Post by Ken O'Neill on Nov 19, 2023 7:09:34 GMT -5
Yesterday, I met my friends Tom and Jason at our local Range. Jason was shooting his new unfired Savage 1911. He is new to 1911's. I didn't shoot the gun, so can't comment on its accuracy. At the conclusion of his shooting, he said "I don't even know how to clean this gun". I said " bring it over here and I'll show you how to disassemble it".
Well, the gun is attractive. It wears an elevation adjustable Novak rear sight, G-10 grip panels with a thumb cutout (right hand), a tall magazine release button, excellent slide to frame and barrel hood to slide fit, and various sculpting of the metalwork. BUT ...
I depressed the recoil spring plug (had to use the attitude of an angry gorilla), and attempted to rotate the barrel bushing. Tried harder, then harder still. No go. I didn't have a barrel bushing wrench with me. Finally, I said "Well, I'll show you another way, but it is not the approved way." I
retracted the slide, aligning the disassembly notch with the slide stop, and pushed the slide stop out, controlling the recoil spring and guide with my left hand. Finished the disassembly except for the barrel bushing, and tried it again. Still no go.
The gun has dual nested recoil springs, which of course has nothing to do with this barrel bushing problem, but I mention it anyway. The barrel is nicely fitted to the bushing, too.
Later Gunsmith Scott Ledford produced his barrel bushing wrench, and with much grunting and straining the bushing was turned. Of course, the fitting of the bushing to the barrel contributes greatly to accuracy. The fitting of the bushing to the slide does not, to the same degree. Maybe the next Savage 1911 will not exhibit this problem. This one is too annoying to suit me.
Well, the gun is attractive. It wears an elevation adjustable Novak rear sight, G-10 grip panels with a thumb cutout (right hand), a tall magazine release button, excellent slide to frame and barrel hood to slide fit, and various sculpting of the metalwork. BUT ...
I depressed the recoil spring plug (had to use the attitude of an angry gorilla), and attempted to rotate the barrel bushing. Tried harder, then harder still. No go. I didn't have a barrel bushing wrench with me. Finally, I said "Well, I'll show you another way, but it is not the approved way." I
retracted the slide, aligning the disassembly notch with the slide stop, and pushed the slide stop out, controlling the recoil spring and guide with my left hand. Finished the disassembly except for the barrel bushing, and tried it again. Still no go.
The gun has dual nested recoil springs, which of course has nothing to do with this barrel bushing problem, but I mention it anyway. The barrel is nicely fitted to the bushing, too.
Later Gunsmith Scott Ledford produced his barrel bushing wrench, and with much grunting and straining the bushing was turned. Of course, the fitting of the bushing to the barrel contributes greatly to accuracy. The fitting of the bushing to the slide does not, to the same degree. Maybe the next Savage 1911 will not exhibit this problem. This one is too annoying to suit me.
