Wilson Grip Screw Bushing Can't Remove Them.

[AuProspector]

I need some information/help...

I have a Wilson 1911 and I'm trying to remove the grip screw bushing (GSB) to replace them with a set that will allow me to use a "thin" bushing/screws/grips. The factory installed GSB's appear to be cemented or lock-tited in. I used a pretty good amount of force to back them out and they will not budge.

Do they have a reversed thread? (Clockwise turn to unloosen?)

Has anyone else experienced this with a Wilson's 1911? Any suggestions or help would be appreciated?

[FrostyEOD]

Heat can help you remove loctite'd parts, or take it to your friendly neighborhood gunsmith.

[AuProspector]

Heat can help you remove loctite'd parts, or take it to your friendly neighborhood gunsmith.

OK.

When you mentioned using heat. Are you talking about 'hair dryer' heat, torch heat, etc.?

I don't know if Wilson Combat's are loctite'd in or not?

[FrostyEOD]

I used a soldering iron and removed the screw while it was still hot (it was not a Wilson). The screw I was removing had red loctite (271) holding it in, I don't think they use red on the grip screw bushings.

My advice is if it doesn't come out like I think it should, I take it to a gunsmith.

[Ttwwaack]

+1 to what Frosty had to say.

I use a crack lighter on stainless, blue and parked receivers. The soldering iron should work well for the coated Wilson receiver. I usually like to here the sizzle of the locking compound before I try to loosen with a Browells Bushing Driver.

If you've screwed the pooch and used a plain flat blade screw driver and mauled the threads, heat again and try a square EZ out gently tapped in.

Others have broken out the dremel and recut the screw slots with a cut off blade but I have not tried that.

If you really XXXX the pooch, Brownells has oversized bushings and a tap but I don't know if they are available for slim grips. Greg

[Dave Berryhill]

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=82963

[FrostyEOD]

Great link Dave, thanks!

[dhrith]

At the very least don't use a cursed wedge shaped screwdriver. And another tip to transfer the heat would be to grind a nail into a cone shape then insert it onto the bushing (guessing a 16penny would do nicely) then you can heat the nail nicely with a torch transfering the heat to the bushing without hitting the rest of the damn frame with the flame, just blow the flame at the nail parallel to the frame so it isn't pointed at it. This would only be applicable if you NEED heat, if you're not sure you do or why you would need it, or what difficulty it could cause you if you heated it too much, this probably answers whether or not you should be doing it. ;p

[sinjinhawk]

In the past I have the same experience with my Wilson CQB. What I did is first purchased from Brownell new 1911 bushing screw set. Then while on a paded clamp vise the lower receiver, use a long nose vise grip to just force counter clock turn each one of them, and replaced with new set of bushing and screws.

[Lawdog-1]

I have used vise grips to remove them and installed new bushing with the bushing tool from brownells.

[SGB]

A little heat and a http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=2062/pid=493/Product/Regular_1911_Bushing_Bit?utm_medium=shoppingengine&utm_source=googlebase&mc_id=10000&gdftrk=gdfV21820_a_7c187_a_7c745_a_7c080434045_d_080434045_d_11566

[davidjinks]

When I had my CQB the bushings were installed with blue loctite.

I used a brûlée torch to heat the bushings. About ten seconds each and they come right out.

Prior to reinstalling them I used a 22 cal bronze brush with some CLP to clean the threads and then simply reinstalled them.

[suhu]

I've always used a flat piece of steel for full size bushing removal.