Part and accessory: OK

[Questor]

I got an Ed Brown arched stainless steel mainspring housing to replace a stock plastic part that broke on my Kimber Gold Match. Fit is good. Color match is perfect. Feel is good. Only problem is that it's a bit rough inside where the spring goes and it's going to take some shooting to smooth it out. It sounds a bit gritty when I cock the hammer.

Also Wilson drop in "checkered front strap" for 1911. It's a thin piece of aluminum with embossed checkering in it. Tabs fit under the grips. It is secured by friction when you tighten the grips. It's not a perfect color match for the Kimber stainless gun, but it's really not bad at all. It doesn't look junky when it's on the gun. Only a detailed inspection would reveal it for what it is. It really does improve the feel of the grip. I think it was worth the ten bucks plus shipping from Brownells.

[rbwillnj]

Some gunsmiths actually hone the hole where the mainspring goes.  Brownells actually sells a special hone for this.   You can also do it with a dremel and one of this abrassive rubber polishing bits.   It would have to be pretty bad before I would worry about it.

[Questor]

I've been wanting a Dremel tool for decades and it's been a fixture on my Christmas and birthday gift lists for a long time, but I never have gotten one. This is a good, although unexpected, application for it. It's not bad and it quieted down quite a bit in just one shooting session.