Backup Tactical Threaded GLOCK Barrels: Gear Review

Gun owners seeking the sound of silence continue to wait for the fat lady to sing about the Hearing Protection Act. While ATF wait times are coming down, suppressor buyers still have to jump through the National Firearms Act’s paperwork, tax and temporal hoops. But that hasn’t stopped them from buying threaded pistol barrels ahead of the Act’s possible passage.

On some firearms (e.g., the FN FNX-45 Tactical), a suppressor-ready threaded barrel comes straight from the factory. For others, it’s aftermarket only.

Backup Tactical — esteemed makers of bling and badass thread protectors — is now targeting The Friend of Gaston with a colorful series of threaded barrels for the GLOCK 19. They’re starting with standard black, shiny silver and a “flat dark earth” that looks fairly close to gold.

Back-up Tactical manufactures the barrels entirely in-house from solid stress-relieved 416 stainless steel rods.

That’s a welcome change. Normally, when a new shop starts cranking-out complicated parts they just slap their branding on parts from a handful of well-known “white box” manufacturers. In this case, the only thing they don’t do is the final paint job.

A GLOCK 19 with a Backup Tactical barrel installed still feels right. Racking the action feels is as smooth as ever; there’s no added grittiness. The barrel fits in well, matching up with the slide as you’d expect.

The only sign that something different’s on board: the threaded barrel extension (‘natch) and the Backup Tactical logo in the ejection port. I’d prefer if that wasn’t there, but I don’t wear Gucci.

In terms of function, the threaded barrels work just fine. The threads play nice with anything you have lying around in the 1/2×28 flavor. Silencers (with attached Neilsen booster) work without issue.

Backup Tactical’s GLOCK barrels promise match-grade accuracy. After installing the new barrel, I didn’t notice any changes to group size or shot placement. It was all equally mediocre. That said, a better shot than I (Gunga Din) may reap the benefits of this bespoke barrel.

After they’ve drained their bank account.

Lone Wolf offers threaded barrels starting at about $100, Gemtech sells them for $160 and up. At that price, neither manufacturer offers colors (Lone Wolf’s custom shop offers a variety of finishes.) But at $189.99 – $209.99 (see below), Backup Tactical’s prices are significantly higher.

Backup Tactical justifies the premium by claiming they make their barrels in small batches to “the most exacting standards and tolerances in the industry.” Someone must think it’s worth it; Black and Flat Dark Earth barrels are currently out-of-stock.

Regardless, Backup Tactical has produced a solid, 100 percent made-in-America product. While their barrel may not make you a better shot, it enables shots that are a LOT quieter from a gun that millions of Americans have taken to heart. And looks cool doing it.

Backup Tactical Threaded GLOCK 19 Barrels

SPECIFICATIONS:

Material: AISI 416 stainless steel
Manufacture: Pulled broached rifling to SAAMI Spec
Twist: 1/16
Available Colors: Black ($209), Flat-Dark Earth ($209), Olive Drab Green ($199.99), Silver ($189.99)
MSRP: $189.99 – $209.99

RATINGS (out of five stars):

Fit, Finish, Build Quality * * * * *
The machining work is sharp and clean and the firearm functions perfectly when installed.

Aesthetics * * *
I’d like the barrel better without the shop’s logo on the side, but that’s me.

Overall * * * *
I didn’t experience any “extra” accuracy, but YMMV. Silencers fit perfectly. The only thing keeping the BackUp Tactical threaded barrels from more stars: the price.