What is better on a 1911 full length or short recoil spring guide?

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I want to replace my full length recoil spting rod on my S&W1911 with the traditional just because I like the looks of it better. Am I giving up anything on reliability or performance? Is this just a swap out thing or is there some kind of 1911 gremlin i need to be aware of?

 

[Ranger98]

I have changed to a standard setup in the past with no problems.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Making the change is quite easy and straightforward. For most applications (short range shooting, non-competitive uses) there will probably be no readily obvious differences in performance.

It will certainly make routine field stripping and cleaning faster and easier.

 

[keithherrington]

Not losing, but gaining

If the purpose and use of the gun is just competition such as bullseye or IDPA then a full length guide rod (FLGR) is fine. But if the gun is EVER going to be used for self defense then the original setup is much preferred. It is just as reliable as the FLGR and has the added benefit of helping manipulate the gun if you only have one hand working. You can rack the slide just by putting the front of the slide against a hard edge (door, desk, table) and push the slide to the rear to eject a round or load a round in the chamber. With a FLGR, this capability is lost. Instead you have to rack the slide using the rear sight, a much more difficult maneuver unless you have one of those big rear sights with a square face. A standard Novak for example will just not cut it.
Keith

 

[vonn]

Have tried both on a number of guns and never saw enough difference to matter. Original design is easier to deal with for sure!

 

[Grayfox]

I have purchased several 1911s that came with a FLGR. One of the first things I did was replace it with a standard short guide rod.
As near as I can tell, in a 1911, its only purpose is to make field stripping more difficult.

 

[Alpo]

Full Length Guide Rods are, like Colonel Jeff said about DA autos, "an ingenious solution to a non-existent problem".

They showed up what - in the 70s? The 80s? Gun'd been around for 60 years or more. Fought in four wars. And SUDDENLY it was discovered that to be reliable it needed that thing.

All it does is make disassembly a pain in the butt. You'll be much happier if you replace it.

But, then, you either have to change the plug, or put up with a hole in the end of your gun.

 

[03hemi]

I have both, makes no difference, but it is easier to break down.

 

[Iggy]

Replacing full length rods is the first thing I do on a new 1911.

 

[forrestinmathews]

Wilson Combat makes a nice GI guide rod. There is a point when the full length guide rod becomes nicer...in 10mm when you get above a 22# recoil spring. I am running a 28# spring and it has a noticeable bend from a time when it got away. I think at that weight the spring is just more efficient working on a guide rod.

 

[boatbum101]

Full length guide rod is a solution in search of a non-existant problem . ALL my 1911's be they Bullseye , NM Hardball or uninvited guest guns have the 2 piece GI style guide rods & spring caps. As mentioned above you can press cock the weapon if you lose use of one arm ,not possible with a FLGR .

 

[ContinentalOp]

Either/or. FLGR isn't really necessary, but it doesn't hurt anything, either. Well, one-piece FLGRs. I'd be worried about two-piece FLGRs coming unscrewed. No, you can't use the one-handed racking method by pushing on the front of the slide, but if you have a blocky rear sight you can cycle off of that.

My own personal preference is for the short GI-style rod. The 1911s I've owned had GI rods. Any 1911 I'd buy in the future would get a GI rod if it didn't come with one. FLGRs aren't needed to keep the recoil spring from kinking inside the slide because it doesn't happen.

FYI, I'm talking about Government Model and Commander Model size guns; I don't know if this applies to Officer Model guns.

 

[Rpg]

I won't have a 1911 with a full length guide rod.

They serve no purpose other than to look cool to the novice.

They interfere with proper handling of a 1911 (e.g.: can't do a press check with one of the things installed).

If you have a full length guide rod in a 1911 change it out!

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

Full length guide rod offers no asset and several liabilities. NO enhancement to accuracy. Easily proved on an RR. As some have suggested also, the mark of a novice.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I've never understood the claim that you can't do a press check on a 1911 with a FLGR. How do you do press checks on Glocks, Beretta 92s, Sigs, etc., which all have FLGRs?

 

[old tanker]

Another vote for the GI rod. Tried a full length rod back when they were all the rage and was underwhelmed. As others have pointed out, not worth the aggravation and the inability to rack the slide against a fixed object.

 

[JJ&S]

WOW... no love here for a FLGR. I have them & to me they don't make it any harder to field strip, (one piece rods) I don't get that point. To me they do seem to make the gun "feel" a bit smoother when racking the slide. If the slide to frame fit is a bit loose, it will lessen the "1911 rattle". But no, there's no difference in felt recoil or accuracy that I've noticed.

 

[LVSteve]

WOW... no love here for a FLGR.

Yeah, it's nearly as much a hot button subject as owning a Garand containing parts from different factories. Both subjects are "nothing to see here, move on" for me.

 

[JJ&S]

Yeah, it's nearly as much a hot button subject as owning a Garand containing parts from different factories.

Hmm.... I own 8 Garands, all but 1 have parts.... "from different factories". I Love 'em all

 

[WVSig]

FLGR is a problem looking for a solution. I never use them on 1911s. If I have a gun with one I swap it out.