LC9 Stainless Steel Guide Rod Testing & Review!

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Stimo3

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Jul 3, 2011
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SS guide rods for the LC9 are available now at guiderod.com so go ahead and place your orders and please after shooting and testing them out please leave some feedback in the forum for other users to see what YOU, the "non-biased" person thinks.
 

Stimo3

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Jul 3, 2011
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142
UPDATE: Just wanted to add i now have over 1k rounds through the LC9 with the SS guide rod installed and the peening has not gotten any worse than what the picture shows and still no noticeable wear anyplace.

Guiderod.com has these rods for sale now after Mr. Bedair checked the wear out on several different test rods and they passed his inspection test as a quality product that functions as it's supposed to, and it's now listed on the website for sale! For people that want them place your order ASAP, i gave him a list and he made a certain amount but if more people order than expected it'll be a little wait, so if you wanted one and didnt want to wait try and get your order in ASAP as i told the people here they would be notified first.

Now that they are listed on his site i've answered to a couple people that i met in person that wanted one so i sent them emails, i dont know if they found people too that would want them or what so just wanted to suggest that so you don't end up having to wait after i told people they wouldn't if they gave me their name. Again, i have nothing to do with the website or manufacturing of the product so i can't control how fast they're made/sent out.
 

AZshooter

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Aug 5, 2011
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45
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Central Arizona
I'd kinda like the eval of the s/s guide rod come to a testing conclusion without all the girlie-slapfighting by the naysayers resulting in the topic getting out of hand and locked down.

If you don't like it, nobody will force you to go buy one.

The better durability of steel vs plastic may just be an insignificant feelgood. As for me I have several Glocks - some with and some without the s/s guiderods, and all seem to perform satisfactorily. But comparing both compositions side by side, I'd wager the plastic would fail first.

Whether you feel the need to substitute a metal rod is a personal decision & although many of you are badmouthing it, it would be nice to be able to have the choice, without some dissenting goomba nixing this whole project.
 

Stimo3

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AZshooter said:
I'd kinda like the eval of the s/s guide rod come to a testing conclusion without all the girlie-slapfighting by the naysayers resulting in the topic getting out of hand and locked down.

If you don't like it, nobody will force you to go buy one.

The better durability of steel vs plastic may just be an insignificant feelgood. As for me I have several Glocks - some with and some without the s/s guiderods, and all seem to perform satisfactorily. But comparing both compositions side by side, I'd wager the plastic would fail first.

Whether you feel the need to substitute a metal rod is a personal decision & although many of you are badmouthing it, it would be nice to be able to have the choice, without some dissenting goomba nixing this whole project.

Thank you i appreciate it and agree, if anything i'd think most shooters out there would want options for aftermarket parts for their guns. If not, don't buy them. But saying it does absolutely nothing is flat out a lie, it changes the balance of the gun, no matter how minute that change is, it's going to affect the recoil of the gun. Adding weight to the front, even the slightest bit, is going to help with sighting follow-up shots. And as you said, metal will outlast plastic IMO too as long as it functions correctly, whih is what all the shooting was for, to make sure there was no unnecessary wear in any areas where the rod makes contact. But again, thank you AZshooter I do appreciate when other people appreciate/recognize what i am doing for the community.
 

prince

Bearcat
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
Messages
1
Location
FL
I purchased the flat end s/s guide rod from Steve B. It works fine. I shot about 25 rounds with the LC9. No problems. Steve is very efficeient when it comes to mailing his product. It arrives with no time gaps in the process. I'll buy other guide rods from Steve when they become available.
 

Stimo3

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Jul 3, 2011
Messages
142
prince said:
I purchased the flat end s/s guide rod from Steve B. It works fine. I shot about 25 rounds with the LC9. No problems. Steve is very efficeient when it comes to mailing his product. It arrives with no time gaps in the process. I'll buy other guide rods from Steve when they become available.

When you get a chance, please go to the range and put some rounds through the gun so other people can see that it works just fine! Also try some double taps with it, if you did a lot of double taps with the stock rod like i did, i did notice about 1in. tighter grouping in average at ~25-30yds. doing double taps. That's where it'll make a noticeable difference, if noticeable at all. To most they won't notice a difference unless they shoot A LOT and are very proficient with handguns; average shooter won't see/be able to tell a difference, except in the spent casings not ejecting as far in my case but again that was due to my stock rod bending and the inner recoil spring getting caught..
 

Phila PD

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 26, 2010
Messages
29
This thread is like a bad repeating infomercial on late night TV that just won't end. Your so called review is nothing more then a sales pitch trying to get around forum rules about advertising and its getting ridiculous.

