GLOCK 23 GUIDE ROD INTEGRITY QUESTION

[BADASSKIMBER45]

First post, long time reader..
As many of you will judge from my username, I am a 1911 guy, but just got a new G-23 just because and I wanted an ultra simple gun in the house in case of break-in or otherwise.
My question is posed to the Glock guys among you. I want to know if I should replace the plastic guide rod with a heavier duty unit? And if possible, please tell me why if you think I shouldn't. I have my own ideas as to why I should. Namely, I don't like to look at a broken gun in the middle of a social meeting and have to say "oh CRAP"...
granted, guns don't really break too often these days what with the superb quality pieces that the companies are coming out with, but it does happen.
Thanks for any inputs!

[BountyHunter]

Have there been problems with the guide rod in the shorter bbl. pistols…shorter action cycling thing?

The only problems with guide rods (in model 22’s) that I’ve seen were when the guns were put through the “sonic-ultra sound” or what ever cleaning vats (I manually clean mine). Two weapons jammed at the range…strange. It was finally traced down to the possibility that the “lubricating” part of the “vat” system left some residue that attracted powder or other stuff on the plastic guide rod from firing and caused the pistols to malfunction. That’s the only time I’ve seen a Glock malfunction with the exception of faulty ammo, and that is rare. After they quit using the cleaning vat the problem disappeared.

This is an interesting question, what problems have you heard of with the model 23? Maybe someone with more experience than me can chime in.

I’m with ya on the 1911, I just got tired of clicking off the safety when we started to make a building entry and my partners saying “Jeez, don’t do that…that’s scary sounding.” And I have a 5# trigger pull on the .45.

Go figure.

So I went to a Glock for duty carry.

Still have the old S&W .357 for a “simple” operating house gun though that everyone can use.

[Hydra Shok]

Originally Posted by BADASSKIMBER45

My question is posed to the Glock guys among you. I want to know if I should replace the plastic guide rod with a heavier duty unit? And if possible, please tell me why if you think I shouldn't.

No. Why mess with perfection and one of the most reliable guns out of the box?

[Deputy Dawg]

I have a Glock 19 with several thousands round through it and i have never had a problem with the guide rod, Come to think of it I have never had a problem period with this weapon.

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by Deputy Dawg

I have a Glock 19 with several thousands round through it and i have never had a problem with the guide rod, Come to think of it I have never had a problem period with this weapon.

And that, Dawg, summarizes it quite well indeed, and refers to all Glocks in my humble opinion. I hear Gaston Glock is now up for sainthood and the church is thinking about adding a new book to the New Testament canon: The Book of Glock.

[BADASSKIMBER45]

I appreciate all the replies. To clarify this a little for you guys, the 23 will be my first Glock I have owned, however I have fired many. From 9mm all the way through and including 10 mm. The only caliber I haven't tried I think is a 357 Sig, of which I am a fan and wanted a 32 model, but was persuaded that it might be harder to get shipped on time. I am very impressed with the weapon, and it makes me even happier that the Anchorage PD here uses a 21. I have fired one of theirs too. More accurate than my Kimber Elite Carry, at least for me and my buddy that was with me.
I didn't mean to imply that there was any problems with the Glocks, only that I have read in an article or 2 and seen the ads for the stainless steel guide rod and spring kits. It looks to me like SS in that part would make more sense than ANY synthetic item, even with Glock's perfection. I have a bit of knowledge of metals being a mechanic, and that knowledge tells me that for a part like a guide rod that is getting severely pounded with every clipful of hot 40's or whatever caliber, that unless somehow the synthetic soaks up shock better or something, then SS would be preferable. Just an observation, nothing more. If someone has a bit more knowledge in the engineering aspects of these fine pistols, please clue this old country boy in. I am looking for knowledge and if I don't need to drop more than my fair share on top of my pistol price, then great, more money for ammo and other junk right?? Thanks for all the replies again guys and please feel free to jump right in here and tell me how it is! Thanks.

[BountyHunter]

In my humble and inexperienced opinion...go buy several boxes of ammo, shoot the h#ll out of it, and if it works don't fix it!

The fact that many L.E. departments are going/have went to Glocks for the simplicity and reliability that is comparable to wheelguns says volumes.

For concealed I still carry a single stack Colt; the square profile and double stack mag. of the Glock is just a tad much for me under a jacket.

I just wish they could do something about the import restrictions...I would have bought a baby Glock (model 27) instead of the .40 AMT Backup for pocket carry but the AMT was just a tad smaller with the rounded slide and no "finger rests" on the grip. The AMT fits in a pocket a bit better.

There is something about the baby Glock that I don't quite understand. I seem to shoot it better than a full sized model 22.

[riverrat27]

I have only heard of one factory guide rod breaking but never experienced a problem with any on my guns (19-21-31-34). I inspect all parts when giving a regular cleaning. Same process for my other make pistols. The bigger advantage to changing the guide rod would be to smooth out the felt recoil where the factory rod tends to flex more.

[HadEmAll]

I shot my G23 for several years with the factory plastic guide rod and captured spring with no malfunctions. I replaced it with a Wolff steel guide rod and separate spring a couple of years ago, and have still had no malfunctions. I like the steel guide rod just because.

[Peanut Man]

My guide rod was replaced a long time ago with a LaserMax..... Never a problem!

[southernshooter]

Peanut stole the words out of my mouth
If you would feel better repacing them go ahead and get a Lasemax which is a great thing on a home defense gun

[omegapd]

Originally Posted by HadEmAll

I shot my G23 for several years with the factory plastic guide rod and captured spring with no malfunctions. I replaced it with a Wolff steel guide rod and separate spring a couple of years ago, and have still had no malfunctions. I like the steel guide rod just because.

+1

Did the same exact thing. No problems. I figured why not? Cheap upgrade.

EW

[Kentuckian]

Originally Posted by BADASSKIMBER45

I want to know if I should replace the plastic guide rod with a heavier duty unit?

Hopefully this will answer your question.

[DeaconKC]

My duty weapon is a 23. Several thousand rounds through it without a single malfunction.

[shooter]

whats that guy thats in the magazines..Chuck Taylor? the one that has been beating the crap out of a model 17 for the last handful of yrs?

id email him and ask...he has been putting the 17 through hell and back..i would think he would an expert on real world testing of the glock

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by BADASSKIMBER45

My question is posed to the Glock guys among you. I want to know if I should replace the plastic guide rod with a heavier duty unit?

As you've already seen from the posts, Kimber, there's mixed opinion on that very important question. A friend of mine, a machinist by trade and a Glock shooter himself, told me that the strength of the plastic used in the Glock guiderods is more than adequate for the job, and I suppose he should know what he's talking about since he makes specialized parts--both steel and plastic--on contract for NASA. Be that as it may, however, I've never quite trusted the plastic guiderods. Polymers make perfect sense to me for use as a frame material, providing both strength and very light weight. In many ways, that's what makes a Glock such a handy pistol to carry and shoot. I can only say that I changed out the guiderods and recoil springs on both my G33 and G30 for high-quality, hardened steel ones made by Wolff. Many thousands of rounds later, both pistols still shoot as well as when they came out of the box, and that is quite well indeed! Perhaps they would still be working just as well had I retained the plastic guiderods and original springs. I simply don't know, but I do know I feel more confident in the pistols with the replacements. My only caution to you would be that if you choose to change out the guiderod, buy high-quality steel replacements, not that cheap crap that some online stores sell. My son bought one of those cheap replacements and his G27 chewed through the guiderod and broke the flange on it after only a few hundred rounds.