Colt 1911 Grip Screws

[MoreIsLess]

I have a Colt 1911 XSE Government Model and I was going to get some new VZ grips for it. The screws appear to be torx or hex, they definitely are not slotted. Does anyone know which and what size so I can use the correct driver to remove them. I called Colt CS and they were no help at all.

 

[Winkman822]

They appear to be Torx screws. I'm not especially fond of Torx or hex grip screws for a 1911 and always change them to slotted screws (it's a cheap swap and saves the grief of stripping out the screw head). That said, IIRC they should be a T15 Torx head.

 

[MIL-DOT]

.....The screws appear to be torx or hex, they definitely are not slotted. Does anyone know which and what size so I can use the correct driver to remove them.......]

It sounds like you already have sets of Allen and Torx wrenches, just insert a couple of the ones that look closest in size, you'll quickly find the right one.
And, I have the opposite view as Winkman above. Obviously you need to be careful with either, but I've found that flat head grip screws tend to be very easy to mar or damage, while Allen bolts seem to stay undamaged, for me.

 

[Winkman822]

Main reason I don't care for torx or hex heads is I had a less than stellar experience with torx grip screws on my Springfield TRP...the grip screws were tightened down so hard on the factory grips that when I went to change grips from G10 to checkered double diamond cocobolo, that one of the bushings came out with the grip screw. When I finally did get the bushing back in the frame without damaging either the bushing or the frame, the screw was stripped out. Necessitated new grip bushings and slotted screws. Since then I've just stuck with slotted grip screws.

 

[Coyote3855]

Understand your concerns, Winkman, but the type of screw had little to do with your original problem. Other than it may have easier for the factory to over torque the Torx grip screw than it would have been with a slotted head.

 

[Winkman822]

True. Though, I still just swap out to slotted grip screws on my 1911's. Also simplifies tightening down the grip screws while out shooting (still have G10 grips on a couple 1911's and the screws do work loose over a prolonged shooting session) as I can just use the front of a Checkmate mag in a pinch, or a flat head screwdriver.

 

[judgedelta]

The ones I use are hex, not torx. I use the little O-rings under the screw heads to hold them in place without too much tightening. I got a package the other day which, with shipping, were $10 for a hundred. The O-rings from the auto parts store are too thick to suit me.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#9262k119/=111xkr4

 

[Coyote3855]

Ah, that makes sense. I'm much more likely to have a slot screwdriver with me in a multi tool than a Torx or hex driver.

 

[FL-NC]

I hate those things. I have had them strip on allens (using the CORRECT bit) and had to use a larger torx bit (and a hammer) to remove them- right before I tossed them in the trash and replaced with slotted screws.