.45 ACP sights

Have found with pushing sights to do some measuring. Trying to push a sight out through the tighter fit side is not recommended. And am not experienced/exspurt enough to know if all brands cut their dovetails the same way. That and not all pistols will be the same, even if they are the same model/year/finish.

Sometimes windage adj on a pistol has to do with the barreling twist, among many other things.

The hardest rear sight i have ever drifted was on a Israeli surplus HP with the epoxy over parkerized finish.
 
1911 sights should, "should", be driven out left-to-right.
No way to know if a current manufacturer complies with spec.
 
BTW, I believe Kimber's TLE II has these sights show here:
https://store.kimberamerica.com/fixed-slant-night-sight-set-for-kimber-1911

I'll suggest the OP purchase a rear sight pusher to move that rear sight .033" or whatever amount works after moving, test-firing, adjusting again, measuring.

Kimber's rear sights can be very difficult to move. In my brief experience with three Kimber 1911s, drifting use a punch and mallet/hammer was all but impossible.

Not specifically asked, but I'd recommend asking for sight pusher tool recommendations.
I used an older version of this referenced sight pusher, but won't particularly recommend it as it was a bit too hard to adjust exactly right and keeping from marring either the sight or the slide:
https://b-j-machines-inc.business.site/

Having the right tool for OP's job is very important, even if the a person just needs to initially move a rear sight .033". It might be used by the OP again on this or even other handguns at a later date and even at midnight if so inclined:)
 
L-2 said:
BTW, I believe Kimber's TLE II has these sights show here:
https://store.kimberamerica.com/fixed-slant-night-sight-set-for-kimber-1911

I'll suggest the OP purchase a rear sight pusher to move that rear sight .033" or whatever amount works after moving, test-firing, adjusting again, measuring.

Kimber's rear sights can be very difficult to move. In my brief experience with three Kimber 1911s, drifting use a punch and mallet/hammer was all but impossible.

Not specifically asked, but I'd recommend asking for sight pusher tool recommendations.
I used an older version of this referenced sight pusher, but won't particularly recommend it as it was a bit too hard to adjust exactly right and keeping from marring either the sight or the slide:
https://b-j-machines-inc.business.site/

Having the right tool for OP's job is very important, even if the a person just needs to initially move a rear sight .033". It might be used by the OP again on this or even other handguns at a later date and even at midnight if so inclined:)
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That is what i am using, with an accessory that helps keep the slide from twisting. It is tricky to use, and gotta believe there are better ones along the same price.
 
cdoc42 said:
Here are some comments from a site called 1911 Forum. It seems a few more guys than me find their Kimber shoots to the left. As well, trying to move the sight doesn’t look encouraging:

“I have the same problem with my stock Kimber TLE II. Shooting 1 to 2 inches low left from center bull at 25 yards….”

“I'm having the same problem. I need to adjust my POI at 15 yards 3/4" to the right on my Kimber CDP Pro II.”

“ I'm having the same issue. 1911's are somewhat of a new addiction, so I don't have a lot of experience with them. Just bought a new TLE took it to the range for the first time today. Very accurate, better than my TRP. I could put entire mags into about a 3 inch ring at about 12 yds. But I was having to hold high and right.

As far as moving the sight:

“I've never had much luck trying to move Kimber fixed sights. There will be people who will tell you they've done it with a hammer and others with a cheaper sight pusher. Of the 6 Kimber fixed rear sights I've tried to move, three wouldn't budge at all. Two broke the B&J sight pusher I used to use and one wouldn't move with the Meprolight sight pusher I have. BTW, the MGW sight pusher you linked (I've got one of those also) won't begin to do the job even if you could get the jaws over the Kimber sight.”

“Yep. Forget about that one pushing it out. The guy at my LGS destroyed the $600 version that Brownells sells trying to push a Kimber sight”
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As a tactical pistol, it is probably within Kimber's specs. For a match-grade pistol, I would expect a two inch group on target but that requires a lot more fitting and would cost much more. I would leave it as is and enjoy shooting it.
 
For reasons known only to themselves, many 1911 makers (and I suppose other pistols, as well) have taken to using red Loctite under their rear sites. It's certainly protection against the sight slipping if the fit is a bit loose -- but it requires heat to release.

Which is certainly a problem if the sight happens to be plastic. I din't have any idea what Kimber sights are made from.
 
L-2, your link shows sights that look like those on my Kimber. What is not visible in the ad, but I described earlier, are 2 small extensions of the frame that appear to hold the front edges of the sights in place, preventing lateral movement. I wonder if the sights are installed by inserting them into the space between those extensions rather than sliding in front from the left or right. I'm thinking that may be how they interact with the pin block. As such, they are truly fixed and not drift-adjustable. That would make 101combatvet's recommendation more inviting. It's sunny and headed for 41 degrees this afternoon; I'll get to the range and see what happens at 7- and 15- yards.
 
cdoc42, please post a photo of those extensions.

