The grip screws in my 1911 are worn and don't really match up to the rest of the pistol in appearance. There are sets of grip screws on Ebay for a reasonable price, but all come with the bushings. Is this because the new screw threads may not match up with the bushings now in the pistol? With my luck I would probably break off one of the bushings, they are probably original, and I would rather just replace the screws.
Colt 1911 Grip Screws
- Thread starter jondar
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ulflyer
Member
Brownell's has the screws in allen, torx, or original slot for about $7.15.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Screws
The threads will, unless you have a Norinco. If you plan on using thin grip panels, the length will probably be an issue, and you may have to shorten'em a little.
Slip an old bushing into one of the grip panels and thread the screw in until it stops. Use a smooth mill file to shorten the screw a little. Cut straight across the end of the screw. Don't go dead flush to the bushing. You have to allow for the thickness of the grip frame. If you take it to flush, the screw may be too short. Back the screw out to clean up the threads in the old bushing. Try the screw in the gun with the panel in place and check inside the magwell for protrusion. If you do all four screws, you can check by inserting a magazine to see if it binds. If it does, the screws are too long...or at least one of them is.
Brownells also offers bushings and screws that are the correct length to work with the ultra-thin grip panels if you elect to go that route. otherwise, shortening the existing bushings and screws will work.
jondar said:
The threads will, unless you have a Norinco. If you plan on using thin grip panels, the length will probably be an issue, and you may have to shorten'em a little.
Slip an old bushing into one of the grip panels and thread the screw in until it stops. Use a smooth mill file to shorten the screw a little. Cut straight across the end of the screw. Don't go dead flush to the bushing. You have to allow for the thickness of the grip frame. If you take it to flush, the screw may be too short. Back the screw out to clean up the threads in the old bushing. Try the screw in the gun with the panel in place and check inside the magwell for protrusion. If you do all four screws, you can check by inserting a magazine to see if it binds. If it does, the screws are too long...or at least one of them is.
Brownells also offers bushings and screws that are the correct length to work with the ultra-thin grip panels if you elect to go that route. otherwise, shortening the existing bushings and screws will work.
ulflyer
Member
Nork Grip Screws
Tuner, you're prob thinking about the bushings being a diff thread. I believe the grip screws on a Nork are the same as Colt. However, I've read that the bushing threads are not the same, but have not tried to change any in my Norks to see if thats true. If so, thats weird to have the grip screws the same but not the bushings.:banghead:
Tuner, you're prob thinking about the bushings being a diff thread. I believe the grip screws on a Nork are the same as Colt. However, I've read that the bushing threads are not the same, but have not tried to change any in my Norks to see if thats true. If so, thats weird to have the grip screws the same but not the bushings.:banghead:
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Nork
Nope. The threads are different if the OEM Nork bushings are in the holes.
You may be able to force'em to thread, but they're not the same. At least none that I've tried are. Lost a screw in a Nork once...Tried several standard screws. No go. Had to search on my hands and knees for 30 minutes to find the bouncy screw.
ulflyer said:
Nope. The threads are different if the OEM Nork bushings are in the holes.
You may be able to force'em to thread, but they're not the same. At least none that I've tried are. Lost a screw in a Nork once...Tried several standard screws. No go. Had to search on my hands and knees for 30 minutes to find the bouncy screw.
I would advise anyone with a Norinco and grip bushing problems to use oversized bushings (available from Brownells at www.brownells.com) and then re-tap the holes in the frame (special tap also available from Brownells).
Or I suppose that Chinese bushings might be available through Canada.
Or I suppose that Chinese bushings might be available through Canada.
Thanks again for the good advice. I don't plan to use thin panels, mostly just want to keep it looking original. It has the old "diamond" pattern grips and I may take these off for safekeeping, and find a pair of 1911 A1 plastic grips to use while shooting it. These old Colts seem to shoot flawlessly. The only problems I have had is smokestack jams, and I found this was caused by loading too lightly in an effort to get away from hammer bite. Since I don't have a Norinco I guess I can get away with using the old bushings.
ulflyer
Member
Just checked my 1991A1 against one of my Norks and the Grip Screws are the same.
I think Kartracer is coming up tomorrow to check out of my Norks and we'll see what that grip screw is, just for the heck of it.
