Kimber "Quality". They can't even make basic parts.

Well, this is pathetic.

I picked up a Kimber Pro-Carry for my father. He always wanted one, which got more intense when he saw mine.

My father is left handed like me and thus needs and ambidextrous safety.

I've written before about Kimber's issues, but this is the first it's happened to me.

There are a couple methods of retaining the ambidextrous thumb safety on a 1911. There's using a modified sear pin (which I haven't seen). There's extending a paddle out that slides under the right grip. And there's the Kimber/King method of engaging a dovetail on the hammer pin.

I like this latter method the most for it's reliability, ease of installation and removal, and its "clean" look.

I've installed them on both of my 1911's and on my father's full size without a problem.

Then we get to this year. I made the same purchase and install my 4th ambi-safety. On the 27th of November. And today, less than a month later, after a bare 300 rounds we have this:

From another angle:

The safety sheared off right on the shoulder next to the pin.

That's... pathetic.

Comparing with the ambidextrous safeties in my 1911's the parts look very similar but mine have worn a bit and are still going strong. While this new one has broken after just a couple T&E trips to the range.


What's worse is that of the two suppliers that make the ambidextrous safety I like one has reduced its quality to a pathetic joke (Kimber), while the other has a webpage with a dead email, and an invalid phone number for orders (King).

I did manage to get an answering machine on King's other phone number for an actual gun shop. So maybe they're still in business.

I've also sent a charge ticket off to Kimber, but I have my doubts.

Kimber, this is just an unacceptable degradation in quality.