Kimber sights do not "interact" with the firing pin safety. They simply retain the spring and plunger, like the cap on a bottle. Beyond that, there is no interaction.
 
Aguila Blanca said:
cdoc42, please post a photo of those extensions.

Kimber sights do not "interact" with the firing pin safety. They simply retain the spring and plunger, like the cap on a bottle. Beyond that, there is no interaction.
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Am gonna guess the "small extensions" being referred to are the intersection of the sight cuts.
 

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I don't either, but am just guessing from his description what is being referred to.

"I magnified it and I get the impression that the front lateral edges may be locked in place by what look like small metal tabs that are a part of the frame"
 
KIMBER TLE II .45 ACP TEST
All primed with CCI Large Pistol Primer

Target: 6.5” green circle with 2” white center
Sight picture: Top of front sight even with top of rear sights

Handloads: at 15 yards
1) Precision Delta 230gr RN
Clays 4.0gr 1.250” OAL
Aiming point: target center
3 shots Group 0.424” 4.0” high 2.25” left

2) Precision Delta 20gr RN
Bullseye 5.o gr 1.260” OAL
Aiming point: target center
3 shots group 2.0” 3.25” High 3.0” left

3) Evergreen 230gr HP
Bullseye 5.0gr OAL 1.260”
Aiming point: 6-o’clock
3 shots group 0.799” 3.25” high 3.75” left

4) Evergreen 230gr HP
Bullseye 5.0gr OAL 1.250”
Aiming point 6 o’clock
3 shots group 0.799” 1.0” high 2.25” left

5) Everygreen 230gr HP
Bulleye 5.0gr OAL 1.250”
Aiming point 6 o’clock
3 shots group 0.674” 3.25” high 3.5” left

Handloads at 7 yards
1) Precision Delta 230gr RN
Clays 4.0gr OAL 1.250”
(Same load as #1 at 15 yards)
Aiming point 6 o’clock
4 shots group 1.799” 0.75” to 2.25” high 0.75” to 1.25” left

2) Evergreen 230gr HP
Clays 4.0 gr OAL 1.250”
Aiming point 6 o’clock
4 shots group 1.049” 1.75” high 1.0” left

3) Evergreen 230gr HP
Bullseye 5.0gr OAL 1.230”
Aiming point Target center
2 shots group 0.3615” 0.75” high 4/16” left

4) Evergreen 230gr HP
Bullseye 5.0gr OAL 1.260”
Aiming point Target center
2 shots group 0.674” 7/16” high 9/16” left

MY ANALYSIS:

This procedure was done because I thought the pistol was shooting to the left. The entire series was from a bench rest position with the same sight picture that might explain all groups being high.

At 15 yards the range of groups landing left was 2.25” to 3.75”. At 7 yards the range was 4/16” to 9/16” to the left.

Following this series, I shot 6 rounds off-hand at hanging bowling pins at 15 yards, using the same sight picture but holding to the left side of the pin (my right) and I hit 4 out of 6.

Following that, using a bench rest, I shot my 4-power scoped .223 Thompson Contender using a 50gr SP at 6 balloons blown to about 3-3.5” in diameter at 100 yards using 8 cartridges, suggesting fatigue did not play a role with the .45 ACP.
 
Based on that, I would say you're 3" left at 15 yards.

Kimber says the sight radius (distance from the back of the rear sight to the back of the front sight) is 6.8" here. I'm assuming your sights are factory so that would apply.

That works out to 0.038" or 0.96mm of sight adjustment. For a rear sight, you move it in the direction that the point of impact should move so you would want to move the rear sight 1mm to the right.

ALWAYS mark the sight position precisely before you start to move it so you know exactly how far it has been moved when it's all over with. You can make a very small mark with a scribe in the dovetail, or try to mark it with a pencil. The key is that you need to know where you started so you know where you ended up in relation to the initial setting.

It is possible to move a sight with a hammer and a brass punch, but it's easy to mess things up with this process. Even just controlling the slide during the process comes with some risk as you can cause marks and even functional damage to the slide by clamping it in a vice improperly.

With the sight adjustment distance and the slide marked carefully, you can take it to a good gunsmith who knows how to make sight adjustments and they should be able to get it adjusted properly.

Or you can try it yourself. Here's a handy tool that makes the process a bit less error prone than the typical hammer/punch approach.

https://www.wyomingsightdrifter.com/

If the sight is sticky or tight in the dovetail it may remain in place for quite a bit of pushing force or tapping and then suddenly move. Just be patient and don't get frustrated.

