My grandfather was a 1911 guy, korea and veitnam marine. When he saw I had put a full length guide rod in my first 1911 he responded with "these weapons worked fine and have killed thousands on every part of the earth for 90 years as designed"... touche and semper fi grandpa
My dad was stationed at Fort Polk, LA. He did rather well in a inspection so his captain carried him to a tournament where Mr. Clark shot (late 50's). Dad was still talking about it shortly before he died a couple of years ago. Mr. Clark was an impressive guy!
Alot of manufacturers are putting in full length guide rods in their 1911's. I have got rid of mine and put in standard guide rods with a stronger spring. Works like a champ. Good advice Jerry !!
I had a Springer 1911 way way back in the day done up nice and tight by Novak's for bowling pin shoots. It had a full length guide rod. I don't like them, but I did an experiment. I fired for groups with the full length guide rod and then with a standard GI rod. The gun, as it was setup, was just a little tiny bit more accurate with the guide rod. Would never have one on a working gun but it seem to help in the accuarcy dept.
I went through most of the claptrap 30 yrs ago. A good 5# trigger, snug barrel, sights, and Shooting Star magazines are all you need. Experience tells me they're the best.
I sure hope this becomes a regular occurrence on your channel Mr. Miculek. I also am hoping you are writing a book about your life's story, filled with stories like these. Please Sir.
Even though some of the older guys have a strange way of making a point or maybe even offensive way to make their point, but if you listen to them , ( push your pride down a little and open your ears a lot), you can learn from experience and hard earned knowledge. As for Jerry. Well he's been in the gun industry for over 30 years so I tend to listen to what he has to say. He holds world records, tittles, and actually gets paid to shoot. Trains military and others. Jerry is smart enough to know that he always needs to learn and progress which means he's smart enough to be one of the best. If I ever got lucky enough to stand on a range with Jerry Miculek I'd listen to every word. He's trying to teach a good lesson with this video.
I like the plain full length guide rod on my Citadel 1911. It came with it so I saw no need to change it. It's nice to be able to pull the slide and not have to deal with the spring beforehand!
Mr. Jim Clark Sr. was one of the most impressive people I've ever met and I feel so very privileged to have him, in a manner of speaking, take me under his wing when I was a beginning pistol shooter. He treated me like family. I hope that one day we'll meet and I can tell you those stories.
Exactly what I was told.. My brother told me such when I got into 1911's. I bought a Kimber Stainless II and a full length Guide rod was installed, needless to say my Brother (USMC and 1911 connoisseur) Said, "If John B. didn't put it in the 1911, it doesn't need to be in the 1911.." I have gone through a few 1911's now I and down to the one I was looking for.. 1973 Series 70 Colt Combat Commander, and I am happy. Keep the videos Coming I show people as much as possible your videos and they Love them ;) RK
Ron Knott In 1976, I bought a Colt Combat Commander, .45 cal, satin finish. Other than shoot and clean it, I have done nothing to it. In 44 years, It has never jammed, even when putting a load of lead reloads to premium++ ammunition through.
It's a good point that you make in this video, Jerry. The same can be said within the cycling community. I know a lot of folks out there who build their bikes using gram scales to weigh components--only to find that these ultra-high dollar parts are often not up to snuff when it comes to performance. Worse, sometimes they actually pose a safety problem! Good stuff. I seriously enjoy your way of explaining what you do, during these videos.
@@michaelcolorado6107 TBH the Glock stores tungsten guide rod is pretty legit. It is 400% heavier and adds weight to the front of the gun. It balances very well on a Glock 34 I use in USPSA and I can now change spring weights. Something like that or a stainless guide rod if you want it light for carry. Heavy helps soak up recoil. Light is more comfortable to carry. Plenty of videos out there with proof that added weight to the barrel end mitigates recoil.
More of that kind of Forgotten stories would be much appreciated... Jerry is the kind of guy you want to take out the breakfast just so you can sit there and shut up and listen
I left a comment 1 year ago. Evidently none of the geniuses have read it to fully understand what the full length guide rod is supposed to do. The full length guide rod is designed to keep a straight linear motion of the slide and to prevent any snaking of the recoil spring. Also the function is to prevent any side to side we're on the slide which overtime will affect the timing cycle of a round.
When I carried 1911's religiously for years (bout 12) I never cared for the guide rod mania. Thought it was a solution to a problem that didn't exist in the first place.
i like my extended guide rod, it unscrews to be a standard length if i wanted to use it that way, so now wen i go to clean it i pull the slide back and unscrew the extended portion and breakdown is standard from that point on and it adds a lil weight up front, it was a gift from a close friend also so...
@@stuckcase7775 is it an old fisherman's trick? I just figured they make those rubber inserts that do the same thing so I made one out of leather that I had on hand.
Thanks Jerry. great story please share more. I picker up a new ruger sr22 for my wife and it failed right out of the box mag disconnect was bad. I'm thinking of selling both my ruger sr's and buying S&W M&Ps most of the time less is more .thanks again Jerry
I love this story cause it is so true !!! Too much crap on the market today that no-body really needs.... The perfect analogy, "meant to catch the fisherman, not the fish".
Gerry, Ever meet my Mom and Dads friend John Giles from Odessa, Fla. They meet while John was pistolsmithing in Panama and Dad was teaching Jungle School. Mom and Pat were best friends. John sure could work magic with a 1911 and if I am not mistaken was a good trusted friend of James Clark Sr.
Good story. But MOST production level 1911 you buy today other than the basic GI set up, have the FLGR. Colt, Kimber, Smith and Wesson, Springfield, Sig. etc. etc. Heck even majority of the Les Baer line up are shipped with full length guide rod.
