"Hand fitted" kimber?

[Cuda440]

I was under the impression that the "hand fit" custom shop models were basically production frames and slides that were hand matched early in the manufacturing process.

If they grab a slide and frame that fit great, it's hand matched. If it's too tight or sloppy, find a different slide that fits better.

Fwiw my older external extractor Raptor II has a hand-engraved number on the frame and matching number on the slide. I figured that's from the hand fitting step

[LowThudd]

I was under the impression that the "hand fit" custom shop models were basically production frames and slides that were hand matched early in the manufacturing process.

If they grab a slide and frame that fit great, it's hand matched. If it's too tight or sloppy, find a different slide that fits better.

Fwiw my older external extractor Raptor II has a hand-engraved number on the frame and matching number on the slide. I figured that's from the hand fitting step

No, normally a custom shop(not Kimber) has frames and slides that need the rails stoned/filed to fit as they are oversized. Along with every other part on the gun.

If you read the shop manuals, it will explain this.

http://www.klstottlemyer.com/ewExternalFiles/The_Colt_.45_Automatic_-_A_Shop_Manual_Vol.1_by_Kuhnhausen.pdf

http://www.klstottlemyer.com/ewExternalFiles/The_Colt_.45_Automatic_-_A_Shop_Manual_Vol.2_by_Kuhnhausen.pdf

[Cuda440]

No, normally a custom shop(not Kimber) has frames and slides that need the rails stoned/filed to fit as they are oversized. Along with every other part on the gun.

If you read the shop manuals, it will explain this.

http://www.klstottlemyer.com/ewExternalFiles/The_Colt_.45_Automatic_-_A_Shop_Manual_Vol.1_by_Kuhnhausen.pdf

http://www.klstottlemyer.com/ewExter...Kuhnhausen.pdf

I understand how custom guns are built, I was responding in the Kimber thread about Kimbers and their "hand fit" "custom shop" models, thanks

[Flying Sig]

No, normally a custom shop(not Kimber) has frames and slides that need the rails stoned/filed to fit as they are oversized. Along with every other part on the gun.

If you read the shop manuals, it will explain this.

http://www.klstottlemyer.com/ewExternalFiles/The_Colt_.45_Automatic_-_A_Shop_Manual_Vol.1_by_Kuhnhausen.pdf

http://www.klstottlemyer.com/ewExter...Kuhnhausen.pdf

Thank you for posting the manuals. Great info

[LowThudd]

I understand how custom guns are built, I was responding in the Kimber thread about Kimbers and their "hand fit" "custom shop" models, thanks

Kimber has no Custom Shop, in a traditional sense. They don't even mention hand selection or hand fitting. It goes back, still, to their contention that their CNC system works so well, that they require little or no fitting. http://www.kimberamerica.com/pistols/1911/custom-shop

[SSOUNN]

I love my Custom II TLE/RL.. I quickly replaced the 1-7rd mags with Wilson 500, if that is the correct model # lol.. didn't like the 47D oh so much..

[hambam105]

"Hand Fitted''

Hand Fitted you say? HHMMMmmm.

I 'Hand-Fit' my garbage cans every Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, does that count for hand-fitting?

[stormvet]

Hand Fitted you say? HHMMMmmm.

I 'Hand-Fit' my garbage cans every Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, does that count for hand-fitting?

Garbage cans right...we all know what you spend most of your time hand fitting.

[Matt P]

Having built 2 1911s at the same time I can attest to the value of well machined parts.
Built a Caspian slide/framed main parts in 9mm and a PM Machinery slide/frame/grip safety in .45. At that time PM Machinery machined most of the parts for Nighthawk. Nighthawk may still use these main parts in construction.
Quality machining does translate into much greater ease in building. At least 40% reduction in time fitting parts. Possibly more.
The PM Machinery 1911 I built was as tight as a laboriously built Caspian. Way less fitting needed.
Quality machining of initial parts will allow much greater ease when creating a final product.
Kimber can easily stand by the quality of their machining which still allows what many to feel is an excellent product.
Nighthawk enjoys greater ease and less hand fitting as does Kimber.

[hambam105]

You're absolutely right.

With the amount of malfunctions that continuously appear with some un-named 1911, Kimber, manufactures, I'd say my garbage can handling skills definitely qualify me to hand fit their pistols. We all know the guys who stopped or never did any kind of hand-fitting.

When all these ultra expensive custom fit 1911s that are supposed to worth the money start showing up at actual shooting events and perform as promised I'll be surely amazed. Until then they will just have to rest on the current reputation for performance. Who are you going to believe, the guys on the forums or your own lying eyes?

[capistolero]

Too funny....I laugh so hard at the accusatory questions often lobbed about here when experts become offended and suspicious of other's abilities to work on their weapons. I thought only libtards had "nanny" impulses.

I'm sure the few hundredths of a micron of metal you reamed out with your four strokes left your barrel just fine.

My handloads are fine, well within specs, problem was the barrels if in spec at all were extremely tight and short. While doing a simple 'plunk' test with my handloads they pass perfectly in my Wilson barrel, two EB barrels, two Springfield barrels, a Colt barrel and two four inch Kimber barrels. Not to mention a Wilson case gauge. But would fail miserably in the two five inch Kimber barrels. Three or four easy turns with the finish reamer opened up and lengthened the chambers to were the rounds would drop all the way in and fall out with gravity just like the other barrels.

Now I ask you were my Kimber barrels a little tight or are all my other barrels and my case gauge over sized.

[Lead Waster]

Look, all 1911s are "hand ... put together", so any company can claim they are "hand fitted", since someone has to finally assemble all the parts together. Now ... do they specifically select slides and frames that fit tight and then file them down to match almost perfectly? Or do they grab them from a bucket and the tolerences are large enough to allow any slide to fit onto any frame?

Does it matter in the end?

[Lead Waster]

Garbage cans right...we all know what you spend most of your time hand fitting.

LOL!

What's the break in period on "that?"

[CAL.BAR]

Tighter tolerances enhance accuracy, not necessarily reliability. In fact one can come at the expense of the other.

EXACTLY! I've seen more problems with these super tight tolerance guns than I ever have in standard off the rack 1911's

[hambam105]

[QUOTEexperts become offended and suspicious of other's abilities to work on their weapons][/QUOTE]

All suspicions and offenses end when the pistol works consistently over a two or three year period , not 2 or 3 boxes of ammunition, where you shoot your pistol in front of your friends to see.

The majority of these big name high dollar fancy named custom 1911s are absent from the shooting range. Instead they are tucked away in the darkness of a safe to give their owners the opportunities to rationalize the acceptance and expensive of a long awaited piece of poor workmanship.

For those that want to buy a fancy barbeque pistol then fine. It is a brand name so it really doesn't need to work properly, it just has to look good, right? Fine.

On the other hand, try and lead some unsuspecting buyer, who expects the gun to work properly, down the same wrong decision path you just took...on their behave I'll call foul. Or is it fowl, we were talking barbeque.

Their was I day when I too fell into that type of behavior trap. On my part that wasn't very smart. And I sincerely hope my friends didn't repeat or buy into it.