Guide rod purpose

[BUFF]

I posted this question on the gunsmith forum, but didn't really get the answer I was looking for (sorry JamesK) so here goes.

What is the purpose for a guide rod on semi-autos? Never really thought about it before for some reason. Always been a Colt .45 guy. Bought a Kel-Tec P11 with a plastic guide rod. What does it do?

[James K]

OK, BUFF, you ask a serious question and deserve a better (or at least more complete) answer. Many students of the 1911 believe the recoil spring is allowed to kink too much with the original short guide rod, and the rubbing of the spring on the dust cover and the guide rod itself interferes with the smoothness of the action, at least when operated slowly by a fastidious person. I know of no evidence that the recoil spring action in the original configuration makes the pistol less reliable or that it causes any significant wear.

A steel FLGR also adds weight to the muzzle of the pistol, a slight help in reducing recoil.

Jim

[Mr.Blue]

I think it's only purpose is to keep the recoil spring in place, thus preventing it from binding.

[Walt Sherrill]

A guide rod helps when installing the recoil spring after a field strip, and helps position the recoil spring during the firing cycle. Some guns, like Glocks, have a captured springs -- the guide rod and spring is a unit that need not be disassembled.

The base of the guide rod helps retain (hold and position) one end of the recoil spring, where it partially presses against the frame, and passes some of the force of the recoil into the frame. (Some of it is stored in the spring to force the slide back to the closed position later in the cycle.)

The bottom of the slide's skirt (called the "dust cover") will generally hold the spring in place during recoil, so it may be relatively passive piece as long as the gun is assembled properly. The guide rod itself seems to be a relatively low-stress part, which is why certain types of plastic can be and are increasingly used. (It's cheaper, it works, and for some types of guns -- like those with alloy frames, metal guide rods may eventually damage the frame, where it presses against the receiver stop, the place where the end of the guide rod rests.

[Eghad]

a full length guide rod in some guns qualifies as fixing it when it ain't broke.

[michael t]

Another way to get people hard earned money . Their like Washington DC promises a lot and deliver little.

[Eagleks]

I think it's only purpose is to keep the recoil spring in place, thus preventing it from binding.

Exactly. And the spring itself, is to reduce recoil and enhance slide return.