I like this a lot. Always like to see you shoot, but this was just a nice way to give me some extra information that makes good common sense to me. Thank you.
really like hearing about your Father in law Mr. Clark. sounds like a guys guy. Nice Dillon! Ive got the Hornady LNL but was at scheels and was eyeing the 1050's. they are worlds apart. if i hadnt of bought the Hornady allready i wish i got a dillon. now dont get me wrong. I can load up super fast 5.56 Grendel and any pistol. but try sticking a 06 or lapua and you start to see where LNL falls short. so now im in the market for a Single stage press. Honestly i would have gotten one anyways. there is a art and a certain relaxing attribute to Reloading. and tuning a load for a specific Firearm is well, beautiful. anyways love watching you videos! Keep on Blazing
I love the Chamber Flagged Glock casually sitting in the background :) Also seeing the big Dillon in action makes me pine for my little 125 and the glory days of shooting in the UK (pre 1997) specifically Bisley in 1993 & the pin match I RO'd :(
2016KTM450 havent heard the m4 conversation but as far as what I said I just pointed out the ar15 design is great its reliable as fuck (unless you believe the fudlore) it's simple to operate(all of the controls are well placed) how it works is easy to understand (like the ak) it's easy enough to fully disassemble a literal child can do it (I've heard people say its hard/harder than an ak to break down I just assume those are people who havent taken one apart before they're stupidly easy) It's far easier than rifles like the ak to work (pins beat rivets and barrel nuts are a fucking dream) Using 1 reciever I can fire something like 7 different calibers by popping out 2 pins (and changed bolt assembly depending on the change aswell as possible adding a magazine adapter which is all simple) even doing that just to change barrel length (depending on what's on the gun may be as simple as pressing a button and turning the handguard look up dolos tactical) It's only real downsides is 1 it doesn't lend naturally to a fold over stock even though its minor I'll add it since the platform doesn't have many actual downsides 2 it requires more maintenance some people think this means clean ever day with premium shit but no you can clean once every 500 rounds with a bore snake a brush and used motor oil if you want to oil it (doesn't hurt but I'd wipe it off that holds dirt to the internals just like every other platform I prefer dry to near dry) basically if you're someone familiar with guns you'll clean an ar, m1a, ak, or any other gun 3 times more than what's necessary need for cleaning is more or less just a downside for people who dont take care of their weapon but it is a downside nonetheless And 3 the main one an issue every rifle that doenst use mags thst rock in which is putting a mag in on a closed bolt can result in it not fully seating and falling out annoying no matter how easily fixable it is
Never understood the salty tears. Keep your Vietnam AR I guess. I'll enjoy my SBR that's supressed, weights less and gas never had a malfunction that wasn't associated to user it bad ammo.
Another point to make about the guide rod being bad in a defensive 1911 is that it prevents the operator from being able to cycle a round into the chamber with the use of only one arm/hand if they were to become injured in a fight. You can use the edge of something like a table to rack the slide but not with the guide rod sticking out. It's a feature many people don't think about. You really don't want to use your sights for this purpose.
Jerry, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, I installed a FLGR kit with a 18# recoil spring. Before the guide rod I would cycle the assembled 1911 by hand slowly and would hear the recoil spring binding as it coiled up. The FLGR eliminates this spring from binding. Now if the gun is used with no guide rod can the spring binding cause excessive horizontal pressure on the slide grooves, I see more wear at one end of the slide grooves over the other end. The frame rails mic the same width. The grooves in the slide measure different widths. No one can tell me why and how this wear accurs in used 1911?
So to answer your questions I'll address it in parts. I'm not a gunsmith, but do have some experience with 1911s. So I hope this helps... 1 - Spring binding: the standard 1911 does have a guide rod though it is not full length. As the slide cycles the spring coils up on the guide rod and inside the plug/cap. The spring rubbing against the guide rod or inside the cap is probably the sound you are hearing. Make sure that you have a light coat of oil on the rod and around the inside of the opening of the plug. Not a lot, but those parts do tend to rub together. If you see any machining marks on the guide rod (tool marks from turning on a lathe that appear as lines) the spring is going to be sliding over those and making a noise as it does. You can polish the rod or drop $35 for a top quality rod and plug from someplace like Wilson Combat and the problem will go away. To be clear though, a binding of the spring would cause the gun to not cycle properly. If you are just hearing the sound but the gun functions it probably isn't a bind. 2 - horizontal pressure: This should not happen unless there is something significantly wrong with the gun. as stated before even with the standard GI rod and plug the spring coils around the rod which prevents it from moving someplace we don't want it going when compressed. It's not just floating around in there. Also the main forces are going to be front to back and not side to side so excessive horizontal pressure on the slide is going to be a very rare problem. 3 - uneven wear on the slide: This is most likely normal wear and tear on the gun. As the slide reciprocates when the gun is fired the two surfaces of the slide rails and grooves will polish each other. Depending on how tight the slide fit is and the tolerances of the slide to the frame this may appear to happen unevenly. For example, a slide might have a slightly tighter fit on the right side of the frame than on the left. And we could be talking about a few thousandths of an inch, so barely perceptible even with calipers. Over time, this may cause the right side to appear to wear faster than the left. It shouldn't be a problem unless you are seeing gouges or pitting in the slide rails or grooves. This is more likely to happen in a gun that is on the lower end of the price range, or sold as a mil-spec 1911 as these are machine fit and tend to have looser tolerances. The higher end 1911s mostly have hand fit slides with very tight tolerances. Just make sure to keep the rails and grooves well lubricated with a light oil and you should be good. If all else fails, try to find a knowledgeable gunsmith who does custom work with 1911s and have them take a look at it. They should be able to tell you right away if there is something wrong and what is causing it.
