Care and feeding a 1911

mikep. When I first got my Kimber, I was also concerned about the complexity of care. It took me 15min to get it apart. On reassembly while compressing the guide rod spring, the guide rod cap got away from me and hit me square betwix the eyes. Hurt and bled. Had a ring scab. Now, after many cleanings, I can darn near reassemble it in the dark. I don't even use the bushing wrench anymore. Just use any square surface that's firm(my wife"Dammit, get away from the china hutch") BTW, great trigger pull on the Kimber's . P.S. I have the 15 round poly with target sights. My eyes are now to old for steel sights. Bought a Tasco Optima 2000 from Botach and a mount from EGW(Evolution Gun Works)I can SEE said the blind man.Great for now. Good luck on your quest for Kimber.

I'm sure once I practice I won't be as intimidated by the 1911 disassembly / REASSEMBLY (the important part!). I guess my main concern is with the extractor design. Have you had to adjust the extractor at all?(as I understand it, you have to bend the metal part until you get the proper tension)

I'm looking at the Kimber Classic Custom, in black. It's for fun at the range, maybe giving NRA bullseye style at the local range. If I could find a place nearby, I'd love to shoot bowling pins.

(ps. thanks for bringing this over to chit-chat. )

I just my poly back from Kimber today. I had to send it back because the hammer no longer would ****. No charge. The paperwork said gun assembled the wrong way. Maybe true as I completly disassembled it to try and fix it myself but the problem happened before that. Anyway, the invoice also stated that the extractor was adjusted. Now as to your question on the extrator, I don't know. I do know it's very easy to remove. Just lock back the slide and with a pen, pin, sharp stick, push in the firing pin. While holding it in(only light pressure needed) slide the firing pin stop out. Than go to the exjector port and push the extractor about 1/4 inch back, go back to the back of slide, grasp extractor, pull out. I do this on every cleaning. Whew, sounds worse than it really is. Takes two minutes to pull it. Check out www.m1911.org lotsa stuff there. Also a DB there with a Kimber section. BTW, just kidding on the one inch-100 yrd group. I do good to get one inch at 7 yrds but I have fun anyway.

my dad had me tearing down and reassembling 1911a1 when i was 10.i can do it in the dark with no bushing wrench.


cool stuff

I love the story that during the military trials for the Browning .30 cal machine gun. John Browning demonstrated that it could be stripped and reassembled while blindfolded. I believe that became a required part of training with the gun- blindfolded.

Phred (or any other Kimber owners), Do you push in the recoil spring plug to remove the bushing? My friend had a Springfield "Loaded" model, where the guide rod needs to be removed first (unscrewed).

Forgive the bad terminology, but I'm trying to learn all I can before Saturday ("Three days?! I'm mad NOW"-Homer Simpson)

In a word. Yes. I use the corner of my kitchen counter to push in the guide rod cap(hang on. let me go to m1911.org for correct terminolgy)ahem~"recoil spring plug". Than I turn the "barrel bushing" on or past the plug. Put your hand over the plug ang let plug, guide and spring slide out. Some pressure there but not to much. (See my post on my third eye incident.) If you use the wrench, and you should at first, it will depress the spring. I am not familiar with the Springfield "unscrew". I'll email my son and ask. He had one but sold it. He now wishes he had not done that now.

I asked this before but didn't get any responses, so I'll try again. Has anyone heard of a BUL M-5? They make the polymer frame for Kimber's poly and Kimber makes the slide for the BUL M-5. I'd like to get BUL's because they make a 9mm conversion kit for it. I'm sure it would work with the Kimber but if you buy it with the Bul they supposedly match them so you don't need gunsmith. Anyone know where to get a Bul? I tried Email'ing them but I don't get a response.

Thanks for the info, Phred (I can't wait to get my hands on the new baby!)

Sflate, here's something I found on the unoffical Kimber Forum regarding the BUL M-5 http://kimber.infopop.net/3/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=729299964&f=393299635&m=5782987072

You might want to search 1911forum.com and see if someone has posted about where to get a BUL

I did not see the earlier question on the BUL. What you said about who makes what is correct. I have never seen a BUL nor know where they are sold. I like the idea of a 9mm conversion. BUL is made in Israel. If you have any luck finding them, get me about 5 or 10 hi cap mags in .45 while your at it. BTW, Clark Guns sells a conversion to .460 Rowland @ 1450 fps. lol

Thanks everyone for the info on the Bul M-5. Now I see why I can't find it anywhere. Bul can't sell it here because of an agreement with Kimber. Too bad since I hear the Kimber is a few hundred dollars more for the exact same gun. I wonder if Kimber carries the 9mm conversion. I'd love to have a 1911 .45 that can quickly be converted to 9mm.

The only conversion that I know that Kimber sells is for a .22 and though it has Kimber markings, it is not made by them. Maybe some of our European friends can locate BUL items as many of their countries do not have some of the silly restrictions that the US has.

Hooray for Kimber! I got the classic custom model. Really nice. No stoppages or malfunctions so far in my break-in period. I did replace the rubber grips with mahogany, and the flat plastic main spring housing with an arched steel one. (I mean, I did want to make a complete change from the glock) The maintenance so far is no big deal, just a good way to 'bond' with my new gadget.

That's cool mikep. I got mine back from Kimber but have not had a chance to test it. They did fix it for free so that's a point in their favor. I agree with the mod's you have done. I'm thinking of replacing my mainspring housing with a steel one also except I want a flat one due to small hands.
Fire on dude.
Gun control is hitting your target.