Laser Grips for Kimber w/ambi safety?

[mnbookman]

Hi. I'm trying to find some grips that will work with my kimber, which has an ambidextrous safety. I love the crimson trace grips, it's just that from what I've read, they won't work. :(

[joe3165]

Check these out...

http://www.crimsontrace.com/Home/Products/1911/LG401P1Burlwood/tabid/144/Default.aspx

[Random Guy]

...Actually, you can use Crimson Trace Laser Grips with an ambi-safety 1911, but you'll need to either 1) have a gunsmith machine about 1/4" off your right side ambi-safety so it clears the laser housing on the grip, or 2) buy an ambi-safety with a shortened lever, which I recall should be available from Crimson Trace, and I think its an modified Wilson part. However, I suspect that you'll have to chose option #1, and re-blue the part after machining (assuming that your pistol is not Stainless Steel)

As an fyi, here's my Colt 1911 with a Cylinder & Slide SFS hammer/ambi-safety system in which the right side safety was slightly shortend to work with the Crimson Trace Laser grips. (Interestingly, the left side safety for t heSFS system is metal, but the right side safety is plastic, so I was able to shorten the safety myself with the judicious use of my Dremel tool and sand paper...and the results look completely normal and "factory" like ;-)

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll232/wclark_photos_2008/Colt_top_of_slide_ambi_safeties.jpg

...the other modification that you might want to consider is to bevel or shorten the slide stop pin slightly so the Laser beam does not reflect off the "round" end of the slide stop. This isn't always necessary, but I did it because I was having the psitol refinished. Here's a photo:

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll232/wclark_photos_2008/Colt_rt_side_beveled_slide_stop.jpg

Hope this info helps, and I recommend that you call Crimson Trace to inquire about their abbreviated ambi-safeties for pistols just like your Kimber.