New Barrel Dilemma

[psychodad]

As the title suggests, I recently bought an aftermarket threaded barrel for my XD Mod 2 in 45 ACP. Although I'm not a gunsmith, I purchased the “semi-fit” model thinking I could do the minor fitting, if required. Upon receipt, I starting measuring surfaces and noted the width of the forward lug was 0.035" narrower than the OEM barrel. Measuring the rear lug/feed ramp found it to be 0.075" narrower than the OEM. I dropped the barrel into the locking block and there must be 0.040" of clearance between the sides while the OEM barrel has maybe 0.005" or so. The barrel feed ramp also hangs over the lower feed ramp and doesn't begin to fit the contour of the lower portion. I spoke to their customer support who informed me that Springfield made their locking lugs and feed ramps wider a while back but that they didn’t see a need for it. They assured me "We have fit hundreds of these and they all shoot very well with no issues." They did offer to fit the barrel for free but I'll have to cover shipping both ways.

The best info I have been able to find is Springfield redesigned (widened) their XD barrel lugs and feed ramps when they designed the XDM. They carried over that design to their XD Mod 2's as well. It sounds to me like they're trying to sell me a std XD barrel to fit into a Mod 2. Why would anyone not change their design to match the newer Springfield design? If Springfield felt the design change was necessary, why wouldn't an aftermarket mfgr do the same? Am I making too much of this? Your thoughts would be appreciated.

[megasupermagnum]

This doesn't happen to be Barsto, does it?

[psychodad]

I was trying to avoid naming the mfgr. Apparently, this was more than a lucky guess?

[lefty o]

I was trying to avoid naming the mfgr. Apparently, this was more than a lucky guess?

barsto at one time was the best in the business, they were also about the only one who did what they did. after the old man died, they have never been the same.

[megasupermagnum]

I was trying to avoid naming the mfgr. Apparently, this was more than a lucky guess?

I'm a very small sample size, but we are 0-2 on Barsto. One was either "will fit" or "semi fit" for a SIG P320 for 357 SIG. It dropped right in, but never shot great. Not bad, but the best I ever saw was around 2" at 25 yards. Sig Barrels are generally more accurate than that.

The other was my shooting buddy's glock in 40 S&W. He wanted something very accurate, so he bought the Match barrel in 40 S&W, and had Barsto fit it to the gun. I no longer see it listed, but at the time they claimed 2" at 50 yards with the right ammo. The whole point of sending it to Barsto was that they test fired it. Well he got it back, and it shot horribly, I never saw better than 4" at 25 yards. The stock Glock barrel shot better. Two trips to Barsto, paying shipping both ways, and no difference. The final straw was a snarky email and a picture of a target that the guy claimed to have shot at 15 yards. It was about a 2" group.

So the guy has the gun, can't produce the accuracy he guaranteed, and still refused to fix it. He made the barrel, fit it to the gun, knew it shot poorly, and refused to stand behind his turd. That's all I have to say about Barsto.

[TNsailorman]

All I can say about Barsto quality was that I paid a handsome amount of money to have a Barsto barrel fitted to a S&W 4506 to shoot in competition. It shot fine for around 1200 rounds and the accuracy fell off a little and I went back to my Series 70 Colt 1911 and sent the 4506 to my son who was not a match shooter but needed a house gun. He shot it maybe a couple hundred rounds in practice and the slide locked up solid and could not be forced open. He took it to a pistol smith who finally got the slide open and took the barrel out. He told my son that at one time Barsto was as good as it got but their recent quality was such that he would not even buy their barrels anymore. He told my son that the lugs on the 4506 were badly peened and that was what had caused the slide to lock up. He put a new barrel in the 4506 and it is going like a champ again. He did not say whether the fitting of the lugs was bad on the Barsto or whether the barrel was flawed to start with but the fact that he would not handle Barsto barrel anymore was telling to me. james

[1006]

I can only comment favorably about my Bar-Sto purchases. I had a pro install a “gunsmith fit” 40 S&W barrel into my Delta Elite 1911, and I installed a “semi fit” ramped forty into my Kimber 1911. The Delta Elite has had thousands of full power forty run through it; it is still shooting fantastically accurate. The Kimber was a rainy day project for me that turned out great after two rainy days of fitting, it was not as easy to install as I had expected. The Kimber is also very accurate. Time will tell if the Kimber barrel holds up.

[35remington]

If the barrel has that much slop send it back, get a refund and go with another brand.

[Todd N.]

I bought my first Barsto barrel in 1979. I've bought 6 more since then, as recently as the summer of 2018. I have experienced total professionalism and top-notch quality from them over the years.

I say either send it back unfired and quit stressing about it, or put it together (or have a SKILLED gunsmith put it together) and find out the truth- either it works or it doesn't. Just because they manufacture something differently from an OEM part doesn't mean it's wrong or sub-standard.

[charlie b]

If Barsto admits the OEM specs changed and they have not changed their barrel specs, then I would send the barrel back and ask for a refund. Then find another supplier.

The last Barsto I bought was in 2004. The gunsmith I used bought and installed one on my 1911. It worked great and was a tack driver (other work was done to the pistol as well). Had several thousand rounds through it before I gave it to my son-in-law.

[psychodad]

Thanks for all of the replies. I think I'm going to send it back. I don't see me being happy with a barrel with that much slop in it.