Replacing Kimber Ultra’s Pot-Metal Parts

[DeadCalm]

I have a Kimber Ultra CDP. Several years ago when I’d just bought it, I took it to the range and put a box of ball ammo through it. Functioning was perfect. Accuracy was very good. I was happy. Then I got home and cleaned it. While idly flicking the safety on and off after, the safety lever snapped off. A jagged stump was all that remained. Kimber was very good about sending a replacement safety when I asked for one. However, I put the gun in the safe and haven’t fired it since—too disgruntled to deal with a gun so pricey but made with cap-pistol- quality parts.

Now that I’m done sulking about it, I’d like to bring the gun back to whole and make it my carry weapon. However, I have no faith in the integrity of several Kimber parts. (Accordingly, I’d put an Ed Brown stainless Hardcore slide stop in another Kimber prior to owning the Ultra, and have been pleased with its non-breaking abilities.) So the question is, do I need to install after-market components on the Ultra? A non-Kimber safety for sure. Slide stop? What other original parts are sintered/MIM? I like the folks at Ed Brown, but slide stops aside, are there other vendors for other parts that you’re partial to? Lastly, do any require a gunsmith’s fitting them to the Ultra?

Many questions. Please help on whichever ones you feel so inclined. Thanks very much.

Ross

 

[mtngunr]

parts is parts....

no slight on anyone, including Ed Brown, but item descriptions such as "machined from tool steel", "made from tool steel", etc., could mean anything, including cast/sintered parts with a few machining operations done to them...."machined from barstock" or "machined forging" are much more specific terms and more likely to give you what you're looking for...reading between the lines is important nowadays.....

 

[DeadCalm]

Having said that, are there any vendors in particular that you find supplying the best parts?
Thanks.

 

[highorder]

www.brownells.com

 

[rcmodel]

Brownell's is no more or less reliable at selling forged steel 1911 parts then anyone else.

They sell a very broad range of parts at different price points, from many manufactures. Some are MIM, some are not. Sometimes there is a noticable price differance, and sometimes there isn't.

You still have to know which manufacture is using MIM and which aren't.

rcmodel

 

[Jolly Rogers]

Several threads out on the forums about other manufacturers cast parts breaking. I read a thread about Ed Brown thumb safetys and Ed Brown hammer struts breaking. Not to down Ed Brown but all manufacturers can have quality control problems. The bottom line is how they handle the broken stuff. Even forged parts can have stress related fractures. This is a disappointing fact of life.
Joe

 

[highorder]

also, MIM parts are NOT "pot-metal."

MIM parts are steel.

 

[schmeky]

I have thousands and thousands of rounds through my Kimber Classic Custom (very early model) that has MIM. I recently lightened the trigger and had to do a slight amount of stoning on the sear.

The sear was still very sharp and looked practically new. Everything else is original with no problems.

You can read of every brand having problems from Les Baers to whatever.

Get a good quality replacement part and enjoy that Kimber. Ed Brown parts have worked well on some project 1911's of mine.

 

[Five of Clubs]

DeadCalm - I have used a large selection of aftermarket parts from several different manufacturers for a "high mileage" 1911 that I have. Parts from Wilson Combat consistently have required less fitting than equivalent parts from others and have never failed on me. They usually don't cost more than the others either, so that's your safest bet IMO.