Kimber Pro guide rod disassembly

[IrvJr]

Hi All,

I have a 4" Kimber Pro Eclipse II. It is my favorite auto-pistol. Good looking, accurate, compact, reliable, and it' a .45.

My only complaint about this gun is that it requires the use of an "L" shaped piece of metal to keep the recoil spring compressed so that you can field strip the slide assembly for cleaning. I've seen other guns (like an STI competition 1911) that uses this type of guide rod system. The guide rod has a little hole in it that you put the rod into and it keeps the recoil spring compressed so you can pull the guide rod and captured spring out of the slide assembly.

This isn't a major problem, but I sometimes misplace this little "L" shaped rod (or my box of paper clips) and I have to search for this tool before I can disassemble the gun.

Does anyone know of I way that i can safely disassemble the slide assembly without this little tool or a paper clip? I've tried to compress the spring with my thumb and then guide the guide rod out of the slide while slowly releasing the pressure on the spring, but I haven't been able to do so yet (I didn't try too many times, just a couple of times this evening after I removed the slide from the frame of my gun).

Is it even possible to remove the spring and guide rod by manually holding the recoil spring and slowly guiding the guide rod assembly out of the slide? The spring tension is fairly stout and it seems like it's difficult to do. Maybe I just need more practice.

Any suggestions on what to do or should I just buy a couple of extra boxes of paper clips and keep these in my range bag?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kruzr]

While you can take a Kimber Ultra apart without the tool, the same isn't true for the Pro or Compact size guns with the 4" barrel. The guide rod doesn't have enough free space in the plug to angle it up to get it out. Heavy duty paper clips is the best bet.

You can change to a standard Commander type guide rod but you still need a reverse shoulder plug. It leaves a "hole" in the front unless you can find a reverse plug with a solid front.

My Pro CDP with std. guide rod:

 

[IrvJr]

Kruzr,

Thanks for the tips. Where can I get a reverse shoulder plug like the one you have for your CDP? Also, is that a drop in piece or does the slide have to be modified to accept it?

 

[Kruzr]

Kruzr,

Thanks for the tips. Where can I get a reverse shoulder plug like the one you have for your CDP? Also, is that a drop in piece or does the slide have to be modified to accept it?

That is the origiinal one that came with the gun. That is the Kimber CDP plug you see. No modifications of any kind, just change the guide rod and use the same spring and plug that you use for the full length guide rod.

 

[Walkalong]

Rod Length

That is the origiinal one that came with the gun. That is the Kimber CDP plug you see. No modifications of any kind, just change the guide rod and use the same spring and plug that you use for the full length guide rod.

If you find a reverse plug without a hole be sure to change the standard guide rod to a Commander length one or it will punch out the plug. Actually, being a 4" barrel vs 4 1/4" barrel the Commander length rod may need to be shortened even a bit more.

 

[IrvJr]

Thanks Fellas.

I will see if I can pick up a commander length guide rod and do some manual testing with my gun (before I take it to the range and live fire it).

Thanks again for the tips!

 

[Walkalong]

EGW

http://www.egw-guns.com/




I think EGW has solid front reverse plugs.