Just learned about the firing pin test. Says to use a pencil. I used a dowel. Here is one with a pencil someone posted:
Yeah, that is incredibly common for somebody to claim their gun isn't working right when they can't get the slide release to drop the slide.Another thing I got from reading up on 1911s, though blatantly obvious to one who gets familiar with the mechanics, is the reason you need to drop the magazine to release the locked open slide. Otherwise you are fighting the magazine spring trying to push the slide release down.
I was careful that they went in easy, given they were attached to the grips they were pretty well lined up to the holes and not likely to cross thread. But I I ever get one screwed up, it will be a gunsmith who puts the new, oversized one in, because I hear once you screw up the oversized bushings you are in deep, deep trouble. I would guess this could be the weak link of these guns. But hey, if it came down to it and the gun was a cheap beater I might just glue the trips on!You should probably deal with those grip bushings. At least some Loctite on the threads of the bushings (not the screws). If not, they can become an issue if you arent careful.
They have very fine threads, and are easily damaged/stripped, if you arent careful and paying attention when dealing with them.
Im dealing with that right now with a gun Ive had for a long time and has had a couple of bad holes ever since I got it. As a matter of fact, I just ordered an oversized tap and a set of bushings to deal with it this afternoon.
I did not back the screws out of the bushing, figuring more chance to mess it up if I try to grip the threaded part of the bushing. The bushings went in smoothly so I am pretty sure they are good, but your point about the screws being cross threaded is good to keep in mind. Probably want to blue lock the bushings, let it cure, then try to remove the screws, but that only if I need to go back in there. For now, am good. Well, a detail strip would require removing the grips I think.Blue Loctite/thread locker usually works OK.
Did you back the screws out of the bushings when they came out, or just screw them back into the frame together with the grips?
Making sure you dont strip the grip screws needs attention as well. If the bushings are coming out with the screws, then they may have been cross threaded, or over-tightened. You want to deal with that too, and make sure things are good there too.
This isnt as much of a big deal if you love your grips and dont ever take them off (and you see how that goes ). Ive usually run into it when I bought a used gun and was swapping the grips out, and/or the screws were loose and I found trouble trying to snug them up.
Its one of those things that is what it is, and its just something that pays to deal with before it becomes an issue. Its usually a simple, quick, one time fix if you take care of it.
Or, you wish you never took the grips off.
True, but at this point I don't see it as a problem.Fix problems early. Don't just say "Good enough".
From Brownell's
That's the response that lead to that saying originallyTrue, but at this point I don't see it as a problem.
Why would you need to change bushings?what if you did need to change out the bushings?
If for some reason the inside threads of the bushing are stripped. Or if one wanted thinner grips as in this video. But chances are, I would not need to change my bushings.Why would you need to change bushings?