As far as I know, they have always shipped some models with plastic, err, I mean, polymer guide rods. P-11, and P-32 normally come with them, as does the PF-9. The P3AT and the P-40 (long discontinued) have steel guide rods. Steel guide rods are available for the P-11 and P-32 from Kel Tec. The PF-9 would use the same one as the P-11. I have seen mention of some P-11s coming with steel guide rods from the factory, and also that the PF-9 guide rod is stiffer and/or harder polymer than the P-11. I have never heard of any rash of guide rod failures necessitating replacing the polymer ones with steel.
As I posted yesterday on the P-32 forum, it might be a good idea to use a steel guide rod when using extra strong recoil springs and hot loads, since the spring can mash or gouge its way into the guide rod and then through the hole in the slide.
https://www.thektog.org/threads/a-f...ecoil-springs-guide-rods.270860/#post-2444884
My Beretta 92 FS has a polymer guide rod as do my Glock 17 and 22. They seem to do just fine. Strangely, my Beretta 81 FS (.32 ACP) has a metal guide rod, though it seems to be coated with a polymer.
One argument against "upgrading" to a steel guide rod and keeping the polymer one is that the hole in the slide will wear faster when a steel rod is used, eventually resulting in the spring coming through the hole and locking up the gun. At least one of my steel P-40 guide rods was very rough. I polished it down (and later replaced it) and use grease on them to reduce wear on the slide hole. Barring unusual circumstances, it is generally better to wear out the cheaper part than the more expensive slide.
buzzsaw