A soon to be 1911 owner with questions

R

rock_jock

New member
My wife will be presenting me with a new Kimber Stainless Compact Lightweight Christmas morning. While I am pretty well acquainted with a variety of other handguns, I have yet to own a 1911. Is the takedown and cleaning much more difficult than Glocks, Kahrs, etc.? Should I get some one-on-one instruction, or will the owner's manual suffice for for this purpose? Do I need any special tools?

Finally, what sort of ceremony do I need to go through to join the cult of the 1911?
 
Takedown is simple. The gun will come with everything you need. Soon, you'll strip it just for fun.

As for what you need to do to join the cult: just enjoy the accuracy and be sure to grin every time you pull that smooth, crisp 1911 trigger.
 
Just follow the instructions in the manual. Point the muzzle AWAY from your face when you take it apart so you don't get bonked in the eye with a spring if you slip.

Otherwise, to join the cult you just have to actually SHOOT it. :D
 
Takedown is a bit more complicated than a Glock, because you've got to remove the slide stop and barrel bushing. And from there you've got to remove the bushing from the barrel and the recoil spring from the guide. I used to soak my Glock in the kitchen sink and leave the frame in the dishrack to dry. The 1911, being all steel, will require a bit more finesse, but the standard operating instructions will do you just fine. Just be careful when remounting the slide to the frame that you don't scratch the finish when reinstalling the slide stop.

Re: joining the cult. Yeah, shoot it. Then visit 1911forum.com (it's down right now for maintenance). Then buy and swap a half dozen grips. Then try out some new sights. And beavertails. Then go through three or four different kinds of magazines. Buy and throw away an extended slide stop, then consider a "tactical" magazine release. Experiment with different recoil spring weights. Become enraptured with idea of a titanium firing pin. Discuss the pros and cons of frontstrap checkering versus skateboard tape. Weigh in on 185-gr. +p's vs. 230-gr. Hydrashoks. Buy several different holsters before settling on one.
Once you start talking about "blowin' big holes" and how ".45 recoil" doesn't bother you, you may apply for membership. When the total of your Kimber's spare parts, holsters, grips, etc. equals the purchase price of the gun, you will get your cult card. ;)

P.S. Have you purchased your tactical nuke and SPF 1500 yet? :D
 
Sorry

You expect to be a cult member after only ONE 1911? I think you have to own one in each size;)

Regards, and welcome. You'll get your purple sheet and tennis shoes in the mail.
 
Let me explain something right now. 7 rounds go into a standard 1911 magazine. You can get 7 full magazines out of a box of 50. You'll probably wonder what to do with that last round. That last round is to honor the patron saint John Moses Browning.

Shoot a lot and enjoy it. Don't let the slide slam forward on an empty chamber. When you clean, be sure to remove the extractor, because a lot of gunk builds up in there. Have fun, and maybe some day they'll show us the secret handshake.

http://www.biggerhammer.net/manuals/1911a1/TOC.PDF
 
I have yet to see it. My dealer is installing a Ed Brown tactical ambi safety and is making an IWB holster and double mag pouch for it. Also, I ordered two Wilson mags that are sitting in a UPS package on my desk. Sigh, its already started. :rolleyes:
 
Now order a case of 230 grain FMJ ammo, and head for the range. Then start looking at other 1911 maker's web sites.

A good source of information is: www.m1911.org

When the switch from UBB to vB is completed, stop by at www.1911forum.com too.

Make that, order two cases of 230 grain FMJ, take one to the range and send me the other and I may show you the secret hand shake. ;)
 
You don't get full membership privileges until you have at least two 1911's that you bought yourself. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to keep out the riff-raff.:p :D
 
LBC is incorrect. A Kimber Compact does not have a barrel bushing. It has a bull barrel.

Make sure the weapon is empty. Make sure again. Lock the slide back. The gun comes with an "L" shaped "tool" no bigger than a bent paperclip. The short leg of the "L" goes in a hole on the guide rod such that the spring is captured by the tool for removal. When you insert the tool in the hole, you can gently release the slide. The spring comes to rest against the tool, allowing you to remove the slide stop and then the slide. It's a piece of cake.

My Compact came without the tool. Kimber nicely replaced it and I used a bent paper clip until the proper tool came in.

Randy
 
.45 Ammo

If you don't go for lesser-known brands, I've found the best "local" ammo deal is Winchester 230 gr FMJ at Sports Authority for $10.99 per box. I've been shooting Magtech lately as well, $9.95 per box from www.fsguns.com.
 
Re-assembly

Have someone (that knows how to do it correctly) show you how to put the slide stop back in without scratching the frame. This is one of the most common 1911 newby mistakes, and the tell tale scratch is evident on a lot of guns I've seen.

Basically you line up the take down notch with the slide stop pin "staged" about 3/4 of the way in. The final 1/4 way is a simultaneous push in and up. Easier done than said, once you've been shown how to do it.

Good luck with your new piece!
 
country boy

Let me explain something right now. 7 rounds go into a standard 1911 magazine. You can get 7 full magazines out of a box of 50. You'll probably wonder what to do with that last round.
Click to expand...

I'd use that one extra round to load the chamber!
 
I agree with GGGlock, take the time for someone to show you how to reassemble it. My first 1911, a Springfield, I scratched it up quite a bit. But now with my second, Kimber Compact, I know what I am doing.
 
You may find that a bushing wrench will help with the take down. Dillon sells one for 2.50$ that works as well as the other, more expensive, bushing wrenches.:)
 
Field stripping is relatively easy but detail stripping is a little harder, at least the first couple of times. www.m1911.org should have some instructions on detail stripping. Your best bet is to invest $10 or so in a book that shows you how to detail strip and clean the gun -- Wilson sells one. Apart from normal field stripping, you should also periodically clean the extractor and firing pin channels. The Kimber instruction manual is virtually useless except for basic field stripping.
 
Thanks Captain Bligh. I wasn't referrig to the Kimber Compact specifically, however. I'm sure rock_ jock will buy a full sized 1911 someday.
 
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