The Springfield XD-9 Tactical (5″) has a “hollow” guide rod. It weighs about 0.80 oz or about 22.8 grams (I took it and weighed it on my powder scale).
PistolGear.com sells a solid stainless steel replacement guide rod. It’s listed as weighing 40.25 grams, or about 1.4 oz.
There’s a Canyon Creek Tungsten guide rod. It’s listed as weighing 3.2 oz or 90.7 grams.
Wow. That’s a lot of weight.
So… supposedly it will help with muzzle flip. But I also figure it may throw off the balance of the gun. Plus swinging the gun for target transitions, probably harder to move quickly and stop quickly. I know how it goes… there’s always a trade-off somewhere.
I wonder if it’s worth it. I don’t really have all the money in the world to play with and experiment this out. So, I figure I could think out loud here.
Being able to reduce muzzle flip and get back on target quickly is certainly welcome. But the world isn’t always about shooting at the same target. Is a solid steel rod enough extra weight to make an improvement yet not have too much degradation in other areas? I know you can’t have it all…. hrm.
Updated: Upon further reflection, I think if I went this route I’d go solid steel. The tungsten seems too heavy, and I’d be concerned about brittleness and breakage. Now, will I get the solid steel? That still remains to be seen.
Stuff From Hsoi 
I tend to keep most of my handguns stock. However way back when, I purchased a Delta Elite and found that it had a plastic guide rod, which did not inspire confidence. I decided to replace it with a full length Hart system and a 24lb. wolf spring. I liked the results, but not sure it was worth the $80 for the rod. Don’t know anything about XD’s but the Wilson tungsten rod requires proprietary springs, which prevented me from buying one.
All the guide rod really does is keep the spring from binding up, so plastic… it could be OK (they do some pretty amazing things with plastics these days), but I certainly can understand how it wouldn’t inspire confidence.
The two rods I linked to (sold by Pistolgear.com) are set up to use Wolff 1911 springs, so that’s a bonus.
If plastic is ok, I can’t imagine Tungsten having any problems.
Probably so.
But, solid steel does inspire more confidence.
Plus, the greatly added weight of the tungsten, not sure that’ll work out. First, transitions. Second, if it would throw the gun over the weight limits for USPSA Production.
Try duct tapeing some quarters to the front of the gun and see how it feels.
It won’t be ‘right’, but it should give you an idea about the change.
Hey, that’s a good idea. I could weigh out enough weight to make up the difference in rod weights, and try it out. Yeah not perfect, but something and no cost to do too.
Thanx!