Kimber could take a lesson from Glock.

[BigFoot]

After shooting Friday I cleaned both the Kimber Micro 9 and my Glock 43 yesterday. I had the Glock apart in like 30 seconds and back together just as easy. I am short one hand to do the Kimber. Two just do not seem like enough. Could they have made it more convoluted to get apart? You need a freaking bionic arm to push the damn spring in. I still really like the gun though.

 

[ScottChapin]

That’s why I don’t shoot my 1911 Ultra HD much. You have to use a tiny Allen wrench to keep the spring compressed while removing and replacing the slide. I bought a special tool to facilitate and speed up the process without the “Allen wrench “, but it’s still annoying.


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[OkieStubble]

That’s why I don’t shoot my 1911 Ultra HD much. You have to use a tiny Allen wrench to keep the spring compressed while removing and replacing the slide. I bought a special tool to facilitate and speed up the process without the “Allen wrench “, but it’s still annoying.


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Yeah, that allen wrench was a pain. I just switched it to a flexible paper clip. Much easier. Still has to be better then taking apart the old bushing?

 

[Rudy Vey]

Cleaning 1911's is a pita....I have two Kimbers and they are soso to get apart and together again, but my S&W is very bad...- somehow you need a couple more hands, so not much shooting these babies right now. "Modern" guns like H&K, SIG, Walther and Glocks are so easy to take apart and put together again...

 

[ackvil]

In the late 1950s or early 60s I bought a Ruger Mark I from a pawn shop. Before using it I wanted to take it down and clean it. Taking it down was not that hard. The problem was to assemble it again. Unfortunately, there was no YouTube back then. I went to a gun store to get help. Unfortunately, nobody there could assemble it. I ended up taking it back to the pawn shop.

 

[Ad Astra]

In the late 1950s or early 60s I bought a Ruger Mark I from a pawn shop. Before using it I wanted to take it down and clean it. Taking it down was not that hard. The problem was to assemble it again. Unfortunately, there was no YouTube back then. I went to a gun store to get help. Unfortunately, nobody there could assemble it. I ended up taking it back to the pawn shop.

Ah, you're not alone ... mine went back to the gun shop.

Nice man reassembled it and I never pulled that takedown lever again.


AA

 

[ScottChapin]

Yeah, that allen wrench was a pain. I just switched it to a flexible paper clip. Much easier. Still has to be better then taking apart the old bushing?

Maybe. The Ultra HD is the only one I own.


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[OkieStubble]

Maybe. The Ultra HD is the only one I own.


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I also have never owned a 1911 with a barrel bushing, but it's horrible reputation of take down and assembly proceeds it.

 

[ScottChapin]

I also have never owned a 1911 with a barrel bushing, but it's horrible reputation of take down and assembly proceeds it.

I don’t mind Colts. It’s the barrel link that’s an issue there.


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[nortac]

I also have never owned a 1911 with a barrel bushing, but it's horrible reputation of take down and assembly proceeds it.

If you have a "true" GI clone or an original GI 1911, take down is a simple no tools, fingers only affair. It's the tight fitted "match" bushings that are a bit of a PIA, but the proper tool makes it not so much of an issue. Now all those new fangled variations requiring allen wrenches, paper clips, etc. is a whole 'nother animal.

 

[stone and strop]

If you have a "true" GI clone or an original GI 1911, take down is a simple no tools, fingers only affair. It's the tight fitted "match" bushings that are a bit of a PIA, but the proper tool makes it not so much of an issue. Now all those new fangled variations requiring allen wrenches, paper clips, etc. is a whole 'nother animal.

I have two 1911's Sig in 45 and a new Dan Wesson.
The Sig is very easy to takedown, the Wesson bushing was ridiculous.
I have remedied that and fingers only now

 

[njpaddy]

We have a Kimber .45 with a .22 conversion barrel. I have plenty of ammo for both. We haven't fired it in years and keep it in pieces, scattered around the house, should we ever need to use it. My wife's arthritis will no longer let her chamber a round in the .45, but she can still chamber a round in the .22 barrel. She wants a .38/.357 revolver, but neither of us want to bother with permits in our nanny State.

 

[Whisky]

If you have a "true" GI clone or an original GI 1911, take down is a simple no tools, fingers only affair. It's the tight fitted "match" bushings that are a bit of a PIA, but the proper tool makes it not so much of an issue. Now all those new fangled variations requiring allen wrenches, paper clips, etc. is a whole 'nother animal.

@nortac beat me to it. Every Springfield 1911 I’ve owned has come with a FLGR which gets swapped for a GI style guide rod ASAP. Makes it much easier to field strip.

 

[nortac]

Full Length Guide Rods are a double edged sword, some prefer them, others shun them. I don't mind the disassembly issues myself. My SA 1911 started out GI, but has a tungsten FLGR, a Wilson match barrel and tight fitted Wilson match bushing. Works for me.

 

[nikonNUT]

Buncha haters… If you can’t completely strip a 1911 Gov’t in 20 minutes something is wrong. After the first couple hundred times it’s a cake walk. Honestly it depends on the gun. My full size is easy but you gotta be mindful of the recoil spring plug as they get GREAT distance. Easiest way to control everything is to put a towel down, put the bushing wrench on it, press the gun into it and turn. They just lift the gun off the wrench slowly. The officers? Huge pain in the butt! Honestly the hardest part for me is get getting the seat and the disconnector lined up to ease the pin through all 4 holes. Hint: a wee bit of grease helps a ton! Hated that part on my Kimbers. Stupid series 80 extra part.

 

[OkieStubble]

@nortac beat me to it. Every Springfield 1911 I’ve owned has come with a FLGR which gets swapped for a GI style guide rod ASAP. Makes it much easier to field strip.

What are some of the pro’s & con’s of FLGR’s and GI’s’ other then take downs?

 

[Whisky]

What are some of the pro’s & con’s of FLGR’s and GI’s’ other then take downs?

I personally haven’t seen any difference. It’s possible to “press check” a pistol with a GI guide rod which is one of the reasons I prefer them. All of the guys I used to shoot with that had 1911 style race guns prefer the FLGR.

 

[NewYorkBuck]

Agree that Kimber makes their assembly/disassembly too complicated.

My favorite in that regard is Sig. Pull back the slide and move a huge, easy to manipulate lever. Not even crazy about Glocks two tiny serrated buttons.

 

[nortac]

What are some of the pro’s & con’s of FLGR’s and GI’s’ other then take downs?

Some allege FLGRs result in smoother cycling and less spring binding/increased spring life. Also, the extra weight, particularly with a heavier tungsten rod, helps reduce muzzle rise with a standard length barrel and no compensater for competition. One can debate whether these are significant gains or not. Cons, none that I know of beyond the takedown issues. I have no problem press checking with a FLGR.

 

[shoelessjoe]

...My favorite in that regard is Sig. Pull back the slide and move a huge, easy to manipulate lever. Not even crazy about Glocks two tiny serrated buttons.

Yessir, Sigs are a breeze & I’m with you Glock’s rasp-like factory takedown tabs.

As breezy as the P-series Sigs are to dis/reassemble, Steyrs are even breezier ... I have yet to handle any thing as clever & efficient as a Steyr M-Series pistol: