# CZ-75B steel guide rod upgrade - or is it?



## Boomhauer54 (Oct 8, 2019)

Hello everybody - new guy here. Now I'm pretty sure this has been discussed before so if you could just take me by the hand and show me where a previous discussion has been discussed that would be fine. If not I'll just ask - Just bought my first 75B, been wanting one for some time. Several reasons, one was the excellent reputation and another was it's all steel. Well not quite. I knew the guide rod was polymer and I knew it could be replaced with a steel rod and different spring and was about to buy the set when I came across something a guy said about the steel guide rod he replaced in his CZ-75B was damaging the inside of the slide. So I've held up on the plan and thought I'd get some input from other owners who've maybe had some experience with this. I'd appreciate any and all, thanks -


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

Mmmm, I'd think I'd contact CZ and ask them. If you get a green light, I would at least make sure it was a high quality steel guide rod and the proper recoil spring weight.

That being said, look what I found here from CZ's custom shop:

https://czcustom.com/products/cz-75-stainless-steel-guide-rod-short.html

and


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Boomhauer54 said:


> Hello everybody - new guy here. Now I'm pretty sure this has been discussed before so if you could just take me by the hand and show me where a previous discussion has been discussed that would be fine. If not I'll just ask - Just bought my first 75B, been wanting one for some time. Several reasons, one was the excellent reputation and another was it's all steel. Well not quite. I knew the guide rod was polymer and I knew it could be replaced with a steel rod and different spring and was about to buy the set when I came across something a guy said about the steel guide rod he replaced in his CZ-75B was damaging the inside of the slide. So I've held up on the plan and thought I'd get some input from other owners who've maybe had some experience with this. I'd appreciate any and all, thanks -


CZ's are built like tanks. It would take an awful lot to damage the slide. Three of mine (P01 9mm, P06 .40 and 40 P) all have aluminum frames, the 75 Compact is all steel. I replaced the guide rods in all of my CZ's as I can't stand a plastic guide rod. In fact I've replaced them in all of my guns that come standard with one. I believe the stock recoil spring is 14 lbs. you can use 16 lbs. if you're shooting a lot of +P loads.

If someone damaged the slide of their CZ they may have been shooting hot loads with a light or worn out recoil spring. But more than likely that would cause damage to the frame (peening) than to the slide itself.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

Boomhauer54 said:


> the steel guide rod he replaced in his CZ-75B was damaging the inside of the slide.


Yep, I'd like to know how that could happen? Maybe he was running a shorty 9mm guide rod in his .40 Cal?


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## Boomhauer54 (Oct 8, 2019)

I see you have wood grips on all yours. Beautiful. Doesn't that give them a classic look. That's the first thing I did on mine being an old steel and wood guy. As I said that's one reason I bought a CZ-75. All right you've convinced me. All most. I mean I've thought about this and it can't really be a cost cutting measure, a steel guide rod and spring is under 40 bucks and that's our price so what CZ would pay to install this in their production line pistols would be, what, a quarter of that? What was in the early ones from 40 something years ago? Just sayin', just thinkin'. So why would they build a pistol that's 99% steel except for one part? I might just do what denner12 said and ask CZ. 

Thanks for the replys -


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## Boomhauer54 (Oct 8, 2019)

Well I wish I'd paid more attention to what I read about the slide damage but I didn't . And don't remember where I read it. Could be like desertman said, too hot a load. And without the right spring. 

Hey desertman, your pic looks a little like AZ. Is that where you're at?


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Boomhauer54 said:


> Well I wish I'd paid more attention to what I read about the slide damage but I didn't . And don't remember where I read it. Could be like desertman said, too hot a load. And without the right spring.
> 
> Hey desertman, your pic looks a little like AZ. Is that where you're at?


Arizona is where I is.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Boomhauer54 said:


> I see you have wood grips on all yours. Beautiful. Doesn't that give them a classic look. That's the first thing I did on mine being an old steel and wood guy. As I said that's one reason I bought a CZ-75. All right you've convinced me. All most. I mean I've thought about this and it can't really be a cost cutting measure, a steel guide rod and spring is under 40 bucks and that's our price so what CZ would pay to install this in their production line pistols would be, what, a quarter of that? What was in the early ones from 40 something years ago? Just sayin', just thinkin'. So why would they build a pistol that's 99% steel except for one part? I might just do what denner12 said and ask CZ.
> 
> Thanks for the replys -


Actually I do think it's a cost cutting issue. Say it saves the company about $20 per guide rod. That's a $20,000 savings for each 1000 guns that they manufacture. Even if it was $10 that's still a $10,000 savings for each 1000 guns produced. Of course they could just add that cost to the price of each gun. But they still have to be competitive with other manufacturers and do all they can to keep the price of their products down.

It's the same reason why many gun manufacturers are using MIM (metal injection molding) parts as they are cheaper to manufacture than forged steel.

These types of measures are common with all types of products. What was once steel is now plastic.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

What are the stresses on the CZ guide rod that would make the polymer rod uneasy?


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

hillman said:


> What are the stresses on the CZ guide rod that would make the polymer rod uneasy?


Probably none. Except the end of the guide rod that contacts the frame my get battered over time. On the plus side it may cushion the frame. Especially if it's an aluminum framed gun. I haven't noticed any unusual wear and tear using stainless steel guide rods. As the recoil spring absorbs the shock.

The main purpose of a guide rod is to keep the recoil spring straight, and to assist in reassembly. A full length guide rod is probably not even necessary for the gun to function. Such as with a 1911 that has a short guide rod and a recoil spring plug.

In fact I recently read about a Sig P938 that had a two piece stainless steel guide rod that separated and the rod portion came flying out the gun and the gun still operated. After reading that I replaced my two P938's with one piece after market guide rods. The Sig guide rod was manufactured in such a way that the rod screwed into its base. As you can see below.


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## Boomhauer54 (Oct 8, 2019)

Yes I guess it would be a cost cutting issue. Seems kind of nickle and dimey. But that does look like the way it's going, plastic, plastic and more plastic. 

Desertman - howdy neighbor! Where in AZ are you? I'm in Pine, just a little north of Payson.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Boomhauer54 said:


> Yes I guess it would be a cost cutting issue. Seems kind of nickle and dimey. But that does look like the way it's going, plastic, plastic and more plastic.
> 
> Desertman - howdy neighbor! Where in AZ are you? I'm in Pine, just a little north of Payson.


Howdy to you too. I'm in an undisclosed location about 2 hours west of you. I'm familiar with your neck of the woods though. You're in "Rim Country". It's pretty nice out there. I don't think there's too many places in Arizona that aren't. Except for maybe Phoenix and Yuma?

When you're manufacturing thousands of guns those nickels and dimes sure add up. Especially since the Czech Republic arms their military and police with CZ 75's. It's a lot cheaper to pour plastic into a mold than machine something out of round bar stock. Not to mention the cost of materials .

Those plastic guide rods probably cost no more than a dollar to produce? The stainless steel one's I'm guessing about $10 - $15 to produce with modern CNC machines. They then sell them for about $25. I don't know if the replacements are MIM (Metal Injection Molded) or not? Even so they still might require some degree of machining/finishing.

Every corporation has bean counters looking to cut costs. Guns are no different. My wife and I are into old stuff from the 30's, 40's and 50's. I have a couple of antique cars from the late 30's. When you compare items that were manufactured back then to those of today. You can really appreciate what used to be. Not too mention that damn near everything was made in the USA.


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