I have always believed in that concept, that all the bells and whistles don't mean anything to the base measure of the gun. If you have a solid gun, that is all you need.
I have a ati fx45 1911. It shot horribly when i first got it. I installed a new barrel link and the Wilson combat group gripper guide rod and it shot noticeably better. In my honest opinion i believe that part was not a gimmick
abialo2010 You are probably right...ATI and other 1911's in that catagory are not going to have the specs that WC, NH, GI etc will or their replacement parts...
Don't you run a full length guide rod on your 1911 (or one of them) Jerry? lol. I could have swore I saw one in one of your videos on that highly modded 1911.
Many years ago i put a Wilson shok-buff guide rod in my LW Commander, because of course the lighter weight gun needed the guide rod and the buffer pad! It seemed to affect the cycling reliability, so i eventualky took out the shok-buf pad. Eventually i will put tbe GI rod back in. Kimber uses a 2-piece rod in the Pro Carry, and u have to bend a paper clip 90° and insert it in the pin hole when field stripping. Mildly annoying, but not difficult. Very nice gun though, after a trigger job and some TFO sights
Iam with you Jerry, been telling my customers that for years.10% of fishing lures catch fish the other 90% catch fishermen There are a lot of firearm products out there that are not necessary for good accuracy. Butt look cool
Funny Video, thanks. I think it would be fun to get a tour of your place, and all the cool crap you have laying around in the background. I enjoyed the video where you showed some of your reloading process, maybe some videos to show more of the process / scale of the reloading you do would be fun.
I never thought they were needed. But I always like the balance of full rail 1911s and I hoping a few ounces might give me a bit of that feel on my standard 1911. Any thought on that idea?
I know this has been out for quite some time, but I am just now seeing it. I agree with Mr. Jim Clark Sr.'s view of all the un-necessary, "tacticool" devices; that were made to SELL but did nothing for the performance or reliability of the firearms they are/were made to fit. Too many people, that are new to shooting, are somehow convinced that they can buy equipment that will make them a better shooter. I'm not saying that some things cannot be improved. New innovations and slight re-designs have made some improvements, but they cannot make you perform your fundamental shooting techniques any better. There is no "magic bullet", or magic part(s) that will even come close to good training. Some of the best, most skilled shooters I have ever met use pretty basic equipment. I bought a basic Kimber stainless steel 1911, chambered for 45 ACP, back before there was a "Series II". It came with a full length guide rod, and a weak guide rod spring. I tried it stock. It was very accurate but it would, on occasion, fail to completely chamber a fresh round completely into battery and needed a bump on the back of the slide in order to go completely into battery. I changed the guide rod spring for a Wolff 18 lbs. spring. I also changed the full length guide rod for a basic Wilson guide rod and spring plunger. It's been thousands of rounds since then and I have not had a single issue with this pistol since. It still shoots better than me, but I am making progress. This next part is just for the folks out there that, are new to shooting, and are thinking about making an investment into this very expensive sport: The Dillon Super 1050, Mr. Miculek is using in this video, addresses one of the basic equipment needs that every shooter must account for: Lots, and lots of ammunition! Training is much more useful, to becoming proficient at shooting firearms, than any new gadget. The only thing I can add to anyone new, wishing to get into shooting sports, is that practice does NOT make perfect. Practice makes permanent. Invest in a qualified training program and keep pressing forward. Always revisit your shooting fundamentals during any training, no matter how advanced the training program might be. Tactics are no good if you can't hit what you are shooting at. Practice those fundamentals until you are doing the drills in your sleep. Practice those fundamentals until they are second nature, and then practice more. Every successful shooter I have known, has never been satisfied with his/her ability and they are always working to improve. Dry firing is so very important to imbedding the fundamental skills into one's sub-conscience, it cannot be over-stated. Live firing at the distances, and under the conditions, that one will most likely need those skills; is also very important. Dry firing alone will not suffice. If it did, then there would be no need to invest in a source of ammunition. Mr. Miculek, thank you for sharing your wisdom with us! I am over 50 years old; but if there is any way you could adopt me, and teach me to shoot, I would be a very obedient child!
Thumb up ! Please share with us ( fans and followers) about your reloading habits and accessories. I see you using Dillon press. I reload 9 mm, 40 sw and 45 acp, I will eventually start reloading .223/5.56 and 308 win. God Bless you and your family Jerry.
I have a hard chrome frame series 70 from 1976. Done by the master himself. With the tuner and the heavy barrel and long slide, where he welded the front on the slide to make it longer. Paid 600 for it and will never sell it. It shoot's 200 gr, swc @ 30 like a dream. And the trigger is amazing. Although you have to have it pointed down range and trigger pulled when charging the slide, to set the trigger for the shot. Gerry, is this how they came from Clark?
Ryan Aragon I hate to have to repeat myself and others, but IT DOES NOT MAKE FIELD STRIPPING ANY EASIER. AT ALL. I've been fooling around with 1911's for the better part of half a century (for you youthful types, that's 50 years) and I (at my advanced age...) can field strip a GI style 1911 and reassemble it in complete darkness. That is pretty much what John Moses Browning had intended his pistol to be. Effective and easily serviced by the end user. Put a full length guide rod in there and take it apart and reassemble the damned thing in some very dark and ugly place. Send me the video. Love to see it.
How is pulling the slide stop and removing the entire slide like a modern design harder and thats fine and dandy bret that you can field strip it in the dark reassembly is gonna be a whole other game when the recoil spring rolls away from you then its either lights on time or game over right?