Ruger will not warranty any modified pistol or rifle "PERIOD" and they are some smart people who will quickly determine you the LC-9 owner changed out a part causing the damage.

So if you want to spend $25.00+ dollars for a part that some "Unknown" who just join this forum to infomercial this item claims is the best thing since sliced bread then buyer beware.

Personally I have major concerns when any Anonymous poster pushes a item as Stimo3 has over the course of this thread and it has my B.S. meter screaming.
 

Cubby

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Phila PD said:
This thread is like a bad repeating infomercial on late night TV that just won't end. Your so called review is nothing more then a sales pitch trying to get around forum rules about advertising and its getting ridiculous.

Ruger will not warranty any modified pistol or rifle "PERIOD" and they are some smart people who will quickly determine you the LC-9 owner changed out a part causing the damage.

So if you want to spend $25.00+ dollars for a part that some "Unknown" who just join this forum to infomercial this item claims is the best thing since sliced bread then buyer beware.

Personally I have major concerns when any Anonymous poster pushes a item as Stimo3 has over the course of this thread and it has my B.S. meter screaming.

You're right. He sounds like Billy Mays re-incarnated! I agree with your post 100%....
 

Stimo3

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Jul 3, 2011
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142
Phila PD said:
This thread is like a bad repeating infomercial on late night TV that just won't end. Your so called review is nothing more then a sales pitch trying to get around forum rules about advertising and its getting ridiculous.

Ruger will not warranty any modified pistol or rifle "PERIOD" and they are some smart people who will quickly determine you the LC-9 owner changed out a part causing the damage.

So if you want to spend $25.00+ dollars for a part that some "Unknown" who just join this forum to infomercial this item claims is the best thing since sliced bread then buyer beware.

Personally I have major concerns when any Anonymous poster pushes a item as Stimo3 has over the course of this thread and it has my B.S. meter screaming.

Everyone has their own opinion and you're obviously entitled to yours. Once again, i could care less, dont buy it then if you don't want one. Steve Bedair is a major guide rod maker, so you claiming that i'm "getting around forum rules and advertising" is BS. But again, think whatever you want, there will be many satisfied owners that buy them, and there will be many satisfied without it.

IMO these posts that claim i'm "advertising" when i spent all the money to test the product out for everyone and on my gun, etc. is absolutely ridiculous and "like a bad repeating infomercial," but i deal with it.
 

Stimo3

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Jul 3, 2011
Messages
142
UPDATE: If you check out Galloway precision, they're going to have a SS guide rod out for the LC9, as well as other options too it says soon on their page, so obviously this SS guide rod won't be the only one out, but it is the first one. IMO if other companies are coming out with them too, they have been in testing and are functioning fine in their test guns too.
 

Egalloway

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Aville NC
Stimo3 said:
UPDATE: If you check out Galloway precision, they're going to have a SS guide rod out for the LC9, as well as other options too it says soon on their page, so obviously this SS guide rod won't be the only one out, but it is the first one. IMO if other companies are coming out with them too, they have been in testing and are functioning fine in their test guns too.

I've had several customers ask me to chime in to this thread.
-We've had various products for the LC9 in testing for about 6 months. They do function fine, its a guiderod, not a aircraft carrier. Steve makes a great product and just to let you know the recoil springs I'm having made will work on the stock rods, Steve's rods and of course ours.
-Most of the folks that have issues in the Keltec pistols with the SS rods custom made have had issues with the plastic one too. A burr is hell on any thing running through or over it. I believe it was a member on here that had the plastic one get destroyed really quick, due to a burr. A Keltec is also even cheaper made and sold cheaper than these Ruger pistols I believe Ruger's products are better materials and manufacturing than the Keltecs. So maybe the cheaper guns have to have a plastic GR due to poor material selection (i.e. Cheap materials). The Rugers don't seem to care. The Keltecs I have reliability worked have been good but duds happen. This Keltec 380 sitting on the bench is new and has factory metal GR, one a few months ago didn't. Who knows the factory may use both, bin A is full of plastic bin B steel, who knows?
-The biggest reason most manufactures use plastic guide rods is cost. If they make a million units off a 15000 dollar simple mold that costs them 10 cents a shot and it makes 10 units a shot, well that is going to be crazy cheap compared to say 3.00 a unit for stainless or 2.00 for a blacked cold roll unit.
-Most pro or experienced shooters use stainless after market units strictly for the ability to tune the pressure to the handloads they are using. They compensate for recoil/muzzle flip in the spring pressure very little, grip is everything. Grip is affected by everything to though. Weight of gun, bore height, grip width, trigger distance, trigger pull lbs, cartridge charge, bullet weight, shooter strength, dampness of hands, mental stress. The weight of the guiderod is on that list, somewhere. Those of us not on the pro level can use a heavier spring weight to help control muzzle flip if the loads will still cycle, a bandaid fix but still a option for us commoners.
-If I had to guess it would be pretty close to a even split between those that hate the plastic due to it being plastic and unreliable cause it's not steel and those that want to tune the spring rate to their loads. I sell to both, listen to both for ideas and respect both for their needs and mindset. The new Gen2 full size rods coming out are due to feedback and needs from both camps of end users.
-You guys and gals drive this company, your calls and emails tell us what you want. So LC9 parts are coming. Just like extended mag bases and sleeved strikers are coming for the SR poly guns...
Hope this helps and makes a few folks happy. It's my .02 cents anyways.
Eric
 

