First 1911 purchase - advice

[golfish]

Kimber custom II is making its way to the top of the list. Any Kimber owners feel free to chime in, from what I've been reading most complaints or negative reviews are during the "break in" where frustrated people start trashing Kimber quality and sell/trade off their pistol. Sound about right?

That does sound about right. Last year A guy at Turners In Rancho told me that his Les Baer took 500 rds to break in

Here's the loaded in stock, in all its glory

https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_24/products_id/43756/Springfield+PX9109LP+1911+Loaded+7+1+45ACP+5%5c%22+Package

[xbxb040]

Maybe this will help you decide.. Its 596.00 right now. They offer a good layaway plan if that helps. The Mil-Spec is a darn good gun to build up the way you want.
https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...P+5%22+Package

The sights are actually the only thing that deter me from me the mil-spec. I would not want to have the slide machined and then refinished in order to put the sights I want on it. Though, I have read that swapping sights on the loaded really aren't much better, apparently the dovetails are a different size from the majority of 1911's.

[xbxb040]

(3) Wilson's and (3) Ed Brown"s (neck and neck) depending what you are looking for in options. (4) Colts - great firearms. Kimber next - do not own, but have fired several and they are good! SA you could not pay me to own one - very long story - but the ones I have seen in were BAD!

If you feel like sharing your springfield experience, I would love to hear it, you can PM me if you like

[gotaglockinmyrarri]

def like my 2 colts better than a friend of mines kimber.

[bsim]

I must be the only guy on CalGuns that doesn't like the .220 radius and the thin grips on SA.

Good guns, great CS - but touch & feel comparisons before you buy.

[Robert1234]

I must be the only guy on CalGuns that doesn't like the .220 radius and the thin grips on SA.

Good guns, great CS - but touch & feel comparisons before you buy.

I have no love for parts that limit one's options and offer no benefit, so you're not alone there. Like sight cuts, look for a gun that has what you want in these areas cause changing later gets pricey fast.

Grips I could care less about because I'm going to change them anyway after I add a magwell. Same with thumb safety, front sight (as long as it's in a dovetail!!), trigger and internals. Noon real effort to upgrade these parts other than paying, and they're not that expensive.

So, avoid the Mil-Spec model unless you just gotta spend a lot of money and time on upgrades. And if that's your plan, break down and buy a custom gun. That way the gunsmith doesn't have to tighten a loose frame to slide fit (my Springfield and every other one I've handled rattles like a baby toy).

[emulex81]

I would get anything but a Kimber. Just go to your local gun store ask to see a few Kimbers and rack the slides on them I guarantee you at least one of those brand new pistols has barrel rust on it already and that should be all you need to know about Kimber. Great marketing company maybe the best, as far as building pistols I'll pass

[Robert1234]

I keep reading about this Kimber rust issue, but have yet to actually see it.

I've looked at a bunch up here in the Bay Area, mostly Raptors and 9mm models and they're all clean.

Not much humidity up here though.

[emulex81]

I have 2 previous Kimbers purchased maybe 8 to 10 years ago they are great, then about 2 years ago I bought a CDPII took it out of the safe racked the slide and I couldn't believe my eyes. Yes I have a safe full of guns, yes I know how to keep them all lubed, and I live in so. cal with zero humidity and my guns are in a safe with golden rod. This is the only gun that has ever developed rust. That's when I googled the problem and found out about the rust. Went into my LGS a few weeks later and looked at a Kimber in the display case and sure enough there it was on one of their pistols. So the rust does exist I guess I just got lucky with the 2 before of maybe the older ones were made better who knows.

[THEJAPINO]

For my first 1911, I went with this:

[golfish]

So, avoid the Mil-Spec model unless you just gotta spend a lot of money and time on upgrades. And if that's your plan, break down and buy a custom gun. That way the gunsmith doesn't have to tighten a loose frame to slide fit (my Springfield and every other one I've handled rattles like a baby toy).

lol, I need to get on my waders