Glocks and stainless steel guide rods

[ArgyleAdams]

Brass tacks: Is it worth the money? Does anyone notice a difference?

The long version: The companies selling stainless steel guide rods for Glocks claim that they are less likely to break or flex (throwing off accuracy) than the stock polymer guide rods. Has anyone ever actually had one of the polymer guide rods break? Is there a noticeable increase in accuracy with the s.s. rod? Is it hype? I have heard tell that the action cycles a little quieter with the s.s., but honestly the loudest part of shooting is not the action cycling so I'm not especially concerned with that.

Appreciate the help.

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[dmancornell]

^

They're a gimmick. I have over 10k rounds in my G17 and the plastic guide rod doesn't have a scratch on it. As for accuracy, I don't see how the guide rod has any role in how tight the barrel locks up with the slide.

 

[glockman99]

Save your money, and buy more ammo...Gaston Glock really DID know what he was doing when he designed the pistol.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

many handgun manufactures use plastic guide rods without any issue.

to me, it's all personal preference.

 

[Solomon]

They can actually cause malfuctions. When looking at a high speed video of a Glock being fired one can see the flex occuring in the polymer frame, when you add a guide rod that does not flex along with it, it can cause a malfuction.

Everything flexes at high speed, even steel. M&P's use a stainless steel guide rod with no issues. Most stainless steel guide rod malfunctions in Glocks are spring related.

I run stock rods in mine unless I want a heavier spring weight. 17-18 pound springs are a little light for 10mm and 357 Sig in my opinion.

 

[mjbskwim]

I have them in my G20 but Lone Wolf said I needed them with their long slides. So I can say anything about accuracy since they are basically new guns. But no malfunctions so far.

 

[Burt Gummer]

They can actually cause malfuctions. When looking at a high speed video of a Glock being fired one can see the flex occuring in the polymer frame, when you add a guide rod that does not flex along with it, it can cause a malfuction.

That is really good info. A little late for me, but good.

 

[jakk586]

I run an Aerotek in my G19. I like it because it use the factory spring and chose it because of this. I replaced th plastic rod because the spring was rubbing on the rod leaving little plastic shavings inside by gun. It's a reliability issue with me. I didn't want one of those bits of plastic to be in the wrong place at an opportune moment. As far as accuracy goes, I can ascribe no change, for better or worse, to the guide rod. The only reliability issue I've had can be directly linked to some non metal lined mags I was using.

 

[shakazulu12]

They can actually cause malfuctions. When looking at a high speed video of a Glock being fired one can see the flex occuring in the polymer frame, when you add a guide rod that does not flex along with it, it can cause a malfuction.

Going further, this has caused issues with Gen 3's with lights attached to the rail. People crank them down really tight, it stiffens up the front of the pistol and it no longer flexes as designed.

 

[jakk586]

It was the 22 and 23 only, not all gen 3's. It also had a lot to do with the weight and only a little to do with flex.Even a tungsten rod wouldn't enough mass or rigidity to induce a malfunction.