Kimber Haters

[shootbig]

I've been reading a lot of online forums lately and can't understand why there are so many Kimber haters. I have a 9mm Kimber Target II, and man the thing is solid. Runs like a champ. I haven't cleaned or lubed it in several hundred rounds, zero issues. The only failure I had was a FTE in the first 50 rounds, but it has been reliable ever since. I also had a failure to eject with my SA 45 in the first 50 rounds but after that gun broke in it was reliable too. Not sure why everyone bashes Kimber-- they are tightly fit, beautiful, reliable weapons.

The break in period IS for real, just try to insert the stock mag into a brand new Kimber, see how tight it fits and how hard you have to push it in. Much tighter that my SA, I actually also prefer the trigger on my Kimber over the SA, the SA's is too light for my liking, the kimber's feels just perfect.

My SA is nice, but my Kimber is beautiful and shoots very smooth.

[Merc1138]

Haven't cleaned or lubed it in several hundred rounds, zero issues... then immediately follows that up describing a malfunction from within the first box of ammo and goes on to mention how the magazines don't even fit properly.

[shootbig]

Haven't cleaned or lubed it in several hundred rounds, zero issues... then immediately follows that up describing a malfunction from within the first box of ammo and goes on to mention how the magazines don't even fit properly.

Mags fit fine. The tolerances in this gun are so tight that it takes time to break-in. Get it? No trouble getting mag in after shooting the thing, and also no more malfunctions. 1 malfunction in a brand new 1911 within the first 50 rounds is not uncommon. Do you shoot 1911s much?

[Merc1138]

Mags fit fine. The tolerances in this gun are so tight that it takes time to break-in. Get it? No trouble getting mag in after shooting the thing, and also no more malfunctions. 1 malfunction in a brand new 1911 within the first 50 rounds is not uncommon. Do you shoot 1911s much?

Mags fit fine?

The break in period IS for real, just try to insert the stock mag into a brand new Kimber, see how tight it fits and how hard you have to push it in. Much tighter that my SA,

But they're so tight you have to use a noticeably increased amount of force to insert the mag?

Which is it? Also, I've never seen a 1911 where the mag well or catch(no idea which you're actually referring to) needs to be "broken in", including Kimber 1911's.

[shootbig]

Mags fit fine?



But they're so tight you have to use a noticeably increased amount of force to insert the mag?

Which is it? Also, I've never seen a 1911 where the mag well or catch(no idea which you're actually referring to) needs to be "broken in", including Kimber 1911's.

Yep, mags fit fine and the entire gun is very tight, almost too tight, out of the box. That's why you have to break the thing in, get it? The gun being so tight out of box is also why it will never rattle like a cheaper production 1911.

[roostersgt]

The only parts that need to "break in" /"wear in" that I'm aware of are the slide to body to barrel metals, and the spring weakening up a bit. The mag well catch / well itself should never have to "wear" to allow easy feeding of the magazine. First I've ever heard of that. Is that what Kimber told you, or the person who sold it?

[bk23103]

This has been mine forever. Oh well.

[shootbig]

The only parts that need to "break in" /"wear in" that I'm aware of are the slide to body to barrel metals, and the spring weakening up a bit. The mag well catch / well itself should never have to "wear" to allow easy feeding of the magazine. First I've ever heard of that. Is that what Kimber told you, or the person who sold it?

Bought it new, online, where there are no sales people to convince me to buy something else since Kimber doesn't pay the highest commissions. Kimber sells the most 1911s in the nation. Maybe to you think Windows based PCs and Samsung phones are better than the number one selling macs and iphones?

[shootbig]

This has been mine forever. Oh well.

All ultra compact guns suck.

[myk]

There are people who hate Kimbers, Colts, Rugers, Glocks, SIGs, CZ's, Sarah Jean Underwood, hamburgers, God and baby kittens. You know what? F 'em. If it works for you it works. All the other opinions can piss off...

[CouchOperator]

I've been reading a lot of online forums lately and can't understand why there are so many Kimber haters. I have a 9mm Kimber Target II, and man the thing is solid. Runs like a champ. I haven't cleaned or lubed it in several hundred rounds, zero issues. The only failure I had was a FTE in the first 50 rounds, but it has been reliable ever since. I also had a failure to eject with my SA 45 in the first 50 rounds but after that gun broke in it was reliable too. Not sure why everyone bashes Kimber-- they are tightly fit, beautiful, reliable weapons.

The break in period IS for real, just try to insert the stock mag into a brand new Kimber, see how tight it fits and how hard you have to push it in. Much tighter that my SA, I actually also prefer the trigger on my Kimber over the SA, the SA's is too light for my liking, the kimber's feels just perfect.

My SA is nice, but my Kimber is beautiful and shoots very smooth.

I have owned a couple pretty darn good 1911's. Not a kimber though. And i wouldnt buy one. Why? Overall quality and attitude of the company. Other than their extensive rust issues, plastic mainspring housing, MIM-galore parts; thats all stuff everyone already knows about. This is the forefront of why people still make threads regarding kimbers sucking.

Regarding the break in, that has nothing to do with the magazine fit. Thats simply the magazine impacting/rubbing on the trigger bars. Unacceptable.

On their $2,000 supermatch or whatever model it is, the checkering was half completed on the top 4 lines. Unacceptable.

Most of them have off center hammers. Unacceptable.

In the range counter we had at my old work, 4 out of 7 kimbers would always be down due to several issues, one being broken magazine releases. Kimber doesnt sell a gun when the magazine is unable to be retained in the gun due to a part failure to cut a corner.



