Fixed up the gun I got shot with

[Littlelebowski]

As many of you know, I got shot (https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19520) by a fool playing with one of my pistols while I was driving. I am attached to the weapon and as it's a Kimber Series I that is very accurate and reliable, I decided to have it upgraded for reliability primarily with a few cosmetic upgrades as well.

The weapon was rusting after carrying for a couple of day and the stock Kimber protective coating was gone. I also wanted a carry melt along with having the butt/MSH rounded a bit to avoid printing.

So I contacted my good friend Rob Bonacci and told him my intent. Rob is a school trained gunsmith and former Marine grunt; capable of doing anything from building a SPR type AR15 that shoots sub 3" groups at 600 yards to hand fitting an entire 1911. He's innovative and has exacting attention to detail. He is also the official LRI (http://longrangeinternational.com) gunsmith and in our classes has fixed everything from an AR10 to a 22-250 to 1911s. Rob is based in Denver Colorado and a sort of not so closely held secret (at least now!) amongst the circle of shooters I hang out with.

Rob bead blasted the frame and the slide, applied a Teflon/Moly coating to them after he finished his painstaking checkering of the front strap at 20 LPI, serration of the top and rear of the slide at 30LPI, checkering of the bottom of the trigger guard at 30 LPI, and even matched the checkering on the MSH with the front strap and the rear! A Wilson slide stop and Meushke ambi safety were fitted along with a Grieder medium length solid trigger. The Wilson slide stop was shortened and the frame was chamfered so that he slide stop would fit flush yet be easily removed. The Smith and Alexander MSH rounded out my envisioned black and silver color scheme. An Ed Brown mag release was fitted, contoured, and serrated at 30 LPI. The old Kimber ejector was replaced by an Ed Brown unit. A new EGW HD45 extractor (http://egw-guns.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=34_42&products_id=201) was installed. This is a new design and radically different than other extractors. Rob added a 45 degree crown to the stock (very accurate) Kimber bull barrel and upgraded all of the springs to Wolff. The grip safety was replaced by an Ed Brown unti with a memory bump. The entire weapon was checked over for fit and reliability.

Before:
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h251/baxshep/DSC00459.jpg

After:
http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/angstnmalice/Pro%20Carry%20Custom/ProCarry2.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/angstnmalice/Pro%20Carry%20Custom/ProCarryL1.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/angstnmalice/Pro%20Carry%20Custom/ProCarryR1.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/angstnmalice/Pro%20Carry%20Custom/ProCarryTop.jpg

[thopkins22]

Awesome. Talk about practicing what you preach about not being afraid of an inanimate object....

It looks like a brand new gun now.

[Littlelebowski]

I actually had a chat with the gun after I got shot and told it that I'd never let someone who didn't respect it handle it again.

[SSGN_Doc]

Nice looking Roscoe, ya got there! How do you like that ambi safety? I'm still trying to find one I like.

[Gingerkid]

Very nice... I love the rounded MSH. Hope you are all healed up from the gun shot sir.

[Littlelebowski]

Not sure yet, haven't taken delivery yet. However, my injury made me realize that I did need an ambi safety :D

[John_Wayne777]

You need some sort of macabre decoration on it as a tribute to your injury.

[Obiwan]

LL

You must hook me up with your friend

Ok...you should

Ok...it would be cool

Please:(

[Littlelebowski]

JW, I'm open to ideas on the macabre decoration.

Obiwan, shot out. Anyone else who needs a good gunsmith, let me know.

[SW-Shooter]

JW, I'm open to ideas on the macabre decoration.

Obiwan, shot out. Anyone else who needs a good gunsmith, let me know.

I think a simple tick mark, or a notch, like the ole gunfighters used to do when they killed a man. Only this one didn't kill you (thankfully). I think you need to do something in that order.

[g5m]

Fine looking pistol there!

[trio]

very nice looking gun....


as far as the macabre tribute, you could name it, and have grips made with the name in it....


i'm terrible with nicknames, but something like "lefty" or some such (since if I remember the improper handling idiot almost made you a lefty)

just an idea....


your friend really did a good job on it...


hope your healing process is still going well...i remember when you posted the x-ray...i assume the "rub a little dirt on it and walk it off" approach didn't "exactly" work :)

[CCK]

I feel inclined to shoot myself with my S&W 1911 just so I can dress it up... wait.

Glad you are still into guns after that.

[ToddG]

You could just have someone refinish the muzzle end in a blood red color. :cool:

[M4arc]

Beautiful!

[g5m]

And how is the recovery going?

[Obiwan]

What's that great line from Firefly

"If someone tries to kill you... You try to kill them right back!"

[MarshallDodge]

Wow LL! That looks great!

Did you stay with the original hammer and sear? A lot of people replace their MIM parts because of breakage concerns but I have had zero problems with any of my MIM guns. If it works, why fix it!

My pre-series II Custom Target looks a lot like yours originally did, nice and patina'd. They really knew how to build them back then. :cool:

[panzerr]

That's a great looking carry piece!

[Littlelebowski]

Stuck with the original hammer and sear. FYI, the gunsmith was very impressed with the fit and finish of this old Kimber, particularly the slide to frame fit.

[panzerr]

the gunsmith was very impressed with the fit and finish of this old Kimber, particularly the slide to frame fit.

I compared my Wilson Professional Model with my buddy's 4" Kimber and a 4" Colt at the local Gander Mountain. The colt, with a $1000 pricetag (albeit inflated since it was Gander Mtn.) didn't compare with either. It had no carry bevel, standard, no thrills components, and a shockingly poor slide to frame fit -most notably on the rear of the slide, where the Colt's slide overhung the frame by two millimeters. I can't believe that pistol made it past QC!


My buddy's $1,200 Kimber came close to the fit of my $2,400 Wilson. It wasn't quiet as tight, but the difference was only evident after close inspection. The largest noticeable difference between his Kimber and my Wilson (aside from the lifetime warranty and the design differences in beavertail, safety, magwell, etc) was the lack of a groove cut under the trigger guard to improve the grip (see picture). In fact, the non performance differences between my buddy's 'mid grade' Kimber and my high end Wilson were so unapparent, that instead of dumping the Kimber and buying a Wilson he decided to have his Kimber worked over by a pistolsmith -a good call IMO.

You get a lot of bang for you buck with a Kimber. I'd suggest one to someone anyday.



http://www.sixty-six.org/hosted/pro_model.jpg

[automan]

Did ya put a notch on the stock?:D

[doc45]

Very nice! I had a chance to meet Rob recently at the grand opening for Bowers Tactical store front. He had a nice selection of examples of his work. I'll be giving him a G19 to mildly "enhance" in the very near future.

[wargasm]

JW, I'm open to ideas on the macabre decoration.

Obiwan, shot out. Anyone else who needs a good gunsmith, let me know.

You could engrave a blood droplet, and use red paint mixed with your own blood to color it in.

[Saginaw79]

Unpossible!!!


Everyone knows if you get shot by a .45, even a knick you'll instantly go into shock and die...after it knocks you down onto the ground...You couldnt have not crashed as the impact would have not only killed you but threw you around...


Shenanigans...I call Shenanigans!!!







:D

[ToddG]

Having met Lil'l in person a number of times, if it were between him and a .45, I'd bet on him.

[Littlelebowski]

Unfortunately, I've only gotten to say "well a .45 didn't instantly incapacitate me" once to one of those guys who think a .45 is a one shit kill weapon :D

[ToddG]

a one shit kill weapon :D

I've survived a few of those myself.