Kimber... worth it?

[417atty]

Kimbers are great guns for the money. Just stick with the full size models and you're not likely to have any issues.

One thing you may want to consider in making your decision is the firing pin safety. Kimber uses a "Swartz" safety that is deactivated by squeezing the grip safety.

1911 purists seem to prefer the older Colt series 70-style without a firing pin safety. This is how the Springfields are set up. New Colts (series 80) have a firing pin safety that is deactivated when you press the trigger.

One downside to the Swartz-style safety is that it's extremely sensitive to the fit of the grip safety to the frame and the timing of the grip safety's components. If this is too far off, you could get a click instead of a bang.

Also, if you remove the rear sight or have it inadvertently knocked out, all the components of the Swartz safety will fall out.

With that said, I've put about 8k rounds through my TLE Custom II without a single malfunction. The rounds fired were mainly Winchester Ranger 230 gr JHP and a couple thousand of my G.I.-spec reloads.

[1911whore]

Kimber makes a nice gun for the money. I would not go above a TLE (based on experience)

[DDM4556]

Based on what I've seen on the range in classes, I'd hand it back if you gave me a Kimber.

All due respect, but what good are comments like this? Seriously, no explanation, specifics, or details. Nothing. Just Kimbers are bad from what I've seen...

I'm not doubting your experiences, but a little elaboration would be nice.

[GW]

Kimber makes fine 1911's. Get one, shoot it and have fun

[erik_26]

I have a Kimber Custom II. It is a solid platform.

I got mine used with a little scuffing for $700. In my opinion I got a good deal and a great gun.

With proper cleaning, lubrication, light maintenance and storage, most guns will provide trouble free service.

Who cares what everyone else thinks or says. There are haters of everything.

If it turns out you don't like it, list it on Calguns and you probably wont lose much other than the tax, DROS and a few bucks off retail (depending on condition of course).

[erik_26]

Based on what I've seen on the range in classes, I'd hand it back if you gave me a Kimber.

That makes about as much sense as paying for water.

Do you turn your nose up at everything?

Even with second hand knowledge you should form your own opinion.


If someone handed me a gun I didn't care for or I knew had problems, I would thank them and use the time to practice dealing with a malfunctions and other issues. Maybe through manipulation I could figure out what is wrong also.

[skosh69]

Get something a little bit more modern.

Spoken like a true Gaston fanboi.

I'll take the 100+ yr old American design over that modern Austrian import any day and twice on Sunday.

[Intel0116]

I have never seen rust on any of my kimbers, i guess people who have experienced that issue dont properly clean and lube there guns.

OP, i went with kimber despite it having a plastic MS housing, mag release, a number of mim parts, and all the negative hype from keyboard warriors and mall ninjas because the most impartant peaces of my kimbers are machined from solid steal, the frame and slide. All the other stuff is replaceable, and most of which i have not replaced with the excpetion of the MS housing and thats only because it dident look right after the paint started wearing, but nothing ever broke with years of use, and not one malfunction . If you go with other compines (who i wont name, just do a google search) your going to almost always get a gun that has a mim frame and sometimes slide as well. IMOP, who cares if you get a machined sear when the frame/slide is MIM. I could throw a machined sear in my kimber for under $25.
Kimbers get so much crap because they sell in greater numbers than any other 1911, when you produce so many your going to get a few that are out of spec and manage to squeeze through quality controll.

[static808]

Despite all the ill informed "shooters" out there ~ Kimber makes one hell of a pistol if kept in reason / price point. Custom II & TLE II are by far the best bang for the buck 1911's out there! Go beyond that in the Kimber lineup and its diminishing returns. Not that Kimber's higher end stuff is junk, but dollar for dollar in the Kimber lineup the custom II & TLE is as good as it gets!

strongly agree with most points here. a custom II and TLE are great values at their price point. i'd have to say best bang for the buck has got to go to RIA, but there is a noticeable difference in fit and finish between a kimber and RIA that you can tangibly see/feel why the kimber costs more. and as far as best value for features, i'd have to rate sig 1911's slightly higher than kimber, since many of their competitively priced 1911's have rails, front strap checkering, night sights, ambi safeties, etc.

OP, the truth is in the middle. not all kimbers are rusted junk, nor will kimbers make you the greatest and most problem-free shooter of all time. you gotta realize that since kimber sells more 1911's than all other manufacturers, they will also get the most instances of problems, leading to the negative publicity. and we all know that bad news travels further and faster than good news. if the other 1911 makers sold as much as kimber, their QC numbers would be about the same as well.

[Barbarosa]

I've got a Kimber Gold Match II, as well as Colt and Springfield 1911's. All three shoot about the same, but I'm probably the limiting factor in that -- not the pistols. The Kimber has the nicest finish and eye appeal of the three.

If you like the way they look, want one, and don't mind the price they are really nice shooting guns.

[WWDHD?]

OP, I was in the same place you are now. I wanted a Raptor for a long time because I liked the unique machine work but was turned off by the high prices I was seeing them going for at LGS. Then one day I came across one at a fair price and I bought it. The wanting was better than the having.
The pistol looks great but it never worked properly from the start. Long story short: Kimber took it back, paid for shipping both ways, replaced a whole bunch of stuff inside and now at least it doesn't jam anymore. It is pretty accurate but the trigger feels odd to me: "sticky" on reset and a lighter/shorter pull than my other 1911's. Did I mention it looks great?
Maybe someday I'll sell it if it ever falls of the roster or if a deal comes along. Live and learn. I like my other 1911's better. Good luck.