1911Forum banner

Use a Full Length Guide Rod on my Colt or Not

  • With guide rod

    Votes: 22 37.9%
  • With out guide rod

    Votes: 36 62.1%

Full length guide rod question

5K views 23 replies 21 participants last post by  catman2 
#1 ·
Does any body run a full length guide rod on a colt rail gun? I am looking at putting a wilson one in and wanted to know if you noticed any major improvement in the before and after installation or any fitting issues. My understanding is the rail gun is just a XSE sires with a railed frame.

Any help is useful
Thanks
Zach
 
#2 ·
This could go on and on and on.......and on and on. There are guys who like 'em and guys who don't. And others who don't give a $h1t.

I do but have decided not to vote as I think it's silly you would base your decision on a poll. Do a search on the subject here and you'll find page after page of threads dealing with this. Good luck with your choice.
 
#3 ·
in all honesty i just was doing the poll on here to see how they worked ( i have not ever done one on a forum) and see what people said. I have not shot a 1911 with a FLGR and am not sure if I want one or not and was hoping people would post not answer the poll. I guess maybe I should have not done the poll after all. But thanks for the info.

Zach
 
#4 ·
Full length guide rods are useless and don't improve anything. They make field stripping more difficult. Two piece rods come unscrewed and tie up the gun.

Lots of people like 'em and use 'em without problems, but they have never improved anything.

I buy regular rods and plugs from Colt and toss the full length ones before I even fire a gun....
 
#10 ·
I voted "without FLGR" because my preference has always been for the GI rod and plug. I've always found them easier to field strip.

Now, I just bought a Citadel 1911A1 FS Tactical 9mm, and it came with a FLGR. I saw the Armscor video on disassembly (it was a RIA, but the same gun for all practical purposes) and the guy in the video took the slide off as a unit (he retracted the slide until the slide stop cleared the notch, pulled it out, and then slid the entire slide off the pistol.) Then the reassembly video showed him assembling the slide first, and then putting it back on the frame as a complete unit. I thought it would be much harder, trying to get the slide and frame aligned and push in the slide stop against the tension in the recoil spring. BUT, for grins, I decided I'd try following the manufacturer's recommended procedure (for a change...in the past, it's been "when all else fails, read the manual" or in this case, watch the company's video tutorial.) To my surprise, the disassembly and reassembly was surprisingly easy to do. I don't know if it was due to the 9mm recoil spring having less tension than a .45 spring would have, but I will do it this way in the future.

As for any benefit to a FLGR, I don't think there is any...people claim they add weight to the front end (which is negligible) and improve accuracy (dubious claim, IMO.) I think it's like a placebo...because you know it's there, you'll either feel better or worse about your gun. So, go with what makes you feel better! :)
 
#11 ·
My mid '90s manufactured Para Ordnance P14.45 had pretty serious reliability issues with FTF/FTE being common, the FTE was most common, would completely leave casing in the chamber, cycle and feed a new round into the back of the still chambered empty case. Any way, I decided to swap out a bunch of parts to make it my vision of a perfect pistol, the full length one piece rod was one of the changes I made. After I had it customized it ran perfectly and to this day almost ten years later it still does. I wouldn't contribute this directly to the rod but since it was part of the over all change I have kept it installed.
 
#14 ·
This topic will be discussed till the end of time. However, its fine to keep asking, new and experienced shooters will ask this question about the 1911 about the FLGR for a couple of reasons, i think.

First, you have the guys who say, "If John Moses Browning wanted a FLGR, he would have built it that way." or similar like comment. Well as much as admire JMB and his brilliance of design, without modern technology. He didn't design the 1911 with a lot of the features we add to the gun today. Ambisafeties, commander hammers, extended beavertails, sights! Just because JMB didn't design it, doesn't mean the weapon cant be enhanced upon.

