Damn those guys (Redleg and TSE Jr) did a great job with my latest purchase from The Shooting Edge. I called in my VISA number to them on Thursday 30 Aug 2007 before the long weekend and today (Wed 05 Sep 2007), it arrived !! 
Now many of you CGNutter Pistoleros know about my love for the 1911 platform especially in light of the fact that I shoot LIKE SHZT with my P226R and Glock17.
BUT (big but) with the 1911's I shoot like a hero.
Background: I used to own a Wilson Combat .22LR Conversion kit (read: Ciener) that I sold in a moment of weakness. A BC CGNutter bought it from me and I can't remember who it was so now I was not in a position to offer MORE money to buy it back.
I loved the Wilson / Ciener kit since it never failed to extract or fail to feed. It worked as flawlessly with .22LR Federal Bulk Pak from Ukrainian Tire for around $ 15.47 a box of 525 booollets. 
It was more accurate than I could hold it and the sights were dead nuts ON right outta the box. I was happy.... Until I sold it to buy the Glock17, only to discover that I shoot it like KRAP and Greentips kicked my lousy ass all over the range at a pistol match to remain unnamed... Operation Security you understand. Now I was pisstov and I had to practice. FZCK was I ever mad, getting beat with my own boomstick.
So I bought a .22LR conversion kit. I found the Kimber version (read: Ciener) at TSE after sending Redleg a PM. They sell for $ 399.00 plus an additional magazine at $ 40. Well worth the money !! TSE has been known to step up to the challenge of excellent customer support and they sure delivered once again.
Observations on Handling:
Whoops, I can't post pictures (no space), but here's a link to the Kimber site:
http://www.kimberamerica.com/shop/product.php?xProd=156&jssCart=b91ace96e0bf9dcfd544cf1daee4f31c
Fabulous fit and finish. Assembly is faster than you can say, "Robert's you dad's brother." Just pull off the slide from your .45 1911 Government and replace the .22LR kit slide on to your frame...9mm 1911 single stack lovers: Too bad.. this kit is only set up for the .45 frame since the ejector on the 9mm 1911 single stack is quite a great deal more centered (skinnier cartridge). If you feel like removing the pin (punch it out) and then the 9mm ejector, then you can convert your 1911 9mm single stack to use this baby. I'm in the process of playing with my wife's 1911 9mm single stack Government length frame.
Adjustable rear sights !! Matte finished on the rear sights. Looks like they are a Bomar wannabe. They are custom cut (looks custom to me) into the slide just like a custom job from Gunnar at Armco.com.
Front and rear serrations: Way cool... Both are at 60 degrees or something like that. Nice texture on my teacher-soft hands. Sorry, I used to have infantryman's hands toughened up on FNC1A1 hardwood, but that's another story. Front sight is tall, overhanging like a target blade AND it's dovetailed into the slide ! Mucho KOOL... Very custom, I'd say.
Disassembly of the Ciener/Kimber kit:
UBER KOOL ! Same deal with your 1911, ensure it's cleared (that's your responsibillity), hammer to the rear, recoil spring plug forward by rotating the bushing (you know the drill). The rest comes apart just like any other 1911. Talk about transfer of training... I'm super impressed.
Barrel Crowning:
Very deluxe, super attention to detail. Most of you know that I'm not an advocate of tossing lots of money into this hobby. And since I have a son in 2nd year at Queer's Univ in Kingston, I'm on a budget... .45 ACP only for matches, and .22LR the rest of the time. Snug barrel to bushing fit, very snug barrel to slide fit. Wow, someone did their homework (Engineers ? CNC Machine operators?)... very well done.
Conclusion:
Don't buy ONE, buy TWO
Okay, I'm just joking. If you ever considered a .22LR conversion kit for your 1911 Government, run out and buy one of these babies. I love practicing with a .22LR and I do love .22LR pistols, but here's my beef with the dainty .22LR pistols... You need another separate holster to train with and I'm all set up for 1911 holsters, you know: CQC Serpa , M12, Safariland 6004. The 1st and 3rd holsters are specific to the 1911. The M12 USGI holster could not carry my Ruger 22/45 with 5" plus barrel and that's what annoyed me about the Ruger .22/45 even if it IS a fantastic pistol to train with. Just can't use the holster to carry the unloaded .22 LR pistol around the range in.
I love the Kimber/Wilson/Ciener kits and I will continue to train with them. Now I ain't about to describe the inherrent accuracy; real or percieved. ONE because I cannot hold the darn thing good enough and TWO, some accuracy fanatic will flame me for not posting benchrest style accuracy at 25.0m with a Ransom Rest (that I cannot afford). All I know is that this baby, set up the way it is, has been the most fun with newbies, my kids, my wife, and most if not all the soldiers I have trained (soon to deploy to Asskrakistan).
