sinnsyk Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Hey Tungsten Guide rods are available from an Italian after market manufacturer. I've been asked if I want to sell them in my store. They're quite expensive so I'm putting the feeler out there before ordering them to be shipped in. With the current Euro/USD exchange rate the price will be $150. If I decide to bring them in, I'll be taking special orders with delivery within 1-2months? The factory steel guide rod weights 0.9 oz (approx 25 grams). The tungsten guide rod weights 2.4oz (approx 67 grams). The two model guns I see it being useful for is the Match and the Limited models. For anyone shooting the match 40 in major ipsc matches I think it will be a very valuable weight gain in particular and bridge the gap more to the Limited. I'd be very interested in using it in my Limited 40 and see what it does. It's an expensive upgrade and I would like to get some input before I move forward on it. If they are imported, would you buy one? I've enclosed a picture. If you're firm on getting one, please email me directly so that I can start taking pre-orders / special orders. I'll need at least 10 pre-orders before moving forward. btw. good to be back. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeoHallak Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 HeyTungsten Guide rods are available from an Italian after market manufacturer. I've been asked if I want to sell them in my store. They're quite expensive so I'm putting the feeler out there before ordering them to be shipped in. With the current Euro/USD exchange rate the price will be $150. If I decide to bring them in, I'll be taking special orders with delivery within 1-2months? The factory steel guide rod weights 0.9 oz (approx 25 grams). The tungsten guide rod weights 2.4oz (approx 67 grams). The two model guns I see it being useful for is the Match and the Limited models. For anyone shooting the match 40 in major ipsc matches I think it will be a very valuable weight gain in particular and bridge the gap more to the Limited. I'd be very interested in using it in my Limited 40 and see what it does. It's an expensive upgrade and I would like to get some input before I move forward on it. If they are imported, would you buy one? I've enclosed a picture. If you're firm on getting one, please email me directly so that I can start taking pre-orders / special orders. I'll need at least 10 pre-orders before moving forward. btw. good to be back. ;-) Only if you will come install it Leo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 You wuz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Nice to have you back.... Aren't they heavy enough already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 The Limited's are pretty heavy and it'll be necessary to test to see what the gain will be. It's very subjective so it depends on each individual. I think the Match could use the extra weight since it doesn't have a bull barrel and short dustcover. If I had a Match gun I wouldn't hesitate to put it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobobooie Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Nice to have you back.... Aren't they heavy enough already? My thought exactly. I guess I'd have to see an advantage to having one when many folks are already having the slides lightened for less weight. I'm possibly overlooking something, as I do at times, but it just seems a bit excessive, and an expensive experiment. However, I'll buy a flat trigger!!!!!!!!!!! Ditto on welcoming you back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Di Vita Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 having the slides lightened for less weight. They do that to take weight off the slide - normally for cycling purposes...not to make the gun as a whole lighter. Welcome back brah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 Thanks Jake. It's good to be back. And Jake's right on. The whole point is to retain as much weight in the frame (non-moving part) as possible and reduce the weight of the moving part. By increasing the weight of the non-moving frame, the felt recoil is absorbed into the frame mass which we try to retain in the same place in space. Imagine this; if you are driving a small car, let's say... a smart car and crash into a truck the truck won't be set back very much or hardly at all. Same simplified principle for gun/recoil though slightly different of course. Low mass slide and heavy mass frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Why not just take the measurements of a stock guide rod and take it to a local machine shop and have them make a copy out of tungsten? Its not like this would be a difficult part to machine. You could do the whole thing on a lathe. It just seems excessive to order them from over seas and take a hit on the shipping and exchange rate when you can get them made locally for a lot less $$$. What the purpose is of having a removable tip like the ones have in the picture? Also, the stock Guide Rod on the Limited has a smaller diameter middle section. These ones are the same diameter along the full length. Will that difference change how the gun shoots? I don't understand why the stock guide rod would have a smaller diameter middle section in the first place, other than weigh savings, anyway. $150 for a Guide Rod is a steep price, at least it is to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted December 4, 2008 Author Share Posted December 4, 2008 I think the removable tip is necessary to be able to disassemble. Looks from the design that they've made it as long as possible to maximize the weight. The price is very high for me to bring in and I priced it at the same they sell it for in Euro (120) = USD (150). We can definitely have them made cheaper here in the US, but the big question is what the qtys is going to be. A gunsmith can make you a one-off tungsten. If I was going to make them they would be under $100 no problem. But I'd have to make some and it's not a product I wanna make at this time. It's available now from Italy so just passing on what's available if there's interest. I can bring in 10 or 20 to match demand if there is. I have no plans to redesign or go any further on this idea at the moment. However... I have plans to make an improved steel guide rod. It will have a larger contact surface to the frame which I think is a problem with today's design. When shooting major loads and lighter recoil springs to tune the gun to optimum recoil, the frame tends to create a burr which again causes a binding between the barrel/frame when you try to remove the upper from the frame. This is a problem that can easily be fixed with a different and bigger head on the guide rod. Plus it would be nice to have a stainless steel guide rod that makes the gun look better. It's something in my pipeline that I'll have to have run a lathe and then milled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSmileyX Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 However... I have plans to make an improved steel guide rod. It will have a larger contact surface to the frame which I think is a problem with today's design. When shooting major loads and lighter recoil springs to tune the gun to optimum recoil, the frame tends to create a burr which again causes a binding between the barrel/frame when you try to remove the upper from the frame. This is a problem that can easily be fixed with a different and bigger head on the guide rod. Plus it would be nice to have a stainless steel guide rod that makes the gun look better. It's something in my pipeline that I'll have to have run a lathe and then milled. I wonder if a tungsten rod using the stock head design wouldn't create a burr in the frame even faster. I am not really sure if it's the weight of the guide rod combined with the inadequate head support in the frame or if it's the spring slightly binding with the guide rod in recoil that causes the burr. My Match in 9mm did it with 130 - 140 pf loads and the stock spring so I'm not really convinced that the amount of recoil has much to do with it. Anyway I made up my own guide rods for my guns using ejector pin blanks and hand filing, they aren't real pretty but they work very well. I can send you a picture or one of the guide rods if you would like Henning, but I don't think you need design help and it sounds like your idea is similar, mine would also need to be turned and milled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted December 5, 2008 Author Share Posted December 5, 2008 Thanks for the input. The idea that's in the back of my mind is to make a bigger and better head that is threaded so that either a steel or tungsten straight rod can be screwed into it. That way you will get the best of both worlds and it should a lot cheaper as well to manufacture the tungsten part. Steel will be the 'standard' rod, will be priced well and will offer the improved non-burring product. You could buy this at first and then buy the tungsten screw-on later on etc. At least that seems to be the most versatile solution in my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthMuffin Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 If you want to see if a tungsten guide rod helps, couldn't you just temporarily fasten 1.5oz of weight to the front of the gun and see how it behaves? How you fasten it, I dunno -- duct tape? Use one of the scope mount holes and a jerry-rigged bracket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIIID Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 I put a tungsten guide rod together this weekend, full diameter rod with a harden steel head. It weighs 2.5 ounces, stock rod weighs .9oz.. Install is easy on a Limited, on a Match a slight mod needs to be done on the slide to make it easy to get off. The added weight is noticeable and can help if it is something you want. Later, Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now