Bill Boyer
A while back the idea of one’s dream Kimber was brought up on the Kimber list. You know, the one that if the factory made it you would just have to go out and buy it. The fact that it was a dream Kimber doesn’t mean much to this list or me, it was just my dream 1911. Anyway, when I first saw this thread it got me to thinking on just what I would want for my dream carry 1911 and a couple days later I finally made up my mind just what that gun would be. Well I know Kimber, or any one else, will never make THAT gun, so I knew from the start that the only way for me to have that gun is if I built it. I also knew I had to have that gun! So a couple days later I bought a aluminum frame/stainless slide Kimber Compact to serve as the base for my dream gun. The first thing was to find out how the new gun worked. So I have been spending quality time with it. :) I bought the gun on Sunday and after a fast re-lube I was on the range about 5 minutes after giving the man behind the counter my money. I only had enough time for 50 rounds of ball but things sure looked promising. Monday, I ran 300 rounds of ball through it while I was out practicing for a match. Then on Tuesday I cleaned out my old ammo supply with it. All 200 rounds of my 182 PF 230 gr LRN match ammo, about 60 rounds of 190 PF 200 gr. LSWC and 30 rounds of Federal Hydra-Shok 230 gr. So far the gun has worked just the way I expected. It shoots to point of aim and has had zero problems! My only complaint is that the trigger is a touch heavy at close to 5 lb. but at least it is a very clean trigger for a production gun.
So far the only changes that have taken place all happened about a hour after I got the gun home. A arched SS Brownell’s mainspring housing replaced the straight plastic one that Kimber uses because I don’t shoot as well with the straight housing as I do the curved. A set smooth Pau Ferro (wood) Hogue grips were also installed because I like they way they feel in the hand as well as to reduce the chance that my cover vest/shirt may grab on to them, besides that they look so nice on it. For a holster I found that a Kramer IWB2 that I had for a Colt Defender that I owned at one time seems to work ok after I did a little work to it. I also had a pair of adapters by Round Edge that allow the use of full sized mags in the short grip frame. With these adapters there is no longer any problem or fear of over inserting a full sized mag in the gun when it is at slide lock. So far the gun has worked perfect with Shooting Star and Wilson 8 round mags as well as the 7 round mag that came with the gun.
Future plans call for the underside of the trigger guard is going to be relieved kind of like Colt does to their top end guns. The grip panels are going to get rounded a bit also and grip tape will be installed on the front strap. I also plan on installing a Caspian “speed bump” grip safety because they work so well for me and because almost all of my 1911s now wear them. I did all of these changes to a couple of my other 1911s and love what the way they work. You can see one of my Norincos with these changes at http://homes.acmecity.com/rosie/awards/21/ (by the way, the Norinco received the grip tape treatment not long after those pictures were taken)
By the way, all these parts can be had at Brownells http://www.brownells.com/ except the grip safety. That I got at Caspian http://caspianarmsltd.8m.com/
Comments, suggestions, contributions? Let me know