Tungsten vs. Stainless - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

gotboost562 · 11-27-2004, 04:42 PM

I have a 1st gen HS2K with a stainless rod and a 22# spring. I found it helps with recoil over the stock rod and spring. I got another XD9 and want to change the rod and spring in it as well. I now see Don makes a Tungsten rod. What is the advantage of Tungsten over the Stainless? Obviously there must be an advantage as why else would it be made. Other than to be cool?

-Mike

willbond · 11-27-2004, 06:38 PM

The Tungsten is very heavy, which adds weight to the front of the gun, which helps reduce muzzle flip.

Don · 11-28-2004, 11:13 AM

In my own not-very-thorough test (just last weekend), I think it helped some in the XD9. But I didn't feel much difference in my XD40. My thinking on "why" is that the slide is heavier on the XD40 and the recoil is greater, so the rod weight is a smaller percent of the muzzle flip.

I haven't shot it in a Tactical model, but that tungsten rod adds a much greater amount of weight so it does seem to help from the reports.

ajamesp51 was talking to me about the tungsten rod so I sent off mine for him to get an opinion on. In a few weeks we should be able to squeeze a report out of him.

Terminus-Est · 12-01-2004, 12:47 PM

Ok, maybe I'm blind, but where do you get the tungsten guide rod? I see Don's on pistol-gear, but I don't even get a hit doing a search on that site for "tungsten".

CWB

[TASF]Overkill · 12-01-2004, 02:30 PM

He only made a few of them.

msidner · 12-01-2004, 02:52 PM

How are the Tungsten rods distributed? Is it a custom order? If so, how much do they run?

Matthew

Don · 12-01-2004, 10:39 PM

The rambling confessions of this guide rod maker...

The tungsten guide rods are turned on a lathe from 1/2" round stock. It is a pain to work with and I get some product loss from missing the specs I want. So I do them as custom only and keep the price high enough to discourage any kind of volume. Even then they are not terribly priced compared to other tungsten rods.

I have sold some for more and some for less while trying to figure my risk and time, but I think I can settle at $55 for the 4"/standard model and $60 for the 5"/Tactical model with shipping included.

I almost want to apologize for the price, but for the breakdown of my costs; it is around $27 in raw material, less than $1 in consumables (carbide bits, sandpaper, buffing materials, ignoring the occasional beer) and about 3-4 hours labor. I looked for some quotes with companies that do a lot of tungsten work, and for a batch of 50 pieces it was around $52 each as a cost to me (specifying a minimum specific gravity of 17)

. So for now I don't think my asking price is out of line for this product. I want to keep it as a hobby for spare time and not as a chore.

If you are interested email me and I'll give you my address for sending a check or money order.

msidner · 12-02-2004, 05:54 AM

Wow, if your prices and labor estimates are correct, in that price you're only charging about $6.75/hr labor! Wow. And yea, I ran across another tungsten rod on another site (don't remember which) that ran for $75 + shipping, so at $55 you're well below the curve.

Matthew

Don · 12-02-2004, 11:42 AM

I thought I was going faster on my last tungsten guide rod, but I was still right at 3 hours from start to finish. It is not hard labor, it is just a lot of time with sandpaper trying to force a good finish out of the tungsten. As long as I am having fun doing it, I can be cheap (but I hadn't realized I was that cheap). It's time I would usually waste anyway in the evenings.

gotboost562 · 12-22-2004, 02:42 AM

Don, do you have any pics of the tungsten rod? I tried searching and couldn't find any. Is the tungsten rod ready to install when it comes from you or does it need some special fitting? Thanks.

11-27-2004, 04:42 PM	#1
gotboost562 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orange, California Posts: 118	Tungsten vs. Stainless I have a 1st gen HS2K with a stainless rod and a 22# spring. I found it helps with recoil over the stock rod and spring. I got another XD9 and want to change the rod and spring in it as well. I now see Don makes a Tungsten rod. What is the advantage of Tungsten over the Stainless? Obviously there must be an advantage as why else would it be made. Other than to be cool? -Mike __________________ "If guns kill people, I can blame misspelled words on my pencil" - Larry The Cable Guy GIT-R-DONE

11-27-2004, 06:38 PM	#2
willbond XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: OKC Posts: 547	The Tungsten is very heavy, which adds weight to the front of the gun, which helps reduce muzzle flip. __________________ XD357 2 Pairs of Cuffs 2 Cans of O.C. Spray Minivan w/remote activated side door. 12 year old son with Red Belt in Tae Kwon Do 12 year old XTreme Duty Shih Tzu with skin condition