THAT BEING SAID, does the FLGR enhance the design? my personal opinion is no it doesn't. I look at guys like Larry Vickers, Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn, for in my mind, these are the modern 1911 pistoleros advice that should be taken quite seriously. IF they dont feel the FLGR is necessary, and don't use one, it isnt. Now Wilson Combat sells FLGR's and you can add them but that is because they cater to buyers personal customization preference and that is a smart business move.

This gets confusing, because, we look at the competition circuit and pretty much most of those guys are running FLGRs, Travis Tomassie comes to mind. I have always felt these guys have erred on the side of better to have an not need, then need and not have. That seems to be a common thoughts process in the competition crowd. Does the FLGR provide extra benefit? maybe? Do I want to find out when I am attempting to shave every second possible? No.

Here is the thing I argue, learn to shoot what you bought, shoot it well. Then make changes, or sell it and get something else. The cost of adding a FLGR is better spent on more ammo. If your gun has one at purchase great, if it doesnt dont waste the money.

I have yet to see definitive engineering evidence that FLGR's enhance performance. I have seen a whole bunch of aftermarket parts cause problems, over travel screws in triggers being a big one. Thats my 2 Cents take it for it is worth.
 
#16 · (Edited)
SAPRO1911:

"I am looking at putting a wilson one in and wanted to know if you noticed any major improvement in the before and after"

The only measureable improvement is at the bottom line of the vendor.

That being said, look at the thread in the gunsmithing section: "What can cut a recoil spring plug like this?"

Cheers,
 
#17 ·
if anyone is discarding their FLGR's, I'll take 'em

Does any body run a full length guide rod on a colt rail gun?
not a rail gun, but put one in Colt Gold Cup Trophy

wanted to know if you noticed any major improvement in the before and after installation

"major" improvement????....not hardly
more likely you won't notice any difference, really

maybe one of the guys that throw them away has one they'll send you.
Then you'll know whether or not you like them or can tell any difference


..L.T.A.
 
#18 ·
MAYBE it would be best if someone could tell us why the FLGR came about and what the virtues claimed are


I'm sure I read it somewhere, sometime long ago but forgeot
and with the bazillion posts on the topic , I sure ain't spending weeks searching for that needle in the haystack


so what IS the reasons (supposed or real) that they came into being?



..L.T.A.
 
#21 ·
The only inarguable benefit of the FLGR is adding some recoil-resisting weight, if you are trying to decide how to best add recoil-resisting weight. It puts non-reciprocating mass right where you want it.
A Rail Gun already has extra weight in the same place, thanks to the rail, so if you want a LOT of recoil-resisting weight, there you go.
In a gun that is already big and heavy, why add another couple of ounces?
I added a FLGR to my .38 Super, so that the weight and balance would more closely duplicate that of my similar .45.
I took the FLGR out of my Delta Elite, a gun which probably benefits from a couple of extra ounces, because I reasoned that I might get a little additional slide travel with the stock set-up, and that seemed more beneficial.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I'm not a believer in the FLGR either but I do find it interesting that most modern pistol designs seem to have them
FWIW my DW Valor has the short guide rod; it shoots pretty well.

I've found that a FLGR is a pain in the ass in my Les Baer wadcutter because of the tightness of the bushing barrel fit. A half length guide rod is not as stiff when you break down for cleaning and reassembly.

On the other hand, one of the few things I like about my Springfield Armory is the way it's 2 piece FLGR helps make easy to break down, because you can unscrew it before you remove the bushing so you don't need a bushing wrench, and same for reassembly. That design is what I wish the LB wadcutter had.

I know a guy on the Beretta forum who sells some sort of extra heavy FLGR for the recoil benefit for M9's and consumer version. Stock is half length plastic I believe.

Having both types I know I would not spend the money to replace a non-FLGR.
 
#23 ·
I prefer the full guide, but I also prefer bull barrels or cone bushings. Either way with those you lose the bushing and have to use a reverse spring plug which I DO find works better with a FLGR.

So, sue me.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top