agburris
Member
Hi. I'm a new member. I'll apologize in advance if I am posting a topic that has been hashed out already. I'm sorry. I have searched the web and found nothing on this particular topic. I'm wondering if anyone has run across this and.... how to solve it.
When attempting to use the ambidextrous safety as a lefthanded person would by operating the tab on the right hand side of the gun, the safety lever can be moved from the safe position to the fire position once. If the safety is placed back to the safe (upward) position a second time then moved to the fire (lower) position a second time it will refuse to move all the way to the fire position. The safety will move only half way which is not far enough for the gun to be fired. Before the safety can be moved all the way to the fire (downward) position, you have to push in firmly on the left hand side of the ambidextrous mechanism. You can feel and see it move a few thousandth of an inch to the right. Then the safety can be moved all the way to fire position and the weapon can be fired. Many 1911's that I've handled in the past made by Colt with a single sided safety never did this. I have now handled three Kimbers. They all do exactly the same thing. It means these weapons I've tried cannot be used in an ambidextrous manner. I have not had time to go from one gun store to the other trying all of them. Maybe I will. If the gun is operated in a right handed manner with the thumb pushing firmly to the right on the safety while lowering the safety from safe to fire position, then the problem will go virtually unnoticed. Only when you try to operate it with your left hand does the problem crop up. Now that I know that the problem will occur, I can press straight down on the left hand lever without pressing it to the right and force the problem to occur. Admittedly, that's an unorthodox way of releasing the safety and I will be unlikely to release it in that manner.
Has anyone run into this? What's the cure? Sell it and buy from another supplier? Just curious. I have liked all the Kimbers until I ran across this idiosyncrasy. My current plan is to order thumb safeties from a couple of aftermarket suppliers (forged and machined units) and fit those to one of the guns to see what effect it has. This condition just can't be normal. Looking for suggestions. By the way, these are all new out of the box weapons with less than 250 rounds fired on any of them.
Thanks,
Grant
When attempting to use the ambidextrous safety as a lefthanded person would by operating the tab on the right hand side of the gun, the safety lever can be moved from the safe position to the fire position once. If the safety is placed back to the safe (upward) position a second time then moved to the fire (lower) position a second time it will refuse to move all the way to the fire position. The safety will move only half way which is not far enough for the gun to be fired. Before the safety can be moved all the way to the fire (downward) position, you have to push in firmly on the left hand side of the ambidextrous mechanism. You can feel and see it move a few thousandth of an inch to the right. Then the safety can be moved all the way to fire position and the weapon can be fired. Many 1911's that I've handled in the past made by Colt with a single sided safety never did this. I have now handled three Kimbers. They all do exactly the same thing. It means these weapons I've tried cannot be used in an ambidextrous manner. I have not had time to go from one gun store to the other trying all of them. Maybe I will. If the gun is operated in a right handed manner with the thumb pushing firmly to the right on the safety while lowering the safety from safe to fire position, then the problem will go virtually unnoticed. Only when you try to operate it with your left hand does the problem crop up. Now that I know that the problem will occur, I can press straight down on the left hand lever without pressing it to the right and force the problem to occur. Admittedly, that's an unorthodox way of releasing the safety and I will be unlikely to release it in that manner.
Has anyone run into this? What's the cure? Sell it and buy from another supplier? Just curious. I have liked all the Kimbers until I ran across this idiosyncrasy. My current plan is to order thumb safeties from a couple of aftermarket suppliers (forged and machined units) and fit those to one of the guns to see what effect it has. This condition just can't be normal. Looking for suggestions. By the way, these are all new out of the box weapons with less than 250 rounds fired on any of them.
Thanks,
Grant
