Ballestar Molina grip screws

[dryheat]

I just bought this great ballestar molina .45. Only problem is the grips fell off. There are like two threads on the screw that hold them on and they are buggered up. Someone kept the grips on with J-B weld long enough for me to buy it( I know the guy who sold it to me didn't do it). Now I want to clean up the threads on the pistol(I have new screws) but I can't figure out what the screw size and pitch is. Is it some metric size? It seems to be close to 12-32, but that is a hard tap to find and it may not even be that, just close.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[jmoore]

Probably metric, don't have immediate access to one, but can round one up.

Anyway, if they're messed up you will either have to helicoil the hole or take out to the next larger convienent size, whatever you can get a tap in metric or english doesn't really matter. you can adjust the replacement screws' head size by turning them down. (if no lathe handy, chuck the threaded part in an electric drill motor and carefully file the rotating head to size). Most hardware store screws are "cad" plated, so lightly file the visible part of the head, then blue, either w/ chemicals or w/ heat!

[joem]

Why not order new grip bushings and screws and do the job right?

[Jim K]

"Why not order new grip bushings and screws and do the job right?"

Because the B-M doesn't use grip screw bushings, and the screws are much bigger than the U.S. 1911 stock screws. In this case, though, one solution would be to buy set of standard U.S. 1911 bushings from Brownells and also the drill and tap to install them. Then you can use standard 1911 screws (also from Brownells). The U.S. screw heads are smaller and you will have to drill the stocks to fit over the new bushings, but the fix should work OK. You can't just install M1911 grips because the hole spacing is wrong and the B-M grips are longer.

An alternative would be install the bushings and then drill them out and cut them down to use like a helicoil. The B-M thread is 5x something but I can't get enough thread on my gauge to tell what the pitch is.

Just FYI, I keep telling folks that the B-M is NOT a 1911; they keep not believing me.

Jim

[jamie5070]

If there is a large hardware store near that carries a large range of taps and dies, Take a new screw to the store and see if there is a die that fits.
john

[jamie5070]

I should add that I have a ballester-regaud and love it.
john

[dryheat]

Thanks for the suggestions. Since I already have the new screws I will try to find the right thread chaser and maybe I can save the threads on the pistol. I have access to a well stocked machine shop. The tricky part is the fact that there is so few threads to work with. If that fails I will go with plan B which I believe will result in a more robust attachment. The new screws were only $6.00 This pistol is so far the most accurate I own.

[Jim K]

The use of grip screw bushings was one of the things the Army requested back when they were considering the pistol that became the Model 1911. The idea was that the grip screws wouldn't be as easily stripped and if they were, the bushing would be cheap and easy to replace instead of having a ruined frame. Just another instance where the Army forced JMB to do the smart thing.

Jim

[NickySantoro]

OP,
Since the gun was made in Argentina and the caliber markings on the slide are metric, I think it is safe to conclude that the the screw threads will be metric also. It does look close to 10-32 so perhaps the closest metric designation would be a good starting point.