Sig Guide rods

[willis68]

I just got my first Sig a NIB P220, have always wanted one, I have shot several in the past and could swear that the guide rods use to be steel? anyone know when they decided to go with plastic? I think I will be changing it out

Edited September 8, 2009 by willis68

[BryanP]

My early 90's vintage P220 has a metal guide rod.

[Guest JHatmaker]

Yeah, my new P220 Elite came with a plastic guide rod, kinda "un-SIG" of them, but I guess they have their reasons. Unless I find out about/or have issues with the plastic ones, I probably will just leave it be.

[willis68]

I will be sending it to Sig for a custom trigger job and Night site installation, I will have them change it out for a steel one if they recommend it, Hatmaker part of the trigger job I will be getting is the short release trigger SRT same as the one in your Dark Elite how do you like it?

Edited September 7, 2009 by willis68

[TripleDigitRide]

I will be sending it to Sig for a custom trigger job and Night site installation, I will have them change it out for a steel one if they recommend it, Hatmaker part of the trigger job I will be getting is the short release trigger SRT same as the one in your Dark Elite how do you like it?

Unless you just got one hell of a deal on the NIB P220, why didn't you just buy a P220 with the SRT trigger and night sights from the factory?

[willis68]

Unless you just got one hell of a deal on the NIB P220, why didn't you just buy a P220 with the SRT trigger and night sights from the factory?

Because I am going to have SIG customize it in a way that they do not sell, it will have some options that no other models have and still have the look of a standard P220, Lighter trigger pull, crowned barrel and a few other things that I want on it

[TripleDigitRide]

Because I am going to have SIG customize it in a way that they do not sell, it will have some options that no other models have and still have the look of a standard P220, Lighter trigger pull, crowned barrel and a few other things that I want on it

Ah, gotcha. That makes sense.

One of these day, when I can stick with one hobby, I'll have another P220. I really hated to sell mine, but my evil motorcycle made me do it.

[Guest JHatmaker]

I was very close to buying your 220 TDR, love the stainless/wood look.

[JeffsSig]

I will have the 220 Centerfire Guide rods soon. I make them for the 22LR one now in Stainless steel.

[extremescene]

I heard that the switch to plastic guide rods had something to do with desert conditions and the need for more lubrication on the metal ones. Since the plastic is self lubricating, it creates less problems. Not sure if I believe that or not, but I did swap the plastic guide rod in my 2022 for a steel one... just because I could. Made the muzzle flip a touch less do to the additional weight, but otherwise not much difference.

Even the manufacturer of the steel guide rod I purchased states that you should not have any real issues with the plastic factory ones. It's more of a piece of mind thing.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

I hate to give credit to the assmonkey that performed the test/video... so I won't mention him... but there's a video out there of an endurance test with a Glock. After an obscene number of rapid-fired rounds out the barrel of the Glock, the plastic guide rod melted in half and puked itself out the front of the weapon. Now... that said... take note of this:

1) Weapon still fired with the broken/melted guide rod, sans the piece that shot out the front.

2) I seriously doubt any one person on this site would ever shoot that many rounds at one time, unless zombies took over the world.

But still... as collinp2 mentioned... I opted for peace of mind. Swapped my plastic guide rod out in favor of a steel one (main reason was to eliminate the captive spring system that the factory uses).

To each their own.

[Guest SureShot308]

I have a 220, 226, 229, and a P6 and they all have steel guide rods.