If your new handgun is so great.....

Bailey Boat

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Why is replacing the barrel the first thing you do?? I see this on .22 Rugers (rifles and handguns) countless center fires and a host of others. The replacement barrels can add up to 45% (or more) of the cost of the original gun. Why buy a gun that needs a better barrel?? Why not buy a better gun to begin with.... just curious..
 
Might be they like the rest of the gun to start with. Or they like to tinker.

Kinda like people will buy a car they like the looks of, then rebuild/replace the engine, swap transmissions, etc.
 
Why is replacing the barrel the first thing you do?? I see this on .22 Rugers (rifles and handguns) countless center fires and a host of others. The replacement barrels can add up to 45% (or more) of the cost of the original gun. Why buy a gun that needs a better barrel?? Why not buy a better gun to begin with.... just curious..

Sometimes......there isnt a factory option that satisies your needs/wants.
 
I recently purchased a new centerfire rifle and plan on changing the barrel without shooting it. Only because it was not offered in the caliber I was looking for. Otherwise I liked all aspects of the gun, and I ended up getting it for half off msrp.
 
Why is replacing the barrel the first thing you do?? I see this on .22 Rugers (rifles and handguns) countless center fires and a host of others. The replacement barrels can add up to 45% (or more) of the cost of the original gun. Why buy a gun that needs a better barrel?? Why not buy a better gun to begin with.... just curious..

I kinda agree with you for the most part, but people rebarreling rifles for specific calibers or competitions seems fairly common. For recreational or carry gun it does seem kind of silly.
 
Why is replacing the barrel the first thing you do?? I see this on .22 Rugers (rifles and handguns) countless center fires and a host of others. The replacement barrels can add up to 45% (or more) of the cost of the original gun. Why buy a gun that needs a better barrel?? Why not buy a better gun to begin with.... just curious..

Why do people tinker with or modify anything? Generally at least in their mind is to make it better or improve the performance, or tune the firearm to their personal preference.

.....or it could be as simple as the "Bubba Force" is just so damn strong!
 
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For a Glock, people that like to shoot lead bullets will buy an aftermarket barrel for this purpose. Or, they may buy a threaded barrel so they can use a suppressor. Still talking Glock here, you can buy conversion barrels that will allow you to shoot different calibers of ammo through the same gun.

On a rifle, I'm talking 10/22 Ruger here, many factory barrels are very accurate. Many of these barrels are taken off before a round is fired through them. Back when I could see, I had a factory barreled 10/22 with some trigger work and a good scope, and it would shoot one hole groups at 50 yards.

I have one now with a scope and a good trigger that will shoot much better that I'm capable of doing. But, I will admit that some of the tricked out 10/22's sure do look sweet.
 
Why is replacing the barrel the first thing you do?? I see this on .22 Rugers (rifles and handguns) countless center fires and a host of others. The replacement barrels can add up to 45% (or more) of the cost of the original gun. Why buy a gun that needs a better barrel?? Why not buy a better gun to begin with.... just curious..

Does somebody sell a Ruger 10/22 that comes with the better barrel?

45% more is still cheaper than starting a gun company to build it how you wanted it in the first place. :)
 
For the same reason I swap out the engine when I buy a new car. ;)
 
I put an aftermarket barrel in a Glock because I was ignorant and wanted to shoot cast lead bullets. I learned that size matters and put the stock one back in, shoots lead fine. The AM barrel is also threaded because someday... cost was less than 20% of firearm. FWIW it is slightly more accurate with every load I tried in both, were it not for game rules I'd still use it.

I got an AM barrel for my M&P357 so I could shoot 40S&W in it too.

If I thought there was something to gain by upgrading I would if it was cost effective, if buying a different gun is a better option I take that route.
 
Why is replacing the barrel the first thing you do?? I see this on .22 Rugers (rifles and handguns) countless center fires and a host of others. The replacement barrels can add up to 45% (or more) of the cost of the original gun. Why buy a gun that needs a better barrel?? Why not buy a better gun to begin with.... just curious..


I get a chuckle out of the GLOCK PERFECTION guys that buy a stock glock, change the barrel, trigger, slide, springs, cut/carve/stipple the frame, and then go on about how great their glock is. Nah, it stopped being a glock a long time ago.
 
I put an aftermarket barrel in a Glock because I was ignorant and wanted to shoot cast lead bullets. I learned that size matters and put the stock one back in, shoots lead fine.

I did the same thing. I was misinformed and marketed to. That lesson only cost me $20 because I was able to sell that Lone Wolf bbl and get most of my money back. FWIW in my hands the aftermarket "match" barrel showed no change in precision compared to the stock barrel.
 
Threaded barrels? Hard to press fit a can onto an unthreaded barrel


Also, it’s hard for a company to offer a modified version of a gun because there are so many different uses that it’s not one size fits all. Offer a couple base models (especially for 10/22s, Glocks, ARs, etc) and let the shooter customize it to their needs. Doesn’t mean it’s not “good” because things get changed out immediately
 
I try to avoid guns that don't work well enough for my purposes out of the box. I've already got a Harley for that kind of spending ;)
 
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