Can anyone tell me what guide rod this is, and if I should keep it or chuck it?

 

It was in the family 1911. Colt Series 70 45 ACP. I'm trying to work out a few issues and figure out what parts should be replaced.

 

Guide rods don't really affect 1911s so much, although I prefer a regular GI setup.

 

I'd just keep using what you have

What "issues" are you trying to work out?

That recoil spring guide is not original to a Series 70.

 

Is the skinny end spring loaded and able to slide inside the fatter end. If so, that's a recoil buffer. If so there's a socket head cap screw in the fat end. Austin Behlert used to make those back in the 70s. I don't know if anyone else did. They work well. I had one in the Commander I carried at work. It broke sometime during firearms qual and training. The gun kept running fine and I didn't know it was broken until I took it apart to clean. Had maybe 5000 rds on the buffer.

 

The full length guide rod came into style for awhile and still is in some circles. It was said to make the gun more reliable and accurate. I am of the belief it doesn't. Just makes the gun a bit harder to field strip.

 

You really don't need to replace any parts if the gun is running fine.

I've always heard the full length guide rod does not really affect performance or reliability as much as it adds a little weight to help with staying on target. My opinion is the ease of field stripping with a GI length far outweighs any minor benefits gained with a full length.

I've used both short and long recoil guides and I don't find the difference in take down to be meaningful.  For some guns, specially looser fit ones, the long guide rod makes the gun feel smoother or tighter then it really is.  The additional weight is indeed a thing but I think most people won't notice the difference when they are shooting factory 230 ammo. 

This one is spring loaded. I will keep it.

 

The 1911 has failures to feed and ejects brass lazily and in your face. I have other avenues to chase down but I wanted to know if this was kosher.

 

Thanks guys

I just had one that was kicking brass into the face.  I shortened the ejector to make it eject later in the recoil cycle and it worked out fine, ejecting to 4-5 oclock.

Check your extractor. In my experience at least 50% of 1911 issues are extractor related. 

For the condition he is describing there is a possibility.  Extractor is the first place to look.  But if it checks out you need to go elsewhere,

Generally the "cases in the face thing" is an ejector issue.  The cases "Dribbling out" Could be the extractor.  Failure to feed? Who knows.

Bering an Arm chair gunsmith is a crap shoot.

Check your extractor. In my experience at least 50% of 1911 issues are extractor related. 

The extractor is new and appears to be tuned correctly. The firing pin stop or whatever it is called does not hold the ejector perfectly and it will allow the ejector to rotate slightly. The ejector looks like doodoo from a previous thread that I posted and I would like to replace it.

 

Just trying to eliminate things. I'm glad to hear my guide rod is kosher.