full length guide rods for 1911s

[Charlie98]

Why would one try to outhink John M. Browning??

I guess you'll have to ask all the people who have modified the original 1911 design, including the military (1911A1) and Colt (Series 80 Safety.) That would include any other barrel length besides 5", extended safeties, firing pin safeties (whether you agree with them or not...) compensators... the list goes on.


FWIW, I put one in my Springfield standard... about the only thing positive I can say about it is it adds a little weight to the muzzle, on an already heavy pistol. I don't believe it contributes to better (or worse) function, in essence, it does the same thing as the standard setup.

My 4" Kimbers have guide rods because of the spring, and I can see where that probably aids reliability in the shorter pistols. It would really be a trick trying to get that 22# spring shoved back into the frame without the guide rod, too. As someone mentioned, it would be pretty nice to have a captive spring, but then replacements would probably be 3 or 4x the cost of just the spring itself.

 

[Demi-human]

I wonder why no full length guide rods are available for AR's yet?

There is, but we call it a buffer.

One thing my long rods do that a short one can’t, is be polished to a gloss at the front. I have one 1911 that is a matte frame and slide, with every other part hand polished. Trigger, barrel hood, levers and muzzle. The polished rod just looks good.
I know a two piece is different for take down, but the long one is the same procedure as the short, just that the plug goes over it.

I’m a Hot Rodder!
I’m also a traditionalist.
It’s a dichotomy up in here!

One thing is for certain. We need more 1911’s, of all flavors!

 

[OLDE RETIRED COASTIE]

I now have 4 1911s, two in 45 acp, one 9 mm, and one, an original COLT 38 SUPER all have full length guide rods, and all with beavertail grip safetys. can leave or take the guide rods but for me the beavertail grip safetys and high profile sights, are the two big improvements on my personal 1911s. I have always been subject to hammer bite on military 1911s so the beavetail was a big deal, and eyes are not what they72 used to be, but am 72,
so not a spring chicken, and don't see as well as I did when I first started firing 1911s at the age of 18.

 

[Throwbackguy]

(Cringing at even THINKING of adding to this thread)

I believe I fell prey to the marketing; got one for my Commander Ruger. Added mass, stiffening, strengthening spring, smoother recoil, et cetera. Honestly haven't noticed ANY of that.

Except for the wallet drain.

Truth is, I'm used to disassembling it; so it's no big deal for me. It's stayed this long; now it's just part of the pistol.

 

[Demi-human]

I wonder why no full length guide rods are available for AR's yet? I mean the same "coil bind" crap can happen to them.

Sorry, I’m an idiot. A full length would extend through the spring. A regular buffer would be just like a G.I. guide rod, short.
(With a Shock-Buff at the other end.)

A JP captured buffer, or its now competitors, would be the equivalent of a full length guide rod.

I raced through my thoughts too quick, wanting to blather on about my polishing, and wasn’t clear at all.

To that end,…

As you can see, it’s a Taurus.
So, all the polishing was done to a turd!

 

[21H40]

...So, all the polishing was done to a turd!

I've never seen a turd so SHINY!
Seriously, looks nice.

I wonder why there aren't threads about the beavertail or extended safety mods from the last 20 years? Oh right, JMB was right about everything except those modifications.

 

[nettlle]

Buy a 70 series 1911. It has no full length guide rod and no 80 series safety. If the 70 series is lacking becuase of the lack of a full length guide rod it would be interesting to know where the standard 70 series guide rod failed.

 

[OLDE RETIRED COASTIE]

Only problem I ever had with a series 70 or earlier, was for some reason I got hammer bite every time I fired it. After most companines, including the cheapies started putting beavertail grip safeties, I had no problem.
Course high profile sights helped too, as old eyes don't see as well as they did when they were young.

 

[OLDE RETIRED COASTIE]

am I the only old foogie that had hammer bite problems?

 

[Jim Watson]

To that end,…

As you can see, it’s a Taurus.
So, all the polishing was done to a turd!

Looks like an uncommon variant. The rod is short enough to let the bushing turn for a GI takedown. I have seen a few others.

ETA: Looks like the Wilson set is like that, the advert and reviews make a point of no tools required except a bushing wrench. Hmm, but that then requires you to turn the bushing with the slide in battery which can be hard on a tight bushing.

One of the early stainless guns, Randall or Vega, had a FLGR with a notch to pass the bushing rotation.

 

[Skylerbone]

I simply prefer the aesthetics of a thick flange bushing and long nose spring plug. Take down with most of mine are not frequent enough to be problematic but because of the bushing fit most require a wrench.

Not a bit shiny at the moment, feeling a bit outdone by @Demi-human. Having worked in a friend’s Taurus 1911 I can say they make a pretty solid pistol IME.

 

[Great Scot]

I just swapped out the full length guide rod on my Kimber Custom lightweight for a standard GI set up. A lot easier to take down now. I also like the look better.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

This is another topic that has been asked and answered too many times.

FLRGs are a solution in search of a problem.

 

[9mmepiphany]

This is another topic that has been asked and answered too many times.

FLRGs are a solution in search of a problem.

No truer words....I'm sure we'll see this subject come up again, but I think 3 pages is enough this time