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

 

[pyro]

Reply e-mail from S&W

At the moment we are in the process of updating our website. However, barrels are not being sold to individuals, that is a restricted part. If you are looking for a barrel it would need to be bought from aftermarket companies such as Brownell's.

 

[RobsTV]

With a huge amount of .40's dropping mags (looks like most except the original early batch run), how do the 9mm mags work out in a .40?

Do they too require a "dimple" added to mag to prevent dropping every other round?

 

[Tim_Ballz]

My .40 doesn't have the dimple and I have over 1000 rounds through it w/o any problems at all. I absolutely love the gun, I don't leave the house w/o it.

I am pretty pissed that S&W isn't selling barrels. It'll b at least a year or two before any body else starts selling them.

 

[Smitty357]

I dunno about you guys, but my .40 shows the test shot from factory on 09-04-12. And I tell you, I have put everything but the kitchen sink through this thing, and i've never had a single problem. From the small grain to the 180GR PX1 that I carry in it on me daily. IMO, it shoots just as well as the 9mm (except a little more recoil). As with any weapon, proper training makes it more accurate. I can take the .40 and be as accurate as I can with the 9mm.

IMO, later down the line after the "hotness" wears off. The 9mm barrels will be easily available. And when they are, u will be happy u got the .40 over the 9mm to start with. This way u damn near have 2 guns for a little over the cost of one, lol.

 

[RobsTV]

Not intending to drift off topic with my .40 mag drop issue, as I know it will be fixed (along with the rear sight so far left it overhangs slide, as well as doing something about the measured 9.5lb trigger). A quick search here shows 100's of 40's are dropping mags. It is a known issue for many 40 Shield owners the S&W has acknowledged. I knew about it before purchasing, expected the issue, and still bought it without hesitation. 40 is the caliber I enjoy best, and I'm sure this Shield will be perfect when I get it back. (factory test shot dated 08-16-2012)

But it would be nice to have the 9mm option, which is why I asked about the 9mm mags in the 40. Two guns for the price of one and a little extra change.

How about this: For those that have one of the 40's that drops mags, and has tried a 9mm barrel, how is the 9mm mag working out in the 40?

 

[robrossk]

whichm&p's comment about firing the 9mm barrel in the 40 frame/slide is the first I have read that it works. Great to hear this and I'll be patient in waiting for the 9mm barrels and magazines. And to RobsTV comment, I too would be interested to know if the 9mm mags have the drop problem in the 40 frame/slide.

 

[pyro]

I got an E-mail back from Brownells.

"Sorry but at the present time we don't have any for the Shield and really don't expect any, any time soon."

I think the chances for getting a barrel in the near future are remote. S&W doesn't want this to happen.

 

[Ross3914]

I'm sure Shield production/support is going to take priority over parts sales to individuals. S&W has a huge demand for the guns, so it makes more sense to build guns with the parts they have, rather than sell them.

Barrels will likely be available in time. Right now they need to be building whole guns.

 

[Tim_Ballz]

Barrels will likely be available in time. Right now they need to be building whole guns.

I hope at some point S&W will offer the barrels, but I would be really surprised if they do. Now that everybody knows that you can interchange the barrels they may keep a restriction on them in defiantly

 

[robkarrob]

I doubt S&W will ever sell the barrels as they are listed as restricted for the M&P line of guns, factory installed only. We can only hope one of the aftermarket barrel makers become aware of this potential huge market for the 9mm barrels.

Bob