SR1911 Grip Screws Loose

[Ditto1958]

The grip screws on my SR1911 Target Model won’t stay tight. I’d prefer not to Loctite them. Would different screws help? Different grips? Any other suggestions?

[MKC 911]

Rubber o rings under screws will fix it. #60'S I believe.

[DWARREN123]

A small dab of clear finger nail polish will help. Not as strong as Loctite.

[bgw45]

Some use a small o-ring.

[BK Meyers]

A set 4-pc set of O-rings as others have stated. Also absolutely no harm in using a drop of blue Loctite (blue only, not red or green). The nail polish idea is also pretty cool.

Your post reminded me that I have a 1911 that I need to o-ring/loctite the grip screws. Thx!!!

[Chunker]

Blue Loctite solved the problem for me. Simple and is made for the purpose of keeping screws/bolts tight. It also allows the same screws/bolts to be loosened with little effort...

[Benchloader]

Originally Posted by Chunker

Blue Loctite solved the problem for me. Simple and is made for the purpose of keeping screws/bolts tight. It also allows the same screws/bolts to be loosened with little effort...

Sometimes blue Loctite holds tight enough that the bushing comes out, not the grip screw. #60 O rings from Home Depot work best for me.

[Big Pete10]

Snug them down when they get loose. I've had 2 or 3 1911 guns that the grip screws would loosen but I retightened them, after the 3rd or 4th time they stayed tight. Don't know why. I suspect it was something to do with compression in the wood.

[Ditto1958]

They’re not wood grips. G10, maybe? Never had a problem with wood grips coming loose.

[drail]

The loosening is caused by manufacturing tolerance slop between the bushing threads and the screw threads. Sometimes a new set of screws will help but there is nothing wrong with thoroughly degreasing the threads and applying a small drop of blue Loc tite. You should keep close watch on every screw an any gun and have an correct driver in your range bag to snug them down. Never crank them down tight - just snug.

[Amegatek]

+1 for the o rings. Works like a charm.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Diocoles]

O-Rings, they work great, got a bottle of them now.
I like the fingernail polish suggestion. I might try that out so long as the wifey doesn't miss it.....
Alternatively, blue Loctite is the go to for loose items to be made secure.

My worst issue is with the bushing coming out with the screws. Trying to get them back in is a MF.

I try to retap first, see if that works, if so, great!, if not, red loctite, otherwise you're looking at replacing your frame due to stripped bushings. Screws, no big deal, but the bushings.... oh my.

[Bayou52]

Yep, those o-rings work like a charm. Put them on my SR1911 over a year ago and never any loose grip screws.

Here's a prior thread on the topic:

https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=447284

Bayou52

[drail]

If blue Loc tite causes your bushing to turn out then your bushing was pretty awfully loose. The bushing should have been staked to the frame (they used to all be staked) or red Loctited. When installing new bushings I use acetone to degrease and red Loctite. The main point to remember is to never torque your grip screws beyond "snug". If you torque them down as tight as possible then your bushing may turn out with the screw. Just snug them down with a small driver so you can't get much torque on it. O rings are a very good solution. Menard's and Lowe's carry them. #60.

[Texagun]

I've seen too many problems with Loctite on 1911 grip screws so I avoid using it. I just "snug" up those screws prior to carry or trips to the range. Then "snugging" them down after I clean the gun pretty well prevents any future problems until the next range trip. I have a sack of #60 O-rings if ever needed but haven't needed them so far.

[b-b]

Ditto,

All of the methods mentioned above will work but the absolute best best solution IMHO is to use Challis Hex Head Grip Screw Bushings.

http://www.challisgrips.com


These ingenious bushings made by Brian Challis (a member of this Forum under the name Sculptor) have a groove that accepts an o-ring. A different Challis o-ring is then placed under the head of the grip screw. Your screws will never come loose again.

The bushings come in a variety of heights to suit different grip thicknesses and are available in different colors / materials. The bushing has a hex head that enables it to be driven in or easily removed with a 7/32" hex socket.

Removing original bushings can sometimes be a challenge. The Challis Grip Bushing removal tool makes it easy. All of Brian's products are very reasonably priced and his service is second to none. He has cordially answered several of my questions over the phone.

I installed the Challis system on the last three 1911's I bought before I ever shot them.

[Ditto1958]

Originally Posted by b-b

Ditto,

All of the methods mentioned above will work but the absolute best best solution IMHO is to use Challis Hex Head Grip Screw Bushings.

http://www.challisgrips.com


These ingenious bushings made by Brian Challis (a member of this Forum under the name Sculptor) have a groove that accepts an o-ring. A different Challis o-ring is then placed under the head of the grip screw. Your screws will never come loose again.

