Captured recoil springs

[buckaroo45]

I have neuropathy of the hands and have a LOT of trouble installing recoil springs. I'm having trouble locating a capture recoil guide rod for several platforms; XD and XDM, 1911 and Taurus PT 92 / 100. Any suggestions?

[bountyhunter]

I have neuropathy of the hands and have a LOT of trouble installing recoil springs. I'm having trouble locating a capture recoil guide rod for several platforms; XD and XDM, 1911 and Taurus PT 92 / 100. Any suggestions?

Norecoil.com makes a bunch of them. I think I use them in Beretta 92, SIG 226, Springfield XD, Glock 35. They also make one for a 1911.

http://www.norecoil.com/abuffer.htm

[bountyhunter]

You can make a cheaper captive recoil system for a 1911 by using a full length guide rod with drilled takedown hole which captures the spring using a paper clip tool. I have them in all my 1911's, makes life so much easier.

[v1911]

Dawson also offers the Toolless guide rod for 1911s.

[buckaroo45]

Ahoy bounty hunter,

That was my CB handle 40 years ago in Houston and I bounty hunted wolves in Alaska in the late 60's tho I wasn't very good at it. I'm having difficulty picturing a paper clip retainer. Got a picture?

As for the others, Most are kinda the Sprinco style and thus pricey. I'd prefer rods I can change springs on to match loads for USPSA. I remember getting one for a Glock 19 a while back off ebay that was perfect but none for the guns I shoot now.

Still looking ....

[Steve RA]

Take a paper clip, straighten it out, stick thru hole in guide rod and then bend a 90 degree bend with it all the way thru the rod with none sticking out on the far side - presto - paper clip retainer. You can use any gauge wire that will fit into drilled hole, but, paper clips are almost everywhere and that is why most of us use one for the retainer.

[bountyhunter]

Take a paper clip, straighten it out, stick thru hole in guide rod and then bend a 90 degree bend with it all the way thru the rod with none sticking out on the far side - presto - paper clip retainer. You can use any gauge wire that will fit into drilled hole, but, paper clips are almost everywhere and that is why most of us use one for the retainer.

That's basically it. IMHO, every 1911 forum should have a sticky thread showing how and where to drill the take down hole in the guide rod (if it doesn't come with one) and how to make the clip tool out of a paper clip. The tool should be long enough on the longer side so you can hold the slide all the way back and reach in from the muzzle end and put the tool in the rod's hole. Let the slide come forward and the recoil spring gets trapped all the way back so you can take it out as an assembly.

[buckaroo45]

Seems I didn't fully explain the problem. The problem presented itself when I went to convert my 40 cal XDM to 9MM and couldn't get the guide rod / spring to seat in the barrel notch. Hands just couldn't get it done. I need to assemble them outside the gun and just slip it in place, ala Glock. I need to change the spring to match the loads I come up with for accuracy so Sprinco etc won't make it. Therefore, assembly outside the gun using pliers / vise / allen screws et al is a necessity. Drilled guide rods w/ paper clips don't allow that as you have to get them in place to begin with and that is the problem.

[Guntoter]

Buckaroo,

If I'm understanding you, what your wanting is a fully captured guide rod assembly that has a pinned on collar that retains the recoil spring when the assembly is removed from the gun. Give Steve Bedair a call at:http://guiderod.com/. He can custom make guide rods and does really nice work. I think he can fix you up.

Good Luck,

Guntoter

[bountyhunter]

I have neuropathy of the hands and have a LOT of trouble installing recoil springs. I'm having trouble locating a capture recoil guide rod for several platforms; XD and XDM, 1911 and Taurus PT 92 / 100. Any suggestions?

Springco and norecoil both make them.

http://www.sprinco.com/recoil.html

http://www.norecoil.com/

would post a picture but that doesn't work here.

[bountyhunter]

Found the attach:

[bpowe]

The paperclip idea only works for a 1911. I've found instead of a paperclip, take a 1/2" heavy duty staple like we staple targets up with, cut it in half with dikes. Now you have two L shaped recoil spring retainers! When you pull the slide back, place the retainer (the cut end of the staple) into the take down hole in the guide rod, then the recoil spring plug or reverse plug as the case may be, the recoil spring, and the guide rod may be removed and replaced as a unit.

This may work for other platforms, but I'm only familiar with the 1911.

Edited June 24, 2014 by bpowe

[buckaroo45]

I got the Dawson guide rod and it works just fine on my 1911's. Still need a solution for my XDM 40 Open gun. Yea, I know there are better Open platforms but it's what I had and Bobby at Carver Custom made it an easy upgrade. Guiderods.com seems to be on vaca till after the 4th. Thanks to all.