1911A1 Full length guide rod - PARA USA
I just purchased a NIB Para USA Elite/Match 1911A1. This pistol has a ramped barrel (the first one I've owned) and came with a full length guide rod.
While disassembling it for inspection, the first issue that cropped up was that the guide rod wouldn't come out with the slide and barrel. After wiggling the rod a bit, it 'released' from the frame. When I reassembled the pistol the rod protruded past the slide and interfered with the barrel bushing. Something didn't seem right, so I checked several other 1911A1s 'in-stock' and none had a spring guide that fit that tight to the frame. Not even the Kimber Gold Match w/ a full length guide rod.
Today I measured the OD of the rod and the ID of the frame. The rod is 0.448" and the frame is 0.446". That's an interference fit!
Will this eventually crack the frame?
Should I turn down the guide rod?
Ream out the frame to fit?
None of the other guide rods or spring guides will fit this frame , so I suspect the frame is out of tolerance.
Edit: Roger, wilco!
Edit: Thanks for the input. Esp Mr Forge. As I stated in the OP, the full length guide rod came 'stock' from Para. It's not a mod that I'd do. The only other 1911A1 that I have with a FLGR is a Kimber Gold Match and that too came 'stock'.
I'm concerned with the fit of the two parts. If the guide rod is loose and just contacting the frame via the taper, the bushing won't turn past the rod. If there's clearance for the bushing, the FLGR is actually pressed into the frame. That's my concern. So, I may just change to a GI spring guide and spring retainer and be done with this.
Does anyone run a 1911 with a fully ramped barrel with a short guide?
oh, and Perry, us 'engine' guys like to think of valve springs cycling at around 17 times a SECOND!!!
While disassembling it for inspection, the first issue that cropped up was that the guide rod wouldn't come out with the slide and barrel. After wiggling the rod a bit, it 'released' from the frame. When I reassembled the pistol the rod protruded past the slide and interfered with the barrel bushing. Something didn't seem right, so I checked several other 1911A1s 'in-stock' and none had a spring guide that fit that tight to the frame. Not even the Kimber Gold Match w/ a full length guide rod.
Today I measured the OD of the rod and the ID of the frame. The rod is 0.448" and the frame is 0.446". That's an interference fit!
Will this eventually crack the frame?
Should I turn down the guide rod?
Ream out the frame to fit?
None of the other guide rods or spring guides will fit this frame , so I suspect the frame is out of tolerance.
Edit: Roger, wilco!
Edit: Thanks for the input. Esp Mr Forge. As I stated in the OP, the full length guide rod came 'stock' from Para. It's not a mod that I'd do. The only other 1911A1 that I have with a FLGR is a Kimber Gold Match and that too came 'stock'.
I'm concerned with the fit of the two parts. If the guide rod is loose and just contacting the frame via the taper, the bushing won't turn past the rod. If there's clearance for the bushing, the FLGR is actually pressed into the frame. That's my concern. So, I may just change to a GI spring guide and spring retainer and be done with this.
Does anyone run a 1911 with a fully ramped barrel with a short guide?
oh, and Perry, us 'engine' guys like to think of valve springs cycling at around 17 times a SECOND!!!
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editsend a message to forgemonkey he is up on 1911 TYpe pistols that have special parts
I did not want to sound negative but I also agree with the other post er about Full length guide rods The are IMHO a negative when installed in aedit dang 1922 finger check 1911 Type pistol I put them in the same class as Recoil Buffers they cause more malfunction than they prevent edit take two as to spring life Think of it this way look a a valve spring on your car or truck engine when running most time will be at least 2000 rpm that is one thousand cycles per minute from fully compressed to almost fully expanded think how many minutes your engine runs before you CHANGE all THE springs, and then think about your car setting when not used more than likely 80 % 0r more of its total time you have owned it .
during this sitting some springs are again fully compressed and others fully expanded with the rest in between these two states
valve springs are for the most part High grade steel . pistols recoil
springs run from cheap junk to High grade. use a high quality one and it will last at least 40 years without a buffer or full length guide rod Like the one in my series 70 colt 1911 wadcutter match pistol has :-)0 -
This isn't going to answer your question. All 1911 handguns in our range rental program that came with full length guide rods have had regular short guide rods installed. Full length guide rods do nothing good for a 1911 and several things bad in my opinion. Harder to disassemble, can't press check and I just don't like them. We have been using the same batch of guide rods for a few years now. When I replace the rental guns I install the original guide rods with a new Wolf spring and sell them. Good luck. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by forgemonkeyIf I tell you that I do it by pushing on the front of the recoil spring tunnel you are going to tell me that's unsafe and I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it cause I really don't have a good answer. I would NOT teach anyone that. I would go with grab the slide but I ALWAYS have my finger off the trigger when I press check. Leave me alone. I'm old. [^][:)]
quote:Originally posted by Ricci Wright
This isn't going to answer your question. All 1911 handguns in our range rental program that came with full length guide rods have had regular short guide rods installed. Full length guide rods do nothing good for a 1911 and several things bad in my opinion. Harder to disassemble, can't press check and I just don't like them. We have been using the same batch of guide rods for a few years now. When I replace the rental guns I install the original guide rods with a new Wolf spring and sell them. Good luck.
Ricci, why can't you 'press check' ????0 -
A few years ago I spoke with a gun spring Mfg'r that I was doing business with about this 1911 spring subject. From a "spring" engineering point of view he indicated that a spring is NOT built to be bent, and that using the full length guide rod it "should" enhance the life of the spring and offer better consistency.
There are many stories of guys using the short part for a gazillion rounds and 50 years without a problem, God love'm. And I will admit the full length is sometimes a pain to deal with during take down, but I go with the spring engineer's recommendation, of course I haven't fired a gazillion rounds yet and I change my springs every few years.
Best of luck0 -
I never saw the need for a full length guide rod. I also never saw the need for a magazine disconnector.
Run about 5,000 rounds, cleaning and lubing every 500 - it will polish in.0 -
And that short guide contacts the frame with the chamfered button and doesn't contact the frame flush? (as you said in the email, correct?)
quote:Originally posted by forgemonkey
"Does anyone run a 1911 with a fully ramped barrel with a short guide?"
Yes, my lab rat gun, fully ramped barrel, was built with it,,,,,,,,[;)]0 -
Thanks for all the info. Looks like Brownells is getting yet another order. 0
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