I think Kartracer is coming up tomorrow to check out of my Norks and we'll see what that grip screw is, just for the heck of it.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Screw Same-Same
Interesting...Neither of mine will accept the standard screws. They're low-numbered. Haven't tried one in the Pimpgun yet.
ulflyer said:
Interesting...Neither of mine will accept the standard screws. They're low-numbered. Haven't tried one in the Pimpgun yet.
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Screw Update
Got up early today and hustled out into the shop to do some checkin'. The Pimpgun's screws interchange freely with the standard screws and bushings.
Neat! The other three won't accept standard screws. Here's the kicker.
The Norinco OEM screws will thread into the Colt's bushings...it just won't work vice-versa. Now I'm gonna hafta give myself a headache tryin' to figger this one out...:banghead: <---Doin' that.
Got up early today and hustled out into the shop to do some checkin'. The Pimpgun's screws interchange freely with the standard screws and bushings.
Neat! The other three won't accept standard screws. Here's the kicker.
The Norinco OEM screws will thread into the Colt's bushings...it just won't work vice-versa. Now I'm gonna hafta give myself a headache tryin' to figger this one out...:banghead: <---Doin' that.
sm
member
Solutions:
1) Send the Norinco to me.
2) Send Norinco to Old Fuff
3) Go back to K frames
4) Keltec P-11s do not have grip screws.
Pick One
Addendum: Life was so much simpler with 1911s before Allen and Torx head screws...
I mean the Sear Spring -head type always worked for JMB, proven, and continues to work.
1) Send the Norinco to me.
2) Send Norinco to Old Fuff
3) Go back to K frames
4) Keltec P-11s do not have grip screws.
Pick One
Addendum: Life was so much simpler with 1911s before Allen and Torx head screws...
I mean the Sear Spring -head type always worked for JMB, proven, and continues to work.
Tuner:
Check the O.D. of those early Norinco screws. Maybe they have the right pitch, but are too large to go into a standard grip bushing. The hole being oversized, would accept a stock screw, although it might wiggle a bit.
Them no-good Commie China-people will do anything to mess you up...
Check the O.D. of those early Norinco screws. Maybe they have the right pitch, but are too large to go into a standard grip bushing. The hole being oversized, would accept a stock screw, although it might wiggle a bit.
Them no-good Commie China-people will do anything to mess you up...
1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Screwy Holes
Did that. The screws will start, but come to a dead stop about halfway in.
One will AAAAAALMOST make it, but stops short of full depth. Weird...
Ya learn somethin' ever' dang day it seems.
Ted! Good call. Thanks for the heads up. When I tried and failed, I figgered that all of'em were that way.
Old Fuff said:Tuner:
Check the O.D. of those early Norinco screws. Maybe they have the right pitch, but are too large to go into a standard grip bushing. The hole being oversized, would accept a stock screw, although it might wiggle a bit.
Them no-good Commie China-people will do anything to mess you up...
Did that. The screws will start, but come to a dead stop about halfway in.
One will AAAAAALMOST make it, but stops short of full depth. Weird...
Ya learn somethin' ever' dang day it seems.
Ted! Good call. Thanks for the heads up. When I tried and failed, I figgered that all of'em were that way.
sm
member
Mirrors my experiences. Two different Norincos, same weird deal. 2/4 would work on each. Tops on one, sides different on the other.
We used ingenuity...just happened to have a couple a dozen or so Norinco Screws and bushings.
Just a matter of picking the right ones to fit. Not to be confused with the 4 or 5 dozen USGI or Colt bushings and screws in another container. *smirk* Wouldn't you guys like to know?
Oh...and founded a guy in Tulsa with LOTs of these USGI and Colt parts too. Larry pretended to not know me, said I embarassed him. *snicker*
Not a gunsmith - spent the night in the NC Airport once tho'
It ain't cheatin' if it works - called ingenuity
Regards,
Someone without a Norinco
Steve
ulflyer
Member
Nork..Wheres My Nork?
''Someone without a Norinco
Steve''
Steve: Maybe Santa will bring you one.
Have Kartracer tell you about the one he got last friday. He and Frandy came down and we had a good time taking turns shooting and poking fun at each other. Kartracer bought a Nork from me after drilling some pretty tight holes in paper. Also had him shoot my 1908 380 which I though was not very accurate. He got a decent group with that one too. His best hole in the paper was when he threw his Springer Micro at the target in frustration. Frandy did reasonably well with his Dan Wesson 1911 but nothing to brag about, eventho he might tell you different.