Haha! I wish you had told this story to Kimber. I especially like the part about needing a tool to take it apart. I picked up a Pro Raptor II last week and I couldn't believe when I read in the manual that it takes a tool to remove the recoil spring. Had to put a paper clip on my keychain so I can sleep nights...until I figure out what to replace it with. Commander length with a 22# recoil spring and full length guide rod under a 4 inch bushingless barrel.
I learned this way back in the 70s! Watching the "Marketing Wizards" harvest $$$ from the John Q. Public is one my favorite past-times. Barnum was absolutely correct! There really IS one born every minute!!!! ;)
Heed the advice of the Masters of gun science. Believe me I paid attention when I was young. Elmer Keith, Colonel Jeff Cooper, Joyce Hornady, My father a veteran of both Korea and Vietnam who served in a ranger regiment and later 5th special forces in Vietnam. Pay attention to the teachings as they will serve you well.
GI guide rod, full length guide rod plastic guide rod, for 1911s full length or GI its personal preference, they both work it depends on what you like, plastic guide rods they work but definitely they're there to cut cost, metal guide rods are better for the long run, in my humble opinion 😉.
Jerry your awesome as ever! However you have to understand a lot of people like certain niche things too so those things are on the market for that reason like guide rods for 1911s. Some of my 1911s have them and some dont. Does a guide rod change performance in a 1911? Eh... i cant really tell any difference. Also some guns have plastic parts on guns and owners dont like them so they replace them with metal parts instead. For example the CZ-75 and P-11 have plastic guide rods. Do they work? Yes! However people dont like plastic parts too much!
i like my full length guide rod! it screws together in the middle so it takes no tools to remove and adds a lil weight out front and smoothed out the feel alot! wen i clean it i pull the slide back unscrew the guide rod and continue like normal no buffers or any thing mine is simple i guess?
Love the stash of guns in the background... especially the M&P stashed up on the shelves in the background.... The LE's in my non-free state would have a bird if they saw all that cool stuff laying around...
there sure is some controversy about guide rods going on here. it is all about what works for the individual. i have used most types and have figured out what works for me. full length rods with a hole for take down work in my competition and carry guns seem to work just fine and dont add much weight. tried tungsten and it was a little heavy.
Cold here in hawaii too. Must have been 60 degrees out this morning. :) Great story. My dad gave me a 1911 which has an extended guide rod that itself has a spring in it. No benifits to it you wouldn't say?
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It's made to catch the fisherman not the fish. That's why i like Jerry's videos. I always get something good out of them.
unless you are fixing the stupid hinged trigger on a S&W (M&P) lol
Ya like a waste of time?! Big catch there
I love the old school honesty. More stories please Jerry! Thank you sir!
RIP Jim. I was fortunate enough to have Jim as my concealed carry instructor. He was a great guy and will be missed.
+don quixote Yes, Jim passed away. www.shreveporttimes.com/story/sports/2015/12/08/jim-clark-clark-custom-guns-passes-away/77000820/
Indeed he was a cool cat!
Fast forward to today and Jerry runs a Tungsten guide rod on his Stryker fired race gun
My grandfather was a 1911 guy, korea and veitnam marine. When he saw I had put a full length guide rod in my first 1911 he responded with "these weapons worked fine and have killed thousands on every part of the earth for 90 years as designed"... touche and semper fi grandpa
I like fill length guide rods. The slide retracts noticeably smoother with one. Is it necessary? No. But it is a nice upgrade in my opinion.
Your opinion is wrong, and it does nothing to increase the performance. Your belief is a placebo effect.
"Made to catch the fisherman instead of the fish."
AWESOME.
I have one of Jim’s Clark Custom 1911’s and it’s still a phenomenal pistol after several decades.
I have a 1911 I put together about 20 years ago. I put in a full-length, 2-piece guide rod. Bought the guide rod from Clark's Custom Guns.
Ouch ;-)
They caught a fisherman
Lol
thanks Jerry... U are a living legend and taking time with your fans is a humble thing. U are the greatest shooter in history..
JW
What a treat would be to sit with Jerry and listen to stories and experiences!
My dad was stationed at Fort Polk, LA. He did rather well in a inspection so his captain carried him to a tournament where Mr. Clark shot (late 50's). Dad was still talking about it shortly before he died a couple of years ago. Mr. Clark was an impressive guy!
Alot of manufacturers are putting in full length guide rods in their 1911's. I have got rid of mine and put in standard guide rods with a stronger spring. Works like a champ. Good advice Jerry !!
I had a Springer 1911 way way back in the day done up nice and tight by Novak's for bowling pin shoots. It had a full length guide rod. I don't like them, but I did an experiment. I fired for groups with the full length guide rod and then with a standard GI rod. The gun, as it was setup, was just a little tiny bit more accurate with the guide rod. Would never have one on a working gun but it seem to help in the accuarcy dept.
I went through most of the claptrap 30 yrs ago.
A good 5# trigger, snug barrel, sights, and Shooting Star magazines are all you need. Experience tells me they're the best.
I sure hope this becomes a regular occurrence on your channel Mr. Miculek. I also am hoping you are writing a book about your life's story, filled with stories like these. Please Sir.
Even though some of the older guys have a strange way of making a point or maybe even offensive way to make their point, but if you listen to them , ( push your pride down a little and open your ears a lot), you can learn from experience and hard earned knowledge. As for Jerry. Well he's been in the gun industry for over 30 years so I tend to listen to what he has to say. He holds world records, tittles, and actually gets paid to shoot. Trains military and others. Jerry is smart enough to know that he always needs to learn and progress which means he's smart enough to be one of the best. If I ever got lucky enough to stand on a range with Jerry Miculek I'd listen to every word. He's trying to teach a good lesson with this video.
Right on. You should think about doing a video on your reloading setup.
I like the plain full length guide rod on my Citadel 1911.
