Posted: 10/31/2010 10:36:23 AM EDT
| OK forgive my ignorance, I just popped my 1911 cherry this w/e with an American Classic II. I went to remove the grips while cleaning and was not successful. I got to looking and noticed bushings between the grips and the frame. Should I attempt to unscrew the bushings, because these effing grips won't budge. Or is there a trick that I am not getting? |
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My guess would be that the bushings are Loctited in place, so removing them isn't gonna be easy.
Assume that you've tried forcing the grip(s) out by sticking your finger or a thumb up the mag well and pressing them out from the inside. I've had them be "tight" but never so much that I couldn't slide something really thin under a corner and lift up from there. Not much help but good luck! |
| The grip screws should come right out of the bushings. With the appropriate screw driver bit, be it flathead, hex, torx, etc. The grips might be tight to the frame but that will pop off. There really isn't ever a need to take a bushing out unless you are going from regular grips to slim grips. Bushings are delicate, and very easy to ruin with a regular screwdriver. |
| I took the screws out no problem, that's not the issue. Once the screws are out, the grips will not budge from the bushings. I'm new to the 1911 gang so I can't figure out how to take these fuckers off without scratching the finish. I don't want to take out the bushings I just want to freaking grips to come off. Oh, well, I'll just forget about buying some cool new grips. |
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Once the screws are out, use a non-marring tool like a plastic screwdriver handle to pop the grips off from inside the magwell. Yeah, I've searched my tool room up and down for something non-marring. Anyway, next stupid question. I have 1 ACT 8 round mag with the pistol. I can push the mag up and down in the magwell at least 1/32" no matter what state the slide is in, no matter if the mag is loaded or not. Is this normal for a 1911? I know it isn't normal for the rest of my pistols. Maybe the mag is crap? Maybe the mag release is crap? Other than that the pistol cycles flawlessly. |
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Once the screws are out, use a non-marring tool like a plastic screwdriver handle to pop the grips off from inside the magwell. Yeah, I've searched my tool room up and down for something non-marring. Anyway, next stupid question. You can use a properly sized Allen wrench as a lever. Pad the short tip with a few layers of duct tape or something to keep from marring the wood. Then use it as a lever to press the grip stock outward. Repeat from top of magwell if necessary. 
I have 1 ACT 8 round mag with the pistol. I can push the mag up and down in the magwell at least 1/32" no matter what state the slide is in, no matter if the mag is loaded or not. Is this normal for a 1911? It's not unusual. Different mag brands do vary somewhat. As long as the gun feeds and functions fine, I wouldn't worry about it. |
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Yes, you can always push up on the mag bottom and get a small movement.
Try to use a piece of wood to knock one of the grips loose from the mag well so you can take that one off. This allows you to tap the other one out right through the frame cutout. Your grips are properly fitted for a tight fit over the bushings - there's nothing wrong with them being tight. So who makes this 'American Classic II'? |
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Yes, you can always push up on the mag bottom and get a small movement. Try to use a piece of wood to knock one of the grips loose from the mag well so you can take that one off. This allows you to tap the other one out right through the frame cutout. Your grips are properly fitted for a tight fit over the bushings - there's nothing wrong with them being tight. So who makes this 'American Classic II'? I believe it is imported from the same sources that RIA and Citadel import from. American Classic II |
| Okay, Armscor in the Phillipines. The new RIA I bought a few years ago was a decent 1911. The only thing with it was a short, weak recoil spring that I discovered as soon as I got it and replaced with a standard 16#. The pistol worked fine and I eventually gave it to one of my sons who was happy to get it. Looking at the American Classic models, it's easy to see they are on top of the features people are buying/building today. With the 'Novaks-type' sights, it should be easy to drop in a set of Novaks night sights with no slide milling required (some fitting probably would be). The forged slide is a plus, and the cast frame is probably investment-cast. That should be plenty strong, considering that some 1911s have aluminum frames. |
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Once the screws are out, use a non-marring tool like a plastic screwdriver handle to pop the grips off from inside the magwell. Yeah, I've searched my tool room up and down for something non-marring. Anyway, next stupid question. You can use a properly sized Allen wrench as a lever. Pad the short tip with a few layers of duct tape or something to keep from marring the wood. Then use it as a lever to press the grip stock outward. Repeat from top of magwell if necessary. http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff35/kemays/gunsmith/gripwrench.jpg I have 1 ACT 8 round mag with the pistol. I can push the mag up and down in the magwell at least 1/32" no matter what state the slide is in, no matter if the mag is loaded or not. Is this normal for a 1911? It's not unusual. Different mag brands do vary somewhat. As long as the gun feeds and functions fine, I wouldn't worry about it. Right on, your suggestion did the trick. Thanks! Now to the shopping for overpriced yet cool grips. |