I would suggest a different method of field stripping your gun for two reasons. The first reason, is now obvious to you. The second reason is that turning the bushing while the gun is locked up will degrade the close fit between the bushing and barrel on a gun fit to be accurate.

Remove the slide stop and slide the slide assembly off the frame, being careful not to launch the spring guide into your face or across the room, by containing the assembly in your hand. Release the spring pressure and remove the spring. Push the barrel out of battery and now use your wrench to turn the bushing.

There are several videos online showing this method.

 

I did consider doing it this way this morning. I chose not to as my level of agrivation was high and I was certain I’d take the guide rod in my forehead.

 

A dumb question first. Are you absolutely positive that you have a Commander length recoil spring?

One test for this is to remove the recoil spring, pull the slide fully to the rear, put a piece of tape across the slide and frame, cut the tape so the slide can move, draw a line on the tape across the slide and frame. Put the recoil spring back in the slide secured by the slide stop plug, pull the slide fully to the rear. The two lines should line up. If the line on the slide is forward of the line on the frame, the recoil spring is too long.

I like the Present Arms bushing wrench because it allows me to use it to push the recoil spring plug down into the slide rather than using my thumb.

 

I wondered if there was a simple test. The new spring was considerably longer but also considerably less tightly wound.

Ill perform your test and report back shortly. I’ll do it outside where the risk of extraneous chatter is less.

 

No offense intended but I suggest that you watch this video, and adopt the method of disassembly and assembly demonstrated here. A 1911 with a tight bushing can be difficult to disassemble and reassemble at times. This method both makes it simpler, and induces less wear on the bushing.

 

None taken. I normally don’t do it this way but maybe makes more sense with a new spring.

 

If you're not going to take the slide off first, there is the "Thumb Buddy"

Slip 2000 - Thumb Buddy

Slip 2000 Thumb Buddy.

www.slip2000.com

 

If you're not going to take the slide off first, there is the "Thumb Buddy"

Slip 2000 - Thumb Buddy

Slip 2000 Thumb Buddy.

www.slip2000.com

That's neat. This is what I use and it's always in the coffee cup full of pencils and pens on my work bench. PSA; the black cap portion is stronger than the gray body.

 

Wilson Combat makes a polymer bushing wrench that will not scratch or mar anything. It also is shaped so you can use it to push the plug down as you place the wrench over the bushing and then lock it in place.

 

Place a cartridge in the chamber, smoke stack style before turning the bushing.
This will prevent premature wear. Also, use a polymer bushing wrench, it won’t mar the bushing.

 

I have a Colt with a bushing so tight I wish it would get some premature wear. In the mean time I am using a 1911 ultra tool.
1911 Bushing Wrench

 

My PO of my colt series 80 government 5” in 45acp in nickel followed the video about he put a idiot scratch under the slide stop lever. He probably used a screwdriver to pull the lever out. The bushing is so snug in the slide a bushing wrench is needed to turn it.

My norinco project proved to me the fit between the slide, barrel and bushing if it’s snug that’s where the accuracy comes from in a 1911.

 

Been there, done that, got the t shirt. Baers are hard fit and very tight. You have to cup your hand under the slide and push the slide stop out first. My experience was so bad that les started putting instructions in the box to take down his guns like that

 

A barrel bushing should be snug with no play, but if it is too tight to turn with a bushing wrench, it is too tight! It needs to be refitted, but the first step is to find out if the bushing nub is binding or if the outside diameter of the bushing is too tight for the slide.....perhaps it has both issues? I had a Clark Custom 1911 with a snug bushing, and the gun was extremely accurate. The bushing was not so tight that I couldn't turn it for proper disassembly......

 

Watch this video and with some practice you will never ruin and recoil spring plug again.
How to Field Strip a 1911
i own 4 Baers, until I started using this method of slide disassembly, the checkering on my spring plugs were all crushed. I had someone show me this method but Rob‘s video is excellent.

 

There is a quick and easy method for checking for spring bind in a 1911 with traditional set-up. Lock the slide back and hold it all the way back with one hand. Do not just lock the slide back - get every bit of movement because that's what it will do when firing. Now just take a piece of wood dowel or other non-marring object and push on the spring cap - if it moves ANY at all, its okay. If it will not move at all, the spring is bound. If it fails this test, you need to take it apart, check for a buffer and do the regular test with and without the recoil spring to make sure.