It came with it so I saw no need to change it.
It's nice to be able to pull the slide and not have to deal with the spring beforehand!
I won't buy anything with Citadel's name on it. And it's all Ken Griffin’s fault
Mr. Jim Clark Sr. was one of the most impressive people I've ever met and I feel so very privileged to have him, in a manner of speaking, take me under his wing when I was a beginning pistol shooter. He treated me like family. I hope that one day we'll meet and I can tell you those stories.
It made to catch the fisherman not the fish best quote ever from Jerry
It's a fishing quote. About fishing gear and fishermen
How can you not like JM videos? He's Great & his input is Great! Keep up the good work!
You should do these “story time” videos on a regular basis. They are priceless!
Spoken like a true wise man..Love it!!!
Exactly what I was told.. My brother told me such when I got into 1911's.
I bought a Kimber Stainless II and a full length Guide rod was installed, needless to say my Brother (USMC and 1911 connoisseur) Said, "If John B. didn't put it in the 1911, it doesn't need to be in the 1911.."
I have gone through a few 1911's now I and down to the one I was looking for..
1973 Series 70 Colt Combat Commander, and I am happy.
Keep the videos Coming I show people as much as possible your videos and they Love them ;)
RK
Ron Knott In 1976, I bought a Colt Combat Commander, .45 cal, satin finish. Other than shoot and clean it, I have done nothing to it. In 44 years, It has never jammed, even when putting a load of lead reloads to premium++ ammunition through.
well then in that case all 1911 should have fixed iron sights then no fancy fiber optic sights.
Love this little anecdote - If you ever have any more to share, post them up!
It's a good point that you make in this video, Jerry. The same can be said within the cycling community. I know a lot of folks out there who build their bikes using gram scales to weigh components--only to find that these ultra-high dollar parts are often not up to snuff when it comes to performance. Worse, sometimes they actually pose a safety problem!
Good stuff. I seriously enjoy your way of explaining what you do, during these videos.
Jim Sr is my hero. Thanks for the story!
Now that is a great story. Need more of these Story Times with Jerry.
That's my favorite story Uncle Jerry tell us another one!!
Nice story, keep them coming.
How about a walk through etc on your reloading setup
We want more Jerry, Love your wisdom and your a great story teller
It's amazing how personal experiences translate to wisdom as you age. I wish Jerry was my neighbor!
Great Story! Great segment! Great Jim Sr picture! Would love to hear more about your experiences with the master, Jim Clark Sr. Thanks!
What's your opinion on manufacturers using plastic guide rods in their pistols? I don't get it... Seems to me this is a way to cut costs.
I sure wish Jerry would have responded to your question. I’d love to know the answer even more so now, as my G17’s plastic guide rod just broke. 🤦♂️
put a stainless guide rod on my glock...
@@michaelcolorado6107 replaced that plastic rod with a stainless steel guide rod. ( my plastic rod had chipped on the rear end )
@@michaelcolorado6107 TBH the Glock stores tungsten guide rod is pretty legit. It is 400% heavier and adds weight to the front of the gun. It balances very well on a Glock 34 I use in USPSA and I can now change spring weights. Something like that or a stainless guide rod if you want it light for carry. Heavy helps soak up recoil. Light is more comfortable to carry. Plenty of videos out there with proof that added weight to the barrel end mitigates recoil.
I've heard tungsten can damage 1911 frames. I have a steel but I agree with the old guy my stock plastic worked just fine.
I really like people who say what is on their minds. I think Mr. Clark and myself would probably get along. Thanks for the story time Uncle Jerry.
Great story. Thoroughly enjoyable. Would love to hear/see more of the same.
More of that kind of Forgotten stories would be much appreciated... Jerry is the kind of guy you want to take out the breakfast just so you can sit there and shut up and listen
I left a comment 1 year ago.
Evidently none of the geniuses have read it to fully understand what the full length guide rod is supposed to do. The full length guide rod is designed to keep a straight linear motion of the slide and to prevent any snaking of the recoil spring. Also the function is to prevent any side to side we're on the slide which overtime will affect the timing cycle of a round.
If it needed it, JMB would have put it there....
When I carried 1911's religiously for years (bout 12) I never cared for the guide rod mania. Thought it was a solution to a problem that didn't exist in the first place.
Do you legit carry a pistol around with you?
John Browning got it right
@@8acun all the time with one in the chamber
@@u.p.woodtick3296 May I ask why?
@@8acun if God forbid you every have to use a gun it will come down to spit seconds or you will come out in second place.
"I paid $120 for it!"
"That? Cuz you're stupid."
hahaha, nice story 8)
i like my extended guide rod, it unscrews to be a standard length if i wanted to use it that way, so now wen i go to clean it i pull the slide back and unscrew the extended portion and breakdown is standard from that point on and it adds a lil weight up front, it was a gift from a close friend also so...
Thanks for this. I'm now glad that the tungsten guide rod I was looking at is out of stock.
Great story, always like to hear the experience
Another vote for continuing this series!
I remember when Clarke Guns was on Highway 80 in Bossier City. From Haughton, originally, myself.
Jerry, please do more of these. Made my day :)
Found a Wilson combat full length guide rod at my local gun show for 15$ bought the damn thing. Just adds weight but it looks beautiful.
I made a buffer for my guide rod out of a piece of leather belt, it works great and it keeps the slide from clapping the frame, simple.
Another fisherman caught
@@stuckcase7775 is it an old fisherman's trick?
I just figured they make those rubber inserts that do the same thing so I made one out of leather that I had on hand.
Thanks Jerry. great story please share more. I picker up a new ruger sr22 for my wife and it failed right out of the box mag disconnect was bad. I'm thinking of selling both my ruger sr's and buying S&W M&Ps most of the time less is more .thanks again Jerry
Great story, and subject!
