Removing rear sight on a Kimber

[sturg]

I have a Kimber custom Target II with the adjustable bomar style rear sight. I'm going to install a Doctersight and need to know the best way to remove the stock sight. I haven't tried yet, wanted feedback first. Are there any set screws or anything?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Urbanti]

Hi Sturg - The Bomar-type adjustable rear sight on my Kimbers is retained by a set-screw.

To get at it, first you have to screw the elevation screw on top of the sight all the way up with a flat bladed screwdriver. The top part of the sight will pivot up and towards the front, and eventually when you have totally unscrewed the elevation screw it will swing up and reveal the upper surface of the sight base.

Remove the two small coil springs that serve to tension the elevation adjustment.

Then looking down at the top of the pistol with the pistol pointing away from you, the set screw is ahead of the spring recesses and to the left, I think. It is obscured by some loctite type spooge, and you really need to ensure that you choose the appropriate allen-head driver to get it out. Mine did not require an inordinate amount of pressure.

Good luck,

Tim

[Tupperware]

Heads up for the Series II parts that are retained by the rear sight.

[sturg]

urbanti - thanks for the advice. I suspected there might be a set screw under there and it was right where you said. I got the sight off and think i realized what Tupperware had warned about. It is a Custom Target II and I found a spring under the dovetail. The area under the dovetail is machined out down to the firing pin/spring and the spring provides downward pressure to a small piece whose function I'm not quite sure of. It might be related to the extractor function.

Needless to say, the stock Kimber adjustable sight is off. My new Doctersight came in today (Kimber Bo-Mar style mount 55700-16 seems correct). Was told most people order the -9 and I ordered both to be safe. The -9 won't clearly won't work without machining the slide forward of the dovetail area. The dovetail is way too snug for me to get started without adding a slight bevel so I think I'm going to leave that to a gunsmith to install. It was worth a try.

Thank you both for your valuable insight.

Anybody know a good gunsmith in the Baltimore area?

Thanks,

Jeff

[Sestock]

You can try GANS, http://www.gansguns.com/

He is really good and has a quick turn around time. About 3 hour drive from Baltimore.

[Tupperware]

sturg,

The parts you found under your front sight have nothing to do with extractor function. They are part of the Swartz (sp?) safety system. They block forward movement of the firing pin unless the grip safety is fully depressed. I'm sure others could explain it better.

[rhino]

Yeah, since you have the rear sight removed, now would be a good time to ditch that non-essential complication if you're ever going to get rid of it.

[1911Prof]

I am really stuck here.... I want to get rid of the series II firing pin safety stuff on my Kimber and therefore need to remove the rear bomar. I have removed the set screw from the bomar sight (actually both set screws and the elevation adjustment)but it won't budge. I have tried to tap it out, but it is really stuck. Is there something I am missing?

Edited October 21, 2011 by 1911Prof

[want2race]

You're lucky the sight came off. I've run across a Kimber that would not let go of the Bomar. If I had a mill I would have milled the base out of the slide. Heat, vise, hammer, bigger hammer, more heat. And yes all the screws were removed. I ended up just removing the broken leaf and fitting a new one, leaving the base in place.

[foilhat]

I am really stuck here.... I want to get rid of the series II firing pin safety stuff on my Kimber and therefore need to remove the rear bomar. I have removed the set screw from the bomar sight (actually both set screws and the elevation adjustment)but it won't budge. I have tried to tap it out, but it is really stuck. Is there something I am missing?

If you don't want to save it, you could just cut across it. I did it with a front and it worked, just have to be carefull.

[mike cyrwus]

let it soak for a couple days in a penetrating oil; then a good vice, steel punch and a bfh.

[1911Prof]

let it soak for a couple days in a penetrating oil; then a good vice, steel punch and a bfh.

+1 on the penetrating oil and bfh remedy

Edited October 22, 2011 by 1911Prof

[BlueOvalBruin]

let it soak for a couple days in a penetrating oil; then a good vice, steel punch and a bfh.

+1 on the penetrating oil and bfh remedy

+2, Kroil, steel punch, and large hammer

[glazer1972]

I didn't have the Bomar but the fixed rear site on mine was tight. It took some pretty good whacks to come loose. I too would remove the Series II parts from the slide while I had it off. No need to take anything out of the frame of the gun unless you just want to.

[kalaur]

Needless to say, the stock Kimber adjustable sight is off. My new Doctersight came in today (Kimber Bo-Mar style mount 55700-16 seems correct). Was told most people order the -9 and I ordered both to be safe. The -9 won't clearly won't work without machining the slide forward of the dovetail area. The dovetail is way too snug for me to get started without adding a slight bevel so I think I'm going to leave that to a gunsmith to install. It was worth a try.

Most sights won't just slide right in, sometimes you need to break the leading edge of the dovetail on the slide, and most often you'll need to file the dovetail and set the height on the sight itself so it fits in. A 60 degree triangle file with at least one safe side can be used for this. If you're not comfortable doing this, take it to a smith, they'll hook you up.