Is there any benefit on having a stainless steel guide rod?

[joeb]

https://gallowayprecision.com/stainless-steel-striker-guide-for-kahr-cw380-and-p380-pistols

[topgun1953]

I do not think so, but they look cool. BTW. The link is to a striker spring guide. Maybe there's a longevity benefit to the ss but I've never had a problem with the plastic one. If you want a SS guide rod this is where you should go. Lakeline is also the manufacturer of the "super" striker.
https://lakelinellc.com/shop/stainless-steel-guide-rod-for-kahr-cw380/

[joeb]

I do not think so, but they look cool. BTW. The link is to a striker spring guide. Maybe there's a longevity benefit to the ss but I've never had a problem with the plastic one. If you want a SS guide rod this is where you should go. Lakeline is also the manufacturer of the "super" striker.
https://lakelinellc.com/shop/stainless-steel-guide-rod-for-kahr-cw380/I thought so on the guide rod. I'm planning on changing the striker if I have a problem using the Gunscrubber that the company says is the same as the synthetic safe but on the can it say may not be good on plastics.
I'll bookmark Lakeline's striker page.
Does that striker fit the MK9 too?

Thanks!

[topgun1953]

No, the striker is only for the P380. As you know, there was/is a problem with breaking strikers a while back. Its been quiet lately, but Alphonse at Lakeline made his more robust one. Kahr now sells it. There hasn't been a problem with breaking strikers in the kahr 9mm, I've seen, maybe, 2 here on the board over the last 5 years.

[joeb]

No, the striker is only for the P380. As you know, there was/is a problem with breaking strikers a while back. Its been quiet lately, but Alphonse at Lakeline made his more robust one. Kahr now sells it. There hasn't been a problem with breaking strikers in the kahr 9mm, I've seen, maybe, 2 here on the board over the last 5 years.
Well that's good to know. That was said to be one of the problems with the 2014 build I sent back.

[King Rat]

Guide rods can take a beating, especially in small guns. I only use stainless steel. I use to have pictures of some that were beat up but cannot find them. Back when I shot LCP's, I would just replace them, until I ended up just buying steel. The Beretta Pico is shipped with a Steel guide rod. Also I believe Beretta started to ship the New Carry with a Steel guide rod rather than the Plastic that came with the Nano.

Do not rely on Plastic striker spring guides! I use all steel on Recoil springs as well. Cannot imagine the recoil blue steel rusting if shot and cleaned on a regular basis.

[wyntrout]

It doesn't rust! I was having a problem with my original steel one getting rusty "promoting" rust on the recoil spring and the slide lock spring and screw/washer. While upgrading to SS, I got the Lakeline striker, too. My original was starting to show some wear after 9-10 years.

[joeb]

Ok, I just ordered one from Galloway. $18 shipped.

https://gallowayprecision.com/stainless-steel-striker-guide-for-kahr-cw380-and-p380-pistols

[wyntrout]

I think that you ordered a striker spring guide, not the recoil spring guide rod... big difference. The one shown at Galloway is for the spring that's behind the striker spring in the rear of the slide. The original is plastic and works fine.

[King Rat]

Ok, I just ordered one from Galloway. $18 shipped.

https://gallowayprecision.com/stainless-steel-striker-guide-for-kahr-cw380-and-p380-pistols

Smart Move. Well worth the money.

[dustnchips]

Has anyone had a failure with the plastic striker spring guide rod? I pulled mine to put in the lakeline striker after the original striker broke after a few hundred rounds and then again after about 3000 rounds and it still looked fine. I spray break cleaner through when I clean the gun after going to the range and run it unlubed. 18$ isn't much money, but why screw with what works.

[ripley16]

I can't think of a practical reason. Some guns go thousands or tens of thousands of rounds with plastic. The exception would be a captured spring that need some solid way to hold itself together. Plastic where appropriate and steel where needed.

[joeb]

I think that you ordered a striker spring guide, not the recoil spring guide rod... big difference. The one shown at Galloway is for the spring that's behind the striker spring in the rear of the slide. The original is plastic and works fine.


Has anyone had a failure with the plastic striker spring guide rod? I pulled mine to put in the lakeline striker after the original striker broke after a few hundred rounds and then again after about 3000 rounds and it still looked fine. I spray break cleaner through when I clean the gun after going to the range and run it unlubed. 18$ isn't much money, but why screw with what works.


I can't think of a practical reason. Some guns go thousands or tens of thousands of rounds with plastic. The exception would be a captured spring that need some solid way to hold itself together. Plastic where appropriate and steel where needed.

I ordered the piece last night. I guess it's an $18 feel good thing. :)

[DavidR]

My 2 cents:

Probably no real benefit. I’m not aware of a plastic failure but it also shouldn’t cause issues to upgrade to stainless steel.

On the other hand, the added weight will likely significantly reduce felt recoil, or not. [emoji15]

[DJK11]

My p380 oem guide rod weighs 143.1 grains.
My p380 stainless Lakeline guide rod weighs 154.8 grains.
All that extra weight sure reduces felt recoil from the powerful 380.

[dustnchips]

I would imagine that the muzzle tends to point higher with all of that extra weight in the back of the gun.

[wyntrout]

http://www.kahrtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7990&stc=1&d=1363707220

A Tungsten recoil spring guide rod, or a depleted uranium one might help with recoil! :D

You can probably find the first, but the not the latter one.

[FreeMe]

The solid stainless K9 guide rod from Kahr does weigh a little over two ounces more than the hollow steel rod. That's a significant difference in the front of the gun. Unfortunately, the coolest part of Kahr's stainless guide rod is not visible in use. ;)

[Old No7]

I do not think so, but they look cool.

I'd agree on the last part!

This is one I'd checkered myself with a set of Swiss files...

https://i.imgur.com/dtkZufx.jpg

I was about to make a snarky comment about "plastic parts on carry guns" then I looked at the frame on this Kahr again...

Old No7

[wyntrout]

The solid stainless K9 guide rod from Kahr does weigh a little over two ounces more than the hollow steel rod. That's a significant difference in the front of the gun. Unfortunately, the coolest part of Kahr's stainless guide rod is not visible in use. ;)

Two ounces... I don't think so! :eek:

[dustnchips]

I think he is talking about the recoil spring guide rod.

[FreeMe]

I think he is talking about the recoil spring guide rod.

Correct. But I was still wrong. Confused grains with grams. More coffee please.....



Anyway - the cool part....nuts. Can't get the photo to load. The back of the recoil spring guide is etched "Kahr made in USA". Oh, about 4grams difference, BTW.

[King Rat]

I started changing to steel anything on all my guns years ago. Use to have pics of some really chewed up both recoil and striker guide rods. Here is a latest one from a Ruger SR9C. Hard to tell from he pick, but there is significant damage to the Plastic guide rod. (and this one is no where near as bad as many I have replaced)
I replaced it with steel from Gallaway. The small guns like 380's seem to take the worst beating.

https://i.imgur.com/xkSCzj7.jpg?2

[Gebe]

I had no functioning issues with my stock plastic guide rod in my CW9 but I noticed the surface was getting kind of rough and was developing some small gouges from the spring. I went with a stainless rod from Lakeline and am happy as no more scars from the spring.

Whether or not it’s an “upgrade” is up to the purchaser but I’m glad I went with the stainless.