1911 Barrel Bushing Stuck

[Uncle Richard]

I made bone head mistake.......please help.

I was re-assembling a Colt 1911a1 for the first time last night and ended up getting the spring plug and barrel bushing stuck. How can I get them undone?

Looking down the barrel, the bushing is in the ~5-6 o'clock position and it appears the bushing is wedged against the plug, which is compressed flush with the end of the slide. The spring plug doesn't want to move with pressure from my hand.

I was going to press the plug down with a metal punch and loosen the bushing, but I don't want to make things worse. This is a classic WWII 1911 and don't want to damage it. I'm sure that I'm not the first to make this mistake. Would appreciate a procedure on how to dissemble.

 

[rcmodel]

Squirt some oil in it.
Then use a wood dowel rod, or plastic rod, or other non-marring item for a punch to push it in.

Sounds like its just wedged against the BB lug and it should take very little pressure to move it.

rc

 

[BBBBill]

The plunger is spring loaded by the recoil spring and should be easy to depress further into the slide to take pressure off the bushing. The bushing retaining tab fits into a mortise cut into the right side of the slide. When viewed from the front, turn it clockwise to install. Do you have a tight bushing? A bushing wrench might help. Again, get a plastic one (sacrificial) or use tape on a steel one to protect the gun. Use a plastic punch or put tape over the tip of the steel punch to protect the finish.

 

[Uncle Richard]

The plunger is spring loaded by the recoil spring and should be easy to depress further into the slide to take pressure off the bushing. The bushing retaining tab fits into a mortise cut into the right side of the slide. When viewed from the front, turn it clockwise to install. Do you have a tight bushing? A bushing wrench might help. Again, get a plastic one (sacrificial) or use tape on a steel one to protect the gun. Use a plastic punch or put tape over the tip of the steel punch to protect the finish.

It appears the BB lug is against the plug. I can't turn the BB by hand and don't have a bushing wrench.

 

[BBBBill]

If it turned freely before, then just use a punch to push the spring plug in further. Do you have a full length guide rod on there?

 

[Uncle Richard]

If it turned freely before, then just use a punch to push the spring plug in further. Do you have a full length guide rod on there?

It is not a full length guide.

 

[1911Tuner]

If it's just wedged, go ahead and tap on the plug with a dowel. Be prepared for the plug to launch once the contact with the lug is relieved.

 

[Uncle Richard]

thanks, it's fixed

thanks guys, it fixed. Used a brass punch to tap down the plug.

Your right, when it came loose the spring plug went flying across the room.

Thanks again.


FYI...the 1911a1 was manufactured in 1942 and government issued for WWII. Not the prettiest, but looks so cool.

 

[Jim K]

If the recoil spring plug is the correct one, it has a little "dimple" or tab at the front. The end coil of the recoil spring screws under that tab so the plug doesn't fly away. Then to do things right, crimp the last coil on the back end of the spring a little so it fits tightly around the recoil spring guide. That keeps the three parts together until you deliberately pull the recoil spring off the recoil spring guide.

Jim