I’m planning some mods to a mil-spec Colt, including replacing the original recoil-spring plug with some kind of full-length guide rod.
Why are some guide rods two-piece? Is there some issue with a one-piece in removing and replacing it in the slide (any differently than most other pistol designs)?
If a two-piece rod is needed to facilitate removal/replacement, is there any issue with weakness where the two halves join?
Thanks.
There are no issues with either really. Some people don’t like the idea of having to have an hex wrench to field-strip the pistol and sometimes they will loosen up on their own when news. A quick blunting of the threads will typically stop that if it happens. Others have said a full length guide rod (2-pc is full) can prevent the pistol being pushed out of battery if the muzzle comes in contact with an adversary. Some even say that a coil spring performs better with a guide rod. I’ll leave that speculation up to others… I use both and both work for me. Ron
I have used both and to be honest, I would rather have the one piece. This is purely from a “trying to eliminate the potential screw up”, not from any thing that happened while shooting.
Oh, and what kokopelli said.
Two piece guide rods add one more area in which the operation of the pistol can be buggered up. If you feel that you really need a full length guide rod use a one piece part (I have both two piece and one piece guide rods around, PM me if you are interested).
Other than that, stick with the GI set up. JMB knew what he was doing.
Probably a good point. Although I’ve heard different arguments: uniformity of spring compression, smoothness of cycling, etc., I can’t say that I’ve ever noticed any practical difference using full-length versus mil-spec.
This will be a second-level treatment at any rate. The first thing I need to do is get a decent beavertail on there so the mil-spec tang doesn’t further eat up the web of my hand.
By far the most important thing relating the the springs in a 1911 is not the guide rod but frequently changing out the spring. After 1000 rounds the GI spring is pretty much toast. Replacing the spring every 1000 rounds will guarantee smooth cycling and proper spring compression.
The only case I ever experienced for a guide rod was on an old AMT hardballer. The slide to frame fit was so poor the pistol would rattle around. I installed a one piece set up and that did do something to mitigate the rattle without permanently altering the pistol.
Full length guide rods really don’t bring anything to the table except to make the gun harder to take down. If you must have one go with the one piece.
Never, ever, ever use a 2 piece guide rod. I have personally seen them come unscrewed AND break, tying up the gun. While they offer a little additional recoil control for comeptition use, I see no real benefit on a working gun. Get a 1 piece if you must, otherwiese stick with the GI setup.
I after many years went back to the GI setup. The GI setup is easier to disassmble etc. I can’t tell much if any difference with the different rod setups.
If you absolutely must have a full length guide rod get a 1 piece…but my advice is to stick with the original parts that came in your 1911.
The extended guide rod does little to improve any aspect of an already perfect design…certainly not enough that most of us would notice.
Then you get into the additional hassle during dis-assembly…to me it’s a waste of money for the little benefit you might notice…or might not notice.
I have GI setups in all of my 1911’s.
LOL… Well there ya go… You may not have asked for opinions or you may have… But that’s what you got! The only one out of the lot that I would put any stock in is the one that said “stick with the one that came with it”. The rest is pure speculation… JMO… Ron
True, the original question was one-piece versus two-piece, not full-length versus mil-spec. And I am surprised by the number of endorsements for the shorty.
One often finds something other than what was set out for though – as in life. :thank_you2:
As a follow-up, does a full-length rod have any greater meaningfulness (for lack of a better word) if using a reduced power recoil spring? Why I ask, this gun will probably be digesting mostly reduced power match loads, which may end up cycling better with a reduced power spring.
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I have a full length, one piece, 12 or less lb. spring. Never had a problem. It’s also no harder to dis-assemble and requires no special tools.
The GI setup is prefered but if you must have a full length guide rod get the one piece.
http://www.10-8performance.com/pages/1911-Parts-%26-Modifications.html
http://www.10-8performance.com/pages/Reliability%2C-Round-Counts%2C-and-Longevity-in-1911s.html
Great links!
Especially interesting reference to the Chip McCormick grip safety (I am planning to add a GS but was thinking of Ed Brown that I am familiar with). Although the McCormick item is listed among various dealers, it shows up nowhere on McCormick’s own web site. 
if you need to clear the pistol it is far easier with a GI plug…you can rack the 1911 off of a table, door, etc…with any FLGR you can’t do this.
the whole rack off the table or shoe thing is meaningless if you run a tac light though.
I guess that’s why they invented ledge rear sights.
Anyways, my Colt XSE Commander came with a one-piece FLGR and while it isn’t any more mechanically complex than the short guide rod, I very much like the fact that I can disassemble a 1911 with the USGI guide rod/plug with my bare fingers versus needing some kind of tool to takedown a pistol with a FLGR. But my LW Commander has been reliable thus far with the FLGR so I’m leaving it for now. So when it comes to using full length guide rods I think the 1-piece will be more reliable by virtue of being simpler than the 2-piece, with nothing to unscrew itself loose or come apart while shooting.