Slotted barrel bushing for 1911

Dave45-70

August 11, 2015 04:08

My series 70 Colt 1911 has a slotted barrel bushing that fits extremely tight and wonder if one like that would be of any benefit to my National Match? Anyone know why they don't use them anymore on current pistols? They cost about 5 times more than a standard bushing.

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  nmyers

  August 11, 2015 05:11

  Guns with the spring steel barrel bushing use a different shape barrel. So, not a mix-and-match parts swap.
  
  Colt discontinued them in 1988 because there were reports of bushing fingers breaking, plus manufacturing tolerances for the solid bushings had improved enough that there was no longer any advantage to the spring steel bushings.
  
  A factory Colt NM can benefit from accurizing by an expert gunsmith, but, if you are not a competition shooter it may not be worth the investment. Due to tight tolerances & hand fitting at the factory, it is not recommended that you change parts on your own.
  
  Neal

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  dcs shooters

  August 11, 2015 09:08

  The fingers were breaking on them, that's why Colt stopped using them.
  If your NM bushing is loose, you need to get one fitted to the barrel and slide [;)]

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  Dave45-70

  August 11, 2015 10:05

  Thanks that's what I needed to know. I shoot OK but I'm always looking for an edge.

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  beantownshootah

  August 12, 2015 10:21

  quote:My series 70 Colt 1911 has a slotted barrel bushing that fits extremely tight and wonder if one like that would be of any benefit to my National Match?
  Mine too, and no, probably no advantage to adding one to a different gun.
  
  
  
  
  "Collet" type bushing was designed to grip the barrel reducing play between the barrel/frame and (in theory) promoting accuracy. As already mentioned, you can get the same results just with excellent fitting of the barrel to slide and pretty much nobody uses these springy bushings anymore, except people who still have "legacy" ones in their Colt series 70 guns.
  
  quote:Anyone know why they don't use them anymore on current pistols? They cost about 5 times more than a standard bushing. Well, you just mentioned one reason they aren't used anymore (cost). Other is that they're just not that strong and have a tendency to break with prolonged use or abuse.

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