Posted: 4/7/2005 3:39:00 PM EDT
| Has anyone or know of anyone who has put a Wilson or Ed Brown barrel in their Kimber? Did it work better/more accurate? Is there a preference over one or the other. I ask because like many of us I have had FTF's-post break-in and have noticed the barrel is stubbornly hard to get clean. Specifically in the "Grooves". The gun in question is a TLEII which is at Robar currently being refinished. Any info on this would be a big help, thanks. |
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Kart barrel if you want chrome-moly steel, Bar-sto if you want a SS barrel. The Kart barrel runs less than $100 from brownells (dealer cost/ non ramped/ gunsmith fit), and the Bar-sto around $50 more. Note: on both of these barrels, then will need to be gunsmith installed, and you will need to add the cost of a New barrel bushing too. Also, these barrels are reamed .476 side wall width. If your shooting lead bullet, and in USPSA type matchs, you will be lucky to get to the 100 mark before you get fouled chamber jams. If the intent is to use the pistol for defence, or for non-wad cutter type shooting, then have the chamber reamed to .479 (clymer reamer). The last thing bring up is find a good smith that knows how to fit a barrel. There are way to many hacks out there that don't have a clue. |
| Thanks for your reply. The gun is primarly used for defense. If I do decide to change out the barrel I will have Robar do it since it is there currently. The gun is actually in excellent shape (1yr old). I am doing the refinishing because my job is usually on or near the ocean and I felt it would be wise to protect it a little more. Do you have any bias for either of the barrels you mentioned? I have heard good praises in regards to Barsto and am unframiliar with the other. |
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You should have no need for a match fitted barrel for your Kimber to use as a defensive pistol. If, of course, you just want one, that is a different thing altogether. The FTFs are most likely not the fault of the barrel, and I have yet to see a Kimber that did not shoot very accurately indeed with the stock barrel and bushing. If the gun is at Robar now, have them give it a "reliability" job and insist they test fire it with the same load you carry in it. IMO that would be money better spent than $200+ for a fitted barrel in this case. I am curious...when you say the barrel is hard to get clean in the grooves, can you be more specific? And what loads are you shooting in it? Cast lead bullets? Are you using Kimber magazines? (They suck!) I have always preferred Kart barrels and have had excellent luck with them for many years. BarSto also makes an excellent product as well. Dano is correct...if you decide to get a match barrel, have it fitted by someone who knows WTF they are doing...lots of guys who say they do, don't! (Robar, of course, does) |
| Check your IM regarding Robar. The Wilson, Brown, Kart and Bar-Stos are all top notch. You cannot go wrong with any of them. However, Kimbers have great stock barrels, and a match fit barrel like the ones mentioned above will run $300 + fit. Personally, I love Kart. I use Bar-Sto if someone I know needs a stainless barrel. The Kart is the most accurate barrel on average, and it's also the cheapest by a bit (at least it is wholesale). |
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Accuracy has never been a problem nor the fit, both are excellent. However, in regards to the FTF's, during the break-in period I had FTF's on every last round (no matter the number of bullets I loaded in the mag). This was easily fixed with a new mag(Kimber-8-round) that the shop I purchased the gun from gave me. Then I also used Mcormick mags as well and would occationally get the same problem. Plus the follower on both mags tends to let the bullets "nose-dive". Finally I purchased 2-mags from Willson and every now and then I will still get a FTF. The ammo I'm using varies from Winchester or Remington UMC (FMJ) when I target/practice shoot. I have never shot just straight led or reload through the pistol. I'm also going to get a new and probably heavier recol spring (18-18.5) with some of those shock-buffs that Willson sells since the pistol will have a new finish on it. Although the NP3 finish is a tough finish I have read some posts of wear marks in the area of the guid rod. I'm probably(I am) being overly cautious but after what it costs I'd rather be safe than pissed and frustrated. Now in regards to the barrel having stuff in the gooves; I have used several cleaners and have yet to succeed. Basically in the space/area where the rifling steps off and the space between. Right at that junction there is a build up of fouling right along the rifling. Now it is minimal, but it is there, primarly just past the camber gradually decreasing down the bore. The only way I was able to get all of it out was to let the barrel sit in an ultrasonic tub. The GM's at my last unit were cool enough to let me use it. The solvent(s) I have used are: Break-free, Shooter's Choice, Hoppie's, Otis and a couple others. The cleaning kit I use is also an Otis kit, which I recomend if anything for convienance. I hope this answers the questions you. Thanks to all who have replied your insight is appreciated. |
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If your jaming using 47 mags, then it's action job time to clean up the flaws. Breach face, extractor tension, frame ramp, and barel throat angle may all need to be cleaned/polished/adjusted. Barrel can be saved by either fire lapping it using jacket bullets, of just hand lap it. No reason to go the Kart barrel way if your not trying to tighten groups. As for the recoil spring, check your spent case ejection distance. Spring the pistol to it to eject the spent cases 5 to 7 feet. The load your using will dictate the spring tension needed, and adding a 18.5 spring may be in the wrong direction is your loading light loads. |
| I've decided to have Robar do a reliability job performed. Other than the occational FTF the gun performes just shy of flawless. As far as ammo Winchester or Remington UMC (FMJ) and occationally some hollow-points 185-230 grain is what I've been using. I should mention, I have never had any problems with Kimber or their Custom Shop. They installed an Ed Brown grip-safety on the same gun in question and it was back within a week. I would have gone through them but they do not offer the same as far as finishing goes. As for extraction, every case has gone right where it should go to the right about a couple feet, never over my shoulder, above my head or in my face. Basically what will happen is the gun will fail to cycle and lock open just be for it returns to FULL batery after simi-cycling a round(stop mid-cycle)? Thanks again to all who have replied. |