However he had a bunch of guns for us to play with, auto's and revolvers, so he can be excused. I felt real bad tho, embarassing him in front of Kartracer, when my inexpensive S&W 15 outshot his Colt Cobra. We'll have to do a "shootoff" soon before it gets too cold outside.
''Someone without a Norinco
Steve''
Steve: Maybe Santa will bring you one.
Have Kartracer tell you about the one he got last friday. He and Frandy came down and we had a good time taking turns shooting and poking fun at each other. Kartracer bought a Nork from me after drilling some pretty tight holes in paper. Also had him shoot my 1908 380 which I though was not very accurate. He got a decent group with that one too. His best hole in the paper was when he threw his Springer Micro at the target in frustration. Frandy did reasonably well with his Dan Wesson 1911 but nothing to brag about, eventho he might tell you different.
However he had a bunch of guns for us to play with, auto's and revolvers, so he can be excused. I felt real bad tho, embarassing him in front of Kartracer, when my inexpensive S&W 15 outshot his Colt Cobra. We'll have to do a "shootoff" soon before it gets too cold outside.1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
re:
Waitadangminnit! Frandy and Joe came to see ya and didn't stop by to hassle ME? I'm...I'm, hurt.
Waitanotherdadgumminnit! Whadaya mean..."Threw the Micro in frustration?"
What happened? It oughta be runnin' fine...(Lord, tell me that it ran okay.)
ulflyer said:''Someone without a Norinco
Steve''
Steve: Maybe Santa will bring you one.
Have Kartracer tell you about the one he got last friday. He and Frandy came down and we had a good time taking turns shooting and poking fun at each other. Kartracer bought a Nork from me after drilling some pretty tight holes in paper. Also had him shoot my 1908 380 which I though was not very accurate. He got a decent group with that one too. His best hole in the paper was when he threw his Springer Micro at the target in frustration. Frandy did reasonably well with his Dan Wesson 1911 but nothing to brag about, eventho he might tell you different.
Waitadangminnit! Frandy and Joe came to see ya and didn't stop by to hassle ME? I'm...I'm, hurt.
Waitanotherdadgumminnit! Whadaya mean..."Threw the Micro in frustration?"
What happened? It oughta be runnin' fine...(Lord, tell me that it ran okay.)
ulflyer
Member
Micro? What Micro?
UUhhh ahhhh........maybe it just looked like a Micro. Mighta been a Taurus or sumpin. You know my eyes ain't much these days. But I did hear Joe cussing some. His big grin was reserved for the Nork. He got one with the nice trigger.
Next time you gotta come over here! Gonna get you over one way or the other. Folks, the range that Tuner uses is a whole 1/2 mile from my house and he ain't been to see me yet.
UUhhh ahhhh........maybe it just looked like a Micro. Mighta been a Taurus or sumpin. You know my eyes ain't much these days. But I did hear Joe cussing some. His big grin was reserved for the Nork. He got one with the nice trigger.
Next time you gotta come over here! Gonna get you over one way or the other. Folks, the range that Tuner uses is a whole 1/2 mile from my house and he ain't been to see me yet.
kart racer
Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2004
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Tuner
The nork is great,the micro is fussy.I did make it thru a few mags yesterday w/out a problem.Friday at Ted's it had the other spring in it,both fri/sat it would have the same type of jam regardless of spring-the empty case would be stuck at the top of the slide smashed and the next round would not feed.,after pulling the slide back and turning it upside down so the empty would fall out it would not go into battery.This was w/pmc.I had some georgia arms lrn reloads that didn't do it as much.They seemed a little shorter. Joe
The nork is great,the micro is fussy.I did make it thru a few mags yesterday w/out a problem.Friday at Ted's it had the other spring in it,both fri/sat it would have the same type of jam regardless of spring-the empty case would be stuck at the top of the slide smashed and the next round would not feed.,after pulling the slide back and turning it upside down so the empty would fall out it would not go into battery.This was w/pmc.I had some georgia arms lrn reloads that didn't do it as much.They seemed a little shorter. Joe
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