Cheesewhiz

Hunter
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Chicago, IL
This thread has gone from freakin' silly to outright funny as hell, anyone care to throw some more crap at the wall? We'll need some crap stick evaluation qualifiers or something like that.
 

Stimo3

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Jul 3, 2011
Messages
142
Egalloway said:
I've had several customers ask me to chime in to this thread.
-We've had various products for the LC9 in testing for about 6 months. They do function fine, its a guiderod, not a aircraft carrier. Steve makes a great product and just to let you know the recoil springs I'm having made will work on the stock rods, Steve's rods and of course ours.
-Most of the folks that have issues in the Keltec pistols with the SS rods custom made have had issues with the plastic one too. A burr is hell on any thing running through or over it. I believe it was a member on here that had the plastic one get destroyed really quick, due to a burr. A Keltec is also even cheaper made and sold cheaper than these Ruger pistols I believe Ruger's products are better materials and manufacturing than the Keltecs. So maybe the cheaper guns have to have a plastic GR due to poor material selection (i.e. Cheap materials). The Rugers don't seem to care. The Keltecs I have reliability worked have been good but duds happen. This Keltec 380 sitting on the bench is new and has factory metal GR, one a few months ago didn't. Who knows the factory may use both, bin A is full of plastic bin B steel, who knows?
-The biggest reason most manufactures use plastic guide rods is cost. If they make a million units off a 15000 dollar simple mold that costs them 10 cents a shot and it makes 10 units a shot, well that is going to be crazy cheap compared to say 3.00 a unit for stainless or 2.00 for a blacked cold roll unit.
-Most pro or experienced shooters use stainless after market units strictly for the ability to tune the pressure to the handloads they are using. They compensate for recoil/muzzle flip in the spring pressure very little, grip is everything. Grip is affected by everything to though. Weight of gun, bore height, grip width, trigger distance, trigger pull lbs, cartridge charge, bullet weight, shooter strength, dampness of hands, mental stress. The weight of the guiderod is on that list, somewhere. Those of us not on the pro level can use a heavier spring weight to help control muzzle flip if the loads will still cycle, a bandaid fix but still a option for us commoners.
-If I had to guess it would be pretty close to a even split between those that hate the plastic due to it being plastic and unreliable cause it's not steel and those that want to tune the spring rate to their loads. I sell to both, listen to both for ideas and respect both for their needs and mindset. The new Gen2 full size rods coming out are due to feedback and needs from both camps of end users.
-You guys and gals drive this company, your calls and emails tell us what you want. So LC9 parts are coming. Just like extended mag bases and sleeved strikers are coming for the SR poly guns...
Hope this helps and makes a few folks happy. It's my .02 cents anyways.
Eric

Thanks for the post, much appreciated, especially since your company has been doing testing on different spring rates, that was the next item i was going to be looking to get made and test for a company, i had called a couple but none were interested. Looks like you already have that going though, so it'll be nice to have the option to change out spring rates for different loads, that will help the most IMO which is why i wanted to make sure the SS guide rods worked flawlessly. It's also nice to have a professional in the field chime in and give his professional opinion since your opinion actually holds weight in this situation unlike Cheesewhiz who just blurts out whatever is on his mind, and obviously without thinking first.

I tried to get that point across about why manufacturers use "plastic" instead of "steel" on the GR to cut costs, even though it may only be 1-2 dollars per gun, after you sell 20-30k of them that really starts to add up, not to mention people with plastic ones usually buy a spare back-up just incase the stock one breaks, so they make money off of that too. But still the one-track minded person doesn't understand that a business has to be profitable in order to keep running.

