Personal preference. A lot of bull barrels use them, almost have to with the way the gun goes together without a bushing.

I run guides on most of my 1911s.

 

As to the original question, No.

 

Beat me to it. No. But like somebody said, personal preference. I just don’t see it.

 

I have WC 17lb flat wire spring in two of my 1911's, that also use the square bottom FPS plate. I also tried the Colt Dual Spring in one of these pistols. I like the WC Flat Wire best. There seems to be less muzzle flip with the flat wire.

But, when you hand cycle the slide on my 1911's you can hear spring noise from the flat wire springs. Of course shooting its not loud enough to be heard over the shot.
It may just be the characteristics of the flat wire spring. But I can't help to imagine that perhaps the flat wire is not staying co-centric and bouncing off the round nose of the standard guide rod.

BTW, because the flat wire is flat and wide, the inside diameter is smaller, and thus needs a smaller diameter guide rod. It is just about impossible to insert the spring into the slide already assembled on the frame, which is easy for the conventional spring. The broader spring wire just cannot get lined up with the guide rod and slide over it, trying to thread it down the slide opening. You have to install the spring on the guide with the slide off, where you can hold and manipulate the guide rod and spring to get them lined up and the spring over the rod.

WC seems to claim there is a difference with the full length guide rod and flat wire, so I'll see, I'll let everyone know if there is any noticeable difference. If there is, I suspect it's because the flat wire spring works better with a full length guide rod and not necessarily the full length guide rod works better for all springs...

 

In the past, when I'd buy a 1911 with a full length guide rod (without a requirement for one) I'd remove it and replace it with a standard one. One has been supremely reliable since day 1, and the other has been after a few hundred rounds of break in. It's an entry level gun so it's hardly surprising it took a while to settle in.

 

I have (1) 1911 that came with a Full Length Guide Rod and it doesn't do anything any better that my other two 1911's with a standard guide rod. I've researched flat wire recoil springs and it seems spring life is longer for the flat wire but 1911 recoil springs are cheap enough that I really can't justify a flat wire spring set up.

 

I suppose it depends on the gun, but I won't have one in a full-sized 5" 1911, which is all I have.

I've tried them, and they worked. My Kimber came from the factory with one. But I'd rather save the weight and just stick to Browning's original design.

 

I admit I'm not an engineer. I only speak of my personal experiences. I have a CQB full-size that came with a conventional spring set-up, and changed over to a full-length guide rod because a friend gave it to me. I cannot say I could tell which one shot better, In fact, like most of my weapons, the CQB shoots far better than this shooter can shoot.

Grumpy

 

This has been discussed here many times.

FLRGs are a solution to a non-existent problem. If you must get one, make sure it is one-piece. I have one from Wilson that was 2-piece and loved to unscrew itself, which made disassembly very difficult. I replaced it and the end-cap and never looked back.

 

My latest 1911 a Springer TRP came with a FLGR. I threw in my neighbors back yard so he could worry about it.

 

1 piece or 2 piece?

 

I see full length guide rods on some 1911's. Wilson Combat says about their full length guide rod for the conventional spring....

Marketing to sell a part. I've used every guide rod setup known to the 1911 platform, as far as raw function there is no difference. If your 1911 is less reliable, it will emphatically not be due to using a full length or GI length guide rod. Unless it's a 2 piece guide rod and it un-screws itself on the range - I've also found that out the hard way.

But for the Flat Wire Full Length Guide Rod they claim....



These are the simple full length guide rods, just a longer rod that go through an opening in the spring plug...

I have the WC Flat Wire spring in my self-made 1911's, and I like it. I ordered a WC Full Length Guide Rod for the Flat Wire Spring, to try it out.

Is there really an advantage? Or is it just a preference thing?

With respect to the flat wire spring? The advantage is not having to worry about the spring wearing out in 3,000 to 5,000 rounds. Traditional round springs wear out faster. Flat wire springs will get upward of 40K rounds before the spring has fatigued significantly. I've been tempted to switch over to WC flatwire springs just so I don't need to worry about replacing those particular springs so often.

I have WC 17lb flat wire spring in two of my 1911's, that also use the square bottom FPS plate. I also tried the Colt Dual Spring in one of these pistols. I like the WC Flat Wire best. There seems to be less muzzle flip with the flat wire.

But, when you hand cycle the slide on my 1911's you can hear spring noise from the flat wire springs. Of course shooting its not loud enough to be heard over the shot.
It may just be the characteristics of the flat wire spring. But I can't help to imagine that perhaps the flat wire is not staying co-centric and bouncing off the round nose of the standard guide rod.