11-28-2004, 11:13 AM	#3
Don XDTalk 4K Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Pullman, WA Posts: 4,268	In my own not-very-thorough test (just last weekend), I think it helped some in the XD9. But I didn't feel much difference in my XD40. My thinking on "why" is that the slide is heavier on the XD40 and the recoil is greater, so the rod weight is a smaller percent of the muzzle flip. I haven't shot it in a Tactical model, but that tungsten rod adds a much greater amount of weight so it does seem to help from the reports. ajamesp51 was talking to me about the tungsten rod so I sent off mine for him to get an opinion on. In a few weeks we should be able to squeeze a report out of him. __________________ Don geek with guns Why don\'t you all f-f-f-fade away.... FAQ - Don\'s Guide Rod

12-01-2004, 02:30 PM	#5
[TASF]Overkill XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Lynchburg, VA Posts: 2,447	He only made a few of them. __________________ "Semper facere bonum, an a amare odium, vita mors." [Do good always, whether through life or death, love or hate.] "He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish." Photo thread is back! (Until next disaster)

12-01-2004, 02:52 PM	#6
msidner XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 356	How are the Tungsten rods distributed? Is it a custom order? If so, how much do they run? Matthew __________________ SA XD40 (my favorite) Don\'s Guide Rod Wolff Spring Ruger P95DC (the wife\'s favorite) Taurus CIA 650 .357 (light carry) Kel-Tec P3-AT (my new lighter carry) Raven M-25 (for when a little something is better than nothing)

12-01-2004, 12:47 PM	#4
Terminus-Est XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 9	Ok, maybe I'm blind, but where do you get the tungsten guide rod? I see Don's on pistol-gear, but I don't even get a hit doing a search on that site for "tungsten". CWB

12-01-2004, 10:39 PM	#7
Don XDTalk 4K Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Pullman, WA Posts: 4,268	The rambling confessions of this guide rod maker... The tungsten guide rods are turned on a lathe from 1/2" round stock. It is a pain to work with and I get some product loss from missing the specs I want. So I do them as custom only and keep the price high enough to discourage any kind of volume. Even then they are not terribly priced compared to other tungsten rods. I have sold some for more and some for less while trying to figure my risk and time, but I think I can settle at $55 for the 4"/standard model and $60 for the 5"/Tactical model with shipping included. I almost want to apologize for the price, but for the breakdown of my costs; it is around $27 in raw material, less than $1 in consumables (carbide bits, sandpaper, buffing materials, ignoring the occasional beer) and about 3-4 hours labor. I looked for some quotes with companies that do a lot of tungsten work, and for a batch of 50 pieces it was around $52 each as a cost to me (specifying a minimum specific gravity of 17) . So for now I don't think my asking price is out of line for this product. I want to keep it as a hobby for spare time and not as a chore. If you are interested email me and I'll give you my address for sending a check or money order. __________________ Don geek with guns Why don\'t you all f-f-f-fade away.... FAQ - Don\'s Guide Rod

12-02-2004, 05:54 AM	#8
msidner XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 356	Wow, if your prices and labor estimates are correct, in that price you're only charging about $6.75/hr labor! Wow. And yea, I ran across another tungsten rod on another site (don't remember which) that ran for $75 + shipping, so at $55 you're well below the curve. Matthew __________________ SA XD40 (my favorite) Don\'s Guide Rod Wolff Spring Ruger P95DC (the wife\'s favorite) Taurus CIA 650 .357 (light carry) Kel-Tec P3-AT (my new lighter carry) Raven M-25 (for when a little something is better than nothing)

12-02-2004, 11:42 AM	#9
Don XDTalk 4K Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Pullman, WA Posts: 4,268	I thought I was going faster on my last tungsten guide rod, but I was still right at 3 hours from start to finish. It is not hard labor, it is just a lot of time with sandpaper trying to force a good finish out of the tungsten. As long as I am having fun doing it, I can be cheap (but I hadn't realized I was that cheap). It's time I would usually waste anyway in the evenings. __________________ Don geek with guns Why don\'t you all f-f-f-fade away.... FAQ - Don\'s Guide Rod

12-22-2004, 02:42 AM	#10
gotboost562 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orange, California Posts: 118	Don, do you have any pics of the tungsten rod? I tried searching and couldn't find any. Is the tungsten rod ready to install when it comes from you or does it need some special fitting? Thanks. __________________ "If guns kill people, I can blame misspelled words on my pencil" - Larry The Cable Guy GIT-R-DONE

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