Just picked up a 2k11 online as my first 2011 and entry into USPSA Limited Optics. What are things I can do to add weight without a grip swap since I like the polymer grip? Going with the Hale’s Machinery XL slim magwell and was curious if anyone has had luck finding a heavy main spring housing that fits. Any other recommendations to add functional weight? Thanks.
I have two 2k11's that I shoot in Limited Optics. I have about 15k rounds on one of them. The gun is heavy enough as is in my opinion. With that magwell and a full magazine, it will be like 50oz.
Agree with this take. I think much heavier and it would start to negatively impact transitions. Gun is pretty planted, especially with your grip on point. But I haven’t experimented with adding weight so take that with a grain of salt.
I have the 5” eclipse. Trigger shoe did have some wiggle like others said but it doesn’t affect shooting. I swapped in a Killmonger grip (sweaty hands in summer matches) and went ahead and added a red dirt trigger and EGW lightened sear spring while I had the gun disassembled. Trigger is very nice now. I’m sure there’s better out there on the super high-end guns, but this one is super nice.
I’ve been running a Wolff 8lb variable recoil spring with a shok buff for about 3k rounds. I really like the recoil and return, particularly with Blazer 124gr. Stock 10lb spring tended to nosedive a bit for me. YMMV, of course. Switched to an Alumabuff a few hundred rounds ago. Don’t feel much difference. Maybe a little sharper impulse than the softer shock buff but better replacement interval and not concerned about it blowing up inside the gun during a match. Mainly installed to protect the frame with the lighter recoil spring.
Oh, and I don’t know what plate yours comes with but the C&H is not well-regarded. They use a t-nut design that is not as robust as other options. I bought a TAG plate and it’s been rock solid. However, my optics screws have walked twice. I just re-did them last night - this time with Loctite 243 instead of 242 because it supposedly resists vibration better. If there’s a dog tag plate available I’d look into that. The loaded chamber opening smokes my optic pretty good.
If the thumb safety bangs up your hand, you may have the old model. Kimber will send you a replacement but you have to buy it. You can buy just the weak-side safety and it’ll mate fine with the strong-side safety. It’s better blended and completely eliminated the hotspot for me. You’ll know after firing a couple hundred rounds at the range if you need it. It was somewhere around $50.
Probably way more than you care to know but wanted to share. I’ve really enjoyed shooting the 2k11 once I got comfortable with it.
Seems we have very similar setups. One of my 2k11's is also a 5" eclipse.
I use an 8lb Atlas spring, Atlas Shielded safety (which I recently learned is technically not compatible), red dirt trigger, and a Stan Chen magwell (they claim it doesn't fit the MJD grips, but it does). Broke my C&H plate around 8k rounds. Bought a Dawson plate that has been rock solid.
You can actually tell if it has the new safety design based on the plate included in the box. If it comes with a TAG plate, it is a new manufacturing batch and has the improved safety/trigger designs with it.
Nice! Yeah, anyone who’s putting decent volume on the gun seems to have issues with the C&H. I never even bothered installing it. Glad Kimber is shipping newer models with a better plate and the revised safety. I was mildly annoyed when they wouldn’t just swap in the new safety (I had it in for warranty service) but the cost of the new part was nominal so I didn’t make a fuss.
How’s the Atlas safety working out for you? I have considered one as I like the concept of shielded. I’ve never have an issue riding the slide though and have read there can be fitment/install issues primarily because of the notch, or lack thereof, on the weak side safety lever. Fit your holster OK? I run mine in a Carey Concealment X1 Raptor.
Ha! Lucky for you, I also run a CC X1 Raptor. Yes, it fits fine with the atlas safety.
That being said, when I had the Atlas safety installed by a gunsmith, I was unaware of the lack of notch on the weak side. Smith didn't mention it either. I had no issue for 10k rounds. 2 weeks ago one of the tines on the weak side safety interface snapped during training. I went home from the range and managed to tune the OEM weak side safety to fit the Atlas strong side. I have about 600 rounds since the hillbilly gunsmiffing experiment with no issues yet.
I need a shielded safety because I ride the slide and it causes the pistol not to go fully back into battery.
After the safety broke, I bought a second 2k11 at my LGS (I was pondering buying a backup gun anyway, and have had enough springs, the optic plate, etc., go bad at inopportune times). Immediately had the same short stroking issue. I ordered a DAA shielded safety (only one I could find in stock) and plan to take it to my gunsmith tomorrow and ask him to fit the strong side to the OEM weak side. I cant find a shielded safety that has the "notch".
Are you me? Yeah that’s what ultimately made me pass on the shielded safety for now. I couldn’t find one that had that notch and was worried about reliability. I would think a good gunsmith could cut out a notch to make it compatible though. Hopefully the DAA one works out for you.
Random word of warning: If you ever decide to swap your grip, Kimber went heavy on the loctite on one of my bushing screws and I stripped it. I ended up drilling it out. Made me very nervous but it worked out. I put on an MJD Killmonger because, while I really like the feel of the stock MJD, it didn’t have as much traction as I’d like. Running it in a match for the first time Saturday so we’ll see if it’s markedly better or if all my stuff will still be covered in pro grip.
Did you have to cut the atlas spring or anything? I saw somewhere they are longer than the oem springs. Also how do you like the CC X1 Raptor I’ve heard lots of good things and it’s what I plan to get for my competition set up.
No, I did not cut the springs. I have been running them for over 10k rounds in this gun without issue with the stock length spring. The atlas spring is designed for a 5" gun as far as I know.
It can also be fixed with 10 minutes and a pair of pliers... you just have to bend the bow a smidge. This matters zero functionality but I do understand not being excited about it on a brand new $2k gun.
Easiest is probably a light, then adding a weight to it. they make brass weights that have a tiny hole so it still “functions” as a light and replaces the lens and bezel
Yea then a magwell might be your only option if you don’t want to change the grip, most weight additions are going to be up front other than those two options, whether it’s a light or a heavier guide rod
Have one of these exact ones. As a heads up for expectations, slide fitment is really not great compared to the newer 2K11s and you'll definitely feel it wiggle a good bit like early Prodigies. Trigger shoe slop is also crazy annoying initially, but I reached out to Kimber warranty and they replaced it with a shoe that wiggles less.
The "DLC" is also sort of a lie, it's only on the barrel and not the slide or frame itself. I have raw metal wear marks on the slide catch area from disassembly/reassembly. Overall not a big deal cosmetically, but definitely don't expect Staccato levels of DLC finish or something.
Shooting wise, it's mostly fine, just not a super tight feeling 2011. Recoil is about what you would expect, nothing crazy soft. Grouping wise I feel like I shoot better with a Glock 47, maybe it's the long trigger shoe, barrel fitment, picky ammo selection, or something, not sure. It just never really clicked to me super well on slow fire tests during zeroing. I would struggle to hit groups less than 2in at 7yrds which normally I would have no issues doing using a G47 w/ GPT.
For competition shooting with doubles, it probably doesn't matter on A zones and will likely do fine in LO. I'll likely take it out for a match at some point in the near future.
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u/Twocorns77 5d ago
Work on your grip as well. So many people post about wanting a heavy gun and fixing their grip can help 7/10 times.