1911 2 Piece Guide Rod Conversion: HELP

[Mr. Blue]

Gun: Springfield Loaded Target 9mm

Issue: 2 Piece Guide Rod gets loose after first magazine. Caused malfunction at the range yesterday.

I have poured over the archives and many different forums about this issue. It seems to be very common.Is there a way I can keep the 2 piece from working itself out?

I’m curious, is a FLGR needed in this 1911 because its 9mm? Does that matter? Can I use a GI Guide Rod and plug?
If I can use a GI Guide Rod, could I simply remove the existing plug piece from the 2 piece guide rod? By removing the forward piece of the current guide rod, it seems like I’d be left with a GI guide Rod+threads...at which point I’d need a GI plug to prevent debris from entering the gun. This method seems a bit janky, has anyone tried this?

Again, I do recognize the simple $40 solution of replacing the 2 piece. Is Wilson Combat the way to go? Other suggestions? How about Spring weight? Plug? What do you use? But has anyone ran a GI guide rod in their Springfield 1911 Loaded 9mm?

[GM4spd]

JMB never designed the 1911 with a two piece rod. Why try and fix a non issue?
Just my opinion.

[Sailormilan2]

As was stated, the 1911 doesn't need a two piece guide rod. Of all my 1911s, only one came with a two piece, my RIA Tactical. I immediately removed it, and went to a standard set up. I save the two piece for the 10mm. A little extra weight to help a little with the recoil,

[heidad01]

Of the thousands of 1911s with two piece guide rod, there are a few that will do that.

Mainly because the two pieces of guide rod are not faced perfectly flat at the connecting surfaces, the screw on the male side or the female threads on the other side is off of concentric. Those will cause a two piece guide rod to unscrew itself.

Hard to fix that faulty one. Go with a GI style guide rod or the one piece rods that are available from many vendors.

No difference in performance.

[JTROKS]

I modified my Springfield Armory 2-pc guide rods so I can Red Loctite the pieces together. A lathe will be nice tool for shortening and keeping the front face of the rod square, but a hand drill or drill press can also work.

[splithoof]

I have what may be the exact same pistol; I quickly replaced that two piece unit with a Wilson standard rod, Wilson spring plug, and a Wilson 14 lb spring.
Function so far has been 100%, and it is the most accurate 9mm pistol we own. We haven’t had it for very long, and have only fired about five hundred rounds, but it works great. I did initially test the pistol with the factory set up, and afterwards the accuracy was the same at twenty-five yards.
It is very easy to do, as you already can field strip a 1911.
I don’t know why SA uses those; I see no point. Our TRP had one, but neither of our Pro’s did. Go figure.

[Tarmy]

[highpower]

JMB never designed the 1911 with a two piece rod. Why try and fix a non issue?
Just my opinion.

This! The only 1911 I have ever had with a two piece guide rod was a Officers Model and it was such a PITA to take down that I seldom ever bothered. Put the stock one back and enjoy shooting your pistol instead of having to troubleshoot it.

[-hanko]

Welcome to Springfield Armory...

...does the gun have a pin holding the ejector in place, or did Springfield leave that off too??

[walmart_ar15]

Do you want to spend time try to fix it? If not, then like others mentioned buy a single piece long guide rod, or switch to standard GI guide rode. But what ever you do, do not red Loctite the existing two piece unless you modify it, or you will not be able to remove it.

To fix it, screw the guide rod together. Feel the seam at the joint, do you feel a bump? Sand/file the circumference seam to ensure its smooth. Then when put back into the gun, put a couple BLUE Loctite on the thread and tighten it down, then a couple oil drops on the rod.

[splithoof]

...does the gun have a pin holding the ejector in place, or did Springfield leave that off too??

[splithoof]

JMB never designed the 1911 with a two piece rod. Why try and fix a non issue?
Just my opinion.

[rodralig]

Loctite

or use a one-piece full length

... my MCO had a GI assembly. I went to a two-piece, and it got annoying with the 2-piece. Have now switched to a single piece full length.


_

[paintballdad]

I would just switch it out for a GI guide rod & plug and be done with it. Highly recommend Wilson Combat Bullet Proof guide rod and plug. Have them on SA Range Officer 9mm with a Wolff 12 lb recoil spring.

[TAS]

OP - sounds like in your case, you would be better off going to a one piece FLGR, as others have stated, to correct your problem.

Personally, I have various GI, one piece FLGRs, and two piece FLGRs. They all work in their respective guns so I don’t have the need or feel compelled to change them out like others may. They’re 1911’s - disassembly/reassembly is not an issue.