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1911 full length guide rod


open17

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Wife's 9mm Single Stack gun needs a little weight loss. 42.9 oz is W-A-Y too

close!

Currently has a tungsten FLGR, want to change to steel. Should shed at least

an ounce. But WHICH ONE? I'll get it from Brownell's, and the selection

is big. EGW, Nowlin, Wilson, STI, Ed Brown, Clark Custom, Nighthawk.

One and 2 piece, steel and stainless, and all in the same ballpark money-wise.

Suggestions?

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A one-piece eliminates any possibility of unscrewing. Not common, but possible with a two-piece.

All are good brands, with makers that stand behind their products.

I hadn't looked lately, I thought the steel ones were all stainless. I'd lean to stainless to provide better corrosion protection since many finishes will be worn by the rubbing of the recoil spring.

If the gun is not set up for a reverse plug, I would recommend having it modified and go with a one-piece recoil spring guide and reverse plug, but I don't know if any of the reverse plugs are made to retain a barrel bushing.

Guy

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If the gun is not set up for a reverse plug, I would recommend having it modified and go with a one-piece recoil spring guide and reverse plug, but I don't know if any of the reverse plugs are made to retain a barrel bushing.

Guy

The STI reverse plugs are easily modified to retain the barrel bushing. It only requires a couple minutes lathe time.

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Wife's 9mm Single Stack gun needs a little weight loss. 42.9 oz is W-A-Y too

close!

Currently has a tungsten FLGR, want to change to steel. Should shed at least

an ounce. But WHICH ONE? I'll get it from Brownell's, and the selection

is big. EGW, Nowlin, Wilson, STI, Ed Brown, Clark Custom, Nighthawk.

One and 2 piece, steel and stainless, and all in the same ballpark money-wise.

Suggestions?

Have you considered drilling out your existing rod? It'd be easy to take off a 1/2 oz and still retain most of the benefit of your existing rod.

Alternately, is there anywhere else you could lose weight? Lighter base pads on your mags, maybe?

Edited by bbbean
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Hello: Can you use a lighter magwell like a aluminum S&A one? Or can you remove metal under the grips? If not use the EGW guide rod. Great quality and fair price. Thanks, Eric

It's got a steel S&A on it now--an aluminum one might work just fine. Any ideas as to who

stocks them? I don't see them in Brownell's, and all the S&A site says is "available"

Ordered a EGW rod, which should get me down around 41 oz., but taking off some more

weight sounds like a good idea.

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Who makes your wife's gun. If possible get one from them.

A few years back I got a Tungsten FLGR from STI for my STI. It never fit properly, so I had two broken guide rods. Back then they were expensive. I went to steel.

When I started using SV guns, Don Golembieski fitted my Tungsten FLGR and they have never broken, You want to make sure your guide rod fits your frame properly. I always buy the guide rod from the same people who made the frame and make sure it fits correctly.

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Who makes your wife's gun. If possible get one from them.

. I always buy the guide rod from the same people who made the frame and make sure it fits correctly.

Well, it's a Mk IV Series 70 Colt 9mm, made in 1977. Someone worked it over at some time,

the fit and finish is way better than a factory Colt, but I have no idea who the smith was.

Somehow I doubt that a call to Colt would produce much in the way of a guide rod.

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Quick follow-up.

Weight with full length tungsten rod 42.9 oz.

Weight with full length EGW stainless 41.4 oz.

Ounce and a half of "wiggle room" should be enough. I'll leave it alone for now,

but may get a S&A aluminum mainspring housing/magwell for it later.

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Leave the tungsten guide rod in and go to an aluminum mainspring housing and add on magwell like a Clark or Wilson. If aesthetics are not overly critical, Wilson's plastic one will really get the weight down, especially if coupled with a plastic mainspring housing.

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