Can you guys explain to me in a nutshell the difference between a full length guide rod & the standard short guide rod.
I think I know,  just want to hear from the experts.

Thanks Tom.

One's longer and makes disassembly harder.

That pretty much sums it up right there.

I actually find it much easier to field strip when the full length guide rod is modified to capture the spring... you don't have to screw with removing the spring plug under pressure...  the rod needs to be drilled for a paper clip size take down pin....with slide locked back, locate and drill a small hole just in front of the bushing to accept a "L" shaped pin... to disassemble, lock the slide back and insert the pin...when you then release the slide, the spring and guide becomes a captured unit which releases spring pressure and the upper is removed,...remove the guide and barrel... the lip to the rear of the spring tunnel on the slide must be drilled out to allow the plug and assembly to be removed out the rear... to assemble, reverse the process, lock the slide back, and the pin falls out

If you look carefully at the dimensions, there's maybe a quarter-inch of clearance between the back of the slide where the spring plunger fits and the front of the factory spring guide.... there's no way the spring can "kink" in that dimension, so the "guide rod" is basically a way to suck money out of your wallet and make the pistol a bitch to field strip w/o tools.... never was a part of JMB"s design for a good reason

A FLGR prevents the recoil spring from binding during shooting. It typically can happen under rapid shooting and while it's a very seldom event it can happen.

I personally find it no more difficult to take apart versus a short, the back of the gun is the headache for me.

Long or short doesn't matter to me so long as the full length guide rod is a one piece unit.

This.

I like the Wilson that uses a modified plug that can be disassembled like any GI 1911.

you forgot to add that that is its advantages.

What?

Easy to remove the top end as a single unit.  Handy if you have something like a .22 conversion you use.