BTW, because the flat wire is flat and wide, the inside diameter is smaller, and thus needs a smaller diameter guide rod. It is just about impossible to insert the spring into the slide already assembled on the frame, which is easy for the conventional spring. The broader spring wire just cannot get lined up with the guide rod and slide over it, trying to thread it down the slide opening. You have to install the spring on the guide with the slide off, where you can hold and manipulate the guide rod and spring to get them lined up and the spring over the rod.

WC seems to claim there is a difference with the full length guide rod and flat wire, so I'll see, I'll let everyone know if there is any noticeable difference. If there is, I suspect it's because the flat wire spring works better with a full length guide rod and not necessarily the full length guide rod works better for all springs...

The flat wire springs have a flat square side that scrubs up against the guide rod. Pick up an M&P you'll hear a similar noise. Flatwire springs are a tick louder. Nature of the beast, they're not gonna glide smooth over the surface of the guide rod (and barrel/dust cover if using a GI length guide rod) like a round spring. If there's a difference, I'm going to wager it's primarily going to be in how smooth the pistol feels because the unsupported segment of the flat spring will be controlled and won't be free to bounce around on the dust cover and barrel until the coils are forced to rest on the guide rod. That's about the only real difference I notice when using a regular spring with a full length rod.

There may legitimately be less muzzle flip with the flatwire as well, or at the very least a different recoil impulse. The way tension builds and releases as a flat spring compresses then expands is also a little bit different than the way the tension builds with a standard round spring.

Personally I lean toward GI setups just for the ease of tear down. Simpler to just push the recoil spring plug in and relieve spring tension after rotating the barrel bushing than it is to fiddle around with any full length guide rod that I've used. Though I will admit I do appreciate how smoothly a pistol can function with a full length guide rod.

 

Flat wire springs will get upward of 40K rounds before the spring has fatigued significantly.

I pulled the old replaced spring from my Micro 9 from the range bag to look. It is a flat wire spring. It had a cycling issue once when dirty. I cleaned and lubed and it was fine. I later replaced the spring with a factory flat wire spring.
About an inch difference in the length of the two.
I bought this used and have no idea how many rounds have been through it. Must be a lot. I would say nowhere near 40,000 but I've run about 3500 through it. It does show wear. Very reliable and still fairly accurate.

 

With 1911s, I don't like FLGRs. They usually complicate disassembly and I've never felt that they added anything, like accuracy or reliability.

Concerning flat wire springs, I like the longer life also, but be aware that many, maybe all, require a skinnier guide rod. You usually can't just buy a flat wire spring and stick it on your old guide rod. Adds a little up front cost but it's probably worth it, unless you don't shoot very much.

 

I have changed over to flat wire springs in a couple of my pistols, I like them. I was switching to G.I. guide rods anyway so there wasn't much difference in cost. I have 3 Colts with the dual springs, and I'll leave those alone. I'd be interested to know the difference in longevity between the dual springs and the Wilson flat wire springs if any. In my range guns I leave the long guide rods in and in my carry guns I go to the G.I. rods. In theory I think the full-length guide rods are probably the better set-up but as a practical matter, I can't tell any difference and the short rods are easier to deal with.

 

Mr Browning did not design one….

 

Yep, the Flat Wire Spring requires a smaller diameter guide rod, in fact the same smaller diameter guide rod as the Colt Dual Spring...
That was what I mentioned before as a minor drawback.... ....the narrower guide rod and the broad flat wire of the spring, it is more difficult to align and thread the spring over the guide rod.... ...you reassemble the pistol like normal, the guide rod floating in the dust cover with the slide assembled on the frame, you have about zero chance of getting the flat wire spring to thread over narrower guide rod... ....so you while the slide is off, you have to slide the spring over the guide rod...

It may also be that I'm using a shock buff, and that also interferes with the just falling into the VIS (for the slide) of the frame and centering...

 

I pulled the old replaced spring from my Micro 9 from the range bag to look. It is a flat wire spring. It had a cycling issue once when dirty. I cleaned and lubed and it was fine. I later replaced the spring with a factory flat wire spring.
About an inch difference in the length of the two.
I bought this used and have no idea how many rounds have been through it. Must be a lot. I would say nowhere near 40,000 but I've run about 3500 through it. It does show wear. Very reliable and still fairly accurate.

I pulled the 40K figure from Wilson's site, and went along with it because I've read reports from ranges that rent guns out of (full size) pistols getting a round count that high before they need more than a clean & lube to get up & running again. The Micro 9 is also a short barrel design. Short snappy pistols tend to be harder on some wear components. It doesn't surprise me that springs would get notably less life in a gun the size of a Micro 9. I don't own a micro pistol with a round spring, but reading reports around here, I see people that do own such pistols recommend changing them at between 1,000 and 2,000 rounds. Which is less than half the life expectancy of recoil springs in a full size gun.