I love this story cause it is so true !!! Too much crap on the market today that no-body really needs.... The perfect analogy, "meant to catch the fisherman, not the fish".
I know it's been awhile. But what a great story !!!! Thanks Jerry :)
Gerry, Ever meet my Mom and Dads friend John Giles from Odessa, Fla. They meet while John was pistolsmithing in Panama and Dad was teaching Jungle School. Mom and Pat were best friends. John sure could work magic with a 1911 and if I am not mistaken was a good trusted friend of James Clark Sr.
Good story. But MOST production level 1911 you buy today other than the basic GI set up, have the FLGR. Colt, Kimber, Smith and Wesson, Springfield, Sig. etc. etc. Heck even majority of the Les Baer line up are shipped with full length guide rod.
There's no one better than JM!
I like this a lot. Always like to see you shoot, but this was just a nice way to give me some extra information that makes good common sense to me. Thank you.
Replaced my factory full length guide rod and locking main spring housing with standard. If it ain't broke...
great video. very important to distinguish the good from the gimmicks
really like hearing about your Father in law Mr. Clark. sounds like a guys guy. Nice Dillon! Ive got the Hornady LNL but was at scheels and was eyeing the 1050's. they are worlds apart. if i hadnt of bought the Hornady allready i wish i got a dillon. now dont get me wrong. I can load up super fast 5.56 Grendel and any pistol. but try sticking a 06 or lapua and you start to see where LNL falls short. so now im in the market for a Single stage press. Honestly i would have gotten one anyways. there is a art and a certain relaxing attribute to Reloading. and tuning a load for a specific Firearm is well, beautiful. anyways love watching you videos! Keep on Blazing
A book containing all these anecdotes and tips would be awesome.
Logan Clark customized my 1911. With front strap checkering. Very cool.
I love the Chamber Flagged Glock casually sitting in the background :) Also seeing the big Dillon in action makes me pine for my little 125 and the glory days of shooting in the UK (pre 1997) specifically Bisley in 1993 & the pin match I RO'd :(
so true and even more so in the AR 15 market , never have a saw another weapon system so over run by tacticool kids as in AR's lol
2016KTM450 you realise the ar15 is also an amazing design right? All the fanboys and salty boys are a good laugh though
2016KTM450 that's honestly as simple as it can be worded so I hope you're just playing stupid
2016KTM450 havent heard the m4 conversation but as far as what I said I just pointed out the ar15 design is great
its reliable as fuck (unless you believe the fudlore)
it's simple to operate(all of the controls are well placed)
how it works is easy to understand (like the ak)
it's easy enough to fully disassemble a literal child can do it (I've heard people say its hard/harder than an ak to break down I just assume those are people who havent taken one apart before they're stupidly easy)
It's far easier than rifles like the ak to work (pins beat rivets and barrel nuts are a fucking dream)
Using 1 reciever I can fire something like 7 different calibers by popping out 2 pins (and changed bolt assembly depending on the change aswell as possible adding a magazine adapter which is all simple) even doing that just to change barrel length (depending on what's on the gun may be as simple as pressing a button and turning the handguard look up dolos tactical)
It's only real downsides is
1 it doesn't lend naturally to a fold over stock even though its minor I'll add it since the platform doesn't have many actual downsides
2 it requires more maintenance some people think this means clean ever day with premium shit but no you can clean once every 500 rounds with a bore snake a brush and used motor oil if you want to oil it (doesn't hurt but I'd wipe it off that holds dirt to the internals just like every other platform I prefer dry to near dry) basically if you're someone familiar with guns you'll clean an ar, m1a, ak, or any other gun 3 times more than what's necessary need for cleaning is more or less just a downside for people who dont take care of their weapon but it is a downside nonetheless
And 3 the main one an issue every rifle that doenst use mags thst rock in which is putting a mag in on a closed bolt can result in it not fully seating and falling out annoying no matter how easily fixable it is
2016KTM450 guess that's your go to response when you have no argument
Never understood the salty tears. Keep your Vietnam AR I guess. I'll enjoy my SBR that's supressed, weights less and gas never had a malfunction that wasn't associated to user it bad ammo.
Got my first 1911 (67 yr old wheel gun r ) and gonna keep it simple so I'm not stupid.
Good story thanks jerry
you should start a series called story time i really enjoyed this video
Another point to make about the guide rod being bad in a defensive 1911 is that it prevents the operator from being able to cycle a round into the chamber with the use of only one arm/hand if they were to become injured in a fight. You can use the edge of something like a table to rack the slide but not with the guide rod sticking out. It's a feature many people don't think about. You really don't want to use your sights for this purpose.
I think Jerry would say your tacticool mindset is about as useful as that guide rod.
Jerry, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, I installed a FLGR kit with a 18# recoil spring. Before the guide rod I would cycle the assembled 1911 by hand slowly and would hear the recoil spring binding as it coiled up. The FLGR eliminates this spring from binding. Now if the gun is used with no guide rod can the spring binding cause excessive horizontal pressure on the slide grooves, I see more wear at one end of the slide grooves over the other end. The frame rails mic the same width. The grooves in the slide measure different widths. No one can tell me why and how this wear accurs in used 1911?
So to answer your questions I'll address it in parts. I'm not a gunsmith, but do have some experience with 1911s. So I hope this helps...
