I love my Kimber TLE/RL II Pro SS.  Shoots great, looks great.  First cleaning was tonight.

Before tonight I had NO idea how to take this f*cker apart, due to the lack of bushing.  So I get my manual out and figure out how to do it, but I couldn't find the 'tool' so I fashion my own out of a safety pin.  I'm holding the assembly with left hand and putting the pin through into hole with right hand.  Of course I didn't realize the hole goes all the way through so with one hard push to make sure it's in there, I have almost a half inch of safety pin burrowed in my palm.  After a couple of mniutes of vociferous swearing and speaking in tongues, I finally get the damn assembly out and clean the gun.

Trying to get the spring assembly back together (after oiling up the now-clean gun) I must've launched that sucker at least 10 times, two if not more of those launches probably traveled faster than the ammo I put through the damn thing!

a) why?  dear g-d why?  why would someone put this part in such a fine pistol?  think about the children!

b) there HAS to be a trick to getting the assembly back together right?

c) ow!

Find the tool, it works great.  If you can't find it, call Kimber.  Their customer service is pretty darn good.  I'm pretty sure they'll send you one N/C.

Use a paper clip.  Bend it into an "L" shape.  Put the short end in the hole.  Make it short enough that it doesn't go all the way through the hole.  Release the slide.  From that point forward, it disassembles like a conventional 1911.  I'll try to take some pictures for you tonight.

I'll leave these up a day or two so you can see them.  They are large and not dialup friendly:

Pics Removed
Bend the paperclip.  Pull the slide back.  Insert the paperclip.  Release the slide.

Pics Removed
Pull apart pretty much like a conventional 1911 from this point forward.  I generally don't pull the spring assembly apart for weekly cleaning.  When I do, I simply point the spring and towards the desk, pull the paperclip, and slowly release tension.

Pics Removed
Lots of different ways to put the assembly back together.  I insert the assembly into the slide, push the rod with my thumb, and stick the paperclip back in.  It's ready to reassemble.

Once you get used to it, you can strip it pretty fast, and it's not so bad.

i had to use wire cutters to cut down part of my takedown tool, cause the rail gets in the way

i never need the takedown tool with my ultra CDP II

First thing i do before i purchase a firearm is paly with it a bit. I learned how to field strip that kinber before i bought it. Rgiht in the store.


You bought it, and shot it, and jsut now are figuring out how it works?  

Quoted: You bought it, and shot it, and jsut now are figuring out how it works?

yup.  

Turns out I'm an idiot for many many reasons.

Those pics enlightened me.  Since I had taken teh spring unit out and then dissasembled it, I figured that reassembly occurs  before putting it back in teh slide, e.g. the reverse of dissassembly.  Of course, the impossible part is getting the spring retaining thingie down far enough to get the takedown pin back in.  This is near impossible with fingers.  Of course if you ues the slide................

That is, I was doing this part without the slide.  and with oily fingers.  and lots of cursing.



As I said, I'm an idiot.  This is a simple operation.  Thanks all.

Now , why no bushing?

I'm an idiot too.

If that's a 4" bbl then Colt and S&W similiar models have the bushing, which I prefer. Their bbls are a "tad" longer I believe...1/4".

Kimber and Springfield use the bushingless bbl for some reason.

I would not own a 1911 that requires a tool to field strip.

Quoted: I would not own a 1911 that requires a tool to field strip.

It doesn't.

It jsut makes it easier for some. I used mine once, and after that ,said screw it.

No tools are necessary.

Quoted: Quoted: I would not own a 1911 that requires a tool to field strip. It doesn't. It jsut makes it easier for some. I used mine once, and after that ,said screw it. No tools are necessary.

10-4

I prefer a bushing on my short-slide 1911's for a couple reasons:

1) Bushing can be fit for maximum accuracy
2) Bull barrel is heavier than a standard barrel, which kind of negates some of the benefits of going with a lightweight, compact gun.
3) No FLGR/reverse plug nonsense and same takedown procedure as the Government model.

When I was last shopping for a compact 1911, I looked at the Kimber Pros but they all had this setup, so I ended up with a Colt LW Commander.

My preference is for a bushing as well.  But the price was right, so this is what I got.  

Quoted: You bought it, and shot it, and jsut now are figuring out how it works?

As a kid, you never got so excited about a new toy that you pulled it out of the box before reading the directions?

that's a goofy recoil assembly

your post is pretty entertaining, thinking of you spearing yourself with a safety pin!  

ITwas one of those moments where I was more surprised and entertained than actually in pain.  Afterwards I really did have a good chuckle.