1911: 2pc guide rod into 1pc?

[fritztkatt]

So I got my Springfield out of jail today (used, roll mark is "1911-A1", but looks like a loaded), and started to clean the upper. As we all know, using an Allen key to field strip a gun is (poor taste night club joke)...

My little mastermind saw a loophole that costs me nothing... leave the second piece of guide rod off. Assemble the gun as a GI, and carry on with life. I racked the slide and dry fired it quite a bit, no issues.

I can see two issues with this. 1) the open recoil spring plug will allow excess debris to collect. 2) the stub is not camfered and may cause binding in use.

I'll probably install a proper spring plug, as I'm not concerned with having a FLGR, and because it's so cheap, a GI guide rod, because of the two problems I forsee happening with this. But I suppose that defeats the purpose of this thought experiment.

What say you, calguns?

[wl518]

Just get a GI guide rod. Its relatively inexpensive on midway or brownells. Out of sight, out of mind.

[fritztkatt]

That was part of the OP, I was trying to do a thought experiment here.

[JTROKS]

If FLRG or GI guide rod doesn't really matter to you. My advise is to shorten the stock FLRG just enough to facilitate standard disassembly. Loctite or JB Weld the FLRG to prevent from rotating.

[NoHeavyHitter]

Using a "guide-rod" style recoil assembly in a 1911 is little more than an attempt to fix a problem that doesn't exist..

[357magnum]

I have a Wilson Combat 1pc guide rod in my SA 1911 Loaded, no tools needed to field strip it.

[Napalm Bulldog]

I have a Wilson Combat 1pc guide rod in my SA 1911 Loaded, no tools needed to field strip it.

How do you like it and how has it functioned thru how many rounds?

[MosinVirus]

Sounds like you have a plan. If GI setup is what you are after, just get GI guide rod and plug. You can even get the SA ones if you so desire. Don't try to fake it with an open plug. It will be painful to depress with your finger

[Seaweed02]

Me too

I have a Wilson Combat 1pc guide rod in my SA 1911 Loaded, no tools needed to field strip it.

Me too. I bought the Wilson Combat flat wire recoil spring, the plug that goes with it since it is a different size, and one piece guide rod. Wasn't expensive at all and now I don't need any tools to field strip the weapon.

[357magnum]

How do you like it and how has it functioned thru how many rounds?

I have had this setup since 2002 and several thousand rounds fired in IDPA matches. Never a problem or malfunction.
By the way, my SA 1911 is 9mm.

[Lead Waster]

I've heard, but have never tried, that you can actually use a spend .45 case as a plug. Not sure if can properly keep the bushing from turning, but maybe it was just a case of ... if you really really had to, you could do it.

[Lead Waster]

... oh yeah, a GI plug is $10. Just get one.

[DArBad]

Push comes to shove, I prefer the One Piece Full length guide rod on a full size 1911. I can discern smoother cycling which I like, and on a looser 1911 like a Colt, it marginally tightens things a bit.

[Sonic_mike]

I have a Wilson Combat 1pc guide rod in my SA 1911 Loaded, no tools needed to field strip it.

Here too after I noticed my 2pc flgr start to back off. Guesstimate about 600 rounds with new flgr and 0 problems.

[fritztkatt]

Yall missed the point, but it's all good. I'm still going to convert to standard parts, like I suggested in the op.

Going to get a lo-pro magwell/msh to delete the stupid lock type msh.