1 - Spring binding: the standard 1911 does have a guide rod though it is not full length. As the slide cycles the spring coils up on the guide rod and inside the plug/cap. The spring rubbing against the guide rod or inside the cap is probably the sound you are hearing. Make sure that you have a light coat of oil on the rod and around the inside of the opening of the plug. Not a lot, but those parts do tend to rub together. If you see any machining marks on the guide rod (tool marks from turning on a lathe that appear as lines) the spring is going to be sliding over those and making a noise as it does. You can polish the rod or drop $35 for a top quality rod and plug from someplace like Wilson Combat and the problem will go away. To be clear though, a binding of the spring would cause the gun to not cycle properly. If you are just hearing the sound but the gun functions it probably isn't a bind.
2 - horizontal pressure: This should not happen unless there is something significantly wrong with the gun. as stated before even with the standard GI rod and plug the spring coils around the rod which prevents it from moving someplace we don't want it going when compressed. It's not just floating around in there. Also the main forces are going to be front to back and not side to side so excessive horizontal pressure on the slide is going to be a very rare problem.
3 - uneven wear on the slide: This is most likely normal wear and tear on the gun. As the slide reciprocates when the gun is fired the two surfaces of the slide rails and grooves will polish each other. Depending on how tight the slide fit is and the tolerances of the slide to the frame this may appear to happen unevenly. For example, a slide might have a slightly tighter fit on the right side of the frame than on the left. And we could be talking about a few thousandths of an inch, so barely perceptible even with calipers. Over time, this may cause the right side to appear to wear faster than the left. It shouldn't be a problem unless you are seeing gouges or pitting in the slide rails or grooves. This is more likely to happen in a gun that is on the lower end of the price range, or sold as a mil-spec 1911 as these are machine fit and tend to have looser tolerances. The higher end 1911s mostly have hand fit slides with very tight tolerances. Just make sure to keep the rails and grooves well lubricated with a light oil and you should be good.
If all else fails, try to find a knowledgeable gunsmith who does custom work with 1911s and have them take a look at it. They should be able to tell you right away if there is something wrong and what is causing it.
I have always believed in that concept, that all the bells and whistles don't mean anything to the base measure of the gun. If you have a solid gun, that is all you need.
I have a ati fx45 1911. It shot horribly when i first got it. I installed a new barrel link and the Wilson combat group gripper guide rod and it shot noticeably better. In my honest opinion i believe that part was not a gimmick
abialo2010 You are probably right...ATI and other 1911's in that catagory are not going to have the specs that WC, NH, GI etc will or their replacement parts...
Don't you run a full length guide rod on your 1911 (or one of them) Jerry? lol. I could have swore I saw one in one of your videos on that highly modded 1911.
I love my guide rod & shock buffers.. Amazing difference..
Be cautious of shock buffers. They tend to break down in short period of time. Do not ever put it in your carry gun. Trust me on this.
Marcelino2435 Competitors who use them generally are pretty faithful to inspect and replace them as needed.
They are super cheap so I replace them every 500 rounds.. Good point..
Many years ago i put a Wilson shok-buff guide rod in my LW Commander, because of course the lighter weight gun needed the guide rod and the buffer pad! It seemed to affect the cycling reliability, so i eventualky took out the shok-buf pad. Eventually i will put tbe GI rod back in. Kimber uses a 2-piece rod in the Pro Carry, and u have to bend a paper clip 90° and insert it in the pin hole when field stripping. Mildly annoying, but not difficult. Very nice gun though, after a trigger job and some TFO sights
Iam with you Jerry, been telling my customers that for years.10% of fishing lures catch fish the other 90% catch fishermen
There are a lot of firearm products out there that are not necessary for good accuracy. Butt look cool
So true! I see this ridiculous stuff all the time...
Funny Video, thanks. I think it would be fun to get a tour of your place, and all the cool crap you have laying around in the background. I enjoyed the video where you showed some of your reloading process, maybe some videos to show more of the process / scale of the reloading you do would be fun.
I never thought they were needed. But I always like the balance of full rail 1911s and I hoping a few ounces might give me a bit of that feel on my standard 1911. Any thought on that idea?
I know this has been out for quite some time, but I am just now seeing it. I agree with Mr. Jim Clark Sr.'s view of all the un-necessary, "tacticool" devices; that were made to SELL but did nothing for the performance or reliability of the firearms they are/were made to fit. Too many people, that are new to shooting, are somehow convinced that they can buy equipment that will make them a better shooter. I'm not saying that some things cannot be improved. New innovations and slight re-designs have made some improvements, but they cannot make you perform your fundamental shooting techniques any better. There is no "magic bullet", or magic part(s) that will even come close to good training. Some of the best, most skilled shooters I have ever met use pretty basic equipment.
I bought a basic Kimber stainless steel 1911, chambered for 45 ACP, back before there was a "Series II". It came with a full length guide rod, and a weak guide rod spring. I tried it stock. It was very accurate but it would, on occasion, fail to completely chamber a fresh round completely into battery and needed a bump on the back of the slide in order to go completely into battery. I changed the guide rod spring for a Wolff 18 lbs. spring. I also changed the full length guide rod for a basic Wilson guide rod and spring plunger. It's been thousands of rounds since then and I have not had a single issue with this pistol since. It still shoots better than me, but I am making progress.
This next part is just for the folks out there that, are new to shooting, and are thinking about making an investment into this very expensive sport:
The Dillon Super 1050, Mr. Miculek is using in this video, addresses one of the basic equipment needs that every shooter must account for: Lots, and lots of ammunition! Training is much more useful, to becoming proficient at shooting firearms, than any new gadget. The only thing I can add to anyone new, wishing to get into shooting sports, is that practice does NOT make perfect. Practice makes permanent. Invest in a qualified training program and keep pressing forward. Always revisit your shooting fundamentals during any training, no matter how advanced the training program might be. Tactics are no good if you can't hit what you are shooting at. Practice those fundamentals until you are doing the drills in your sleep. Practice those fundamentals until they are second nature, and then practice more. Every successful shooter I have known, has never been satisfied with his/her ability and they are always working to improve. Dry firing is so very important to imbedding the fundamental skills into one's sub-conscience, it cannot be over-stated. Live firing at the distances, and under the conditions, that one will most likely need those skills; is also very important. Dry firing alone will not suffice. If it did, then there would be no need to invest in a source of ammunition.
