Its a nice gun but WTF is with the field stripping procedure? A pin and a hole? And the hole isnt even in the right spot? Am I missing something? Good luck if I lose the special field stripping tool. I took it apart without the tool but I needed a spare hand to do it.
I am a bit purturbed.

Many companies use that style guide rod on compact 1911's. If you loose the tool, a paper clip can be used. When you say the hole isnt in the right place.......details?

I lost mine and improvised.  I cut off a allen wrench

I would think a paper clip would work too

Quoted: Many companies use that style guide rod on compact 1911's. If you loose the tool, a paper clip can be used. When you say the hole isnt in the right place.......details?

The instructions say:
Lock back the slide and insert the tool in the hole in the guide rod.
Then carefully release slide until it catches on the special tool.
Then push the slide forward till the takedown latch aligns with the notch in the slide and remove the latch.

I own two 1911's so I understand how they field strip BUT when you release the slide and the tool catches it, its already past lining up with the notch. Pushing the slide forward doesnt help anything. It seems the hole in the guide rod should be farther up towards the chamber. It doesnt even look like the picture in the manual.
I can get it apart but not the way the manual says.

Quoted: Quoted: Many companies use that style guide rod on compact 1911's. If you loose the tool, a paper clip can be used. When you say the hole isnt in the right place.......details? The instructions say: Lock back the slide and insert the tool in the hole in the guide rod. Then carefully release slide until it catches on the special tool. Then push the slide forward till the takedown latch aligns with the notch in the slide and remove the latch. I own two 1911's so I understand how they field strip BUT when you release the slide and the tool catches it, its already past lining up with the notch. Pushing the slide forward doesnt help anything. It seems the hole in the guide rod should be farther up towards the chamber. It doesnt even look like the picture in the manual. I can get it apart but not the way the manual says.

Ya got me there. Long as you can get it apart though, I guess thats the main thing. Call Kimber if its too annoying. They have got some of the best Customer Service I have had the (limited) pleasure of dealing with.

OK, I'll try calling them.
I hope its something I'm missing but I was a bike mechanic for 18 years and I own two 1911s so its not like I'm some kind of idiot.
I swear, its like the hole is on the wrong end of the guide rod. Its about 1/3 back from the barrel end and it should be 1/3 from the chamber end.

If you dont get a satisfactory answer/resolution, let me know.

I off next Tuesday and I'm gonna take it out and put a few hundred rounds of ball thru it and then test hollowpoint feeding. Then Ill call Kimber. That way if there's any function problems I can deal with that too.
I'll let you know what happens.

$800 MSRP gun and you need a 1.5 cent paper clip to take the damn thing apart.

Isnt life grand?

MSRP is over a grand I believe. I paid a little over 900 new.
Its ridiculous though. I may have reconsidered if I knew. Do all 3" 1911s strip the same?

Not all, but a large majority of.

Took off work early today and went to the range. I just finished cleaning it and here's a quick report:

Fired 150+ rnds of Win ball and 50+ rnds of hollowpoint. I wilson combat 8rnd, 4 Kimber 8 rnd, 1 Kimber 7 rnd 2 SA 7 rnd and 2 GI 7 rnd mags.
The GI mags worked great but would not hold the slide back after last round. SA mags worked flawlessly as did the Kimber 7 rnd mag. The Kimber 8  round mags were finicky feeding the first round of HP ammo and had a couple fail to feeds and one fail to extract. The WC mag had one fail to feed on the last round in the mag. I had to change the way I charge the pistol to get enough speed in the slide to load the first round.
I determined that most malfunctions while limited to certain mags were from limp wristing. This pistol needs a firm grip due to is short, light slide. If you grip it tight and lock your wrist you can hear the slide snap back and the malfunctions go away. I have no idea what caused the FTE.
This thing kicks pretty good and is more tiring to shoot than a full size 1911 but with a firm grip it functions great and feeds HP ammo better that my SA full size.
I would carry this pistol tomorrow but I'm goin to give it at least 400 rounds since Kimber recommends 4-500 rounds break in.
The take down issue is a minor annoyance at this point. I am really liking this pistol and will just live with it. Its light, powerful, reliable and just what I want in a carry pistol. I am going to run another 200 rounds thru it tomorrow and clean her up and put the Glock in the safe and the Kimber in my holster.
All in all I am a happy camper.
I spent a lot of money it and it has lived up to its reputation. I'll just live with field stripping it.

Field Stripping is a pain...Don't worry, it's not a real problem after a few time and you don't have to worry about parts flying around the range from the recoil spring - an added bonus.


Enjoy!

Once you hit about 400 rounds, if its like all my Kimbers have been, it gets realllllllllll nice. Congrats.
SOme of the feeding issues will also subside as it breaks in. Personally, I'd stick with Wilson mags.

Of all the 1911 mags I have the only ones that dont have tilting followers are the SA and the Wilson.
Has anyone tried the new Wolffe mags?
I'm gonna put another 100 rounds of ball then 100 of HP thru it and then holster it.

The manual should give an alternative method for field stripping if it's like mine (a base model ultra II).
I remove the slide first, then push the guide rod forward 'til I see the hole and then insert the tool (mine is bent, but still works), then pull rod, captured springs, and inserted tool out towards the back of the slide. I just leave it inserted while I clp, then oil the rod/spring. Reassembly is just reversed. I've had mine about a year or so, It teethed for about 500 rounds, I switched to wilson compat mags, and only shoot factory ammo through this particular weapon (tight tolerances), and it is as reliable as any revolver I own. 5000+ plus rounds so far, very accurate for a 3" barrel -- overall a satisfying weapon.
Satkong
PS --Clean it after every shooting session!

I actually didn't read the manual before taking apart my ultra carry II and just took it apart like any normal 1911.  You don't need the little tool, it just makes it a bit easier to re-insert the capture springs/rod combination since you have to line it up in the hole and compress both springs a bit to get the combo back in.  I've gotten the hang of it now and never use the little wire tool in the rod hole.