Highly recommended, with one thing to be aware of
I purchased an unblemished LWD-239N conversion barrel 3 years ago as I write this review in Mar. 2023, but I just had it at the range this morning and thought I would offer a review here on LWD’s new website. I estimate I have only 500-1,000 rounds through this barrel, which has functioned flawlessly so far with my two Gen 3 G23s and one Gen 4 G23. Although I purchased an OEM G19 recoil spring for my Gen 4 G23 per LWD’s recommendation, I intentionally fired a handful of relatively low-power 9mm rounds through this barrel with the original G23 recoil spring and had no malfunctions. So if you have a Gen 4 and a limited budget, start with just this barrel and a Magpul PMAG 15 GL9 magazine; you can always pick up a G19 recoil spring later if needed. Although I can’t personally comment on accuracy, I have no reason to question LWD’s claim that this barrel is more accurate than Gen 3 and Gen 4 OEM barrels. The one thing to be aware of (and reason for my 4-star rating) is this: LWD is correct when they say this barrel is precision machined with tighter dimensions than the original. So-called “factory remanufactured” ammo may not fit into this barrel’s chamber even when it passes a go/no-go cartridge gauge (I use Lyman). Reloaders: just make sure you use a full-length resizing die. I’ve reloaded nearly 11,000 rounds of 9mm over the past ~12 years using a LEE 4-die set and have never had any problems with my reloads in this barrel. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this conversion barrel and I highly recommend it. I would not hesitate to use my LWD-239N barrel (with a 9mm mag, of course) in a self-defense situation if needed, and that’s saying something!
