glock handguns have octagon instead of rifling in the barrel?

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cajun47

New member
someone told me this long ago. he said glocks ship with octagon and the barrels are weak and that glock recommends you buy a rifled barrel thats built stronger.

he told me this long ago and i forgot about it when i bought my glock 19. he reminded me about that and i checked and my glock 19 has rifling in the barrel.

is he misinformed or did i buy one that had a rifled barrel put in?
 
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dwatts47

New member
Its called "polygonal rifling". it is both shaped like a polygon and rifled.

You only need to replace if you want to shoot unjacketed lead bullets.

No they are not weak... and why would Glock recommend that you buy an aftermarket barrel??
 
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cajun47

New member
"No they are not weak... and why would Glock recommend that you buy an aftermarket barrel??"

i have no idea.

what would lead bullets do to my glock?
 
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Chui

New member
Haha, what would lead do to your Glock??? Surely you jest. Same with H&K. How about blow your gun's internals out of the frame? Sounds like fun to you?

Now it won't happen immediately, but the tighter gas seal causes the much softer lead to be deposited into the barrel and if not thoroughly removed it increases the pressure of future shots. Needless to say eventually it will bite you in the rear. It's not worth it.

And, NO, it's not a sign of "weakness" but if one takes it to mean that then just buy an aftermarket barrel...
 
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Rustynuts

New member
He's probably mixing & matching the whole unsupported barrel thing with the polygonal rifling. Both tend to be bad comparatively and even worse with 40 S&W chambering (at least the unsupported part). This is why Glocks tend to be associated with KB's (real or imagined) than other makes.
 
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DWARREN123

New member
The poly rifling is great for jacketed bullets, less drag but have a suppose tendency to pull lead from lead bullets causing an overpressure in the barrel which supposely causes it to go ka-boom.
The GLOCK barrels are as strong as any.
As long as you shoot jacketed within pressure limits or copper plated at lower pressures there should be no problems.
 
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Joe the Redneck

New member
This is why instruction books are so important.

Like it or not the Glock Rules are:

No Reloads, ever, for any reason.

No lead bullets, ever, for any reason.

They made the gun, they made the rules.

If you want to shoot reloads or lead, just get an aftermarket barrel rated for such things. No real problem.

If you dont have the book, Glock will send you one. You can also read it online.

Joe
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
The Glock instruction manual does not state that you shouldn't use lead bullets (although you shouldn't) but it does state not to use reloads.
 
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laytonj1

New member
This is why Glocks tend to be associated with KB's (real or imagined) than other makes.
Click to expand...
but have a suppose tendency to pull lead from lead bullets causing an overpressure in the barrel which supposely causes it to go ka-boom
Click to expand...

LOL!! You guys talk like defense lawyers...

Jim
 
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JohnKSa

Administrator
Glocks are suitable for use with any SAAMI rated or NATO spec ammunition. If there is a SAAMI +P standard for a caliber then there will not be a problem using that ammunition in a Glock pistol.

So, for example 9mm +P would be fine in a Glock (since there's a SAAMI standard for 9mm +P) while I would be wary of using .40S&W +P in any gun since there's no SAAMI +P standard for that caliber.

There are no +P+ standards, so it's hard to make categorical statements about ammunition that is marked in that manner.

In the 1992 Armorer's manual there is a statement to the effect that "Glock pistols will function properly with the new generation of 9x19mm ammunition including all +P+ ... currently being introduced in the United States". However, at that time the smallest 9mm pistol Glock made was the G19. I don't know if the statement applies to the smaller Glock 9mms available today. Furthermore, the statement was made based on ammunition available 16 years ago--it's impossible for me to say that the currently available +P+ ammunition is comparable.

What I would say is that if the ammunition you're considering is good quality ammunition made by a reputable company or country for use in semi-automatic pistols then it is very likely to be suitable for use in a Glock. Of course the hotter the ammunition used, the harder it is on the gun. It's not going to come apart on you, but count on accelerated wear.
 
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drail

Moderator
According to a letter posted on The Gun Zone from a Glock engineer Glock does not and never has heat treated the barrels on their pistols. The Tennifer treatment which he described as a thin case hardening is the only process applied. He also claimed that he will not permit any family member to fire any Glock pistol. If this is true it's not hard to understand why these barrels are failing when subjected to any kind of overpressure from lead buildup or rounds loaded over SAAMI specs.
 
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Chui

New member
drail, I find that difficult to actually believe. The Tenifer treatment is a heat treatment so he may have not qualified his remarks well. Could there be "an issue" with Glock barrels? Not enough to state as much from my opinion BUT I'd like to see the chambers with a bit more support.
 
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flyby

New member
The Gun Zone seems pretty biased against Glocks to begin with (and many other things) :rolleyes: ..and their site gui :barf: :D
 
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randyc74

New member
I shoot at a local Bass Pro Shop Range. The door to the range is posted with a large "NO RELOADS ALLOWED." I asked the range master why the range was not allowing people to shoot reloads? He explained that a range user had been stooting lead reloads through his Glock and after the "Kaboom) admitted he did not bother to scrub the lead out of the bore on any kind of a regular basis.
Randy
 
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WESHOOT2

New member
please stop

The Glock barrel can shoot lead bullets but doing so requires maintenance.

The Glock barrel is not weak.

Glock pistols get proof-fired and stamped as such.

Suggest not listening to friend.

What is a Gun Zone and why do I have to view it on the internet (as if that makes something, including my posts, true)?
 
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Ultima-Ratio

Moderator
Gun Myths-

Sorry all, the Glock does NOT have polygonal rifling!

Hexagonal is the proper term!

From wiki-
The cold hammer-forged barrel has a hexagonal bore with a right-hand twist. The weapon’s frame, magazine body and several other components are made from a high-strength nylon-based polymer. The frame also contains hardened steel guides molded into the internal surfaces. The slide is milled from a single block of ordnance-grade steel. The barrel and slide are finished with a proprietary nitriding process called Tenifer
 
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Officer's Match

New member
A hexagon is a polygon. As is an octagon (their 45's use an octagonal rifled barrel).

Polygonal barrels (regardless of how many "sides") seal better than lands and grooves, thus developing greater pressures and faster bullet velocities. Therefore, they would be less tolerant of out of spec ammo, all other factors being constant.

Glock barrels are hammer forged, tennifer treated, and among the strongest factory barrels made.
 
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