I shoot it in competitions and in the last few months I was getting jams on an average of one stage per match. I want to love it… but I’ll have to put more time in with it to determine if it’s actually fixed.

I am starting to think there is wisdom in sticking to a .45 if you are buying a 1911.

I have no idea where you are located but if you are local to Raleigh, NC I’d be happy to let you shoot it.

This all was taken care of by S&W with no further issues. The problems I’ve had with a failure to eject have been ongoing. The gun has been back to S&W twice this year (2015). I’ll be taking it back out to the range again Sunday. I’m crossing my fingers the last visit to S&W has her running right again.

So, grip bushings are normally used with slim grips only. They don’t normally come with a gun unless it has slim grips, and slim grips don’t always come with them (they make you buy them separate). A bushing takes up space between 2 objects. With thinner grips the screws can’t go in far enough to make the grips tight, so a bushing is used to take up the extra space.

Also, you can apply thread locking compound occasionally – Similar to a bushing, basic thread locking compound takes up the clearance space between male and female screw threads (the space is there so the screw doesn’t bind up with friction when it turns). The thread locking compound will stay on the screw after you remove it.

However, most 1911s use a rubber 0-ring to keep tension on the screw effectively performing the same function as the thread locking compound (tension keeps one side of the threads engaged, male to female, and thus they are bound by friction).

It sounds like you need a new gunsmith.