Mr. Miculek, thank you for sharing your wisdom with us! I am over 50 years old; but if there is any way you could adopt me, and teach me to shoot, I would be a very obedient child!
Thumb up !
Please share with us ( fans and followers) about your reloading habits and accessories. I see you using Dillon press. I reload 9 mm, 40 sw and 45 acp, I will eventually start reloading .223/5.56 and 308 win.
God Bless you and your family Jerry.
Love all the Dillon 1050s!
I have a hard chrome frame series 70 from 1976. Done by the master himself. With the tuner and the heavy barrel and long slide, where he welded the front on the slide to make it longer. Paid 600 for it and will never sell it. It shoot's 200 gr, swc @ 30 like a dream. And the trigger is amazing. Although you have to have it pointed down range and trigger pulled when charging the slide, to set the trigger for the shot. Gerry, is this how they came from Clark?
Jimmie Stewart asks John Wayne "Is it true that the harder you pull the trigger the further the bullet goes?"
I tried that that. My SHOT placement was down, super low.... Shot my darn Chronograph.
I like the full length guide rod set up not cause it looks cool not for reliability purposes but because it makes field stripping hell of a lot easier
The G.I. Guide rod is even easier to field strip.
Ryan Aragon I hate to have to repeat myself and others, but IT DOES NOT MAKE FIELD STRIPPING ANY EASIER. AT ALL. I've been fooling around with 1911's for the better part of half a century (for you youthful types, that's 50 years) and I (at my advanced age...) can field strip a GI style 1911 and reassemble it in complete darkness. That is pretty much what John Moses Browning had intended his pistol to be. Effective and easily serviced by the end user. Put a full length guide rod in there and take it apart and reassemble the damned thing in some very dark and ugly place. Send me the video. Love to see it.
Are you crazy? The full-length guide rod makes it MORE complicated, not less
How is pulling the slide stop and removing the entire slide like a modern design harder and thats fine and dandy bret that you can field strip it in the dark reassembly is gonna be a whole other game when the recoil spring rolls away from you then its either lights on time or game over right?
Thanks a lot for the story, 'cause I just bought a full length guide rod! It's only stainless, not a tungsten variation. I should be safe.
Great story. Always good to get advice from some one that actually knows what they are talking about.
Haha! I wish you had told this story to Kimber. I especially like the part about needing a tool to take it apart. I picked up a Pro Raptor II last week and I couldn't believe when I read in the manual that it takes a tool to remove the recoil spring. Had to put a paper clip on my keychain so I can sleep nights...until I figure out what to replace it with. Commander length with a 22# recoil spring and full length guide rod under a 4 inch bushingless barrel.
I learned this way back in the 70s! Watching the "Marketing Wizards" harvest $$$ from the John Q. Public is one my favorite past-times. Barnum was absolutely correct! There really IS one born every minute!!!! ;)
Heed the advice of the Masters of gun science. Believe me I paid attention when I was young. Elmer Keith, Colonel Jeff Cooper, Joyce Hornady, My father a veteran of both Korea and Vietnam who served in a ranger regiment and later 5th special forces in Vietnam. Pay attention to the teachings as they will serve you well.
GI guide rod, full length guide rod plastic guide rod, for 1911s full length or GI its personal preference, they both work it depends on what you like, plastic guide rods they work but definitely they're there to cut cost, metal guide rods are better for the long run, in my humble opinion 😉.
Good stuff, Jerry!
I have a Clark custom “Hardball”. Very nice 1911.
The only part I have changed on my Colt 1911 is the recoil spring after 2K rounds. Oh and my grips for VZ grips.
Jerry your awesome as ever! However you have to understand a lot of people like certain niche things too so those things are on the market for that reason like guide rods for 1911s. Some of my 1911s have them and some dont. Does a guide rod change performance in a 1911? Eh... i cant really tell any difference. Also some guns have plastic parts on guns and owners dont like them so they replace them with metal parts instead. For example the CZ-75 and P-11 have plastic guide rods. Do they work? Yes! However people dont like plastic parts too much!
i like my full length guide rod! it screws together in the middle so it takes no tools to remove and adds a lil weight out front and smoothed out the feel alot! wen i clean it i pull the slide back unscrew the guide rod and continue like normal no buffers or any thing mine is simple i guess?
Valuable information in a very short story!
I would love to spend a day with this man, and pick his brain and get lessons on how to b a better shooter....he's definitely one of the best!👍👍👍
I know exactly the deal with the full-length recoil rod and the buffer situation I have both and they are out of my gun and in a tool box.
Love the stash of guns in the background... especially the M&P stashed up on the shelves in the background.... The LE's in my non-free state would have a bird if they saw all that cool stuff laying around...
breyton490 not M&P. It’s a Glock.
there sure is some controversy about guide rods going on here. it is all about what works for the individual. i have used most types and have figured out what works for me. full length rods with a hole for take down work in my competition and carry guns seem to work just fine and dont add much weight. tried tungsten and it was a little heavy.
Cold here in hawaii too. Must have been 60 degrees out this morning. :)
Great story. My dad gave me a 1911 which has an extended guide rod that itself has a spring in it. No benifits to it you wouldn't say?
That might be a group gripper guide rod pushes the barrel up for better lockup. It was said to be the best device for accuracy. Never tried one.