Weekend purchase...got issues.

[topgd]

Last Saturday I bought a used, but looks new inside and out, Kimber Stainless Gold Match II for $899 at Gander Mountain. They just finished cleaning and test firing it when I came in.

I have a springfield mil-spec on order. But I saw this Kimber that has the things "I know" I want from a 1911 having rented a PT 1911, a Sig Revolution , a springfield mil-spec and a TRP operator before. So I traded in my Mark III 22/45 which had a bluebook of more than I paid for it (used), and bought the Kimber.

I field stripped the gun on the same day. I was pleased that the inside looks very new. I'm no expert but having bought my XD new and cleaning it after every trip to the range, I remember how it looked NIB and the progression it went through, getting to 2000 rounds.

Got 2 issue right now:

Hopefully, the other local shop that I ordered the mil-spec from will at least give me store credit for the $120- I have put down. The owner wasn't around last weekend so the guy there couldn't tell me for sure. I've bought 2 other guns from this store.

Since there is no range at Gander Mtn, I don't know if this gun is going to go BANG. I have the certification from the gunsmith that says it did, and the gun was dirty from being test fired. But I'm going to the range today to find out for myself. Since this looks like a "safe queen", I'm going to follow Kimber's break-in period procedure.

Wish me luck on both!

[Lazarus]

Awesome. Another Kimber owner. Post pictures when you can.

[Neener Neener]

I doubt you'll have any issues with a Kimber. If you do a fair amount of business with the other shop, I don't see why they wouldn't give you a credit.

[Bidah]

Assuming that it has not been fired much, get some good ball ammo and fire away. Both of ours had hiccups now and then until around 400 or so, and then have run perfect since. A safe queen 1911 is an abused pistol..

[Mason0352]

The Gold Match II is an excellent pistol, and you got it for a great price. I've had mine for a few years now and I've only had one problem with it. The rear sight blade snapped off while shooting, but Kimber had it fixed and returned within a week.

[topgd]

Thanks for replies guys...

I got store credit for my $120-. Used it for buying 250 rounds of Fiocchi and Kimber's 8-round magazine (TacPro).

The great news is that that the GM II is easily the most accurate 1911 I've shot with. I had ragged holes at 5 and 7 yards, and all in the A zone of the IPSC target at 15 yards. This was done in my normal shooting stance. It did not bother me at all that the sight doesn't have the 3-dots I'm used to. The trigger pull is amazing (listed at 3-4 #s). I could have eliminated the overtravel but I was afraid I might forget to set it back which would be bad for a home defense gun, so I didn't.

The bad news is that I had 4 instances of "failed to fire" during the first 175 rounds. None in the last 75 rounds. After analyzing this at home, I figured it wasn't the Schwartz firing pin safety because in all instances, the hammer did not drop. It might be that the slide did not go back into battery which keeps the Disconnector engaged. As I said in the original post, everything on this gun was tight. Also, I found that while riding the safety, my thumb would touch the slide where the rear serrations are. My weak arm index finger also touched the slide. Hopefully, as metal is shaved from the gun, and by positioning my fingers correctly, the problem goes away. I did order an 18.5 Wolff recoil spring from Brownells.

I'm going to the range again today. I'm feeling guilty as I don't feel like shooting my ever reliable XD anymore. The good thing though is that both guns feel and point very similarly.

[topgd]

Originally Posted by Bidah

Assuming that it has not been fired much, get some good ball ammo and fire away. Both of ours had hiccups now and then until around 400 or so, and then have run perfect since. A safe queen 1911 is an abused pistol..

I agree. Pistols need to be enjoyed at the range. I'm finding out though that a stainless steel gun is high-maintenance. Especially the parts that are bead-blasted. But it looks great after I clean it.

[topgd]

Originally Posted by Mason0352

The Gold Match II is an excellent pistol, and you got it for a great price. I've had mine for a few years now and I've only had one problem with it. The rear sight blade snapped off while shooting, but Kimber had it fixed and returned within a week.

Would the same warranty apply, since I bought mine used?

[bountyhunter]

Originally Posted by topgd

The bad news is that I had 4 instances of "failed to fire" during the first 175 rounds. None in the last 75 rounds. After analyzing this at home, I figured it wasn't the Schwartz firing pin safety because in all instances, the hammer did not drop. It might be that the slide did not go back into battery which keeps the Disconnector engaged.

I remember that is a known problem with Kimbers. I recall the fix is to remove the grip safety and shave some metal off the leading edges to allow it to engage a little farther and release the internal safety more positively. As I recall, the grip safety can keep that thing from allowing the hammer to fall.

As for the over travel: BE CAREFUL. Most people screw that up. You have to remove the mainspring and adjust by feel. make SURE you have enough trigger travel so that when pulled, the sear nose cleanly clears BOTH sets of hammer hooks. The so called "half cock" notch is longer than the full cock notch. If you set the overtravel tight to "just barely" let the hammer fall off the full cock position, the sear nose will get trashed by the half cock hammer hooks going by. Don't set the overtravel too tight.

[bountyhunter]

Originally Posted by topgd

Would the same warranty apply, since I bought mine used?

Ask Kimber, it depends on their policy.