RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
I had one of those setups once. Threw it away and put in GI spring, guide and plunger and never looked back. Lasted as long as I owned the piece.
I've had both styles. And the response by 462 in post # 20 seem to be the accepted reasons to go with the full length guide rod.What is the advantage to a full length rod? What does it do that the original doesn’t?
Coil springs, left to their own devices will not compress in a straight line. They will try to occupy all the space around them by bending and deforming in what could be called a spiral pattern. When they bend to the side, it changes the spring rate by reducing it. And it will continue to bend until is hits some obstacle. The contact with the obstacle produces friction. So, another variable added. Yes, short coil springs tend to compress in a straight line. But this is not a short coil spring. It requires less force to bend the spring to the side than to compress the coils. So, a spring of a given spring rate will normally require less force to fully compress if it is bent to the side a bit rather than be stacked up perfectly on its coils. So, depending on how the spring reacts during each compression, the compressing force could vary a small amount each time. Since the spring force in a 1911 is preventing the slide from beating itself to death on the frame, this can be important. Those who shoot 1911's in various competition know that you normally have to change the spring for load you are using. Yeah, you could put a weak spring in there that works with your lightest loads and it would function for all the hotter loads as well. But it would beat up the gun and you as well. Think of holding a railroad spike in your hand and having someone hit it with a hammer.What is the advantage to a full length rod? What does it do that the original doesn’t?
I would dare say the "Cool Factor" plays a bigger role in selling full length guide rods than the potential of the spring deflecting 1 or 1.25 degrees during recoil.........................
And of course, there is the cool factor and we all know that the cool factor alone makes you shoot better. Afterall, if you are at a national match with all the pros and they have full length guide rods and you don't... Well, you're just gonna look like a weenie, aren't you?
After reading all this. Just thinking. But maybe I am wrong.
Would not the friction of the spring against the guide rod be worse then, or the same as, the friction. Or an occasional touch here and there, without it?
But then if the extended guide rod is small enough it don't touch the spring how can it prevent the spring from touching the channel?
ThanksWilson mags have worked in every 1911 platform I've run them in.