NON-SASS question

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I have a Colt Government .380 that came with a short plastic guide rod.  I want to replace it with  stainless steel rod and found one the same size as the one that came with the gun, and a longer one.  I know there are some people who replace the guide rods in their 1911s but have no idea what the advantage there is, or even if there is and advantage in either gun, or if there is ant advantage at all. 

 

Can one of you fine folks enlighten me?

 

Thanks.

[Alpo]

Not absolutely sure about your question.

 

Part number 61-the guide rod.

 

 

If your question is, "would replacing the plastic rod with a steel rod be a good thing", I believe so. I replaced the plastic guide rod in my Beretta 92 with a steel one. It made the gun just slightly muzzle heavier, but I don't think the steel rod is going to break. I don't trust plastic parts in guns.

 

If you were asking, "would the longer guide rod be better than the shorter one", I don't know.

 

I have two 1911s that came with full length guide rods. The theory is that there would be less chance of the recoil spring kinking. So far the only thing I have seen is that it makes field stripping a pain in the butt.

 

Also with a full length guide rod you need to have a hole in the muzzle bushing plug. The standard Government Model 380 does not have such a hole.

 

But if the longer rod is still short enough that it would not poke out the end of the gun when the slide is back, I would probably use it. Simply because that one in the schematic  and the picture looks so damn short.

[ShadowCatcher]

The premise behind the full length steel guide rod came about in the late 80's, when

the race gun rage took over and the 1911 became everyone's favorite tinker toy.

 

The theory is that the full length guide rod provided smoother cycling under recoil,

and prevented kinking or dragging.  In fact the very limited amount of room in the dust

shield pretty much addresses that already, there is no measurable improvement, just

added complexity.

 

Some like the increased weight in the front end, and if you go with a tungsten rod

you might be able to perceive the advantage. 

 

The only advantage steel offers of plastic is durability & reliability, so that makes it worthwhile.

 

I'd replace it with a same-size steel guide rod, a new recoil spring, and keep on going!

 

SC

 

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

I had a Govt model .380 for about 30 years. Never considered replacing the rod and never had any problems.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Don't 'fix', what ain't broke 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

Thanks, gents.  That is what I had decided on, but wanted some confirmation.  I bought this little gun 32 years ago from a PI from LA.  He had bigger hands than mine and got a Colt Commander in 9mm or .38 Super or some such.  I kept this as a back up piece but never used it until about a year ago.  I decided to work it over snd after a couple of boxes of ammo I decided all I needed to do was doll it up a bit.  Got a set of Altamont walnut grips for it (and an Altamont bonded ivory pair, too for social occasions) with a "double diamond" checkered pattern to match my 1911, and my handy dandy gunsmith is going to make the aluminum trigger then black to match the rest of the gun and I'll put a stainless rod the same size as the original.

 

Again, thanks for the help.