"Worry" about replacing the spring after even 3k rounds? That is something 99% of the people here will NEVER have to worry about.

I fire 200-rounds a week, but will not bother to replace a spring unless I start to see a problem, which has not yet happened. Recoil springs are cheap, so that is something I do not worry about.

Maybe 'worry' wasn't quite the right word. I suppose 'give consideration to' would be more apt? But it does tick one thing off the preventative maintenance list.

I shoot that much around every other week, or at least once a month. But I also spread the attention across a handful of pistols. It does take a while for any one gun to get there so it's not exactly a large concern to 'worry' over, especially given that springs are indeed cheap.

I'm a mechanic by trade, so I have a tendency to want to catch and address a 'problem' before it presents itself rather than waiting for a hiccup to happen and addressing it then.

 

FWIW, Ed Brown also uses flat wire recoil springs in his EVO 1911 and also says they are good for 30,000 to 40,000 rounds. For some reason EB warns not to use his flat wire springs in other 1911s.

Another FWIW, I believe in "preventive" maintenance. So I replace recoil springs periodically, either by round count or time. This is one of the reasons I don't like captive recoil spring systems. They are usually much more expensive to replace and typically not provided in a range of recoil weights.

I spent 45 years teaching companies that preventive action is always less expensive than corrective action. I apply this principle to my firearms, as well as vehicles, mower, snow blower, etc.

 

Nothing wrong with FLGRs and flat springs I guess, and maybe an advantage in the little 3"-3 1/2" 1911 types. The 4.25"-5" 1911s with FLGRs do feel smoother when the slide is cycled manually. No experience with flat springs, but I've never been able to detect an advantage to the FLGRs. In fact I change any of mine so equipped to a regular GI length guide rod, even the bull barrel guns..YMMV

 

If 1911s disassembled with just a flick of a lever like modern handguns then FLGRs would be no problem. Instead they make field stripping a huge PITA and what few purported benefits to cycling and spring life aren't worth it to me. I have well over a dozen 1911s and all have a standard GI guide rod setup.

 

I can take down my FLGR with no hand tools. I don't quite understand the problem some people report being a PITA. My FLGR is one piece, so maybe that makes the difference.

 

My opinion,,,,

Back when I was really getting into 1911’s FLGR’s were all the rage from improving accuracy to reducing recoil to whitening your teeth to improving your sex life,,,,,, Nope ! I didn’t find any improvements at all ! They are a serious PITA for cleaning & maintaining.n

Logic says it should help with recoil and accuracy but I didn’t find anything on my Thompson full size. I’ve grown very skeptical of any of the latest fads. Save your money for more ammo & practice, practice, practice !

 

I use Colt’s two-piece full-length guide rod (FLGR), and it never unscrews, unlike other aftermarket two-piece FLGRs, which tend to unscrew during shooting. I prefer using the FLGR with Wolff coil springs rather than flat springs due to better functionality (the flat springs scrape while using a FLGR) In my experience, especially in the full custom 1911 EDC I built as a retired FFL/SOT gunsmith, the use of the FLGR contributes to superior accuracy and reliability in both slow and rapid fire. This performance is evident to me when firing .45 ACP 230 grain bonded JHP +P ammunition at 1000 FPS, which is the only ammunition I use for training and SD.

 

FLGRs aid extraction and feeding.


It extracts $ from your wallet and feeds it into the manufacturers bank account.
Joe

 

I used to have FLGR's in all my guns, but stopped incorporating them a number of years ago. All run 100% regardless of the guide rod in the gun. The only one I've encountered that does anything for muzzle flip is the Harts unit I still have in my first competition gun. It's hollow and filled with mercury and ball bearings.

As for flat wire springs, it's super wonderful they can hold up to a greater number of rounds, but the folks that put that sort of ammo through their guns tend to have spares of various sorts in their parts bins. Most people won't put 30k rounds through their guns ever. I'm not against new technology, but I maintain a stockpile of springs with rates I know work through my guns; having to muck with new spring rates is right up there with jury duty on my list of activities.

 

I got off to an unfortunate start with my then new Colt Gold Cup back in the early 1980s because I added a full length guide rod.

I thought that the pistol was disappointingly undependable until I replaced the silly rod.

I’ve dismissed them as unnecessary baggage ever since

 

I have some 4” bull barrel guns with full length guide rods and flat wire springs. They run great. My 5” guns and Commander run with the standard GI guide rode and round wire springs. They run great, too. So I guess for me it just depends on the gun.

 

 

The FLGR I'm talking about is SS not Tungsten, so it definitely will be a huge performance improvement!

I commented on the OP of that video. Missing two critical W's, what and why... ...for all he said, you could conclude buying an expensive fitted barrel and bushing is stupid and you should buy a cheap drop in barrel and bushing.....