Change Plastic Guide Rod New Colt Pocketlite Mustang 380?

[Johnny B]

JohnnyB, thanks for your response. I am just trying to understand and wanted more background information. From my experience the most stress that I impose on a guide rod is upon reassemby because of the potential for off axis (as I call it) pressure. That along with some possible choice four letter words. Just to repeat what others have said, there is very little stress on a guide rod upon discharge or recoil. So I was wondering if disassembly or reassembly contributes to breakage.

No worries. It's one of those things that I'd almost certainly call into question if it hadn't happened to me. As I mentioned, I acknowledge that it's a low stress part, and really, I still feel that way. I haven't bothered changing the broken guide rod on my CZ yet because I have no reason to believe that its reliability has been compromised in any way. It's just less convenient to reassemble after a post-range session cleaning.

Not a huge deal, and I wouldn't let a polymer guide rod prevent me from purchasing a gun, nor have I felt a true need to replace any polymer guide rods with aftermarket metal ones. All the same, though, I would prefer a metal guide rod, just not enough to do anything about it, apparently. Take that for what it's worth.

 

[dahermit]

Many of us hate plastic parts in our guns, I know I do. If they want to sell me a throw away gun then charge a low price for it, not the $650 I paid for a "Stainless steel" gun that had a plastic mainspring housing and plastic trigger. I had to make new parts of gun making material to replace those parts.

I agree...if they use plastic parts, they should charge plastic prices...not like my Colt XSE Combat Commander which came with a Grey (to match the stainless steel of the rest of the gun) mainspring housing. When I complained (likely here) some years ago about it being plastic (now replaced with steel), I was chastised for complaining about a part that had no history of failure. I make the same offer now as then...if someone wants to send me postage for that quality part, I will send it to them for free.
If Colt wants to sell guns containing plastic, they should charge less accordingly.

 

[lee n. field]

I agree...if they use plastic parts, they should charge plastic prices...not like my Colt XSE Combat Commander which came with a Grey (to match the stainless steel of the rest of the gun) mainspring housing. When I complained (likely here) some years ago about it being plastic (now replaced with steel), I was chastised for complaining about a part that had no history of failure. I make the same offer now as then...if someone wants to send me postage for that quality part, I will send it to them for free.
If Colt wants to sell guns containing plastic, they should charge less accordingly.

No need. That's the exact part I bought, when I wanted to try an arched MSH on my Rock Island GI. It works.

 

[Schlitz 45]

I did some work on my Mustang Pocketlite after purchasing it-I replaced the trigger that I was told was plastic-turns out it wasn't but the new trigger's a bit nicer. Replaced the plastic guide rod with a stainless steel one, I have new springs but still using the originals with no issues. Sent the slide off to Novaks for new sights-big improvement, & put some VZ ETC grips on to help me hang onto this little pistol a bit better. It doesn't get shot a lot but it's now set up exactly the way I want it.

 

[tsillik]

looks pretty good! terry

 

[HisSoldier]

The first stainless guide rod I made for my Mustang was 303, a natural choice as it's a free machining stainless steel alloy, but it can't really be hardened. After shooting about a box through it I field stripped and saw battering marks on the large end. So we made 20 of 416 and had them heat treated to 50 Rc.
IIRC the plastic ones used a steel washer where those marks were showing.

 

[Lexspeed]

HisSoldier, nice story. I am glad there are creative and talented folks like you that are making quality custom parts for our guns. Someday I may get one of your triggers for my Sig P238.