Officers ACP reverse plug

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tommyt

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I recently tried a Clark reverse plug in an Officers ACP. It seemed to cause a lot of problems. Every other round the slide stop would engage and lock the gun open. The gun runs fine with stock parts.

I think it is a result of having less slide travel with the Crark plug installed.

Anyone here have experience cutting the slide to compensate for the reverse plug shoulder using a file?
 
Yeah,

But then you remove the shoulder portion of the plug and that is what you need to make the plug stronger to begin with
 
Well, the Clark plug is designed to be used in the stock unmodified slide. It does reduce the already short slide stroke, which I don't like. I don't have one close at the moment to examine to see if it is feasible to shorten the tunnel from the rear to use with this particular plug, but It for sure will make the plug stick out further on the front side. Other plugs that I've installed do require that you shorten the tunnel, so that will most likely work fine with the Clark plug as long as you deepen the slot for the key on the bottom and don't care about the plug protruding further out the front. If you do this, get a machine shop to do it for you if possible (it will be neater) and remove an amount equal to the thickness of the flange, then lightly chamfer the edge of the hole in the spring tunnel. I prefer the collared style plugs these days which require that you ream the tunnel from the back. I also recommend the flat wire spring and guide rod from EGW. It lasts so much longer than the stock spring. They sell it with a drilled Clark plug if you prefer.

And no, you can't trim the plug. It requires the flange to retain it in the gun. Reducing/removing it would put you back to the stock plug configuration.
 
Yeah,
I noticed that the Clark plug would stick out more from the front of the pistol if the slide is cut. Who else makes a reverse plug that I can use then if I don't use the Clark?
 
Reversed plug colt officers model problems

:)I have a Springfield 1911A1 simular I believe with the Colt Officers model.
I didn't like the plug in the gun it was held in by the tab on the back of the Springfield plug and the thin barrel bushing, it made me nervous everytime I fired it and cleaned it

I purchased either a clark or wilson two piece guide rod and I believe it came with the reverse bushing. When I installed the bushing, it was back as it stopped short on the mating surface. I assume this is what you guys are talking about. I took some pictures and you will have to click on the html to see them
First picture of the unit etc. http://yfrog.com/mtcopyofspringfield1911a1j

second picture reverse bushing showing back 1/2 O.D. flange that holds the bushing back and inside flange for end of recoil spring.
http://yfrog.com/87springfield1911a1officej

third picture: I cut the back of the of the slide so the reverse bushing would index in position and go forward even with the original mateing surface. Using a file. http://yfrog.com/ndspringfield1911a1officej

fourth picture: I am very happy with the increased strength of the plug and barrel bushing. It really helped the accuracy and it is a pleasure to shoot.
http://yfrog.com/0mspringfield1911a1officej

Two more pictures I couldn't resist. http://yfrog.com/n9springfield1911a1officej http://yfrog.com/10springfield1911a1officej

The firearm is kept in the portable gun safe and thats why you see the ammo on the bottom. I also use the clip extension from Brownells so it will hold nine rounds with one chambered.
I hope this helps, if you have any questions please send me a message.
I found the kit: http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=36833/sku/Officers_Guide_Rod_Kit
be safe and have fun. :neener:
Doing mre research you may be talking about the tunston revers plug whick looks to be way to long. I would go to the Wilson.
 
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...Who else makes a reverse plug that I can use then if I don't use the Clark?
Click to expand...

EGW makes a collar style plug. You have to ream out the back of the slide tunnel creating a stepped shoulder inside. It is contained completely within the tunnel when installed. I think Briley also makes one.

ReloaderEd shows that you can modify your slide for the Clark style with a file if you are careful. I prefer a mill to insure neatness and save time/labor.
 
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Ed,
Why does that rod seem to screw apart? Can you also tell me how much material needs to be removed and from where? Is it simply filling straight across the back of the plug area?
 
Wilson Recoil Spring Rod 2 piece and plug bushing

The rod screws apart so as the disassemble the recoil sping and parts on the slide. Once the front half of the rod is removed, You can take the spring and other rod half out easiy. Otherwise there is no other way to disassemble the slide.
If you look at the picures, Metal is removed from the slide the width of the outer flange on the reverse plug that comes with the kit. I did this with a small flaf file very slowly fitting the plug in until is was even with the other have or the plug recess in the slide.

http://yfrog.com/87springfield1911a1officej

http://yfrog.com/mx1911a1officersj

http://yfrog.com/b51911a1officerspicsj

It takes patience, keep the cut flat, fit the plug in every so often and take you time. You can have it done by a gunsmith, I am one by the way. :neener:
 
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Thanks Ed,

I can see where the material needs to come off the slide but is it only removed off the rounded section of the slide where the recoil plug fits?
 
Do you know if the wilson kit shortens the slide travel at all?

I assume cutting the slide gets one back to stock slide travel but thought I'd ask.
 
Yeah,
But then you remove the shoulder portion of the plug and that is what you need to make the plug stronger to begin with
Click to expand...
I run a modified Clark plug with an ISMI spring and EGW guide rod in my OACP. I also have an EGW barrel bushing on it. The setup has been flawless since I put it together a couple of years ago.
I modified the plug by taking some material off the inside of the plugged end so that there would not be any spring stacking problems. The plug is then drilled for the guide rod. I also removed some material from the flange of the plug (and some from the base of the guide rod) to reduce the amount of slide travel lost from using the Clark plug/unaltered dust cover.
1zb59i0.jpg
n6ylhz.jpg
bfhpnc.jpg
Slide fully rearward: stock setup (L), Modified
34qljlc.jpg
Regards,
Greg
 
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Greg,

That's exactly what I just discovered I need to do. Only problem is I have already taken the Clark plug collar down to 0.04 inch from 0.065 inch where it started but I don't have the tools to drill out the plug to eliminate spring stacking or to trim the guide rod.

