Need 1911 Help

tempey

tempey

Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
352
I have a Kimber Custom II that I wanted to have a G.I. length guide rod in so I bought a guide rod and and plug from wilson combat. I put them in and not only did the slide action become gritty it also bent the recoil spring after cycling the slide a couple times. I have 1500 rounds through it with a full length guide rod without a single jam or hickup so I was wondering if I need to buy something else to make it work with the G.I. guide rod or do something to the gun.
 
Recoil spring, along with guide rod and plug, are drop in parts. Shouldn't be a problem. Just replace the recoil spring, it's a wear part anyway.

I don't know what to tell you about the grittiness. I can't for the life of me imagine how swapping out the FLGR caused your Custom II to become gritty. What type of oil are you using?
 
You should use a standard 1911 style plug that is closed at the end. The full length guide rod uses plug that's open at the end.
 
kamagong said:
Swapping out the FLGR for a GI rod and plug is hardly a downgrade.
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6 one way half dozen the other.... I can't say I'm up to date with the 1911 but last I heard it was a benefit but I guess now its not so much. From what I see there is no definitive answer just a preference to one or the other. If its not needed then its not needed but I like them and as I recall it improved the play in my slide and added forward weight. (Tungsten rod)
 
the bent recoil spring was probably just rubbing against the dust cover producing the "gritty" feeling....FWIW... I use a full length guide rod (1911s drilled so they can be removed as a captured system) in all my competition pistols, even the Glock.... get rid of the shock buffs, they can cut thru, roll, and slow the slide
 
knifenut1013 said:
6 one way half dozen the other.... I can't say I'm up to date with the 1911 but last I heard it was a benefit but I guess now its not so much. From what I see there is no definitive answer just a preference to one or the other. If its not needed then its not needed but I like them and as I recall it improved the play in my slide and added forward weight. (Tungsten rod)
Click to expand...

I don't disagree necessarily. I had a Custom II myself, and I didn't swap out the FLGR for a GI setup.

The GI setup does have a few advantages. One, it doesn't require a wrench for disassembly. Two, it allows one-handed racking of the slide. Three, it allows you to use a spent .45acp case as a stopgap solution should you lose the plug.
 
kamagong said:
Swapping out the FLGR for a GI rod and plug is hardly a downgrade.
Click to expand...

My opinion as well.

I have a Custom II and took out the FLGR and swaped it for a GI. Runs a lot smoother. Both the guide rod and plug are Wilson I beleive, or Brown, it's been a while so I forgot. It got a lot smoother and accuracy improved a bit.

I'm not sure why you're having problems.

Out of curiosity, there are 2 diffent size plugs that I've seen, did you get a long plug or a short one (about the same length as the one for a FLGR)?
 
I bought the standard length plug. The action got gritty because the spring was rubbing against the dust cover, its almost like the spring is too long or something. The gun functions perfectly with the new rod and plug in its just weird. I was thinking about getting the flat spring from wilson combat, does anyone have any experience with that or know if it would help?

Thanks for the input so far
 
Did you slide the plug completely over the spring? there should be a little divot in the side of the plug that retains the spring - make sure that the spring is threaded all the way through to the front end of the plug and not getting caught on the divot.
 
use an ISMI spring....I use very heavy recoil springs in my 1911s (22#)... as I like the cartridge to make it into the chamber...once installed the spring will take a set, and lose a couple of pounds of tension... you might start with a 18#, IIRC 16 is stock for a full length 1911
 
Les Snyder said:
use an ISMI spring....I use very heavy recoil springs in my 1911s (22#)... as I like the cartridge to make it into the chamber...once installed the spring will take a set, and lose a couple of pounds of tension... you might start with a 18#, IIRC 16 is stock for a full length 1911
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Yep. I usually always change my springs out. The only drawback I can see with the heavier springs, especially 22#, is if the person hand loads, and likes to load their rounds with a lite charge for practice
 
338375 said:
Yep. I usually always change my springs out. The only drawback I can see with the heavier springs, especially 22#, is if the person hand loads, and likes to load their rounds with a lite charge for practice
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Nevermind. I'm an idiot.
 
Last edited:
The recoil spring won't affect the hammer at all. Those are affected by the mainspring and the firing pin spring.
 
kamagong said:
The recoil spring won't affect the hammer at all. Those are affected by the mainspring and the firing pin spring.
Click to expand...

Doh. That was stupid of me. That's the last time I post without having coffee in me and being fully awake.
 
338375 said:
Yep. I usually always change my springs out. The only drawback I can see with the heavier springs, especially 22#, is if the person hand loads, and likes to load their rounds with a lite charge for practice
Click to expand...

Another drawback to heavy recoil springs in a 1911 is it can beat the gun to death beacause the slide rams into battery a lot harder, and to keep the spring from binding you'd have to get a FLGR.

16 on a 1911 is perfect.
 
I have the stock 16# spring it, I shot 150 rounds through it on sunday and it work flawlessly and smoothed up nicely. I think the parts just needed to break in a little bit.
 
FLGR is a solution in search of a problem.

The Colt Govt. 1911 was designed so that it could be entirely disassembled by hand with only a .45ACP shell rim to work the screws. Adding a FLGR necessitates using a pin/paperclip to remove. What's the benefit? Less wear? More durable? I haven't seen any evidence of that and I have M1911s as old as 1927 and my personal defense pistol with over 150K rounds thru it. Service your guns, replace parts and springs as necessary, that's it. Oh yeah, get out to the range as much as possible!
 
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