.  The only thing in the kit was the barrel and there wasn't a new guide rod spring or anything like that. 

When converting calibers in a glock do I only have to change the barrel and using the corresponding magazines?

[Savage]

When converting calibers in a glock do I only have to change the barrel and using the corresponding magazines?

Normally only a barrel change is required. I have not seen a .40 conversion barrel for the mdl 20 on the Lone Wolf site, but I'm betting someone, somewhere, makes one. I believe Wolff Gun Springs makes a calibration kit for Glocks that contain springs of various weights to tune your pistol to your caliber and mode. Lone Wolf also sells springs of various rates. For me, the 17# works fine for 9mm/.40/.357 in the mdl 22.
Savage

[HAMMERHEAD]

KKM precision makes a .40 conversion for the Glock 20, not sure if they fit the SF models, e-mail them, they are very good about responding. KKM has top notch quality and reliability, worth the money IMO.
With the .40 barrel in place, you use the standard recoil spring and 10mm magazine. A Glock .40 magazine will not fit in a Glock 20.
My .40 conversion would cycle fine with the original 17 pound spring or a 20 pound recoil spring.

All you need is the barrel for .40 and .357sig
I don't see any 9mm conversion barrels for the Glock 20, they have 9X25, but that's a semi-wildcat based on the 10mm case.
The 9mm conversions are for the small frame .40/.357 Glocks and won't fit the Glock 20.

My KKM .40 conversion barrel was highly accurate and reliable. IMO, .40 is the first and only caliber to convert the Glock 20 to. Recoil is soft with typical 180 ball ammo, accuracy is very good, and .40 ammo is available anywhere.
http://www.kkmprecision.com/custom_pistol_barrels/product.php?productid=26&cat=16&page=1

[teddy12b]

Since I first considered buying a 20SF in 10mm, I've read that I could get conversion barrels for 45, 40, 357sig, and 9mm.  Now that I'm considering it much more seriously I want to know for a fact what I can convert the gun to.  The conversion will always be second place to the 10mm.  I reload my own and plan on shooting full power loads. 

The idea of a converion kit to me is that "just in case" factor where it may not hurt to have another caliber for the added weight of another barrel. 

I know what you're saying about only buying a conversion for the .40, but I could also just use low powered 10mm ammo for the same effect.  I'd consider the .40 conversion, but I'd rather find one for 9mm, or 45acp if they in fact exist.  I hope they do, I just haven't found them yet.

[Savage]

The .45 case has a larger case head than the .40/10mm/.357 cases. You would need a .45 upper to convert to .45acp.
Savage

[HAMMERHEAD]

Yup, .45acp would require a new slide, barrel and internals. Lone Wolf sells those, even 6" slides for .45acp and 10mm that fir both the G-20 and G-21.
I've never seen any conversions for the 9mm, .38 Super yes, but they have issues getting the magazines to hold the rounds in place and feed right. Feed lips need to be modified, I imagine the same would be true for 9mm, the low recoil of the 9mm might make for short stroking of the slide, and the short 9mm cartridge in a long magazine might be prone to nosediving into the feed ramp, and the rim is even smaller than .38 Super, possible extraction issues.
I think it adds up big challenge to get the 9mm to go.
E-mail KKM, they're open to doing different things, I think they're the ones who did the .38 Super G-20 barrels, who knows, they might do it.