Problems w/70 series collet bushing?

[1234Lizard]

Has anyone heard of any real problems with the original 70 series' fingered collet bushing??

I read that Colt did not use that style of bushing in their reproduction 70 series guns because of reports that the fingers break off??

Thanks,

Lizard

[Hunter]

I have heard they can break (what can't though). I have 2 Series 70 (both Gold Cups) and 1 was my second 1911 I bought 7 some odd years back (I really can't remember) and have shot her right much. Both Colts have been shot a lot and the collet bushings are in great shape. According to Kuhnausen collet bushings break because lack of clearance. Clearance of the inside diameter of the slide, barrel, and the outside diameter of the collet bushing (at the area where it locks up into the slide) That excessive clearance will cause the fingers to flex, fatigue and break. If you keep an eye out on the bushing for signs of stress you can catch one before it breaks if it is going to.

[1234Lizard]

Hunter,

Thanks! I'm trying to see if Colt can replace that bushing with a solid bushing without replacing the barrel also. If they can't I'm trying to see if it's worth the cost of a new barrel since I can't worry about things breaking on this gun. I know anything can break, but I want to minimize my chances.

Thanks,

Lizard

[Hunter]

You can replace that bushing with a solid bushing it should be a drop in fit if you use a standard bushing. Be advised you will loose a little accuracy unless you have an oversized bushing fitted. If you have a spare bushing lying around give it a try. I changed mine out for a little while to a solid Colt bushing but accuracy suffered a little so I changed back in a short

[wichaka]

Go with an EGW thick flange bushing......you won't be sorry.

[Ericthenorse]

With the "collet" style bushing, you can tell if you are going to have a problem by looking inside your slide... Since there are acceptible tollerances in machining, some of the holes in the sllide are slightly different... If you remove the slide and disassemble it, look inside the muzzle end... If you see marks on the inside top from the fingers of the bushing making contact, then you are on your way to a failure...As the slide moves foreward, the fingers expand. If your slide was machined to the low side of acceptable tollerances, then the fingers have the possibility of binding between the barrel and the slide.... Repeat this bind several thousand times, and you might loose a finger... If your slide shows no such wear, then you are probably OK... Although, as with anything that bends as part of it's operation, eventually you might experience fatigue and failure.... There is also the fact that the pressure from the fingers on the barrel can eventually cause groves to form in the barrel.... I personally love the collet bushing... It is like a hard fit bushing for dummies....

[texagun]

I have read and heard of several failures of the collet-type bushings in 70 Series Colts...and they all tie up the gun and make it unusable until the pieces are removed by dis-assembling the gun. Not a good situation to have when you are in a tight spot. I replaced the collet type bushings in all my 70 Series guns with Ed Brown solid bushings purchased from Brownells. They all dropped right in, and I didn't notice any change in combat accuracy whatsoever.

[44 Man]

I built a 1911 parts gun many years ago using a AMT SS frame and a military Colt slide. I put a series 70 barrel with the collet bushing in it and a Bo-Mar on her and fired many thousands of rounds through that gun with nary a hitch. It was exceptionally accurate also and I always felt that was at least partially due to the finger bushing. Only hitch with it was that the AMT frame magazine catch hole was out of spec and I had to have a friend add some material to the mag release catch shelf to raise the magazine in the body of the frame. Worked like a charm. Loved that gun but eventually traded it off to a friend who wanted it really bad. I had heard at the time that most bushing were broken during assembly/disassembly. I did learn it was a lot easier to remove/replace the bushing if you first pulled the slide back just enough to allow the barrel to drop down. 44 Man.

[SteveS]

I've personally observed several collett bushings break while on the range. Everything said above is true but why take the chance....

[swampthang]

I have a series 80 GCNM with the collet bushing , I dont seem to have any wear issues with it. In the event I do what is a good source for replacement part.I might even get one as a spare.

[pa_guns]

Hi

I'd measure up the barrel and slide then send the numbers to EGW. They send you a darn good (solid) bushing for something like $20.

I suspect Colt will still sell you a collet bushing for your pistol.

Bob

[dakota1911]

I have heard of it, like plunger tubes coming loose and falling off, or firing pins breaking, or........ I never had problems and no friends had problems, but a friend of a friend of a cousin of somebody had a problem. Still, I don't doubt it has been a problem.

Back in the 70s I bought a used Gold Cup with one and put 40K rounds through it before trading it in on another new Gold Cup with one and putting about 50K rounds through that one. When I got out of bullseye shooting I had bought another Gold Cup in 1977 with one. It is pristine with only about 4K round through it. Now some might argue that I used less than full power target loads in those pistols to put holes in paper. Correct.

More interesting is the Gov. model I bought new in 1974 in which I have put over 22K full power loads through over the years with no problems. I even carried it for years back in the 80's. (Picture Below with new grips, trigger, flat mainspring housing, upgraded sites.). Still, as noted above, with any firearm (or any mechanical device), look for signs that something is rubbing or not fitting right. By the way I have always maintained the old Gov. model and have resprung it several times.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e193/dakota1911/1911A170_r.jpg

[wetidlerjr]

Has anyone heard of any real problems with the original 70 series' fingered collet bushing??

I read that Colt did not use that style of bushing in their reproduction 70 series guns because of reports that the fingers break off??

Thanks,

Lizard

My S70 GCNM has one but it has caused me no problems. :D

[Rio Vista Slim]

I never had a problem with the two Series 70 Government models that I previously owned. I have also never personally seen a failure of the collet bushing, but I do not doubt those who say that it has failed.

The two reissue Series 70 pistols that I own are equipped with the standard barrel bushing. Either the better sights, or my "mature" shooting skills, are responsible for better groups than I was ever able to obtain when I owned the other guns back in the 1970s. Perhaps, a combination of the two reasons?????

[OD*]

I have seen 1, collet bushing break in 30+ years.

[1234Lizard]

I'm leaving my 1975 gun stock and selling it. I then plan on buying a Gunsite pistol to resolve my dilema. Failure is not an option in my business.

Target shooting is a great activity and allows for gun failure due to tight tolerances etc. Gun fights are far less forgiving.

Thanks,

Lizard

[Dellvader]

Hey Lizard,

Here's my one cent: Leave the pistol alone. The reason you spent $920 on it was because you liked the pistol for what it was. If you had wanted something with beavertails, magwell, Bomars & everything else, you would have bought a different pistol.

You have a Colt that is among their finest expression of steel as art. If you change anything, please don't alter the weapon so you can't sometime later return it to stock.

Sights break, recoil springs fail, slide stop levers crack and barrel links stretch. The fingered bushing is fine and keeps things tight. I'd shoot it until it fails and then consider spending money on new parts.

And Dakota1911, nice pistol!

[1234Lizard]

Ok, you guys convinced me to leave it unchanged.

I'll get the flat mainstring housing with serrations a trigger job and call it good with a refinish.

I do need better sites though. I like those on your gun Dakota. I'll most likely have Colt put on the current sites issued on 70 series guns. Those would be a big improvement.

I want to confirm that I can put the original sites back without another refinish in case I sell it and want it stock again.

Thanks All!

Lizard