1911 Barrel bushing question

[Mity2]

Can someone explain whats the benefit of Colt's Collet Barrel Bushing?

[41 Redhawk]

It is supposed to return the barrel to the same position more consistently than a solid bushing. Assuming that the solid bushing has not been hand fitted by someone that knows what they are doing.

[gold cup abuser]

the collet bushing was a el cheapo way to get the 1911 barrel back in the same conistant position without paying the labor costs in a properly fitted bushing.....

often despised and universaly cursed it was eventually dropped by colt for a solid busing.

the collet fingers had a tendancy to snap at the wrong time and the wrong place. this cheap fix gave colt a bad name among gun owners. gun pundits spread this snapping story for years after colt went back to the solid bushing. Call it one in a number of mis-steps by the folks behind the pony.

as my mother-in-law says: 'save a quater and lose a dollar'

[Freebird]

I used to own a Colt Mk IV Series 70 with the collet bushing. As already stated, it was for increased accuracy. I too heard the breakage horror stories, but really got me was the fact that it could ALMOST be removed except for the thickness of the barrel at the muzzle end.

I suppose it was annoying and just a source of worry as well as one more thing to clean under. I eventually put in a $10 Chinese bushing which worked just fine (unlike the rest of the weapon, which was probably THE most most reliable weapon that I ever owned). What a money-waster that thing was. I guess I should have known by the sharp piece of metal by the slide stop notch that the store owner filed off prior to handing it over to me. Also, there were very crude machining marks on the inside of the slide. Colt quality control in the 19890's was quite lacking!

Good luck with the bushing- I would get rid of though!