Many people here have a single track mind and aren't open to improvements; they believe the designers designed the gun with the best parts possible for some reason. They don't understand that THEY ARE a business and need to make money, so using top quality products in their guns isnt their no. 1 factor in choosing the design. They have to factor in approximately how many people will be buying the gun, they have to set the price so it competes with other guns in it's class, yet not be too expensive so it turns people to the cheaper CCW guns that still function adequately. Otherwise Ruger would go under plain and simple, they have to be competitive with each gun in each class in every way.

For example wants to buy a CCW gun that's going to get holster wear, lots of rounds through it so you're proficient with it, and also pay ~$7-800 for it when other guns that aren't as well built, but still function good enough to do the job it was designed for, yet cost ~$300 instead of the ~$700?? The gun would have the highest quality parts in it, but for the average shooter it's not going to make a big difference, but the price difference is definitely going to sway people to buy the cheaper of the two, it's a less expensive gun that still functions adequately. So why would Ruger design a CCW gun with the best quality parts installed, making the price not competitive with other guns in it's class just to have "the highest quality" parts in it? Obviously they wouldnt because they didnt. Again, THEY ARE A BUSINESS, and a business needs to turn a profit.

Obviously it would be a better gun, but would it be worth double the price for all top of the line internals? IMO, i'd rather buy the LC9 as is and change out what i like/don't like about it with aftermarket parts and customize it to my liking.

Cheesewhiz: I thought you said you weren't going to participate in my thread anymore, why all of a sudden are you going back on your word? Shows what type of person you truly are. As for Galloway Precision, is all his testing and facts that he posted about reducing recoil and upgrading the gun with higher quality parts "BS" too? Because i've been saying this the whole time and so far all i've gotten as a response is "that's BS and everyone see's through it" :lol: No facts, nothing to back-up what you say.

So again, PLEASE SRICK TO YOUR WORD and stay out of my thread until you can post FACTS instead of "your point of view." because honestly after all the things you have said, your "point of view" holds no credit with me.

You also said i was wrong about the way gun powder works in another thread and said you could "tear me up and make me look stupid." well i don't mind looking stupid if i'm wrong and if i am, i'd like someone to correct me so i learn something new and learn why i was wrong, but i did look up this information in my Hornady reloading manual and also on a few reloading websites. I asked you to PLEASE enlighten me, because you said what i was saying is wrong and i have "no idea" what i'm talking about. I asked you to "please show me what part of my statement is incorrect and to please try and embarrass me, that way either you learn something new or i do." You never responded, as usual you just voice your opinion to try and make someone look bad but back it up with NO FACTS. Sorry but people see right trough your "tricks," and the more you post with NO FACTS and just your opinion makes more people realize that you have a one track mind and think Ruger designed a CCW gun with "the best possible internals in mind," not even considering cost, sales, etc. Sorry but you're FLAT OUT WRONG.

So AGAIN, please stick to your word and don't post unless it's something FACTUAL! Your "opinions" hold no weight, especially after 2 aftermarket parts companies have backed up exactly what i have said; that the LC9 WAS NOT designed with "the highest quality parts" in mind, but more to be competitive with other guns in it's class, yet be better than them, which i think Ruger did a great job on. I still havent had 1 failure after the first 50 rounds and im well over 1k now, and that first failure was because everything was still working itself in and i had a FTL within the first 50 rounds, hasnt happened since and the gun has been flawless.

Kel-Tecs don't have nearly as good of a track record and for a good reason; they're made VERY cheaply so they are affordable; why else would a gun have so many recalls/problems?? Because they didn't use the high quality machining/parts and it caused them to have a bunch of recalls/defects. Ruger on the other hand, even though the guns are similar, they put in enough quality parts to make the gun function as it was supposed to, but didn't go overboard and make the gun cost way more just so it's WAY better. They made it function without any recalls/major defects so far, and that's because the gun does cost a bit more to make because they do use better quality parts, yet not so much more expensive as to push potential buyers away because of the increase in price. They put enough money in it to make it function properly and that's it, they didn't use the best quality parts everywhere or the gun again because it would cost 3x as much and that wouldn't be competitive.

Ruger would lose A LOT of sales if they had made the LC9 a ~$700 top quality CCW gun. I for one wouldn't have bought it i would have gone with a kel-tec simply because they do work, and the problems they have CAN be fixed. They are consistent enough to do the job, yet they only cost ~$250. Because of the cheap price the QC isn't the greatest and some have defects.

