Need Help w/Officer's Model

[alamogunr]

Hope someone here can help me. I shot my Para Ordinance P-12, Officer's Model a few days ago and when I tried to strip it down to clean(haven't cleaned it the last two times I've had it out), I couldn't get the bushing to rotate far enough to release. Tried turning it the opposite way(counter clockwise). As expected it only went a short way and stuck. Took awhile to get it back to center. I've never had this happen before and I don't want to break anything. My bushing wrench is some kind of composite material and it is already beginning to get chewed up a little trying to get the bushing out.

It has been awhile since I stripped this gun but I don't remember any problems before. Any help would be appreciated.

[junkpile]

There's a good chance you're rotating it far enough, and it's just sticking. You could try soaking it in solvent to try to loosen it up. Also, be glad your bushing wrench is getting chewed up. They're plastic for a reason.

Good luck with the bushing. They can be a little irritating at times.

[Larry Gibson]

The bushings on Para's are fitted quite tight as you've found. Hold the pistol vertical with the hammer cocked and the butt on a padded table/bench top. with one hand pull the slide back 1/4 - 1/2" to unlock the barrel from the slide. This moves the barrel where it tightly fitted to the bushing to where it is not. That will allow the bushing to turn when the recoil spring cap is pushed down slightly. The Para springs are pretty stout and you have further compressed it so be careful to capture it with your hand that is turning the bushing. Wear eye protection and do not have the muzzle pointed at you as they do get away occasionally. To reassemble keep the slide unlock also to turn the bushing back into position.

A bushing wrench is handy to have and use. Para sells one if you didn't get one with the handgun(?) as does Brownell's and other gunsmith supply dealers.

Larry Gibson

[alamogunr]

Thanks to both of you. I'll try some solvent and compressing the spring. I have lost control of the spring in a standard 1911. Almost never found the spring in my over-junked shop.

I do have a wrench. I lost the Para wrench and had to order one from Brownell's. Got the non metallic one on purpose. Probably should have gotten two.

[Boogieman]

If it's like a Colt OM the recoil spring retaining plug has a slot in the end for a screwdriver. push it in & turn it 1/4 turn either way it will stay in that will allow you to turn the bushing to unlock it & pull it out. when reassembling put the spring & plug in push it back & turn to hold it then install the bushing. turn the plug till it comes forward & snaps in place. If there is a lug on the back of the recoil plug make sure it engages the slot in the underside of the dust cover.

[leftiye]

Kroil or that red tranny fluid and solvent concoction.

[alamogunr]

If it's like a Colt OM the recoil spring retaining plug has a slot in the end for a screwdriver. push it in & turn it 1/4 turn either way it will stay in that will allow you to turn the bushing to unlock it & pull it out. when reassembling put the spring & plug in push it back & turn to hold it then install the bushing. turn the plug till it comes forward & snaps in place. If there is a lug on the back of the recoil plug make sure it engages the slot in the underside of the dust cover.

Thanks, Boogieman. I this found out when I took the gun to a gunsmith. He didn't remember this feature either but after about 10 minutes of fooling with it(and messing up his non-metallic bushing wrench, like I did) did remember and showed me. My next purchase will be a metal bushing wrench.

leftiye, I had already tried Kroil. The problem was as described above, not too tight or frozen. Amazing how many things can be solved(hence, solvent) using Kroil.