Help with 1911 barrel

A

AngloSaxon

New member
I have a kimber classic custom I am looking to get a new barrel for it, as I understand the Kart barrels are very good and the price seems reasonable. I was looking at brownells Easy fit kart barrel kit. My questions are:
Is the kimber a non-ramped?
What do they mean by: "cut the barrel hood to correct length" and "adjust lockup with the two raised pads" ?

Overall is that a good choice to go with? I shoot mostly at 25 yards with 200gr lswc and have shot a lot of lead through this gun, and last night I discovered it had the coating peeling off the inside of the barrel (not sure the what the cose of that, harsh chamicals?)

Thanks
 
Coating peeling off? Sure it is not lead peeling off? Even a better barrel will not shoot good if has lead buildup.
 
Sounds as if you have a leaded-up barrel. You probably don't need anything but a good cleaning.

Do a search for the best techniques/chemicals for lead removal; I just started reloading lead boolits and need to read up a bit myself :)
 
Do the copper Choir Boy trick; wrap some copper Choir Boy around your bore brush and commence to scrubbin'!

Kimber barrels are very good.
 
Trust me, it is not lead. It really has chunks peeling off the inside surface of the barrel. I can see and feel the indentations.
 
The only coating that could possibly be in your barrel is hard chrome.
Call Kimber and see if this is a possibility. I seriously doubt it.
Sounds like leading to me. Why are you so certain it's not?
 
There is no 'coating' on the inside of any barrel that isn't chrome lined. Kimber barrels are SS.
How fast have you been driving your cast bullets? If you've been loading cast bullets too hot, you have leading.
Before you change barrels(unless you just want to), stand the barrel, muzzle down, in a small container of regular solvent, fill the barrel with solvent and leave it there for 24 hours. Then run your brush through a few times and clean as per normal.
"...the two raised pads..." That'd be the locking lugs on top of the barrel. .45 barrels are fitted to the pistol by making the locking lugs fit properly into the slide. If you've never fitted a barrel, pay a smithy. It's easy to screw it up.
 
Anglo,

The whole idea behind Kart using the 'raised pads' was to simplify the process of fitting upper lugs to the slide. It's thought to be easier than fitting conventional lugs along their entire radius. Fitting the hood is really no biggie as long as you take your time, keep your edges square, and remove equal amounts from each side until you hit the sweet spot. Your Kimber should have a conventional, as opposed to a ramped, barrel. The good folks at Kart have a lot of experience at walking people through this and I'd say it's well worth your quarter, to give 'em a call.

Here's how one fella went about it, complete with pics. Hope it is helpful.

Regarding your OEM barrel- I know some got out that had a visible 'wavy' looking defect when examining the bore; Kimber told several folks that these barrels were 'OK' and would shoot fine, regardless. I'm just curious if the barrel you're having the problem with was one of those.
 
Just what I needed, Thanks Sarge

The peeling started as a little scratch and the more I would shoot it and clean it the worse it got. Now its at 1/2 in long and 1/8 in wide and runs underneath one of the groves. I am sorry if it sounds infeasible, but it is what it is. I know what a lead build-up looks like and it is not lead.
 
If your OEM Kimber barrel is really doing as you described you should remove it from service immediately and return to Kimber. Something is terribly wrong.
 
bbl.

Sir
If that Kimber barrel is a "two piece" barrel it could be the joint separating.
In fitting any barrel you need the hood fit so the upper lugs drop in. You should lap in the final amount and when pulling forward on the bbl with a work bushing in, you should see some light between the breech and hood - but when you press the barrel towards the breech there should be no light showing at all. Then you need to check your headspace with several new name brand cases - I've best accuracy is found with the case head not even with the breech hood but maybe .002-.004 below it. (I don't know why).
Then, of course the lower lugs must be fitted properly, but that's a totally different story. When the pistol is in battery there should be NO downplay when pressing on the barrel breech.
Usually, even with an unfitted match barrel there should be very little fitting to the upper lugs. Be sure to use layout dye on all phases of the work.
Harry B.
 
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