1911 Full length Guide Rod? Reasons to upgrade?

[wgg]

I bought a SS Springfield 1911-A1 45acp. It has basic 3 dot sights, gi style guide rod and standard grip safety. I have been looking at changing out the sights, safety, trigger and a few upgrades. The person I bought it from said he had it about 5 years and never shot it. I stripped it down to the frame and cleaned and lubed it. I took it to the range today and it shot great. Other than the trigger pull I am thinking, just what is wrong with it as it is.

[cas]

John Browning designed the perfect pistol and no full length rod

Almost no one is shooting the pistol he designed. lol It's fun to point out to people who like that "argument", the half a dozen things (at least) on their gun that weren't in his design, but they conveniently overlook those.

[SweetMk]

Almost no one is shooting the pistol he designed. lol It's fun to point out to people who like that "argument", the half a dozen things (at least) on their gun that weren't in his design, but they conveniently overlook those.

Half dozen,,?? they are just beginners,,, LOL,,



This one is still the way it left the Colt factory,, though,, Does that count!??

[gwpercle]

My experience has been with a GI Norinco and a Kimber Custom. Smoother to rack was the only advantage I could see or feel, both went bang just fine. My thoughts are put the money towards ammo.

Hitting Our Like Button... LIKE !
My sentiments also ... and if John Browning had thought one necessary ... he would have designed it with one .
Gary

[1006]

The 1911 was designed to support the spring on the outside of the coils-no FLGR needed. The Delta Elite needed a FLGR to support the double recoil spring that it uses.

I do not like a FLGR as an upgrade, because it is not an upgrade, just a change that is not needed if it was not there to allow the gun to function.

As a side note: almost all-I say “almost” because there may be one out there that I have not seen yet- FLGR’s are two piece units. Some are made to look like one piece, but are actually made of two pieces threaded together. They tend to come apart at the most unexpected and inconvenient of times.

[45DUDE]

I like that 45 SweetMk.

[cas]

Lets see... stainless steel, lowered ejection port, flat topped slide, full length guide rods, extended slide release, extended safety, extended multi piece mag releases, ambi safety, beaver tail grip safety, deactivated grip safety, all manner of hammer, two piece triggers, flat triggers, over sized bushings, mag wells, adjustable sights, fiber optic sights, dovetailed front sights, textured and checkered frames, forward slide serrations, allen and torx head screws, a cast frame, integral spring plunger tube, non wood grips, an Aftec extractor, undercut trigger guard, recoil buffers in a couple of them, ramped barrel, 8 and 9 round magazines (one's a 10mm) and whatever else I'm forgetting. None of them JMB approved.



Thank God my series 80 Officers ACP and Gold Cup with the Bomar rib isn't in the photo, the list would be twice as long.

[DougGuy]

Almost no one is shooting the pistol he designed. lol It's fun to point out to people who like that "argument", the half a dozen things (at least) on their gun that weren't in his design, but they conveniently overlook those.

Shop gun:

Attachment 274865

Last Commander I built:



No full length guide rods.

[GhostHawk]

I know it is Heresy, but full length guide rod is not the be all end all. To me a pinned barrel that DOES NOT MOVE is capable of much more accuracy.

Nomex suit on, flame away. I'll let you return to your earlier conversation.

[tazman]

I just looked at the Les Baer site. He has all the special goodies listed that are standard on his pistols. Those are long lists. I didn't see any of them that included a full length guide rod.
The long guide rod is available but doesn't seem to be included by default in his pistols.

[VariableRecall]

I know it is Heresy, but full length guide rod is not the be all end all. To me a pinned barrel that DOES NOT MOVE is capable of much more accuracy.

Nomex suit on, flame away. I'll let you return to your earlier conversation.

So, should I scoff to my brother that my S&W Model 10-5 (manf. 1969 with a pinned barrel) is more mechanically accurate despite the fact that he has 1 more inch of barrel on me?

[Prairie Cowboy]

I owned four 1911A1 pistols over the years. None came with or needed a guide rod.

I also agree that most of the add-ons for 1911A1 pistols are not and never were needed.

All that really ever appealed to me were better defined fixed sights and a Commander-style burr hammer.

[charlie b]

Not 'needed' maybe, but, the beavertail safety sure made my hand happier after shooting couple hundred rounds a day. Didn't have any red marks on the web of my hand anymore

[bluelund79]

To answer the OP question, it’s not needed. Hope he enjoys his 1911, they are the one handgun that I keep going back to, and carry daily more than any other platform.

[downzero]

All of mine have full length guide rods. I'm not sure I'd put one in if they didn't, but I also don't believe they cause problems as some suggest.

[1006]

So, should I scoff to my brother that my S&W Model 10-5 (manf. 1969 with a pinned barrel) is more mechanically accurate despite the fact that he has 1 more inch of barrel on me?

Yes, the 38, unless it is a dud, is more accurate.

[BD]

Just a note: I believe that the standard 1911 spring weight has always been 16 lb