[Lee Factory crimp die]

I had two problem children, a 625 with a tight cylinder and a Series 1 Kimber with a tight chamber, in .45acp.

I used to have to go through the loaded ammo to find 6 I could clip up that would drop in the cylinder. Some of those rounds you couldn't force into the cylinder.

I used to get a really high failure rate on the case gauge.

I installed the LFCD and my problems went away, completely. It's been a couple years since I even used the case gauge.

Disclaimer: Shooting is my hobby, not reloading.

I am not being a smart a$$ here but is there a chance the die you were using was not adjusted correctly?

zdog

[Lee Factory crimp die]

As far as I can tell the press and its dies are doing a fine job on my 9mm ammo.

If it ain't broken, don't fix it!

I guess my question is: Why use the FCD. What are its advantages. I see where so many people use it but why? I use a FCD for my .223 rounds because I think it gives a more positive crimp and lessens the possibility of the bullet still in the magazine from moving back in the case.

zdog

Rifle FCD is just a crimp die. It's not a sizer at all.

Pistol Carbide FCD are also a sizer. The round passes through a sizer that is .003" smaller then the largest size allowed under SAAMI specs. It is also a crimp die. But the big difference is that is post sizes your round to make sure the final product meets SAAMI specs. It is nothing like a rifle FCD. Very different animal.

Very informative. Thanks,

zdog

[Help with Colt grip bushings]

Best of luck to you in your endeavor; I hope you save your $10 set of grip bushings from the scrap heap.

No sense getting testy. I found that putting a little Kroil on during the last couple of days has done the trick. Even now that the bushings are no longer frozen the metal of the bushing is of such poor quality that the slots are peeling off. I have learned that using a little finesse is often better than going for the big hammer to start with.

zdog

[Lee Factory crimp die]

As far as I can tell the press and its dies are doing a fine job on my 9mm ammo.

If it ain't broken, don't fix it!

I guess my question is: Why use the FCD. What are its advantages. I see where so many people use it but why? I use a FCD for my .223 rounds because I think it gives a more positive crimp and lessens the possibility of the bullet still in the magazine from moving back in the case.

zdog

[Lee Factory crimp die]

Lee uses the Factory Crimp Die as their version of the Redding GRX to remove Glock bulge. It only worked on about 1% of my deprimed cases so I have quit worrying about it.

I believe you're thinking of the Lee Bulge Buster not the FCD.

Trust me the Lee Bulge Buster uses the Factory Crimp die minus the crimp ring, I know I bought one. Can always go to the Lee website to check it out.

Since I am using a square deal press, what am I missing by not being able to use the FCD? As far as I can tell the press and its dies are doing a fine job on my 9mm ammo.

zdog

[Lee Factory crimp die]

I have a friend that shoots lead in his 9mm para that was having problems with key-hole-ing who had to go up to a .357 bullet to stop the key-hole-ing. He uses a lee factory crimp die. I know I was having problem with leading in my 625 that slowed down after I stopped using the lee factory crimp die.

zdog

[Help with Colt grip bushings]

you should get a thin grip bushing bit that fits hex drivers like wheeler, etc. drivers. Use a lil heat in case it has some red locktite. They sell em, cant remeber where I got mine, probably brownells.

Thanks, As I mentioned in a previous post, I have one of those from Brownells and all I managed to do was enlarge the slots in the grip bushing......

Thanks

zdog

ah, sorry,

you didnt specify that it was the one thats made specifically for the thin bushings, so I figured is might have been a standard bushing bit.

In that case a screw extractor will work.; youll mess up the screw threads, but it sounds like theyre toast anyway,

Thanks,

They are not toast yet. That is the purpose of seeking some help on this subject before proceeding.

Thanks,

zdog

[Lee Factory crimp die]

Is there any truth to the speculation that the Lee Factory crimp die undersizes the bullets?

zdog

[Help with Colt grip bushings]

you should get a thin grip bushing bit that fits hex drivers like wheeler, etc. drivers. Use a lil heat in case it has some red locktite. They sell em, cant remeber where I got mine, probably brownells.

Thanks, As I mentioned in a previous post, I have one of those from Brownells and all I managed to do was enlarge the slots in the grip bushing......

Thanks

zdog

[Help with Colt grip bushings]

Seriously, unless they're staked or red loctited in there, more leverage is usually the key.

Good luck...

Huh!

If they are Loctited they aren't coming out in one piece without some heat. Leverage without heat will only succeed in the bushings being torn up and coming out in pieces and very possibly scarring the gun.

If they are staked it should be easy to see the stake marks on the inside of the grip after removing the grip panels. If you do see the stake marks I would still use heat as the bushings might still have had Loctite put on them.

A good pinpoint heat source such as the small butane torch sold at Harbor Freight will work very well. Right Eric?

CYa,

Pat

OK folks, thanks for all the replies and speculation. Like I said in my original post, has any one dealt with this model 1911 and what was the solution.

Thanks,

zdog

[Help with Colt grip bushings]

If you use an impact driver you need to support the inside of the magwell so it doesn't collapse.

