9mm Barrel in .40 Shield

[BobFr]

I originally posted this in the ".40 Cal Shield" thread, but thought perhaps it should have its own thread:


I sent an email to S&W specifically asking if the Shield 9mm barrel could be used in a .40 Shield:

"Can the factory 9mm Shield barrel be installed in a my .40 Shield? I realize that, if this were possible, I would have to obtain 9mm magazines. I do have a couple SIGs for which I have the factory .40 and .357 barrels plus aftermarket Bar-Sto 9mm barrels. I certainly would prefer to use a factory barrel if approved by S&W, however."

The reply:

"It is not possible to change from .40 to 9mm or 9mm to .40. The difference in caliber size makes it not possible."

This reply was from Customer Service. It may still be possible, but I sure would like to have S&W bless it before I tried it. Previously I had sent an email to Storm Lake shortly after the .40 Shield came out asking if they were looking at a 9mm barrel for the .40 Shield. On May 13 I received this reply:

"We have started a waiting list for the Shield model. If you would like to have your name added, we will contact you when the option becomes available."

 

[Paints-n-cows]

The Beretta 92/96 series can swap barrels but sometimes there are extraction/ejection issues but seems to be individual weapon specific.

Do you really think that S&W would cut their own throat by saying that it ok and cut themselves out of another sale? After all, we know that it is the bottom dollar that drives them.

It seems that they can't get the engineering right or even own up to the problem with the .40s now.

 

[Edmo]

One thing which will be different, yet may still work, is the ejector placement.

Edmo

 

[Smitty357]

I've dropped my buddies 9mm barrel and clips into my .40 and it performs perfect. However, .40 into the 9mm isnt going to work.

 

[pyro]

That is the first confirmation I have seen posted. Thanks for the information.

 

[Smitty357]

That is the first confirmation I have seen posted. Thanks for the information.

If u go the other way around and try the .40 into the .9mm. You will find that the barrel is to wide (where it contacts the slide). This picture shows the little part im talking about. Although this is the .40 itself in the .40 slide. But u see the (hole, peep hole), at that spot the .40 barrel is wider than the .9mm. So when u try to make the .40 barrel fit into the 9mm slide, this part will hit and not fit.

The 9mm fits into the .40 slide without a problem, because the .40 slide is wider (at this part).

 

[pyro]

I wonder if 9mm bullets will feed from the 40cal mag?

 

[S&WOkie]

I've dropped my buddies 9mm barrel and clips into my .40 and it performs perfect. However, .40 into the 9mm isnt going to work.

I am not surprised by this.

It is the same way in the Full Size and Compact M&Ps.

 

[Smitty357]

Well the 9mm rds fit into the .40 mag pretty good. But I dunno how well it will feed. There is a "very slight" wobble of the round from side to side. IMO, its just cheaper to buy a $33.00 9mm mag instead of risking screwing something up, lol

But if u have a .40, just buy a 9mm barrel and a 9mm clip and wohooo now u have a 9mm shield. Thats the main reason i bought mine in .40. I have another 9mm glock and I have over 1000rds of 9mm. So its cheap for me to shoot the 9mm out of my .40, because I dont have to buy any practice rounds......For personal protection, i just use the .40 rds with 180GR. The best of both words (in a sense).

PS: You can buy a 9mm barrel and a 9mm clip for about $130 shipped to ur door (give or take a few dollars). So why not do it, if u already have a .40 to convert.

Here is both of them...9mm and .40

 

[hkyplr]

Well the 9mm rds fit into the .40 mag pretty good. But I dunno how well it will feed. There is a "very slight" wobble of the round from side to side. IMO, its just cheaper to buy a $33.00 9mm mag instead of risking screwing something up, lol

But if u have a .40, just buy a 9mm barrel and a 9mm clip and wohooo now u have a 9mm shield. Thats the main reason i bought mine in .40. I have another 9mm glock and I have over 1000rds of 9mm. So its cheap for me to shoot the 9mm out of my .40, because I dont have to buy any practice rounds......For personal protection, i just use the .40 rds with 180GR. The best of both words (in a sense).

PS: You can buy a 9mm barrel and a 9mm clip for about $130 shipped to ur door (give or take a few dollars). So why not do it, if u already have a .40 to convert.

www.botach.com has mags for $19.95 with free shipping.

 

[shield]

www.botach.com has mags for $19.95 with free shipping.

They don't have Shield mags.

 

[Tim_Ballz]

If u go the other way around and try the .40 into the .9mm. You will find that the barrel is to wide (where it contacts the slide). This picture shows the little part im talking about. Although this is the .40 itself in the .40 slide. But u see the (hole, peep hole), at that spot the .40 barrel is wider than the .9mm. So when u try to make the .40 barrel fit into the 9mm slide, this part will hit and not fit.

The 9mm fits into the .40 slide without a problem, because the .40 slide is wider (at this part).

Is there any way you can make a video of this claim. I am really excited about this but I don't want to spend that kind of money w/o a little more proof. I don't mean to offend you but it's a lot of money to gamble with. Thank You!!

 

[Smitty357]

Is there any way you can make a video of this claim. I am really excited about this but I don't want to spend that kind of money w/o a little more proof. I don't mean to offend you but it's a lot of money to gamble with. Thank You!!

Yes sir, give me a day or so and i'll get it up for you. I've been a little busy here at the shop. But trust me it is EXACTLY how I stated it. Thats the main reason I got my .40. If it wasn't possible and i didnt know it for a fact, I would have never bought the .40

 

[whichm&p]

I have both 9 & 40 Shields. I put the 9 barrel in the 40 slide and shot 3 mags just to see, without a hitch.
I am going to wait abit to see if StormLake makes an actual conversion barrel before I send for the factory 9 barrel. I like the Stainless version so one can tell them apart quickly.

I have the StormLake conversion barrel for the my 40c and works great.

 

[a_keith13]

This is great! Now I am glad i ordered my shield in a .40. I have a full sized M&P 9mm and found out about the barrel switch possibility after purchase. I would have got the .40 in that too if I had known better, or my LGS had told me about it.

 

[pyro]

This makes buying the 40cal sweet. I wanted a 9mm but couldn't find one and bought the 40cal instead. After having the 40cal I love the gun. Getting a 9mm barrel for the 40cal will give me the perfect purchase. Life is good!

 

[eric-holmes]

I switched my 40c barrel with a factory 9c barrel today. No problems. Easy Peasy.

 

[robkarrob]

Does anyone know where we can get the 9mm barrel? I don't think S&W will be selling them with the big demand for the Shield. Thanks

Bob

 

[pyro]

Does anyone know where we can get the 9mm barrel? I don't think S&W will be selling them with the big demand for the Shield. Thanks

Bob

I went on S&W's web site and I can't find any shield barrels. Maybe I am looking in the wrong place or maybe they have no intention of selling spare barrels. If that is the case then maybe the whole question of swapping barrels is moot.

 

[Tim_Ballz]

No you deff would need to call S&W for one. Has anybody had good luck purchasing one?? I'm going to assume that S&W isn't a big fan of us doing this barrel swap