I also have the Clark plug that I got as part of the EGW Guide rod kit. Maybe if I contact EGW they can fix me up.
 
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Greg,
How thinck is your flange on the Clark plug now? How much did you "deepen" the plug by and how much did you take off the guide rod? Thanks in advance. This was exactly the info I needed.
 
How thinck is your flange on the Clark plug now? How much did you "deepen" the plug by and how much did you take off the guide rod? Thanks in advance. This was exactly the info I needed.
Click to expand...
Hi,
I'm not sure how much I took off, so here 's what they measure now:
The flange on the Clark Plug is .05".
The guide rod is .11" measured from the spring side to the opposite flat side (the large part of the flange is .06").
kcb7ut.jpg
I'm not sure (again) how much I deepened the plug. I just kept checking fit to the point that the spring would fit entirely inside it.
BTW, I used flat end stones and bits with my Dremel tool to deepen the plug.
To reduce the guide rod, I chucked it in the drill press and used a safe edged file to remove material as it was turning.
Regards,
Greg
 
Greg,

You are awsome. Thanks for the tips. I think I can handle the action if I get a safe edge file and some stones for my dremel!

One more question. Can anyone recommend a cold blue or other way to refinish some of the parts that I filed etc? I have a matte finish....if there is a cold blue that produces a matte finish that would be perfect.

Thanks again!
 
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You're welcome. In regards to bluing: surface preparation determines the level of shine. A blasted surface will give you a nice matte finish. Brownells Oxpho Blue is my cold blue of choice for doing touch up work.
Regards,
Greg
 
Be careful with the Wilson kit.
Everyone I've seen over the last 10 years will result in spring stack.
They require shortening of the supplied spring.
 
RogersPrecision said:
Be careful with the Wilson kit.
Everyone I've seen over the last 10 years will result in spring stack.
They require shortening of the supplied spring.
Click to expand...
That's what I was worried about. I was thinking of fittinga wilson kit but if I cut the slide and it still gives me issues then I'll be out of luck big time.

I'm going to do what Greg did and see what I get.

Anyone know where I can get a safe edge file?
 
I got the safe files and got it all done. Everything went well.

Boring the Crark plug deeper to make the "spring fit in it" during recoil was a little of a challenge with the Dremel and it is a tad uneven at the bottom.

I think the reduction in overall slide travel after doing all of the above was about 0.02 inches. Similar to Greg's pics. We'll see if it works.

I wonder how the Clark plug will be now that the plug shoulder is reduced from the original 0.062 to 0.04 inch? I wonder if it will be stronger than the stock set up?
 
Final thoughts

So I tried the above mentioned things to fit the EGW Officers kit (clark plug, ISMI spring, Full length 1/4 inch guide rod ) to my Officers pistol. The fitting went well.

Still 2 problems:

1)Problem now is the ISMS springs that I got with the kit are not even close to 22 lbs.
2) There is still lost slide travel as a result of the Clark plug.

My stock pistol functions fine so I'm sticking with that like many other individuals (although I might buy the wilson kit just to have it in case I want to play around, one day when I have more time for this kind of thing). I'm not convinced that the aftermarket kits solve all issues and once I cut the slide if I have any problems I can't uncut it.

*****
Final observations after looking at this Officers recoil system for a long time with respect to plug and bushing failure and reducing the risk of this in a stock pistol

1) Take a look at the stock spring plug. When installed in the slide it should not protrude from the back of the slide at all. When installed it should be slightly inside the slide. If not it will get hammered during recoil and this will make it break.
2) Take a look at the stock spring guide. Place the spring guide into the recoil plug. There should be enough depth in the plug to accomodate the spring guide. If not the spring guide will hammer the plug during recoil and it will break. If your spring guide is too long file it down or find another.
3) Spring stacking.....If your spring does not fit into the plug on full recoil the spring will stack. This will transfer "extra force" to the tab on the spring plug. Not good. Trim the spring a bit if this happens. I check for this problem by first making sure items 1 and 2 (above) are OK. Then check your reward slide travel with all parts in the pistol minus the spring. Now put the spring in and check again. If the slide travel is less with the spring that's spring stack.
4) Last items. Make sure the pistol is assembled properly. If the spring plug tab is not seated in the slide cut out and the pistol is fired the tab will shear off. It seems silly but it is pretty easy to push the plug in and rotate it such that the tab is not seated in the cut out. It is also pretty easy to push the recoil plug in (with a thumb) and rotate the bushing at the same time. When that happens the spring plug gets behind the bushing. If the pistol is fired like that it's not good.
 
Tommyt,
Sorry the ISMI spring and Clark plug didn't work out for you. Did the reduced slide travel give you the same problems as before? I guess there is enough variance between between individual guns that it will work in some and not in others.
I think your final observations on the fit of the plug and spring being crucial to the longevity of the OEM setup are spot on. I think I'll dig out my stock parts and check their fit, but I'll continue to run the Clark/ISMI/EGW setup in it as it has been so trouble free for me.
Good shooting to you.
Regards,
Greg
 
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