I just realized that on the 2 5" Springfields I have on hand, at the moment at least, both have barrel bushings that can fall out they're so loose. No bushing wrench required. All I have to do is tilt the slide one way or another and jiggle and they'll fall out if the barrel and spring/plug are not present.
I also noticed that while reassembling them that the GI plug actually pushes the barrel bushings on both of them out a decent amount (I don't have my feeler gauges on me, but it's easily seen from the side). One of them pushes straight out, while the other levers the bottom of the bushing forward.
Granted, this isn't a huge amount, but if I had to guess, it might be .020"-.030" for both of them. Not sure about the slop between the bushings and the barrels, but they've got some wiggle room in there too. I'll see if I can get to Sears tonight and pick up some new feeler guages. I wish I had my digital caliper too.
Could this be why my groups with either of them aren't satisfactory or is this amount of slop normal? My newly purchased Champion LW GI can shoot much better groups (bull barrel) with a heavier/creapier trigger and less weight to calm down my non-stable hands and I'm shooting the same WWB out of them.
I guess I'm just wondering if your bushings have any wobble to them when there's no barrel/spring/GI plug installed.
Thanks
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