Kimber Experiences

I've got a couple Kimbers. My carry gun is the Grand Raptor II. It works 100%, but that wasn't always the case. When I first got it, new, I couldn't get the slide off of the frame. Yes, I know about the grip safety. There was just no way the slide was coming off. The Swartz firing pin safety was hanging up and just wouldn't let the slide move forward, no matter how held the gun. I made double sure the grip safety wasn't engaged. Anyway, back it went to Kimber. I got it back in 1 week, super quick service. I was able to field strip the gun. I don't know what they did, but now it's perfect. Oh, one more thing about the GR. When I first started carrying it the red stain they use on the grips bled onto my shirt. They are really poorly finished. I called the custom shop to complain but they just disregarded what I was saying. They said "That's the way the grips come from our supplier". I gave the grips several coats of clear sealant, and they were good to go. Now I have the Crimson Trace Burlwood grips on it.

I just finished getting my Kimber Pro CDP set up for carry. It's a pre series II, no firing pin safety. I had to get a new thumb safety fitted so the Crimson Trace Carbon Fiber grips would fit. I replaced that stupid plastic mainspring housing with a steel one made by Ed Brown, put in a Wilson Bullet Proof slide stop because I was getting premature slide lock. I had my gunsmith fit an adj. Novak rear, and new front sight - both are night sights.

I haven't done anything to my Team Match II. It shoots great and I haven't had one problem out of the external extractor.

I haven't shot the Classic Royal, it's still in NIB condition. I'm saving it for a rainy day.

My first gun (and the one that sees the most use still today) is a Stainless TLE II. Before I modified it to get rid of the Series II, the plastic and the MIM I put 5,000 rounds through it with one jam. Since, I've put another 20,000 through it, not a single problem. It's just a real hoot to shoot (pardon my rhyming ), and I just love every second of taking it to the range.

I think the king of all "Kimber Experiences" comes from my buddy who had a Team Match that withstood 318,000 rounds, unmodified. Sure, we went through dozens of springs (probably responsible for keeping Wolff in business) a couple slide stops, extractors, firing pins and FP stops, but we didn't even have to replace a single major part. It was unbelieveable. I don't know what Josh ended up doing with her, but I'm sure the gun is officially retired by now. (After all, she's looser than [INSERT FEMALE CELEBRITY HERE].) As far as failures go, I couldn't tell you exactly, but rest assured I wasn't there to see very many.