[Farley]

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I recently read an article in a gun mag about customizing the GM. It said the full length rod was a waste. They tested accuracy and recoil and could find no difference. I just shot mine with and without and can't tell the diff.
What do you guy's think?

 

[Shane1911]

Hi (again) Farley, and welcome to this forum too!!!!

As I mentioned in your post "over there", suggest you do a search under "guide rod" or "full length". There have been numerous skermishes here over this one.

(I LIKE THEM AND USE THEM) :wink:

 

[John Lawson]

Friction from the guide rod will slightly (!) slow down reciprocation of the slide during firing. I have no idea whether this is an advantage or a disadvantage to you. On some hard chrome plated pistols it may be of benefit in slowing down ejection velocity. (Ever been struck by a case traveling at high velocity?) There is no easily rigged up method of measuring speed of slide travel.
Once, long ago, I rigged two micro switches,
one closed when the slide was in battery, the other closed when it was in full recoil. Hooked these up to an Oehler Model 10 chrono
which read out in milliseconds of delay, but even though I then had a tangible figure, I could not find a use for it.
If you lubricate the guide rod, slide movement increases; using it dry creates friction and slows it somewhat.
If this information is of any earthly use, I can't say.
The only logical place for a full length guide rod is in a bull barrel installation with a reverse plug. A cross drilled hole through the guide rod, in front of the plug, when the slide is locked back will allow inserting a pin to take the mechanism down without disassembling it and fighting spring tension on re-assembly.

 

[Guest]

FWIW,
And it is only my opinion and it is based on my personal experience I use a FLGR in all of my 1911s and I will not carry a 1911 into the field without one period.

I have tried using the pistol without the FLGR and have experienced twists and kinks in my 10mm recoil springs when using the plug.
I recently tried to run my two .40 Super pistols without a FLGR and they each jammed on the first round and each round after.
I reinstalled the FLGR and went through 300rds of Triton ammo without a single malfunction.

Also, I find that my FLGR guns are completely reliable when full of mud and my tighter fit guns like my Baer SRP are more reliable when filthy than my relatively loose Springfield loaded pistols.

But then again I will not carry a 1911 without an ambi safety and I use a shock buff in every 1911 I own including the "forbidden" Officers models.

I will avoid commenting on jungles and how many rounds I shoot and just say that my guns do not jam when fitted with a FLGR, they run very reliably and they work very well for me.

_________________
Think, Plan, Train, Be Safe.
Thanks
David

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: David DiFabio on 2001-07-19 20:41 ]</font>

 

[Sean Smith]

I can't claim the experience of David in this regard, but I can say that my Delta Elite ran alot more smoothly with a FLGR compared to the stock arrangement. It makes the compression and expansion of the recoil spring more uniform and consistent, which form a basic engineering point of view can only be a good thing. I don't see how it could be problematic, since it's just a dang solid chunk of steel you stick in the recoil spring's axis. And a FLGR is pretty darn cheap and idiot-proof to install.

I for one can't claim any huge advantage for a FLGR, but I'm happy to take every small one I can get. :grin:

 

[Double Naught Spy]

I have had 1911s with and without FLGRs. In part because of some ongoing debates on the topic and this thread in particular, I purchased one from Wilson to put into my full-sized CQB. I have not had problems with way with short or full lenght rods and I have never had two guns to compare side by side, one with and one without. Short of the side by side comparison, later in the week, I will be shooting with and without the FLGR to see if the 1.6 oz of extra weight on the muzzle end really makes any difference on handling or follow-up shots.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Okay, went to the range last evening with my new FLGR from Wilson and a new Metal guide rod plug (short guide rod) to replace the second plastic (nylon) one Wilson on their forum (www.wilsoncombat.com/forum/) says is a disposable part.

Using the same ammo for the tests, I ran a mag through with the short guide rod, then switched to the FLGR. The mag of the FLGR felt like it had a dampened muzzle flip. I also swapped out springs from 18.5 to 22 and repeated the tests with similar results.

I think the extra 1.6 oz at the muzzle end of the gun has some positive effect, but it is not remarkable. Nothing else about the handling of the gun changed and it certainly did nothing for improving accuracy. The only real benefit I can see with the heavier muzzle end provided by the FLGR is that with a dampened muzzle flip, follow-up shots will be slightly quicker, but the times won't be remarkably quicker.