Plastic Guide Rod ?

[CZ_Shooter61]

I installed my new Wolff 16# recoil spring today, and was very disappointed to find a plastic guide rod inside such a quality pistol.  
Does anyone sell a replacement metal guide rod?
Why does CZ skimp on the guide rods?  

[schmeky]

CZ_Shooter61,

There is nothing wrong with the polymer guide rod used in a CZ.  My 97 is approaching 7,000 rounds and the original guide rod looks barely used.  However, if you want to make a change, Steve Bedair makes steel replacements.

[thumper]

+1 on the Steve Bedair guide rod.  

Just remember, it is full length, and can be hard(er) to get in (especially if there is also a CZ-75 Buffer Tech buffer hanging off of it).  

[Canuck44]

My old pre B CZ 85 Combat probably had over 100K through it and the polymer guide rod was still like new.

Take Care

Bob

[CZ_Shooter61]

CZ_Shooter61,

There is nothing wrong with the polymer guide rod used in a CZ.  My 97 is approaching 7,000 rounds and the original guide rod looks barely used.  However, if you want to make a change, Steve Bedair makes steel replacements.

If the polymer guide rod is that durable, I'll probably leave it in there.
Thanks

[thumper]

Maybe someone can do an experiment once, but I do believe my C-97BD is slightly more accurate with the Steve Bedair full length guide rod installed in it. 

[schmeky]

thumper,

I don't know mechanically how that could happen.  Maybe you could bench rest your BD with the stock guide rod, then steel rod.

Think about this.  The slides recoil spring tunnel maintains proper alignment of the recoil springs OD; the stock polymer guide rod's OD closely matches the recoil springs ID.  This is very important.  This means the spring is kept in proper alignment during the recoil cycle.  Plus the polymer guide rod absorbs the inertia that is imparted to the barrels lower lug where the recoil rod resides.

A steel rod has a smaller OD, therefore the recoil spring can shift or distort during recoil.  Plus the inertia of the guide rod, now much heavier than the original, imparts its energy to the lower lug, which is now steel on steel.  Sooner or later, something is going to peen, either the steel recoil rod or the barrels lower lug.  

I am convinced CZ knew exactly what they were doing when they designed the polymer guide rod for the 97.   It would be interesting for someone to let the forum know how well a high mileage CZ is doing with a steel guide rod.

[thumper]

Well. I would, but I'm not that great of a shooter.  

I just know my "groupings" (if you could call them that?) seem smaller now with the full length guide rod installed.  

Or it could also be due to the Buffer Tech CZ-75 buffer I have on it.  It's a real pain sometimes to get the FLGR and buffer in during assembly, but I kind of believe the buffer pushes up against the bottom of the barrel helping to lock it tighter into firing lockup?  

[schmeky]

The buffer, like a 1911, is a solution to a problem that never existed in the first place.  Buffers are responsible for many failures to eject since they limit the slides rearward travel.  

CZ's do not use the same recoil energy strategy as a 1911.  They are completely different since the designs are polar opposites.  So when you install a "buffer", you negate the original intent of the design.

[schmeky]

I kind of believe the buffer pushes up against the bottom of the barrel helping to lock it tighter into firing lockup?

With all due respect, no.  The 97 uses a single locking lug interface between the rear barrel locking lug and the single locking lug in the slide.  Mechanical accuracy is not dependent solely on spring force.  If the slide fully returns to battery on forward return, then the single locking lugs are fully engaged.  This is why the 97 will group equally well with a 10, 12, 13, or 14 # recoil spring.

[thumper]

Aaak, so you're basically saying that Steve Bedair is getting rich off us ($25 at a time) by basically selling us something that is unnecessary?  

Darn Buffer Technologies company too shafting me for an additional $9.95. 

(well, that last case there is probably true!).  

[schmeky]

thumper,

No, not at all.  If you want a steel guide rod, run it, I think Mr. Bedair makes a very good steel guide rod   

[thumper]

thumper,

No, not at all.  If you want a steel guide rod, run it, I think Mr. Bedair makes a very good steel guide rod   

I'd probably buy the guide rod anyway (even if I never used it), because Steve Bedair is such a pleasant person to deal with. 

[heavy_308]

I am of the mindset that if you are comfortable with the plastic guide rod, the run the snot out of it. I, on the other hand made my own Stainless Steel full length guide rod.
I did not do this for any other reason than, 1. I could, 2. I wanted to, 3. I like the way they look, 4. had material,  5. wasn't doing anything pressing in the shop that night (work nights in a large plant, and am 1 of 2 toolmakers... )
 Both will serve you just fine, CZ made them plastic for a reason, I just wanted to make it different...I have 2 SP-01's and a 97b and a witness elite match 9mm   I made the new guide rods for all the Cz's   

[thumper]

CZ made them plastic for a reason

In the same vein, Kimber (and other 1911 manufacturers) use & make polymer mainspring housings for their 1911's, and I have heard of them failing quite regularly (they sometimes crack where the pin goes in that holds the mainspring & plungers in), so maybe that's not the best anololgy there? 

(I know there is a big difference between a plastic MSH and a guide rod, but just saying).