Thanks for the idea but before I beat the crap out this nice 1911 I would like to hear from someone who has had success with this model 1911.

zdog

[Help with Colt grip bushings]

You need to use a bigger hammer...

Seriously, unless they're staked or red loctited in there, more leverage is usually the key.

The other way is to use an impact (un?)driver. It's one of those hand held thingies that you smack with a hammer (see, I told you) and it applies more torque that you could by hand.

I've also had luck with stubborn fastners by throwing the workpiece in the freezer for half an hour or so. Most materials contract when cold and it might be just enough to bust that bushing off.

Good luck...

So do you know if this model Colt was manufactured with staking or loctiting? I have the Brownells grip bushing tool and was very careful and applied maximum force without distorting the bushings too much without luck. I will try the freezer trick to see if that helps although I would be inclined to try a little heat first.

zdog

[Help with Colt grip bushings]

I have a Colt Gunsite model 1911 that came with thin grips and a short trigger. It is the full sized government model. I have tried to remove the thin bushing in order to install standard grips with no luck. These bushing are in there till the end of time it looks like. They don't appear to be staked. I haven't tried heat yet in case they are loctited in. Has anyone ever removed the grip bushings from this model Colt and if so, how did you do it?

Thanks,

zdog

[1911 grip safety alteration]

moleskin is sold in all pharmacies it is used over blisters so check the foot area

moleskin

a lot of people in the military use it to adjust cheek weld on their rifles too

Thanks

zdog

[1911 grip safety alteration]

I pin my grip safeties but you can probably try moleskin its cheap, easy, and if you don't like it it will come right off. I've seen moleskin used as a tool more than I have seen it used for actual blisters.

Thanks. I am not sure what moleskin is but it sounds like what I am after. Pinning the safety sounds a little bit like cheating.

zdog

[1911 grip safety alteration]

Another option is to "sensitize" the safety

just Goooooooogle "1911 grip safety sensitizing" has to do with the shape of the bit that bears against the trigger bow

Be careful though too much and you have a non functional safety....

its an option...

John

Thanks but what I kinda had in mind was putting a couple of layers of tape or maybe a glob of JB weld on the part that sticks up and contacts my hand first.

zdog

[I can't believe how badly this is fit/blended - grip safety replac]

I am looking into changing the grip safety on my Colt Gunsite 1911 and have been asking around. What I hear most is that the Ed Brown grip safety sometimes has a hole that is not in alignment which causes problems.

zdog

[1911 grip safety alteration]

I have the same old story of not being able to sometimes get the grip safety depressed enough to allow the gun to go bang. Is it possible to build up the contact point with something to make it stick out a little bit more to ensure positive engagement? I use the over thumb safety grip and have a mid rise thumb safety otw which will help. Is it time to get the JB weld out?

Thanks,

zdog

[1911 thumb safety help]

I love shooting my Colt 1911 but I have hands on the smaller side so I have had to make some changes. I have the short trigger and the thin grips. I used to have the GunSite low ride thumb safety which worked great till I found out that when shooting left handed I kept engaging the safety. This is not a good thing so I removed it and returned it. I have since learned that there may be someone making a a mid-range thumb safety that allows folks with smaller hands to use the ride the safety grip and still shoot with the left hand and not constantly engage the safety.

My question is: Does anyone know of such a safety for the 1911?

zdog

I finally found what I was after and have one otw. This is a link to the mid height 1911 thumb safety.

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=326799

zdog

[1911 thumb safety help]

Zdog, my point was that shooting a gun with special mods can sometimes become a barrier to overall progress. Sorry about your bike experience.

Me too

[1911 thumb safety help]

Sometimes, it's about adapting the gun to you. Sometimes, it's about adapting you to the gun.

That's what my folks kept telling me when I wanted to get a bike when I was 12. They said: Your brother's bike will be fine, just wait, you will grow into it. Well, I have stopped growing and I want something that fits now.

zdog

[1911 thumb safety help]

Sorry zdog, no I don't.

Richard

Thanks for checking

zdog

[1911 thumb safety help]

Try SV extra wide, it help you get up there and have more of your finger on the safety. I had the same problem and that's what I use now. Someone should really make a mid hight safety with a wide paddle for us small handers.

Ooops....I see that this is a second response Sorry

For me that makes an awkward grip which makes it even harder to get the grip safety depressed. Still no luck on finding a mid height thumb safety yet.

Thanks

zdog

[1911 thumb safety help]

Wilson's BP Low Lever looks to be slightly higher than the Gunsite safety, also at a slightly different angle.

Not sure if it'd work for you though.

I talked to Wilson about their low thumb safety and the response was that is was about the same as the Gunsite model.

zdog

[1911 thumb safety help]

I have the same problem you have and have to have a special TS fabricated with the lever is removed. The new section that is attached comes back more so that I can reach it with my thumb. Sort of the reverse of the Swenson and etc. I have been using these for years. Only problem is that sometimes I don't hit the GS even one that has the MB.

FWIW

Richard

PS: The original was made by Wayne Novak but the GS I use now fabricates them for me.

Thanks Richard. You don't happen to have an extra one laying around do you?

zdog