Field Stripping Kimber - Help

[RT66DOC]

I have a Kimber Compact Stainless . 45. Bought it used - great condition and great price. The "Operational Manual" is rather lacking in clarity (sux). I'm trying to field strip this thing and have run into a roadblock at the point where you "Remove the recoil spring guide assembly by withdrawing it towards the rear of the slide. " This pistol does not have a barrel bushing that rotates to release the spring from the front.



With the slide separated from the frame - the recoil spring pushes the recoil spring guide assembly toward the back of the slide against the barrel link. There is no way the spring guide assembly will go back farther or tilt enough to clear the link assembly to be withdrawn toward the rear of the slide.



What's up with this? What am I missing and how does it come apart? I can field strip my Springfield 1911 in the dark but I've been fooling around with the Kimber for a couple hours. Help

 

[KBennett]

I don't have a Compact but I have two full size Kimber 1911's and they have full length guide rods so maybe I can help. Usually I just pull out the slide stop and slide off the slide, barrel, and guide rod assy. Then I roll the link backwards and pull out the guide rod to the rear.

My guide rods are one piece... ... . they do not have an allen screw at the barrel end to break it down. If yours is two piece maybe that's what your missing.

I went on Kimber's site and they don't even have downloadable manuals

 

[RT66DOC]

KBennet - Thanks



Yes it has a full length guide rod. You have to retract and lock back the slide then put a small pin (big paper clip) in the hole in the spring guide and release the slide.



No allen screw anywhere that I can see either. I have to go look at this thing again. I'll be back in a minute.

 

[Jengle]

Yup, the pin is the only way to get the spring compressed enough to get the assembly out of the slide. I have used a small allen wrench, but yeah, a paper clip would do it too. Never thought about that. Thanks Doc. I have the ultra carry model.

 

[RT66DOC]

OK, but if the pin is in the little hole and the spring is compressed how can you pull the guide rod assembly toward the back to get it out? The pin (paper clip) is at the front of the slide right under the end of the barrel and prevents drawing the whole thing back. With the little pin out the whole guide rod assy slides back and stops against the barrel link still under pressure from the spring. No way to pull it back farther or tilt it up to clear the link.

 

[Jengle]

Ok, the pin had to have a bend in it like an allen wrench that would allow the pin to lay down and follow the guide rod out of the slide. Bend the pin like a short allen wrench. L shaped. It will lay down along the spring and come out.

 

[RT66DOC]

OK, thanks. I'll try that. This is almost worse than getting the front rotors off.

 

[gregdoerfler]

ya the kimbers do seem like a pain to strip down like was said the 1911's are very easy,if you can not get it i will try to find my manual and try to help you.

 

[RT66DOC]

Thanks gregdoerfler.

 

[RT66DOC]

Jengle -



Your post solved the problem. Thanks alot. I bent the paper clip into the shape of a tiny allen wrench, compressed the spring, put the short end of the wire into the little hole in the guide rod with the long end parallel to the barrel. The whole assembly then slid back and came out - no problem. Thanks again.



A small drawing in the Operation Manual would have been nice.

 

[Jengle]

Glad to hear you got er done. I know that stuff is frustrating, when you know it's simple, but just don't know the tricks.