1911 Help

[warhawke]

My Kimber came with a full-length rod and it was the first thing I replaced (the second was the plastic mainspring housing). The 1911 was designed to use a short rod and I have yet to see any good reason for anything else. If John Moses Browning (all praise be upon him!) had wanted a full length rod he would have put one there.

Besides, you can't strip a gun with a full-length without tools and I don't carry a 1911 take-down wrench around with me.

[1911 Junkie]

I have full length guide rods in some of my guns. Why? Because when I built them, that's what you did. Do I have any reliability problems? No.
Am I going to change them? No. Do what you want, shouldn't matter. I've done a 180 when it comes to customizing guns, less is more.

I don't seem to have any problems disassembling my guns with a full length rod. No tools or anything. 

[Timothy]

You don't need a wrench, anything flat will do.  I use the back of a magazine and my fingers or the flat side of my Kershaw knife handle.

Still gonna replace my guide rod though, save another ounce or two for carry purposes....

[bbbean]

Definitely......I never understood the whole paper clip thing and why anyone would put themselves through that hassle...and for decreased reliability??   

I don't see the decreased reliability, nor do most competitive shooters. It hasn't seemed to cause Rob Leatham a problem.

I do see slightly reduced muzzle flip and slightly faster splits. But the gun works either way - I wouldn't lose too much sleep over this issue.

[tombogan03884]

I don't see the decreased reliability, nor do most competitive shooters. It hasn't seemed to cause Rob Leatham a problem.

I do see slightly reduced muzzle flip and slightly faster splits. But the gun works either way - I wouldn't lose too much sleep over this issue.

This is being discussed in other threads and seems to be  the only provable advantage of full length guide rods.
http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=7570.0
http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=7591.0;topicseen

[Sponsor]

[bbbean]

This is being discussed in other threads and seems to be  the only provable advantage of full length guide rods.
http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=7570.0
http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=7591.0;topicseen

Do we need more than one "proveable advantage"?

[Big Frank]

I like most of the parts that have been standard for 102 years, including the guide rod. I did build one gun with a full length guide rod. I soon got tired of the slow disassembly and reassembly, so... I used a hacksaw and files to make the extended guide rod into a standard length one.

[GUNS-R-US]

I did build one gun with a full length guide rod. I soon got tired of the slow disassembly and reassembly, so... I used a hacksaw and files to make the extended guide rod into a standard length one.

That was a cost effective measure!