My new to me DAN WESSON CBOB Classic 45 came with a short (GI?) guide rod. I'm certain DW knew what they were doing with this choice, but I'm curious.

Is there any distinct advantage to the short guide rod, two piece guide rod or one piece guide rod? Would you be so inclined with a semi custom pistol such as a DW?

Short ones are fine with me.

The one you've got is the way Browning wanted it. No reason to mess with it. It's also the easiest to field strip.

Thanks for the replies and that link. There seems to be no consensus one way or the other so I'll default to the DW engineers.

My preference. IMHO, round recoil springs perform better with FLGR's, Flat springs, with either.

My personal preference is toward the GI-style guide rod. Having owned 1911s that were equipped with either the 1- or 2-piece full-length guide rods, I'd pick the 1-piece if I just had to have one. They can't come unscrewed like a 2-piece can.

From having read commentary from folks with a lot more 1911 experience than I have, the consensus seems to be: go with what works best for you.

GI type is far superior. Easier to field strip, allows using the rod plug pushed against a hard object to charge the pistol or clear a stubborn jam.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
GI type is far superior. Easier to field strip, allows using the rod plug pushed against a hard object to charge the pistol or clear a stubborn jam.

I had never thought of this.... It makes sense, but wouldn't you be concerned that the bushing would get pushed out of whack?

The one it came with is fine. Negative on a two-piece rod. Anywhere there is a threaded joint increases the chances of it breaking. The sharp shoulder at the end of the threads is a stress concentration. Ever break a segmented long gun cleaning rod?

I have owned and shot all three.
I still have GI and one-piece.
The two piece FLGR is an invention of the devil trying to spoil St Browning's work.

There is no reliability or accuracy advantage of one or the other.

However, a Dawson Tool-Less one peice guide rod will, in my opinion, make take down easier than the stock set up.

In addition, while not an issue in a stock 1911, if you have a very hard fit barrel bushing in a custom gun, you are never turning the bushing while the barrel is locked in battery, and eliminate the need to disassemble and reassemble a slide onto the frame with the uncaptured spring.

I use to shoot with FLGR but about a year ago I returned to the classic GI short guide rod but I used a stainless one from Wilson or Nighthawk not the hollow piece that came with my Colt..for me its more convenient to dismantle and more classic looking..

The guide rod has no function in the accuracy of the 1911. Some think that it does and think that a full length guide rod provides an additional means for the slide to align and track, with the mistaken belief that the pistol is made more accurate. It isn't. Lockup in battery is what's important; the lockup of the slide to barrel at the moment the shot is discharged. The barrel bushing (or slide interface for bushingless 1911's) and the barrel link are important, as is the fitting of the barrel, but not the guide rod.

The purpose of the guide rod is to prevent the springs from kinking or binding during recoil; it's not there to guide the slide, but to guide the recoil spring.

A full length guide rod on a 1911 provides a little extra forward weight on the pistol.

The two-piece full length rods tend to unscrew at inopportune times, which can affect function of the firearm.

quote:

Originally posted by Billy346:

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
GI type is far superior. Easier to field strip, allows using the rod plug pushed against a hard object to charge the pistol or clear a stubborn jam.

I had never thought of this.... It makes sense, but wouldn't you be concerned that the bushing would get pushed out of whack?

No when you use the front edge of the slide against the hard object the object will rest across the lower edge of the bushing and spring plug had to do this a few times with some out of spec reloads and works like a charm.