Buy what works for you !!
Cheers all !
Now many of you CGNutter Pistoleros know about my love for the 1911 platform especially in light of the fact that I shoot LIKE SHZT with my P226R and Glock17.
BUT (big but) with the 1911's I shoot like a hero. Background: I used to own a Wilson Combat .22LR Conversion kit (read: Ciener) that I sold in a moment of weakness. A BC CGNutter bought it from me and I can't remember who it was so now I was not in a position to offer MORE money to buy it back.
I loved the Wilson / Ciener kit since it never failed to extract or fail to feed. It worked as flawlessly with .22LR Federal Bulk Pak from Ukrainian Tire for around $ 15.47 a box of 525 booollets. It was more accurate than I could hold it and the sights were dead nuts ON right outta the box. I was happy.... Until I sold it to buy the Glock17, only to discover that I shoot it like KRAP and Greentips kicked my lousy ass all over the range at a pistol match to remain unnamed... Operation Security you understand. Now I was pisstov and I had to practice. FZCK was I ever mad, getting beat with my own boomstick. So I bought a .22LR conversion kit. I found the Kimber version (read: Ciener) at TSE after sending Redleg a PM. They sell for $ 399.00 plus an additional magazine at $ 40. Well worth the money !! TSE has been known to step up to the challenge of excellent customer support and they sure delivered once again.
Observations on Handling:
Whoops, I can't post pictures (no space), but here's a link to the Kimber site:
http://www.kimberamerica.com/shop/product.php?xProd=156&jssCart=b91ace96e0bf9dcfd544cf1daee4f31c
Fabulous fit and finish. Assembly is faster than you can say, "Robert's you dad's brother." Just pull off the slide from your .45 1911 Government and replace the .22LR kit slide on to your frame...9mm 1911 single stack lovers: Too bad.. this kit is only set up for the .45 frame since the ejector on the 9mm 1911 single stack is quite a great deal more centered (skinnier cartridge). If you feel like removing the pin (punch it out) and then the 9mm ejector, then you can convert your 1911 9mm single stack to use this baby. I'm in the process of playing with my wife's 1911 9mm single stack Government length frame.
Adjustable rear sights !!
Matte finished on the rear sights. Looks like they are a Bomar wannabe. They are custom cut (looks custom to me) into the slide just like a custom job from Gunnar at Armco.com. Front and rear serrations: Way cool... Both are at 60 degrees or something like that. Nice texture on my teacher-soft hands. Sorry, I used to have infantryman's hands toughened up on FNC1A1 hardwood, but that's another story.
Front sight is tall, overhanging like a target blade AND it's dovetailed into the slide ! Mucho KOOL... Very custom, I'd say.Disassembly of the Ciener/Kimber kit:
UBER KOOL ! Same deal with your 1911, ensure it's cleared (that's your responsibillity), hammer to the rear, recoil spring plug forward by rotating the bushing (you know the drill). The rest comes apart just like any other 1911. Talk about transfer of training... I'm super impressed.
Barrel Crowning:
Very deluxe, super attention to detail. Most of you know that I'm not an advocate of tossing lots of money into this hobby. And since I have a son in 2nd year at Queer's Univ in Kingston, I'm on a budget... .45 ACP only for matches, and .22LR the rest of the time. Snug barrel to bushing fit, very snug barrel to slide fit. Wow, someone did their homework (Engineers ? CNC Machine operators?)... very well done.
Conclusion:
Don't buy ONE, buy TWO
Okay, I'm just joking. If you ever considered a .22LR conversion kit for your 1911 Government, run out and buy one of these babies. I love practicing with a .22LR and I do love .22LR pistols, but here's my beef with the dainty .22LR pistols... You need another separate holster to train with and I'm all set up for 1911 holsters, you know: CQC Serpa , M12, Safariland 6004. The 1st and 3rd holsters are specific to the 1911. The M12 USGI holster could not carry my Ruger 22/45 with 5" plus barrel and that's what annoyed me about the Ruger .22/45 even if it IS a fantastic pistol to train with. Just can't use the holster to carry the unloaded .22 LR pistol around the range in.
I love the Kimber/Wilson/Ciener kits and I will continue to train with them. Now I ain't about to describe the inherrent accuracy; real or percieved. ONE because I cannot hold the darn thing good enough and TWO, some accuracy fanatic will flame me for not posting benchrest style accuracy at 25.0m with a Ransom Rest (that I cannot afford). All I know is that this baby, set up the way it is, has been the most fun with newbies, my kids, my wife, and most if not all the soldiers I have trained (soon to deploy to Asskrakistan).
Buy what works for you !!
Cheers all !
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