New Kimber Classic Stainless...

K

kerry

New member
Just had to tell everyone that I bought a new Kimber Classic Stainless today that I've been looking at for awhile. My first 1911.
Interestingly enough, a guy came in to pick up his Kimber Ultra Elite at the same time. I was curious to look at it because many people on TFL had warned me of sub-standard stuff coming out of Kimber's custom shop.
Sure enough. The trigger on this guys gun was the pits. It was so bad he refused to finalize the sale.
On the other hand, the trigger on my production Kimber is awesome, as is the fit and finish on the rest of the gun. I can't wait to take it to the range tomorrow. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes.
 
Kerry,
I have 3 kimber classics including one in stainless. they are great guns... a couple of suggestions tho, first try all of the safties (be sure the gun is unloaded). I had one that the manual safety didnt work on, and on the stainless the beavertail safty didnt work on. I fixed both myself, but It is good to know they work.

second, if you want to make the stainless look like a presentation piece, sand the flats on the slide with 400 grit wet or dry till i ts smooth, then polish with semichrome polish. It will polish up like a mirror. same with the controls. I left the frame unpolished. For grips, if you want some that really make the stainless stand out, install the smooth rosewood grips from Kimber ($20.00). I hope you Love yours as much as I do mine. It looks so good, I really hate to shoot it.

[This message has been edited by 10mmrules (edited January 13, 2000).]
 
Thanks for the advice. I'm kind of leary of tearing it apart just yet. As I mentioned, this is my first 1911, and I would like to know if it shoots before I tear it apart, on the off chance that it may not after I reassemble it. :)
10mmrules, do you have a picture of a stainless with the mirror job done to it? I would be interested in seeing what it looks like. Normally I'm really into matte stainless, but I am curious. I checked all the safeties in the shop several times before I purchased the gun, and they all seem to be in working order.
Of course, just in case, I'm not going to rack a round into the chamber until I'm at the range pointed in a very safe direction.
Glad to hear everyone has nice things to say about Kimber, with the exception of the unfortunate hammer.
Some how I've got to try and focus on work long enough to get through the day. It's not going to be easy. I'm really tempted to play hooky.
 
Enjoy yer new bangstick! :D Best luck!

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Be mentally deliberate but muscularly fast. Aim for just above the belt buckle Wyatt Earp
"It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself." Tom Jefferson
If you have to shoot a man, shoot him in the guts, it may not kill him... sometimes they die slow, but it'll paralyze his brain and arm and the fight is all but over Wild Bill Hickok
Remember: When you attempt to rationalize two inconsistent positions, you risk drowning as your own sewage backs up.
45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG
 
BigG,
I appreciate your support. Especially since I passed over the Colt's and bought one of those girly Kimbers. ;)
I'll report later whether all of that computerized machinery whittled me a good one.
Not too much longer now. 5pm's around the corner. Just gotta be patient. Gotta be patient...
 
Kerry, I applaud anybody who wants to shoot and whatever they want to buy. :D Hell, it's their money! I thru many years have settled on the 1911 Colt Gummint as the apple of my eye. But it's not right for everybody. Hell, if I meet you someday, you can shoot my toys!

I just have a problem with guys undergoing what I call "religious conversion" in trying to justify whatever they happen to like/buy. Then, they have a problem with it and just want to bitch, bitch, bitch. You know the type! I say pay yer money, and then shoot the hell out of it. If you've made a mistake, take it like a man, not like a little kid who was lied to! We can always correct our mistakes if we're big enough to admit we made one in the first place!

Like I said, Enjoy yer Kimber! :D
Regards, BigG

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Be mentally deliberate but muscularly fast. Aim for just above the belt buckle Wyatt Earp
"It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself." Tom Jefferson
If you have to shoot a man, shoot him in the guts, it may not kill him... sometimes they die slow, but it'll paralyze his brain and arm and the fight is all but over Wild Bill Hickok
Remember: When you attempt to rationalize two inconsistent positions, you risk drowning as your own sewage backs up.
45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG
 
Well, the test-fire went very well. I had time to put 100 rounds through the gun and not one malfunction. Accuracy was also excellent. I am very happy with the purchase.
To tell you the truth, I was really only interested in breaking the gun in, and I wasn't shooting for groups. But it was hard not to notice the solid gaping hole in the target 20 yards out. The range I was at did not have facilities to bench rest a pistol. I would be interested in what kind of groups I could produce with a support.
 
Kerry,
I dont have any problems making one hole at 50 feet with mine. but the loads I shoot have about the kick of a .22. with standard loads, I normaly shoot about a 1-1/4 group at 50 feet. I can do that with any of the 5 kimbers I own, even the compact custom.
 
OK, guys. I would really like to field strip and clean this new Kimber after yesterday's range session. But this is my first automatic (other than a .22) and the only thing I have to help me is the little Kimber instruction book. How much trouble could I get into opening this thing up without knowing exactly what I'm doing? I catch on pretty quick, but are there some pitfalls that may make it worth not doing?
 
Go to www.m1911.org and look under disassembly. The Kimber booklet is not much help. Taking apart this gun is pretty easy, two things you should be aware of though.

1. When turning the barrel bushing clockwise with the wrench, hold the recoil spring plug with your thumb. Ease this puppy out, It shot out and hit me in the head the first time I tried.

2. Slide Stop. I found this frustrating at first. When you put this back in, make sure the barrel link is lined up with the hole, you can maneuver it by tilting the gun side to side. Once you have it lined up, and are ready to put the slide stop in, make sure it is completely aligned to the slide. don't "turn" it up. Snap it in the same way you expect it to eventually fit. I kept trying to turn it counterclockwise up into its position, and just rubbed of the finish without fitting it in.

Another solution would be to go back to your range or gunstore, and pay the guy $10-$20 to thoroughly clean the gun. Just pay attention and ask questions.
 
Just follow the instructions, and do it over and over again. I bought the same gun, and it was my first 1911. You'll learn the little tricks to getting the slide stop out/in, and turning the bushing just far enough to clear, then popping it out by hand. don't worry about screwing it up, it's nothing you can't figure out with a little time.
 
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