No, I haven't had any issues with the one that came with the gun. Works fine. I just prefer SS / Tungsten guide rods (primarily for the durability and extra weight under the barrel) -- personal preference. There is a company called DPM Technologies I think, out of Greece, that is marketing a SS replacement for 75 euros -- ouch! I haven't seen any US based companies yet, so I wanted to put it up on the forum and see what's out there.