M&P Storm Lake Barrel

[bp7178]

I've been looking at aftermarket barrels for the M&P. I was wondering if anyone had any before and after results, preferably with pics.

I've been able to find many accounts of users reporting better groups, but no actual hard measurements or pics. Something to the effect of 4" factory at 25 yards, 2" aftermarket at 25 yards. Granted it's probably going to be, or should be, off of a rest, but it's surprising the lack of data.

In building an AR15, I can find accuracy tests all day. Ammo, barrel etc...nothing for aftermarket pistol barrels and ammo.

My next question would be, what have you found to be the most accurate 9mm factory load?

[MookNW]

As popular as the M&P is on this site, you would think someone would slap it in a randsome rest and post some pics of their groups. Guess not.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Get one of the forthcoming Bar-Sto barrels installed by Randy Lee at Apex Tactical. His testing is producing 1-2" groups with the prototype barrel.

[bp7178]

I was going to, but planning on "future" product releases can leave one waiting for quite a while....Schmidt & Bender, anything Magpul etc etc. ;)

I just ordered the Apex FSS & Trigger kit. The Bar-Sto is high on my list. I read that Randy was producing 1-2" groups, but I also wondered how this compared to the Storm Lake barrel. After fitting and such, there is a pretty big price difference between the two. I have no problem spending the money, I just want to know where its going.

[ralph]

Randy's estimate on barrel installation/test firing, not to mention shipping,pretty much stopped me in my tracks..After installing Heinie NS, full Apex DAECK, Ram, I can't see dumping probably another $400+ into a $450+ pistol to get it to shoot decently, In my case,I think I'll take the money I've saved for this project, and add about $100-150 and try another platform. I remember Randy mentioned that S&W was in the process of redesiging the M&P, and we should see something new in the next couple of years. If they can get the 9mm pistols to shoot as well as my Midsize.45 does, I'd be interested..

[rjacobs]

I will probably be corrected, but I thought randy said the Storm Lake barrel did not fix the twist or the lockup time so the barrel wouldnt be an ideal barrel until those two issue's were fixed as they were really what was wrong with the factory barrels. Im guessing the Storm Lake barrels are just made to slightly tighter tolerances, but the same basic S&W design.

I personally wouldnt get a barrel that didnt fix the two problems that Randy has identified with the original S&W barrels.

[bp7178]

I've actually been looking at buying a new handgun for awhile. I wanted a 1911, but with the list of features I wanted, I would probably end up in the $2-3000 range. I was reluctant to get one more due to having to train for the safety. My duty weapon has no external safety, and granted I could overcome it, I just don't want to spend the time training two dissimilar systems. The M&P has the same basic controls, w/o any additional controls. There is no difference in the manual of arms between the M&P and my duty weapon.

So the prospect of adding $600 between trigger and barrel to a M&P to give it the capability I want seems like a good tradeoff.

That being said, the M&P with the Apex FSS & Trigger solves the crap stock trigger problem. Now if the Bar-Sto can shrink the groups to 1-2" at 25y, I'd be really happy. But, in the meantime, if a Storm Lake can knock down a factory 5" group to say 3", I'd rock it until the Bar-Sto was a reality.

[mizer67]

I have a SL in .40 S&W in a FS gun.

I do not have pictures to back it up, but it shoots slightly better than factory barrel with the right loads, but likely only because it locks up a little tighter.

I personally don't feel it's worth buying a SL barrel unless you want to shoot a load that the factory barrel doesn't like. Wait for a fitted barrel if you want any accuracy improvement. I'll be in line for a Bar-Sto (or two) and locking block from Randy once they're available.

[Randy Lee]

Hi guys,

I wanted to point out that once Irv has the proper locking dimensions, he will also be making and selling the semi-drop in barrels which will address both the timing and twist rate issues. I think that they will help tremendously and often drop in with little fitting on the back of the hood. Then you are not having to pay me or another smith to fit it. Usually the semi-drop in barrels tighten things up nicely.
The caveat is that there are some guns out there that are so far out on the dimensional tolerance they might not show the improvements that a fitted barrel would in the accuracy department.

The M/T barrels we will be fitting are for those who want to be sure the barrel is fitted to their individual gun. The over-sized barrels allow us to compensate for any gross tolerance stacking on an individual gun.

-Randy

[MSteele]

I added the SL threaded barrel to my M&P 45 and I shot much better groups then the factory barrel. I even swapped them out at the range and shot 20 rds out of each barrel and the SL performed way better. At 50ft I kept everything inside of 6" and with the factory barrel out of the 20 rds 7 were outside the 6" circle. I can usually shoot tighter groups but I kept a constant rate of fire on the target. I did have to use a dremel to grind some sections of the barrel especially were the recoil spring sits on the barrel. It wasn't perfectly round so the recoil spring did not sit properly. With the addition of the Apex DCAK this gun fires perfectly. Thank god for companies like Apex, $80 well spent especially because I live in MA with a mandatory 10+lb trigger pull.