A few weeks back, I was digging in the nether regions of a safe and came across a pistol that I hadn’t paid attention to in at least 10 years, probably closer to 15. It’s a 1911, in .45, that I remember shooting 3-gun with very well, and a few thousand rounds with zero hiccups, but I couldn’t recall why I stopped shooting it.





So, I loaded up some mags and off to the range we went. First mag through produced a single hole at 15 yards. 2nd mag, same result, speed reload to the 3rd mag, and after I stopped the bleeding where I tore a chunk out of the pad of my hand on the corner of the sight; I remembered that no glove + slingshot = blood and that’s why I stopped shooting it.



Well, this gun is too smooth, and I shoot it too well, for it to be just lying around, so the search began for some new sights, not easy to find for this gun because of the cutout ledge behind the dovetail. But, after a visit to Dick Heinie’s site, some quality workbench time, and a change of clothes while I was at it, my “new again” 1911 doesn’t bite anymore.






Yea, I know, Kimber’s are hit and miss in the love department, but I’ve owned quite a few and have only had one that didn’t function correctly out of the box. A 5-minute re-tensioning of the extractor fixed that. Only have 2 now, this Stainless II and a Raptor and both are great guns.


Here’s the Raptor…

Times and interests change.

I had a bunch of Kimbers a while back and now I am down to two.

An Eclipse 10mm and a Target .17 are all that are left.

Nice sight and I like the new grips you also added! Are those G10?

quote:

Originally posted by SigFan:
Are those G10?

Yep. VZ-ETC in black cherry.

I have a SA Loaded Target with a similar sight. I added the Harrison Design fixed sights and could not be happier.

quote:

Originally posted by bcjwriter:
I have a SA Loaded Target with a similar sight. I added the Harrison Design fixed sights and could not be happier.

Did your SA come with super thin grips? I picked up a Ronin a while back and the grips were so thin it felt like it didn't have any on. New bushings and grips went on before I shot it.

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:
after I stopped the bleeding where I tore a chunk out of the pad of my hand on the corner of the sight; I remembered that no glove + slingshot = blood and that’s why I stopped shooting it.

That's why they put serration out front too.

Or you could just stop doing it the slow painful way.


New sight looks good though. (And I'm not a fan of "fixed" rears on a 1911.)

quote:

Originally posted by cas:

Or you could just stop doing it the slow painful way.

I hear ya but I am way too old to change moa now. The mag insert and slide rack is one motion. After 50+ years of doing it that way, changing the sight was much easier.

Nice pair of guns. Like the new sight.

That's really nice, and I like the new sight...much more practical for carry.

My buddy just bought a full-size Kimber 9mm 1911 in an auction. I was a little leary of it at first due to the reputation, and figured he was screwed when we discovered notes written in the owners manual from the previous owner detailing continuous malfunctions more than once per magazine.

The gun was very dry, so he lubed it and we went out and put a couple hundred rounds of mixed ammo through it without a single hiccup. The gun shoots like a dream, and looks good to boot. We shot it alongside my EMP4, and it was noticeably softer and smoother. Now he's got me wanting a full-size 9mm 1911, and maybe even a Kimber.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Now he's got me wanting a full-size 9mm 1911, and maybe even a Kimber.

In my experience, "production" 1911's could all use a little love before range time. All guns have their share of bits and flakes leftover from manufacturing, but 1911's seem to be the worst in this department. My process is...

1) Buy 1911
2) Field strip (incl. grips) and wipe all accessible areas to remove leftover material from manufacturing. I usually follow this with a blowout with compressed air.
3) Check extractor tension and adjust if needed
4) Remove firing pin and clean channel (on series 80, remove fp plunger and clean there as well)
5) Remove extractor and clean channel
6) Polish feed ramp and barrel throat
7) Lube and reassemble
8) Shoot 200 rounds
9) Repeat 1-5
10) If trigger is excessively gritty address that
11) Shoot more

Other than extractor tension and sights, I don't mess with any other adjustments (trigger weight etc.) The gun will shoot itself in after a thousand rounds or so.

Oh, and just because it says "custom shop" on the gun doesn't mean that these things were done. Some of the worst I've seen were "custom shop" guns. The Kimber above being no exception. Lots of crap came out of that one. Most times, the feed ramp and barrel throat are taken care of though.

Have fun on your search!

quote:

Originally posted by pace40:

quote:

Originally posted by bcjwriter:
I have a SA Loaded Target with a similar sight. I added the Harrison Design fixed sights and could not be happier.

Did your SA come with super thin grips? I picked up a Ronin a while back and the grips were so thin it felt like it didn't have any on. New bushings and grips went on before I shot it.

Mine came with standard grip panels, so so far they stay on...but I'm sure I'll add something like VZ's later.

My father had an older all steel Kimber Stainless Gold Match and it was a pleasure to shoot and never had an issue. The gun was eventually given to one of my nephews, as he always liked the 1911 platform and I thought it would be something his grandfather would be happy he would have.

Anyway,the sights, like you have stated, are pretty sharp. I remember having a similar issue and couldn't figure out why I would get cut/bleed after a range trip. I really like that new sight you have on your pistol. It just looks right for that gun.