Help with a full-length guide rod

Riomouse911

January 13, 2012 06:09

Maybe someone on the boards with more experience with 1911's and full length guide rods can help me...

Last night I cleaned my Springfield V-16 .45 Super. (Long-slide 1911 with a two-piece full length guide rod and a bushingless barrel) The guide rod is split and threaded for removal, and is cut with a screwdriver slot in the end for assembly/disassembly.

Can someone give me advice on how to hold on to all the pieces, with only 2 hands, to line everything up and put it back together? I swear it took 30 mins of chasing the parts springing across the garage before I surrendered and had to ask the wife to help... and even with her help it wasn't easy. I love the gun, but cleaning it makes me cringe...any ideas?

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  steve45

  January 13, 2012 07:53

  You can watch YouTube videos to learn small gunsmithing chores. There are several about guide rods.

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  perry shooter

  January 13, 2012 08:01

  IMHO a full length guide rod Is a cause of more problems then it attempts to solve. I have one pistol with over 350,000 rounds through it with no damage to either the SAME recoil spring or any other parts of the pistol. It has a spring guide as John Browning designed it.I also don't believe in recoil buffers in a 1911. With that said I dont own one with out a bushing. MAYBE your pistol will not work with out this type of guide rod. When I strip a 1911 down to clean I strip the top half off the frame all in one piece then remove the spring. I dont remove the bushing first . I can take the top half off the frame in 5-10 seconds and reinstall in same amount of time.

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  Riomouse911

  January 13, 2012 08:23

  Yes indeed, the full length rod is a royal pain and probably a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. (My regular-style 1911 has a bushing and a standard spring/guide rod, a strip-down can be done with ease using the methods you describe.) I'm guessing because of the higher pressure of the Super the full length rod is needed for some reason..the dang reassembly of that set up (with the very stiff recoil spring) is what's a killer. I figure I'm doing something goofy or forgetting something in the steps, I'll scan u-tube later to see what is on there.

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  CSI21

  January 13, 2012 10:36

  I am not familiar with your gun, but often a paper clip will help hold the spring/rod together and say you some cussing. Not sure why they came up with the full length guide rod, heard it was to put weight in the gun for competition shooters, but I also had one in a Detonics that was made before that all started up.
  Good luck

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  dcs shooters

  January 13, 2012 10:40

  Take a look at www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEZufdDcPSs. It is for a one piece rod, but might give you some ideas.

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  Riomouse911

  January 13, 2012 13:46

  Thanks guys!

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