26 June 01

Last weekend we completed a Basic Defensive Handgun Course in the Southwest.

One of our students came to us with a mini-Kimber 1911 clone. It checked out functionally, but someone had ground down the surface of the trigger so much that one had to push the surface area INTO the frame in order to persuade the pistol to fire.

Several times the student tried to fire, pressing the trigger as hard as she could, and was unable to get the hammer to fall. In frustration, I pulled the pistol out of service. She used another pistol for the rest of the day.

The following day, she brought the Kimber back, this time with a new trigger. I worked fine from then on.

Lesson: Just when I think I've seen everything, an amateur "gunsmith" comes up with something new. Don't let amateurs grind on your gun!

/John