EGW. Measure the bore in the slide and the barrel diameter and you can get an exact fit.

 

So I should go to EGW directly, not Midway or Brownells.

 

Go directly to EGW. You will not be disappointed.

best wishes with your project.

 

You can't beat these:

Harrison Design & Consulting, LLC. Barrel Bushings

Easy to get a perfect fit!

 

You can't beat these:

Harrison Design & Consulting, LLC. Barrel Bushings

Easy to get a perfect fit!

These bushings are produced by Brandon Bunker of Bunker Arms. Innovative and precise.
Cannot go wrong with EGW and Harrison offerings. Noth top notch!
Joe

 

OK, thanks mrbro, Oldpistol, and NoExpert.

 

George and the gang at EGW will give you one with .001 clearence if you measure it right.

 

I do not have a good caliper but have a good micrometer so the barrel diameter is no problem. I'm looking around in all my junk to find something I can use to get the slide ID, then measure it with my micrometer. Every time I measure with my caliper I come up with a different number.

I have a Kraft bushing that fits well and shoots well for when I shoot .45 ACP in it. Guess I could measure it and use that number. I also have a nice old outside divider, fine thread adjustable. I could heat the tips and bend them outward to get the ID, then measure with the micrometer.

 

If you go with the bushing from John Harrison, it will probably fit.

 

You could use a shim, with the bushing, like a bit of paper, tin foil etc. and get a rough idea of the slide inside diameter. I would not be inclined to pound things together. Should be able to get pretty close as an estimate.

 

I've had good luck with the Kart barrel bushings.

 

I should have said Kart and not Kraft. I've always gotten names mixed up my entire life.

 

Excellent results using EGW bushings here also.

 

Finally got a good reading with my micrometer on the ID of the slide. It was 0.7025 inch. The tool is for removing a strong snap ring on one of my autos. It looks like Kart has the closest fit. I can fit it up myself.

 

Not being snarky because you obviously understand tools and measuring. But you may want to remeasure the slide ID. Those bores typically run closer to .700". The only slides I ever measured that big were Para Ordnances.

I guess the others will chime in if I just stepped in the doo-doo.

 

A well fitting guide rod plug will make up a great deal of slop between the Bushing OD and slide ID. I put the Bunker Arms radial bushing in my DW 1911. By the measurements, I had .0015 of slop between it and the slide but the EGW guide rod plug tightened it up. You have to fit your barrel to the Bunker Arms bushing. I think they are a better mouse trap. Too bad they only come in .701 OD.

 

Order an oversized hand fitted bushing from EGW and fit it yourself, that's what I did and then I cut a reverse crown on the barrel just for good measure and good looks.
But, I thought Clark made their bushings?

 

...I thought Clark made their bushings?

I'm fairly sure that EGW makes their own bushings as well as being an OEM for others.

 

I really doubt if the tool shown in post #15 has enough rigidity in the various joints to rely on measuring the slide bore. Telescoping hole gauges would be far better and even they require the operator to use some educated feel.

 

The snap ring pliers were not great but better than nothing. I don't have access to hole gauges. I only have a good vernier micrometer and a not so good caliper. We'll see when the bushing arrives if it tightens things up. It should arrive in another day or so. It seems to be on tour around the eastern part of the country.

 

Checked the OD of the bushing that I am replacing. It measured 0.6935 inch OD. It wiggles inside the slide. I have a dial indicator that measures in ten thousandths of an inch. One revolution of the needle is 0.0080. After setting it up, the clearance of the bushing in the slide was more than the 0.0080 because the movement pushed the needle to the stops (beyond one complete rotation of needle) and would have gone farther.

 

I measured my barrel OD at .875", then ordered the bushing from Harrison Design.

It fit so much better into the slide that I almost needed the bushing wrench to turn it far enough to get the spring cap in.

Haven't got a chance to shoot it yet, but wow, the fit is so much more precise and no wiggle. Plus that bushing looks good!

 

My bushing arrived a few days ago. Thus far I have been working on its ID where the barrel is gripped when the breech is closed. After working with emery cloth I have gotten it to slip over the barrel but it is somewhat tight. The ID of the bushing was enlarged by chucking up a small bore shotgun cleaning brush in my drill press and wrapping it with emery cloth.

How tight it should be?

 

Stand up the barrel. Slight bit of light oil. Everything clean. Slip the barrel bushing over the barrel. Pick up on the barrel bushing. The barrel should just hesitate as it drops out of the bushing under its own weight. That is a tight fit but not too tight. Opinions vary a bit though.

 

The above assumes an angle bored bushing, or similar. Meaning with the bushing, when installed in the slide, and the barrel in, there is no “springing”.

best wishes.

 

Mine won't do that. It easily picks up the barrel. Thanks for advice. Back to work...

 

Fitting the bushing has been completed. There is now no movement between the barrel and slide when the breech is closed. Reloaded some rounds for testing tomorrow if it is not raining.

 

Tested out the new bushing but groups showed vertical stringing. I realized that I did not provide sufficient relief so the barrel can be shoved into the locking lugs without flexing the barrel. I relieved the problem and the vertical stringing vanished. Groups are now acceptable and I could stop here. But I was never one to leave well enough alone. The larger contributor to group size now is horizontal. I have not determined if I am causing the horizontal spread or the gun is. After the first few shots the sights blur along with the target. Groups are under 2 inches at 25 yards.

 

Sounds better. Assuming it is the gun, you can chase it further, or stop. Might want to shoot it off bags, for accuracy, and see how you do.

 

When I shoot off sandbags I rest my forearms on the bags just behind my wrist with no part of the pistol touching the bags. Should I rest the pistol on the bags and if so, what part of the pistol? The end of the magazine or the part of the frame that is just beyond the trigger guard? Probably should rest eyes between shots to reduce blurriness.