Anybody have experience with Briley Spherical bushing?

[ClarkK]

I came across it in Brownell's last night after cleaning my (original) Series 70, which has a very tight govt. bushing that's hard to wrench into place over the plug. Decided I'm getting tired of the inevitable hassle of reassembling the recoil spring assembly every time I clean the piece -- which I love to shoot.

According to the description in Brownell's, the Briley may help solve my problem. The busing pivots easily on a collar that fits over the barrel. If this works the way it sounds, it would make it easier to get the bushing over the plug without needing three hands to keep things from flying all over the room.

If anybody's tried one of these, please let me know what you think of it. Or, if you have any other ideas on how to make the reassembly less adventuresome, please pass that along too.

 

[Jim Watson]

Is this an ORIGINAL original Series 70 with collet bushing?

If so, the secret is to turn the bushing with the slide retracted about 1/4" so the collet fingers are not closed. It still takes three hands until you learn the knack, but a lot less effort.

For a Briley ball bushing to work properly, the barrel needs to be turned straight and smooth, just small enough to slip fit through the ball. Briley says the barrel should be .001" under the ball ID but my gunsmith fits them closer than that. I don't know how it would work on the reverse taper barrel of a real Series 70.

If you don't want to fool with it, I have READ that the MGW bushing will work with an unaltered real Series 70 barrel.

 

[ClarkK]

Thanks for the info, Jim. I replaced the collet bushing because I've heard a finger could break off and jam up the piece. I'll take a look at the MGW bushing.

 

[JoeHatley]

I've got a Briley Spherical bushing installed on a Frankenpistol I put together a few years ago. It works great, but I don't think it's going to help your situation.

It sounds like your bushing's outside diameter is just a bit too large for the inside diameter of your slide. This is normally a good thing for accuracy, but you could always polish the bushing outside diameter a bit, to make dis-assembly a little easier. Just don't get too carried away.

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[ClarkK]

Thanks, Joe. I plan to do this tonight. I've also ordered a King's bushing wrench from Brownell's. It has a "thumb" to cover the spring plug while adjusting the bushing. It looks so reasonable I can't imagine why all 1911 bushing wrenches don't have this feature.

 

[ClarkK]

Just a followup -- I polished the bushing last night with the Dremel. Bushing now moves with reasonable pressure. Still looking forward to the King's wrench. If it works like it appears to be able to work, I'll be shooting my 1911 a lot more.

 

[jed]

My experience is the Briley bushing is difficult to move
as it is very tight.

Sounds like you are on a good course of action.

 

[MoNsTeR]

What you need is a different takedown method. There's really no reason to ever have to twist the bushing while depressing the spring plug.

1pc guiderod: get it drilled for a takedown paper clip

2pc guiderod: unscrew and remove, then follow the directions for...
gov't guiderod: put finger pressure on the right end of the slide stop, and rack the slide, the slide stop will pop out and you can remove the top end, lift out the guide rod and spring, tap the plug out with your finger, now you can twist the bushing without fighting the recoil spring