[noahfn]

I replaced the wood grips on my SA 1911 with some alumagrips (which I like very much) but now the grip screws keep comming loose after a little while of shooting. It doesn't seem to matter how much I tighten them down.

Do you guys have any tips as to how to keep them tight? I have some green locktite (guntite?) but I don't want to make it so that it is a real pain to take the grips off for cleaning and such.

 

[Jim V]

Wee "O" rings on each of the screws.

 

[noahfn]

Wee "O" rings on each of the screws.

Oh, good idea. I hadn't thought of that. Any suggestions as to where/what exactly I should be looking for?

 

[shane45-1911]

Any good hardware store as well as Home Depot may have them. Find a size that fits snuggly around a grip screw and Bob's your uncle.

 

[Jim V]

#60 "O" rings from ACE or ACO or the neighborhood auto parts store. The rings may elevate the screw heads above the grip panels however.

Blue Loc-Tite on the grip screws would work too. Degrease the bushings and screws, put a touch of Loc-Tite on the screws and tighten them up.. You can back out the screws if blue is used. Red Loc-Tite would require heat to break the screws loose.

Another way to tighten the grip screws would be to put a layer of tape on the back of the grips. The tape would elevate the grips enough so that the screws could put enough pressure on the panels and not back out.

Or, if you want to be really cheap, make a set of shims that would fit on the screw body out of the ever popular 3X5 note cards.

 

[Greyson]

Here is a rally cheap and easy why to solve this problem. It was suggested
to me by a fellow student at a gun school. He gets the credit.

Take come clear fingernail polish from your wife's supply and put a few dabs
on the screws or down in the threads. Wipes up easily if you use too much.
Holds the screw in place, and will come out with a twist of the wrist with a
screwdriver when you want to take them off for cleaning.

Nothing to drop and lose. No damage and a hell of a lot better than loctite!

Regards,
Greyson

 

[rimfire22]

I replaced the wood grips on my SA 1911 with some alumagrips (which I like very much) but now the grip screws keep comming loose after a little while of shooting. It doesn't seem to matter how much I tighten them down.

Do you guys have any tips as to how to keep them tight? I have some green locktite (guntite?) but I don't want to make it so that it is a real pain to take the grips off for cleaning and such.

noshfn,

How about some purple OR blue loctite? Just a very small amount sohuld keep them tight enough. Personally I don't like them too tight.

rimfire,22

 

[Robert Hairless]

Here is a rally cheap and easy why to solve this problem. It was suggested
to me by a fellow student at a gun school. He gets the credit.

Take come clear fingernail polish from your wife's supply and put a few dabs
on the screws or down in the threads. Wipes up easily if you use too much.
Holds the screw in place, and will come out with a twist of the wrist with a
screwdriver when you want to take them off for cleaning.

Nothing to drop and lose. No damage and a hell of a lot better than loctite!

Regards,
Greyson

That's one of the oldest tricks in the book and one that I forget every darned time this question appears. Thank you for remembering and mentioning it. You're right: it works.

 

[noahfn]

Well, I ran out at lunch and picked up some #60 O-rings from Lowes, so I'll give them a shot. I also had considered some fingernail polish, but I'm paranoid about getting them too tight.

I'll see how the O-rings play tonight, failing that, I'll go the polish/blue locktite route and report back.

Are the alumagrips made in a way that this is more likely to happen...I assumed it was because they were machined smooth and couldn't keep the screw from turning, or is it because they are machined too thin?

Thanks guys!

 

[Robert Hairless]

Well, I ran out at lunch and picked up some #60 O-rings from Lowes, so I'll give them a shot. I also had considered some fingernail polish, but I'm paranoid about getting them too tight.

I'll see how the O-rings play tonight, failing that, I'll go the polish/blue locktite route and report back.

Are the alumagrips made in a way that this is more likely to happen...I assumed it was because they were machined smooth and couldn't keep the screw from turning, or is it because they are machined too thin?

Thanks guys!

Grip screws do seem to loosen more frequently with Alumagrips than with wood or rubber grips, probably because the aluminum is smooth, unflexible, and doesn't provide traction for the screw heads. Thickness or thinness shouldn't have anything to do with it because the screws are threaded to allow them to penetrate quite a bit into the magazine well--far enough, in fact, so it's possible to pin the magazine into the well (which is not something you want to do). I don't mind because I use "O" rings no matter what the grip. They help prevent overtightening that can wear the shoulders of wood grips.

 

[noahfn]

So I tried out the o-rings, however, I didn't really like how far out the grip screws stuck. I decided that nail polish may be the answer. I put a small dab on the threads and screwed them in fairly tight. I'm not sure if this is going to get the job done or not.

Anyone else tried the nail polish? If so, did it work and how much did you use?

Also, if anyone else would like to try the o-rings, I'll mail you 4 of em free of charge. I've got 10, but would like to hang onto some to try on another 1911.
Shoot me an e-mail at [email protected]

 

[bettysnephew]

Another option that has worked for me is to wrap a small ammount of plumbers sealant tape (white teflon) around the screw threads. I have had good luck with this and it is non damaging and easily reversible (unwrap the tape from the threads).