Gi Guide Rod?

[rtr]

I recently bought a Smith and Wesson 1911, it's a lightweight commander gun, Gunsite edition. It has what is apparently called a "gi guide rod", that is a short stubby little thing. My limited and open 2011s have full length guide rods. Just curious what the advantages are if any of the GI guide rod are, and what my options are for putting in something else, this gun has a bushing barrel btw.

[eerw]

with GI guide rod..

take down is usually easier....but not really if you know how to take down a gun with a FLGR..

option should be same...as fullsize gun guide rods...SS, Delrin, tungsten..

just got to make sure you have the right guide rod plug too..its usually a little shorter for a commander length gun..

[Vlad]

This is funny. The FLGR are now so popular that people don't remember the GI rods? There have been whole books writen on the benefits of one over the other. As far as I can tell they both work fine. The FLGR tends to keep your springs straight better and adds some muzzle weight. The GI style is easier to strip by a lot, but thats like saying a dime is a lot more money then a penny. Both can be striped with bare hands anyway (at least some of them). The short GI model also allows for some technics not relevant to IPSC/USPSA, and some would even get you DQ'ed, like press checks, racking the slide by pressing the front of the slide against an item, etc.

For the most part I don't think it matters and is more an issue of faith and trust, so use what works for you. I'm also not an expert and I've not seen guns fail in combat or somesuch, so I don't have much reason to build a firm opinion either way.

[revchuck]

Vlad's right - they both work. Make your choice based on perceived swoopyness. I use the originals in both my Commander and Gubmint Model.

Edited May 15, 2006 by revchuck

[rtr]

Thanks for the info.

The GI rod concerns me because it seems the area without a rod in it would be more prone to the spring moving laterally and perhaps jamming up the pistol.

[eerw]

Thanks for the info.

The GI rod concerns me because it seems the area without a rod in it would be more prone to the spring moving laterally and perhaps jamming up the pistol.

Chris...should be no problem..been working for almost 100 years now..

[MWGDVC]

RTR,

I have a lw Commander type 1911 carry pistol. It originally had a G.I. recoil system in it. I found by changing to a full length guide rod that the pistol seemed to run smoother. With the G.I. system the slide seemed to have a "bump"in its travel. This was eliminated with this change in guide rods(I even used the same spring at first just to see if it was the rod making the difference) the pistol seemed to shoot tighter, faster "Bill Drills" maybe because of smoother operation? The gun seemed to settle the sights more consistantly. This seems more pronounced in a 25oz. gun than in a 39oz single stack. Just my $.02.