Captured vs uncaptured guide rod

[D roc]

what's the benefit of an uncaptured guide rid vs capture? Thinking about getting a jager extended glock 35 guide rod. I have a SS captured one now that the screw somehow came out or a buddy who used my gun decided to tinker with it and switch springs and didn't glue the screw back.

What are yalls thoughts?

Edited October 7, 2011 by D roc

[Jonathan Taliani]

I personally prefer captured. Once you have the spring tuned to your gun and load, the ability to quickly swap a spring is less of a selling point. While putting an uncaptured rod in the gun isn't that big of a deal, I prefer the ease of a captured rod. No wrong answer in my book though.

[Jonathan Taliani]

Awesome avatar by the way.

[SirLoin]

+1

In addition, after I slapped the slide back on, I unscrew the top of the guide rod, as I've heard the screws can pop out when you're shooting. So, in effect, I use/store my guide rods in captured state, but when I shoot, they're in uncaptured state.

I personally prefer captured. Once you have the spring tuned to your gun and load, the ability to quickly swap a spring is less of a selling point. While putting an uncaptured rod in the gun isn't that big of a deal, I prefer the ease of a captured rod. No wrong answer in my book though.

[D roc]

+1

In addition, after I slapped the slide back on, I unscrew the top of the guide rod, as I've heard the screws can pop out when you're shooting. So, in effect, I use/store my guide rods in captured state, but when I shoot, they're in uncaptured state.

I personally prefer captured. Once you have the spring tuned to your gun and load, the ability to quickly swap a spring is less of a selling point. While putting an uncaptured rod in the gun isn't that big of a deal, I prefer the ease of a captured rod. No wrong answer in my book though.

Hmm so I shouldn't worry about my missing screw and keep on gunning? Good to know. Guess I will take that stock rod out and keep going with my other one.

[D roc]

Awesome avatar by the way.

I was out of bullets and had nothing better to do. You should have saw my master piece from last night.... 1000 bayous & 1000 rainers. Great until my dog wanted to play and knocked them all down

[SirLoin]

Yep.

The screw / captured state is really just for your installation convenience.

+1

In addition, after I slapped the slide back on, I unscrew the top of the guide rod, as I've heard the screws can pop out when you're shooting. So, in effect, I use/store my guide rods in captured state, but when I shoot, they're in uncaptured state.

I personally prefer captured. Once you have the spring tuned to your gun and load, the ability to quickly swap a spring is less of a selling point. While putting an uncaptured rod in the gun isn't that big of a deal, I prefer the ease of a captured rod. No wrong answer in my book though.

Hmm so I shouldn't worry about my missing screw and keep on gunning? Good to know. Guess I will take that stock rod out and keep going with my other one.

[SirLoin]

Oh. Some of the Gen4 G35s have been milled differently, resulting in certain guide rods, though designed for the Gen 4, not fitting properly, so in case you have a weird G35 Gen4 like mine, Billy of Jager Products has guide rods that fit in it perfectly.

Yep.

The screw / captured state is really just for your installation convenience.

+1

In addition, after I slapped the slide back on, I unscrew the top of the guide rod, as I've heard the screws can pop out when you're shooting. So, in effect, I use/store my guide rods in captured state, but when I shoot, they're in uncaptured state.

I personally prefer captured. Once you have the spring tuned to your gun and load, the ability to quickly swap a spring is less of a selling point. While putting an uncaptured rod in the gun isn't that big of a deal, I prefer the ease of a captured rod. No wrong answer in my book though.

Hmm so I shouldn't worry about my missing screw and keep on gunning? Good to know. Guess I will take that stock rod out and keep going with my other one.

[D roc]

Nope gen 3

[Duane Thomas]

The captured unit makes it easier to reassemble the gun. The uncaptured unit makes it easier to check the length of the recoil spring to see how much it's been compressed, and determine when it's been compressed enough to require replacement, and to replace it when that time is reached.

[LPatterson]

I keep several captured guide rods with different spring weights to use when I am testing new loads. Easier than trying to fight with an uncaptured rod. Once I find one that shoots like I want I go to a Jager uncaptured rod.

[Pro-Pain]

The captured unit makes it easier to reassemble the gun. The uncaptured unit makes it easier to check the length of the recoil spring to see how much it's been compressed, and determine when it's been compressed enough to require replacement, and to replace it when that time is reached.

This pretty much nails it. I run SS captured, have a few of different weights I mark on the back so I can keep them straight and don't get them mixed up.