Of course, remove or at least loosen any screws holding the sight in place before starting.
 
Might also be a good idea to give it a shot of penetrating oil (and some time to work) before trying to move the sight.

Also, I think a call to Kimber to be SURE they didn't use any kind of loctite (or what it was, if they did) couldn't hurt.
 
cdoc42 said:
KIMBER TLE II .45 ACP TEST
All primed with CCI Large Pistol Primer

Target: 6.5” green circle with 2” white center
Sight picture: Top of front sight even with top of rear sights

Handloads: at 15 yards
1) Precision Delta 230gr RN
Clays 4.0gr 1.250” OAL
Aiming point: target center
3 shots Group 0.424” 4.0” high 2.25” left

2) Precision Delta 20gr RN
Bullseye 5.o gr 1.260” OAL
Aiming point: target center
3 shots group 2.0” 3.25” High 3.0” left

3) Evergreen 230gr HP
Bullseye 5.0gr OAL 1.260”
Aiming point: 6-o’clock
3 shots group 0.799” 3.25” high 3.75” left

4) Evergreen 230gr HP
Bullseye 5.0gr OAL 1.250”
Aiming point 6 o’clock
3 shots group 0.799” 1.0” high 2.25” left

5) Everygreen 230gr HP
Bulleye 5.0gr OAL 1.250”
Aiming point 6 o’clock
3 shots group 0.674” 3.25” high 3.5” left

Handloads at 7 yards
1) Precision Delta 230gr RN
Clays 4.0gr OAL 1.250”
(Same load as #1 at 15 yards)
Aiming point 6 o’clock
4 shots group 1.799” 0.75” to 2.25” high 0.75” to 1.25” left

2) Evergreen 230gr HP
Clays 4.0 gr OAL 1.250”
Aiming point 6 o’clock
4 shots group 1.049” 1.75” high 1.0” left

3) Evergreen 230gr HP
Bullseye 5.0gr OAL 1.230”
Aiming point Target center
2 shots group 0.3615” 0.75” high 4/16” left

4) Evergreen 230gr HP
Bullseye 5.0gr OAL 1.260”
Aiming point Target center
2 shots group 0.674” 7/16” high 9/16” left

MY ANALYSIS:

This procedure was done because I thought the pistol was shooting to the left. The entire series was from a bench rest position with the same sight picture that might explain all groups being high.

At 15 yards the range of groups landing left was 2.25” to 3.75”. At 7 yards the range was 4/16” to 9/16” to the left.

Following this series, I shot 6 rounds off-hand at hanging bowling pins at 15 yards, using the same sight picture but holding to the left side of the pin (my right) and I hit 4 out of 6.

Following that, using a bench rest, I shot my 4-power scoped .223 Thompson Contender using a 50gr SP at 6 balloons blown to about 3-3.5” in diameter at 100 yards using 8 cartridges, suggesting fatigue did not play a role with the .45 ACP.
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Well, I talk to Kimber about doing the work based on your test results. They have a one year warranty period.
 
Is Kimber going to cover the cost of shipping?
If I were in your shoes, I would mark the present location of the sight, call the gunsmith and say "hey, I need a new kimber 1911 rear sight drifted 1 mm to the right. When is a good time for me to stop over? It's a 5 minute job. How does $20 and a six pack sound?"

If it was me, I would drift the sight with a square punch carefully. I mean, it's a battle pistol designed in 1911, not a swiss watch. Then you know how to control that aspect of your pistol.
 
101combatvet, the pistol is past the one-year period.

I'm going to discuss this with a gunsmith in my area before I tackle this myself, just based on comments that I posted above from another forum where they said the sight is really hard to move.
 
cdoc42 said:
101combatvet, the pistol is past the one-year period.

I'm going to discuss this with a gunsmith in my area before I tackle this myself, just based on comments that I posted above from another forum where they said the sight is really hard to move.
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Good idea.
 
I mean, it's a battle pistol designed in 1911, not a swiss watch.
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No, its a modern version of the 1911 design with some CHANGES.....

Take it to the gunsmith and tell him what you want done. (witness marks on the sight and slide (and a picture of them for reference) are a good idea.

IF the gunsmith moves it 2mm, and not the 1mm you request, he's responsible for moving it BACK. If he uses the old school wack it with a hammer method, he might have to move it back and forth a few times to get it where you want it. Depends on how skilled he is with his wacker. :rolleyes:
 
I'm going to try to get to the gunsmith today. I'll report what I find.

Addendum: Closed until Saturday, plan delayed
 
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