This is why i went with the LC9, it was a good price, i watched some videos of people shooting them and even at distance they were impressively accurate for that short of a barrel/gun, and nobody was having any major issues with them unlike the kel-tecs. IMO this is because Ruger spent a bit more time/money designing the gun and putting in the correct parts to make it function as designed, not go overboard and make it a top-of-the-line gun that is way out of a lot of peoples price range for a CCW gun that's going to get a lot of wear/tear and beat up..
 

Stimo3

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142
Cheesewhiz said:
This thread has gone from freakin' silly to outright funny as hell, anyone care to throw some more crap at the wall? We'll need some crap stick evaluation qualifiers or something like that.

A major reason for that is you listing your "point of view" without any facts. I'm not going to name any names, but i have at least 6-7 PM's about you speaking in this thread and how you arent listing ANY FACTS WHATSOEVER, just your opinion even when asked SEVERAL TIMES. You pick and choose what you answer to because you and i both know you're wrong, otherwise it wouldn't be hard to post a couple "facts" to shoot down what i have posted.

Because of this, you've discredited yourself when at first people actually kind of listened to you. After i repeatedly asked you to list facts and still got nothing, i got many PM's from people regarding you, and people wondering why you wouldnt sate any facts. Simple answer; i'm right and you're wrong so there are no facts for you to back your "opinions" up. So thank you for continuing to respond and discredit yourself, but i still would appreciate it if you stuck to your word and didn't respond to anything in my thread until you have factual information to post, you're the one who said you'd stay out of my thread, so all i ask is for you to stick to your word, UNTIL you have facts to post up. I don't want to hear your "opinions" though anf neither does anyone else for that matter. So please, post facts or don't post at all. So far you've answered only one of my questions factually, and it was only half true. You stated most professional shooters will switch out to a SS rod to make it easier to switch springs for different loads, but you again wouldn't admit that it reduces recoil. Changing the balance of the gun, no matter how little, is going to affect recoil. Putting more weight towards the front is going to dampen muzzle flip, even if it's not noticeable to you, its still adding weight to the front and doing something.

And you say "We'll need some crap stick evaluation qualifiers or something like that," well, there's another one of your "facts" listed, this is why so many people believed you at first, but now see right through you. You ruined what little credibility you had when you wouldn't list a single fact backing up what your stating.

Not to mention everything you've said, the professional shooters do the exact opposite of you, so i'll follow what professionals are doing rather than what a "OMG i know everything there is to know about guns and how they're made" internet thread trolls opinion. You've stated your opinion NUMEROUS times throughout the thread, we get it, you think SS guide rods are a scam. Until you have something FACTUAL to post, again please stop ruining a good thread with your opinions.

You hate SS guide rods on guns that don't come with them so much and think they're unnecessary and do nothing, im surprised you're not in the Galloway thread posting your opinions there too, as a couple people have claimed that the SS guide rod made a noticeable difference. It seems everyone that has used them, especially in lighter guns, notice a difference over there in that thread. You should let them know too that it's all in their head and really the guide rods, etc. do nothing right?? :roll:
 

Cheesewhiz

Hunter
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Messages
2,114
Location
Chicago, IL
You really need to read my posts, actually you probably should read your own before hitting the "submit" button.
I find this all quite hilarious and enlightening, please go on. I believe whatever you have or better yet, are afflicted with appears to be catching, so that's somewhat a bonus.

I'll stick with Deepwoods for now. LOL
 

Phila PD

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 26, 2010
Messages
29
Stimo3

We are not condemning the product your pushing but the manner your doing it in.

Your entire "Review" is coming off as a sales pitch being very transparent and since you have not given members of this forum any other reason to believe your claims other then a few photos of a buffed out metal guild rod who knows if your test claims are real or fabricated.

While your connection to the manufacturer of these guide rods is unclear but I don't see why you would invest hundred of dollars in ammunition to "Proof" a $25.00 product that you have no stake in.

Once you started to take names to pass on to the manufacturer for production numbers this thread appeared nothing more then a infomercial.

Your best bet is to discontinue posting until established members of this forum post what results they have had with this guide rod, your only hurting sales with your furthering of this thread.

Edited for spelling by Phila PD
 

GKC

Blackhawk
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
703
Location
Texas
Phila PD said:
Your best bet is to discontinue posting until established members of this forum post what results they have had with this guild rod, your only hurting sales with your furthering of this thread.

I have to agree...if the salesman/advocate/representative of any product is obnoxious, insulting, or condescending, I don't care how good the product is I'm going to look elsewhere.
 

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