Drilling a hole in a 4" commander guide rod

[redwoods]

I have an STI Tactical in 4.15" with an aluminum frame. 40sw.

I am taking out the recoil master and replacing it with a FLGR.

The gun has a bull barrel and reverse plug.

The Wilson guide rod has no holes in it and I cannot get it into the gun.

I have not found a 4" guide rod with a takedown hole in it.

I am using the reverse plug in the gun but need to drill a hole in the guide rod for a takedown tool.

Anyone ever drill a hole in a guiderod for this purpose?

Thanks,

Randy

[bountyhunter]

Yep, I drilled my Para guide rod and another one some years back. I hate fighting the recoil spring and taking it off as a captive assembly just makes life so much easier. I also put up several posts in a few forums showing how to do it (drill the rod) and was greeted by replies from various people who said JMB never intended for the 1911 to have an FLGR and a real man enjoys fighting with a recoil spring etc....

The trick is to pull the slide all the way back until it contacts the frame and mark the longitudinal axis of the hole with a sharpie just ahead of the edge of the bushing. I drilled a hole using a drill press. I taped the rod to piece of wood so it couldn't rock. Drill along the vertical direction when installed, makes it easier to install the clip wire.

[Steve RA]

I agree with all but the vertical when installed, I have had both and like the horizontal when installed direction better.

[redwoods]

By horizontal you mean the side of it?

And by vertical the hole would be going from the top of the rod to the bottom when installed in the gun?

Any specific drill bit I need to buy? What about a size? I was going to look at the hole in my 5" rod and find a bit that fits it for sizing purposes.

Any worries about the rod breaking with a hole in it? This is for my duty gun as a cop.

Thanks,

Randy

[bountyhunter]

And by vertical the hole would be going from the top of the rod to the bottom when installed in the gun?

That's the way that has been easier for me to work with. NOTE: I take it down by sliding the slide all the way back and inserting the clip tool in from the muzzle end and letting the slide come forward and capture it. Make the clip tool with a right angle bend and a longer side that allows you enough handle to put it in from the muzzle end with the slide held back. It was always easier for me to have the hole vertical so I could feed the short bent end of the clip tool in from under the rod.

Any specific drill bit I need to buy? What about a size?

I make the clips by bending them out of paper clips so mic the thickness of that wire and make sure the hole is a little bigger than that.

I was going to look at the hole in my 5" rod and find a bit that fits it for sizing purposes.

good idea. Mine looks like maybe the hole diameter is .050" - .060 ballpark?

Any worries about the rod breaking with a hole in it? This is for my duty gun as a cop.

Thanks,

Randy

I don't think so because many guns (like STI) come with drilled rods. Check with the department armorer if you're concerned. The amount of material removed from the rod is pretty small and the rod actually has no shear force on it in operation so it's chances of breaking are microscopic IMHO. Edited October 1, 2014 by bountyhunter

[RePete]

I picked an EGW guide rod and it has the takedown hole.

Because the RecoilMaster and the STI's use a different size hole (larger) for the reverse plug, I picked up the gunsmith reverse plug. It will need to cut to length and the hole bored.

http://www.egwguns.com/1911-parts/commander-guide-rod-ss-1-piece/

http://www.egwguns.com/1911-parts/reverse-plug-repair-for-gun-smith/