1911 Bushing Wrench

To me the typical 1911 bushing wrench is clumsy.  One must compress the recoil spring, hold the spring plug in place, and turn the bushing to capture the plug.  If the bushing wrench was at the end of a nut driver, so that it was held inline with the spring, the whole operation would be more streamlined.  With a flange around the wrench socket, the slide could be held in the left hand, and the wrench pressed straight down to compress the spring, engage the bushing, and then turn the bushing.  What's wrong with this idea?

Probably just cost to manufacture. You can make the common type by stamping a sheet of steel in a one-step operation. What you’re talking about would require multiple steps and molding or machining.

Lots of "different" style wrenches on ebay..

Every now and then I use my old Clark wrench that was designed for use on the extended front sight bomar ribs.. still works well.

Get the present arms one

Chris Miceli wrote:Get the present arms one

Hi Chris,

That does appear to be an improved design.  I'll try it.

Thanks, Tom

You could use the method that everyone that knows you should not turn the bushing while the pistol is in battery uses. Take the slide off the frame and release the spring tension, then unlock the barrel, then use a regular bushing wrench. nothing clumsy about that.

What a lot of bullseye shooters do is remove the slide as one piece.  Make sure your hand is grabbing the bottom of the slide and you pull it off so your spring and guide rod Don’t  go flying. Then you can pull the guide rod and spring out from the back. Just pop the spring cap out through the back of the side( if it is been cut for that)

You could use the method that everyone that knows you should not turn the bushing while the pistol is in battery uses. Take the slide off the frame and release the spring tension, then unlock the barrel, then use a regular bushing wrench. nothing clumsy about that.

What a lot of bullseye shooters do is remove the slide as one piece.  Make sure your hand is grabbing the bottom of the slide and you pull it off so you’re springing I’d rather go flying. Then you can pull the guide rod and spring out from the back. Just pop the spring cap out through the back of the side( if it is been cut for that)

This works well with a standard guide rod.  With a one-piece, full-length guide rod it is another matter.

Boxturtle wrote:

You could use the method that everyone that knows you should not turn the bushing while the pistol is in battery uses. Take the slide off the frame and release the spring tension, then unlock the barrel, then use a regular bushing wrench. nothing clumsy about that.

What a lot of bullseye shooters do is remove the slide as one piece.  Make sure your hand is grabbing the bottom of the slide and you pull it off so you’re springing I’d rather go flying. Then you can pull the guide rod and spring out from the back. Just pop the spring cap out through the back of the side( if it is been cut for that)

This works well with a standard guide rod.  With a one-piece, full-length guide rod it is another matter.

It works. Pictures are in a below post of it working

Boxturtle wrote:This works well with a standard guide rod.  With a one-piece, full-length guide rod it is another matter.

I might be getting a lot of use out of this picture.

Hi Will,

That is indeed another matter!  Clever too.  What diameter of wire did you push between the guide rod and spring plug to jam the plug and retain the compressed spring?

Thanks, Tom

It is just a piece of .060 steel welding wire I had in the shop. The FLGR is by EGW.

I use a paper clip. I just cut it to a have 90 degree angle, a short side and longer side like you see in that picture.
FWIW

Boxturtle wrote:Hi Will,

That is indeed another matter!  Clever too.  What diameter of wire did you push between the guide rod and spring plug to jam the plug and retain the compressed spring?

Thanks, Tom

Guide rod likely has a hole in it.  push a 90-degree bent paperclip through the hole to retain the recoil spring plug.