Last summer, I got a replacement barrel, ostensibly for a GLOCK 19, from Brownells. I’d seen a video where the presenter thought the RXM pistol from Ruger (with help from Magpul) lacked accuracy.
To be fair, the 9mm pistols from GLOCK were never particular stars in the accuracy department, except for the “baby-GLOCK,” the G26. Other calibers, the accuracy was measurably superior in GLOCK pistols. When the 5th Generation of 9mm GLOCKs arrived, the accuracy came with them. I’ve had one sample of a Gen6 GLOCK, the G45, and it keeps up with Gen5 guns easily.
Why the RXM, a near-clone of a Gen3 pistol, would have superior accuracy was a question. Last August, the answer was “sort-of.”
The new barrel (Brownell’s “Gen 1-5 Fluted Black 9mm Barrel for GLOCK 19”, made from hardened 416R stainless and finished in an “extra-hard Black Nitride;” button-rifled in a 1-10” twist) delivered a point of impact noticeably below the Ruger factory barrel.
Like the last time, I used the Ransom MultiCal Steady Rest, shooting at a distance of 25 yards. The ammo – a single load as I was limited by time -- was Black Hills 115gr. EXP.
With the Brownell’s barrel installed in the Ruger RXM, the result was a five-shot group of 3 7/8” (with three hits inside 1.5”). The factory Ruger barrel with the same load gave a 5 7/8” group, with three of those hits going into 2 ¾”.
I believe these results are consistent for the factory barrel. The vertical stringing in the group for the factory barrel is clearly inconsistent grip; I’ve seen this before with other guns. It’s not the fault of the factory barrel or the barrel not working well with the projectile.
There’s some vertical aspect to the group from the Brownell’s barrel, but it’s not as pronounced. This match-up goes to the after-market barrel, but I’m unconvinced.
To follow up, I shot a pair of five-shot strings from 25 yards, one-handed, bullseye-style, on a single B-8 repair center, posted face-down. Shooting Monarch “Steel” case 115gr. FMJ, I held in the center of the sheet. I walked down to measure and mark the first string before shooting the second. The first featured a 5 ¾” extreme spread (just over the diameter of the 9-ring). The second was less consistent, with a 6 ½” extreme spread.
This wasn’t match ammunition, but the groups weren’t far off from the Ruger barrel on a rest with 115 grain ammo using high-quality Black Hills ammo.
It’s safe to say that, in hands with a better hold than I can provide, the factory set-up for this sample of the RXM is likely at or just-under 3” across a range of loads. With the after-market barrel from Brownell’s, you can expect to subtract an inch from that on average.
As to reliability, I’d had the after-market barrel in the gun for nearly 10 months. Before that – and for some shooting expeditions since – I shot the gun with the factory barrel. I’ve yet to encounter stoppages with either barrel.
This is a quality gun with great sights. If you’re new to the game, I’d get the gun and work up to its capabilities before getting another barrel.
– Rich Grassi