The bushings come in a variety of heights to suit different grip thicknesses and are available in different colors / materials. The bushing has a hex head that enables it to be driven in or easily removed with a 7/32" hex socket.

Removing original bushings can sometimes be a challenge. The Challis Grip Bushing removal tool makes it easy. All of Brian's products are very reasonably priced and his service is second to none. He has cordially answered several of my questions over the phone.

I installed the Challis system on the last three 1911's I bought before I ever shot them.

Thank you! I’m definitely going to look at this.

[Moad]

Originally Posted by Ditto1958

Thank you! I’m definitely going to look at this.

Another vote for the Challis grip bushing system. Brian has been a tremendous help to me in the past.

Not a fan of Loctite on bushings or grip screws.....with Challis, neither require use of Loctite.....win/win.

Just my experience, but #60 O-rings have always made grip screws stand proud. Challis O-rings have been a much better fit for me on G-10 or wood grips.

If you are looking for an inexpensive route, McMaster-Carr sells O-ring by the 100 at something like $6 or $7 per 100. 70 Buna, size 1.5 x 3 if I remember correctly.

Best of luck!

[Jonzim248]

Originally Posted by b-b

Ditto,

All of the methods mentioned above will work but the absolute best best solution IMHO is to use Challis Hex Head Grip Screw Bushings.

http://www.challisgrips.com


These ingenious bushings made by Brian Challis (a member of this Forum under the name Sculptor) have a groove that accepts an o-ring. A different Challis o-ring is then placed under the head of the grip screw. Your screws will never come loose again.

The bushings come in a variety of heights to suit different grip thicknesses and are available in different colors / materials. The bushing has a hex head that enables it to be driven in or easily removed with a 7/32" hex socket.

Removing original bushings can sometimes be a challenge. The Challis Grip Bushing removal tool makes it easy. All of Brian's products are very reasonably priced and his service is second to none. He has cordially answered several of my questions over the phone.

I installed the Challis system on the last three 1911's I bought before I ever shot them.

+1 for Challis bushings and o rings.

[Brian Dover]

I try to keep in mind that this sort of thing isn't specific to any brand of firearm. No gun company is so vertically integrated these days that they make parts like the screws or springs themselves.

[yeti]

Darn near impossible to keep grip screws snug on G10 without using O-rings.
Depending on the grips/screws #60 or smaller O-rings like 1.5mm x 3mm work nicely.

Bushings used to be staked. Red 262 on the bushings generally work, IF the threads are still good. The Challis bushings are great when you need new.

[sculptor]

Extensive research and experience with these issues leads me to offer the following comments and recommendations:

• Standard slotted bushings (full size or slim) can't be tightened sufficiently to prevent them from loosening when subjected to repeated impact with the grips during recoil. This is why most of the manufacturers either stake them or Loctite them in place. If the bushing does loosen, as often happens, the threads in the frame will be progressively damaged by continued shooting until the loosening is discovered. This is one of the primary causes of stripped threads in the frame.
• Grip screws loosen because the screw head shifts slightly, along with the grips, during recoil. This shift momentarily breaks the friction in the threads and allows the screw to rotate slightly counterclockwise. Repeated shooting will cause some screws to completely loosen. With lightweight wood grips like those used on military 1911s, the grips shift very little and so the screws stay tight longer. The problem is the worst with heavy grips, such as the G10 that are popular today. There is also lower friction at the underside of the grip screw head with G10 grips than with wood grips, increasing the rate at which the screws loosen.
• Hex headed bushings can be torqued much tighter than slotted bushings, making them much more resistant to loosening. Hex headed bushing also have a groove for an O-ring. When the O-ring is used. it will prevent the grips from impacting the bushing and shifting during recoil. This also significantly minimizes the loosening of grips screws.
• The use of an O-ring under the grip screw head increases the friction and minimizes screw loosening. The O-rings are more effective with light weight grips and less so with heavy grips. Number 60 O-rings, traditionally used for this purpose, will not allow the screws to fully seat, leaving the screw proud of the grip. This is an aesthetic problem only. The use of smaller O-rings, as mentioned above will work as well as the #60s, but will not prevent the screw from fully seating.
• The best solution is the use of a hex headed bushing with an O-ring around the bushing and an O-ring under the head of the grip screw. With this arrangement, the grips do not impact the bushings during recoil and everything stays snug and tight.
• The use of O-rings is better than Loctite or nail polish because the latter may cause a loosened bushing to come out with the grip screw. This is frustrating and often requires the replacement of a damaged bushing.

[b-b]

There you have it ladies and gentlemen - from the man himself.

I encourage you to visit Brian's website to learn more about his bushing system and to drool over his beautifully crafted grips. Also, scroll down and click on the "About Us" page.