Barrel link pin binding

[Marv Z]

I just got my Springer Loaded back from the custom shop after having a red dot mount installed. It was so tight you can't even rack the slide. I removed the guide rod and barrel bushing and finally got the slide off. The slide was rubbing on the dot mount, so I clearanced it with a small file. The slide nows works freely on the frame. Go to put it back together and as soon as you install the barrel bushing, it binds up again. After looking at it for awhile, you can tell the link and/or pin is binding in the barrel mounts. My other 1911 has no such problem and works freely. I even put it's barrel and link in the first gun and sure enough it works fine now.. All I had done was a mount installed and now the slide won't even rack! All I can figure is they dropped the barrel or something and damaged it. So much for test firing the gun. You have to literally force the bushing into place because the barrel is binding on the pin. Now I know the logical thing would be to send it back, but it took them 4 months the first time. Brownells instructions say tap the pin out with a punch, but it's really tight. I wacked it a couple times and it ain't moving and seems to have made it worse. I've always had good work from the Custom Shop, but they dropped the ball on this one. Has anyone replaced the link before and have any advice?

Edited July 15, 2010 by Marv Z

[ParaGunner]

It sounds like they put a different barrel link in. To get the barrel link out , I always lay the lower barrel lugs on some vice jaws that are barely spread a part so the barrel pin can fit in between the vice jaws. You'll have to use a punch close to the same diameter as the barrel pin and hit it with a hammer pretty hard to get it out. Then you need to pick a appropriate size barrel link to match the height of your barrels lower locking lugs.

Also, I would call your custom shop and tell them what happened.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Roy Hess

[Marv Z]

I don't think they changed the link. The link is binding in the lugs so bad you can barely move it at one end of it's travel. Either the lugs are bent or something is wrong with the link itself. When I get a chance, I'll wack it out of there and see what's up. I don't want to send it back again, but I will call them and let them know what happened. Thanks for your help.

[Braxton1]

1. Is the link binding when it is NOT installed in the gun? If it is, disregard the following:

2. Check the screws, especially the last, most-rearward, one. It would be all in that area of the barrel lockup if one was a little long. If they switched the screws during final fitting, one might be longer than the other and therefore protruding into the lockup area of the frame. A quick check of that would be to loosen each of those last screws about a half turn and then try the barrel install.

[Marv Z]

The link binds with the barrel out of the gun. You can barely move it all the way to the end of it's travel.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Marv Z

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Stop, send the gun back. It should have been done right the first time. You have paid good money to have them do a great job and someone didn't do there's. Thanks, Eric

[calishootr]

what aircooled said, you paid good money for it, send it back, yeah it mite take a while to get it fixed, but why should you pay for their screw up??? btw...that link 'should be staked in, and is a bear to knock out, also what braxton said, ive had failures w/ mine when the screws were too long(who knew???)

dont feel bad, yrs an yrs ago i had a triphy master expert that got let out ofthe shop with ZERO extractor tension, numerous calls to no avail i did it myself

it mite just need a lil rub with a piece of krokus cloth, butthen again, hey, its their screw up, make em make good on it first...