1911 Grips Screws: Locktite or no Locktie

[Hoser]

What's the conventional wisdom about 1911 grip screw that tend to work lose? Is it ok to use Locktite or no?

[El Gato]

Originally Posted by Hoser

What's the conventional wisdom about 1911 grip screw that tend to work lose? Is it ok to use Locktite or no?

I just clean the screw with alcohol and put a dab of fingernail polish on it and not only does the screw stay in but it looks purty too!

[AMS MIKE]

Bushing to Frame = red loctite

Screw to Bushing = blue or purple loctite


Only need a very very small amount

[sealbeach]

I use loctite, drives me nuts when the grips keep working loose, grrr!!!

Use the high strength type (red) on the bushings that screw directly into the frame, and the medium (blue) for the actual screws themselves. That way you can remove the screws when needed for cleaning with regular tools, and the bushings will stay put.

High Strength (red)
HIGH STRENGTH RED #271 THREADLOCKER at Brownells

Medium Strength (blue)
MEDIUM STRENGTH BLUE #242 THREADLOCKER at Brownells

[sealbeach]

Originally Posted by AMS MIKE

Bushing to Frame = red loctite

Screw to Bushing = blue or purple loctite


Only need a very very small amount

Oh yeah, sure you posted first, but you didn't have links and part numbers for the products!!! Is that posting "lite"?

[NikNak]

Originally Posted by El Gato

I just clean the screw with alcohol and put a dab of fingernail polish on it and not only does the screw stay in but it looks purty too!

If you use nailpolish, use the colored ones ... the clear ones have more "hardening material." I use some version of red .. not Hooker red, just dark red. It was my ex-wife's and she left in 1998 so a little goes a long ways .... I still have the bottle and now a new wife.... don't have the nerve to ask to borrow hers. I just use my own.

I use it on scope mounting screws, grip screws and any any others I need to keep tightened. Just be sure you dry all grease and oil from threads first .. whether Loctite, or Nail polish.

[Tom98915]

A friend of mine who is a gunsmith warned me about using Loctite even if its the easy to remove kind. Said in the long run it can be bad news when you need to remove the screws as it will harden over time. He said do the nail polish. Safest thing to use and gun cleaning solvent removes it if you need to clean it off.

I agree too, as you can strip out a screw head if you are not careful.

I used to fix stereos for Kenwood and JVC and every tape deck I ever worked on used nail polish at the factory to lock the adjustment screws, and the manufacturers said NEVER use Loctite too!