I have long wanted a 226 X5 and found one that I might be able to afford. It is late 2013 or early 2014 (SN - U 904 335). The only down side is it’s chambered in .40 S&W and I want a 9MM. I see Bar-Sto makes a 9MM conversion barrel for the 226 X5 and I am wondering… If I have them install a match conversion barrel, will everything (other than magazines) work out?

I'm not an expert but the issue might be the sizing of the area that has the ejector... 40 cal is wider than 9mm. I think in theory the ejector might not catch the side of the 9mm. Now with that said, I tried just switching out the barrel on a 40/357 P239 to a 9mm and it functioned fine ejecting the rounds... I can't remember if I changed the recoil spring or not.

I say give it a try... not sure about the fitting... I've bought and installed several sig barrels and never had an issue.

What I could offer is to take one of my 357 P226's to my pistol range and just put a 9mm barrel in and see what happens....but I suspect someone here will have an answer in the next day or so before I can make it there.

There is no reason why it should not work



You are going for a top shelf target pistol, so I have to ask . . . is the cost of the 40S&W X-5 plus the cost of a fitted Bar-Sto barrel and the round trip shipping really that much cheaper than just buying an X-5 that is already a 9MM ?

If it were me, I would just be putting a bit more money away in that sock drawer to get what I really want.

Or I would find one that I could put on Lay-a-Way and pay off over time.

I have a 1st Gen P226 XFive in 40 S&W and have Barsto 9mm conversion and 357 SIG barrels. They took more time fitting than the installation I did on a Stainless Elite but they function fine.
I don't shoot it in competition, but it's been fine for range duty. I do run a different recoil spring and magazine when I use the 9mm.

For sure you need a lighter recoil spring for 9mm. The recoil spring for my 9mm X5 is a simple wire. I’m not sure, but I’m thinking that the .40 recoil spring is the twisted wire type.

Also check to see if the gun has the “new” extractor version. The first X5 extractor version was problematic.

Thinking the Bar-Sto barrel would be the way to go.

The barrel diameter is different between the two and the conversion barrel will fit the slide better.

Let us know how it turns out as I may be doing this myself soon.

quote:

Originally posted by .38supersig:
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The barrel diameter is different between the two and the conversion barrel will fit the slide better.
<snip>

Are you sure about that? How could it be so? If the barrel diameter differed then the slides would also have to be different. Or so it seems to me.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by colt_saa:
There is no reason why it should not work

You are going for a top shelf target pistol, so I have to ask . . . is the cost of the 40S&W X-5 plus the cost of a fitted Bar-Sto barrel and the round trip shipping really that much cheaper than just buying an X-5 that is already a 9MM ?

If it were me, I would just be putting a bit more money away in that sock drawer to get what I really want.

Great point. I was thinking the same thing all along but the deal I was going to get make it work financially. That said, I hem hawed to much and the prize went to someone else.

Don't know about the X5... but the barrels I have on my 9mm and 357s are the same diameter and logically the 40 has to be same also on these standard ones... as well as the legions.

I think the potential problem could be the weight of the upper/slide.. I just weighed 6 P226 slides with out the barrels or recoil springs... the 40/357 slides are 13.1 ounces (long extractor) and 13.4 on the short extractor. What I presume are my 9mm ones weigh in at 11.9 ounces. (MK25 is actually 12 ounces)

I had this exact conversion done with a Sig X5 Allround. My strong recommendation is to send it to Barsto and have them do the conversion. It costs more but it will be done right without having to do any of the machining, filing, or polishing yourself. I tried the semi-drop-in barrel but it wasn't so "drop-in" so off to Barsto it went.

I had them do the conversion for both 357 Sig and 9mm. With the .40 platform you do not have to make any changes for the 357 Sig other than Barsto the barrel. With the 9mm, you need the Barsto barrel, 9mm recoil spring and of course the magazine.

Barsto test fired the barrel's and ensured functionality. Both conversions work perfectly. Not inexpensive but, in my mind worth it for reliable functioning.