I can easily explain how I look at things for a Glock. Basically I see no reason to install these aftermarket parts as a general rule. I am always looking for heat treated guide rods, but most you see are not [properly heat treated]. Check the Brownells book and only Wolff states the[ir product’s Rockwell] hardness. Using a soft rod with a Rockwell hardness of 23 on the “C” scale is not good enough. it must be 50.
Wolff makes hardened steel guide rods with a Rockwell hardness of 50 but you must use his music wire spring, this is ok using the factory standard rating for the recoil spring. these are very good hardened steel guide rods.
When using a Wolff guide rod for the 19 or the 17 you must use wolff music wire springs. I do like the hardened wolff guide rod.
I prefer to use an ISMI flat chrome silicon recoil spring when I have the option. Only one person that i know makes a hardened recoil guide rod that will accommodate this ISMI spring and that is George Smith of EGW in Pennsylvania.
I will give you a parallel on music wire versus chrome silicon wire for springs. In an AR-15 or an M16 the large buffer spring that is supplied (music wire) is good for 25,000 cycles, but if you use the ISMI chrome silicon buffer spring (chrome silicon) it is good for 500,000 cycles. This superior spring is sold exclusively through DavidTubb.com, in Texas. The companies that manufacture the rifles will not spend the extra money for these springs but people like me will.
For spare parts for your Glock, buy a Jentra plug to keep the dirt out of the large hole in the bottom rear of the grip. [Called a “backstrap channel” in Glockese.]
I suggest that an extra extractor is necessary for all Glocks. I do not see many damaged original parts, they are all nickel plated and hold up well. The original guide rod in the 19 and 17 can be used but a hardened steel guide rod is a better option. I would prefer to stay with the original polymer guide rod if you can not find a hardened steel guide rod, it must be heat treated. using a soft steel guide rod will cause the guide rod head to get chewed up in no time. If you stay with the original equipment polymer guide rod , buy a few extra.
The guide rod head in the mini Glocks (26,27,33) does break, I am talking about the original equipment rod supplied with a new Glock, so the Wolff guide rod is a better idea for the minis with Wolff springs.
Teddy Jacobson – Pistolsmith, Actions By T
tel. (281) 565-6977
JWR Adds: Most of the parts that Teddy mentioned are available from Glockmeister or Top Glock. I should also mention that I highly recommend Teddy’s gunsmithing, especially his trigger work. He specializes in M1911 pistols, revolvers, and Sig-Sauer pistols. One proviso: Be prepared for a couple of month delay. (Like most of the best gunsmiths in the country, he has quite a backlog of work.)
On a related note: I have already generically addressed the firearms spare parts issue in SurvivalBlog, and made some recommendations on part suppliers for guns from various makers.