Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Glock 20 with buffalo bore

I've heard some issues with shooting Buffalo Bore in an unsupported chamber. I've got a G20 (10mm), anyone had issues shooting Buffalo Bore ammo in one of those?

I want to load up some full power loads to use as bear deterrent, anyone have some data that has been tested in this particular model?

Early on I shot a bunch of BB and Double Tap from my factory Glock barrel and an upgraded spring. I would occasionally get the "smiley" on the bottom of the brass, so I switched to a KKM barrel. No more worries.

Never had any problems in a stock G20. I've never seen a smile on any of my brass.

A heavier spring would not be a bad idea.

I was using a 6" Glock barrel on my G20, with a heavier spring and a stainless rod. Shot quite a few heavier BB rounds with no problems.

i have not shot buffalo bore, but the equivilent that i put together myself, i.e. 200grain, 1200fps.
I switched out prior to doing that with a kkm barrel, and a extra heavy recoil spring and stainless rod. Also had a six inch kkm barrel in addition to the regular kkm barrel. No issues.
Kind of like a light .41magnum with more firepower.

My load with the 200 gr Hornady XTP and 8 gr of Longshot was leaving smiley's on all my brass with factory spring , changed to 24 lb and they disappeared. I also replaced the barrel with a Wolf 6 inch for hunting . My Glock 20 SF is very accurate with this load and setup. Mepro Adj Sights and Fulcrum Trigger

NMiller,

What iteration is your G20?

Apples to oranges but;

Reason I ask is I have a Gen4 G29 and was surprised to see the amount of case support… making me wonder if Glock has improved the case support in the 10mm barrels? I have a KKM G29 barrel and the extra case support is pretty minimal.

When I first got my G29 I checked every case after firing for smiley's when doing load work-up and have not had a smiley yet (with the factory barrel), and I am shooting at book max with 180 and 200 grain jacketed bullets.

YMMV,

Jerry

Bea,

How do you like the metro adjustables?

My G20 is gen 3. The spring has been upgraded from factory, so I have that part covered. I was hoping for the "light .41 with more firepower" approach. Got to find some powder to work with.

I'm using Blue Dot and am happy with the results… accuracy and velocity wise. Would also like to try accurate #9, but it could be months before I find any.

Jerry

i loaded most of them with accurate, either 7 or 9

A max load of AA-9 and a 200 grain Hornady XTP HP is super accurate in my Glock 20.
And I've put quite a few rounds of the Buffalo Bore 220 gr Hard Cast ammo through it, too, without any problems. And except for a 3.5 lb trigger disconnect, my Model 20 is bone stock.
It's the soft bullets made of pure lead that will cause a lead build-up in Glock Factory barrels and go boom. Hard Cast bullets work just fine in mine.

I have a 15 year old Glock 20 10mm that the stock barrel has .25" of feed ramp intrusion. The case webs are .18" thick. That leaves .07" of thin unsupported case side.

This will allow ~ 30% more powder than most published loads, but the LONGSHOT published load is ready to case bulge right at 0% extra.

I got a Bar Sto 10mm barrel for it with .23" of feed ramp intrusion for .05" of thin unsupported case wall.

This will allow loads with too much recoil

I got a KKM 40sw barrel for the Glock 20 with feed ramp intrusion of .2".
The 40sw case also has a .18" web, so this leaves .02" of thin case wall exposed. Other things will fail before that will cause a case bulge. Seating Nosler 200 gr JHP bullets at 1.28" with Power Pistol in a work up makes this just like a 10mm, but still a work up can get into horrible recoil.

Buying better recoil springs for the Glock 20:
Buying the 24 pound set and guide rod for the G20, the .27" guide rod sent will not fit in the inside .22" spring sent:(

43724 1 GLOCK 17,20,21,22,24,34,35 XP RECOIL SPRNG 24LB 7.89 7.89
50100 1 GUIDE ROD for GLOCK 20, 21 24.95 24.95
Subtotal ($) 32.84
SHIPPING & HANDLING ($) 7.95






So I made my own guide rod, rounded nut, and reduced diameter washers.

With this I was able to go a little higher with the G20.

Buffalo Bore ammo is SAAMI spec ammo, it's not overpressure, so it should be just fine in a stock pistol...I haven't seen any issues in a variety of manufacturers.

You can call up Buffalo Bore and ask.

But that is not exactly your question...

Also consider that Buffalo Bore ammo is loaded up to full pressure, but in new brass of their choosing...and testing.

Having said that, the 40sw and 10mm are already Hot-Rods out of the starting gate and I don't see any real world gain in another 50fps.

If one is conscientious, the careful reloader can find loads that produce factory velocity at slightly less pressure.

Consider that most of the terminal performance from that load comes from the design of the hard cast bullet itself, not the velocity, and the terminal performance of that bullet design is not sensitive to velocity...and even if it was, 50-100 fps one way or another will make absolutely no difference...It makes a big difference in chamber pressures though.

In other words, even moving 200fps slower, the impact on the target is still significant and not much less...if any. Velocity is mostly about range.

Anyone can do some media testing to see.

Since I would likely only fire full power loads in new brass, and since that particular bullet is not readily available, for defense in the woods I would just consider buying a box of BB, but I also wouldn't worry if velocity was over 1000fps and well under maximum.

Personally, I generally load 180 gr that I have a mold for...plenty of penetration.

As with any load or bullet, the only real variable I am concerned about is shot placement.

Good thoughts, cat. I was sorta thinking the same thing, buy some BB to carry "out in the woods", use range ammo and reloads for practice. Just make sure that BB shoots close to same point of aim as the practice stuff. In reality, probably wouldn't ever have to shoot the BB in defense. Obviously if you wanted to use it as a hunting round you would need to practice with that ammo, but for defense it would be a rare usage. I need get another mag so I can leave one full of BB for woods walking!