So I sat down to swap my factory Kimber Custom II grips for the Hogue wraparound grip with finger grooves.
Grip screws 1, 2, and 3 came out without a hitch, BUT... number 4 came out with the Grip screw bushing attached. I can't push it through the screwhole in the grip panel, because of the grip panel's reinforcement material. I don't know if Locktite will do anything, since I'll have to snug it up to tighten it anyway, and may just make the screw tighter in the stud.
Would a drop or two of WD-40 or some other penetrating oil do the trick, do you think? Any sage words before I do something stoopid and screw it up?
Had the same happen to me with both bushings on one side... there may be more technical ways to deal with the problem but I just screwed the bushing back into the hole with a little loctite on it. Came back the next day and was able to remove the screws, bushings held in place.
If I can find my LocTite, I'll try it. It may be easier just to buy more, though. Thanks for the tip!
Use medium strength, unless you think you will never need to remove the bushing. That is all it will take anyway.
The problem is because the bushings are too long for the grips you have.
That allows the screw head to contact the top of the bushing with enough force to gall it in place. No amount of penetrating oil will help at all.
You need to file off the tops of the bushings until you get tight grip screws without galling the screw heads to the bushings.
Generally, you can get a bushing loose off the grip screw by grabbing the shoulder with a pair of needle-nose pliers.
If you have no provision to properly stake them in place, I would use red Loctite and be done with it once and for all. The only reason to ever want them out again is re-bluing, and they can be heated to break the Loctite easily.
You can get a complete set of the shorter bushings with screws from Brownell's for a few bucks and be done with it if you don't feel inclined to fiddle and file. You will need to either stake them in (better) or red Loctite them (functional, if chemical). I have used blue Loctite as a path of lesser resistance, but you have to keep it handy in case it loosens over time with firing. You can get the staking tool from them, too. In fact, you can get just about everything...
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=24892/Product/SLIM_GRIP_SCREWS___BUSHINGS
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=696/Product/1911_AUTO_GRIP_BUSHING_STAKER