Theres also a difference in being tight and being tight in the right/wrong places. Its important for a 1911 to have equal fit between the rails and slide on BOTH sides of the gun. Production guns are often loose on one side and tight on the other, and that leads to an unpleasant and rough shooting gun, or too tight and the gun just doesnt cycle smoothly. Tight can be very very bad if its tight in the wrong place. Unacceptable.
The main reason most new 1911's owners think their guns are super tight is that they are fighting the mainspring on an uncocked hammer. They equate that to tightness when its really just spring resistance.

I can often get chambers to squat by pressing down on it with the gun in battery. Unacceptable. Most kimbers also ship with loose breeches, however thats an issue found in alot of manufacturers guns. Sig is especially bad about this. Unacceptable.


Their overhead is extreme. Every 12 guns we sold we got a free kimber by turning in the receipt. A coworker of mine received 7 free kimbers in 2 months. They all ran like ****. "Free guns" is a bribe to an employee making barely over minimum wage, therefore they will try and talk up kimber hardcore. Ive been on that side of the counter and its real. Thats a program directly through Kimber. (Springfield does the same thing. Depending on how many you sell, its a free XD or TRP)

One magazine only? That shows the attitude of the company. "Screw the customer, heres one crap mag. Go ahead and buy another so we get MORE money out of you." I cant think of another gun company that only includes one magazine with their handguns.

And one of my big issues with Kimber is their closed door policy. No one has seen the inside of their factory. As far as their "custom shop" guns, its a label. Period. There is NOTHING custom about those. I still have $100 sitting around for anyone that can get me the custom shops number, or the name of a pistolsmith that works there. Fact is, it doesnt exist. Period. Because all the good smiths are doing it from home, or working at Wilson, Les Bear, Nighthawk, etc.

[shootbig]

I have owned a couple pretty darn good 1911's. Not a kimber though. And i wouldnt buy one. Why? Overall quality and attitude of the company. Other than their extensive rust issues, plastic mainspring housing, MIM-galore parts; thats all stuff everyone already knows about. This is the forefront of why people still make threads regarding kimbers sucking.

Regarding the break in, that has nothing to do with the magazine fit. Thats simply the magazine impacting/rubbing on the trigger bars. Unacceptable.

On their $2,000 supermatch or whatever model it is, the checkering was half completed on the top 4 lines. Unacceptable.

Most of them have off center hammers. Unacceptable.

In the range counter we had at my old work, 4 out of 7 kimbers would always be down due to several issues, one being broken magazine releases. Kimber doesnt sell a gun when the magazine is unable to be retained in the gun due to a part failure to cut a corner.



Theres also a difference in being tight and being tight in the right/wrong places. Its important for a 1911 to have equal fit between the rails and slide on BOTH sides of the gun. Production guns are often loose on one side and tight on the other, and that leads to an unpleasant and rough shooting gun, or too tight and the gun just doesnt cycle smoothly. Tight can be very very bad if its tight in the wrong place. Unacceptable.
The main reason most new 1911's owners think their guns are super tight is that they are fighting the mainspring on an uncocked hammer. They equate that to tightness when its really just spring resistance.

I can often get chambers to squat by pressing down on it with the gun in battery. Unacceptable. Most kimbers also ship with loose breeches, however thats an issue found in alot of manufacturers guns. Sig is especially bad about this. Unacceptable.


Their overhead is extreme. Every 12 guns we sold we got a free kimber by turning in the receipt. A coworker of mine received 7 free kimbers in 2 months. They all ran like ****. "Free guns" is a bribe to an employee making barely over minimum wage, therefore they will try and talk up kimber hardcore. Ive been on that side of the counter and its real. Thats a program directly through Kimber. (Springfield does the same thing. Depending on how many you sell, its a free XD or TRP)

One magazine only? That shows the attitude of the company. "Screw the customer, heres one crap mag. Go ahead and buy another so we get MORE money out of you." I cant think of another gun company that only includes one magazine with their handguns.

And one of my big issues with Kimber is their closed door policy. No one has seen the inside of their factory. As far as their "custom shop" guns, its a label. Period. There is NOTHING custom about those. I still have $100 sitting around for anyone that can get me the custom shops number, or the name of a pistolsmith that works there. Fact is, it doesnt exist. Period. Because all the good smiths are doing it from home, or working at Wilson, Les Bear, Nighthawk, etc.

Perhaps your experience at the gun counter was a while ago? Companies change and improve, I can't believe your talking about the same handguns that I'm using. The rust issue makes me laugh. Kimber doesn't use stainless steel barrels in their cheaper models, that's why I paid more for a mid range Kimber. My model does have a stainless steel match grade barrel and guess what, no rust!

[Euphoria526]

I'll just stick with my sti thank you

[shootbig]

I have owned a couple pretty darn good 1911's. Not a kimber though. And i wouldnt buy one. Why? Overall quality and attitude of the company. Other than their extensive rust issues, plastic mainspring housing, MIM-galore parts; thats all stuff everyone already knows about. This is the forefront of why people still make threads regarding kimbers sucking.

Regarding the break in, that has nothing to do with the magazine fit. Thats simply the magazine impacting/rubbing on the trigger bars. Unacceptable.

On their $2,000 supermatch or whatever model it is, the checkering was half completed on the top 4 lines. Unacceptable.

Most of them have off center hammers. Unacceptable.

In the range counter we had at my old work, 4 out of 7 kimbers would always be down due to several issues, one being broken magazine releases. Kimber doesnt sell a gun when the magazine is unable to be retained in the gun due to a part failure to cut a corner.



Theres also a difference in being tight and being tight in the right/wrong places. Its important for a 1911 to have equal fit between the rails and slide on BOTH sides of the gun. Production guns are often loose on one side and tight on the other, and that leads to an unpleasant and rough shooting gun, or too tight and the gun just doesnt cycle smoothly. Tight can be very very bad if its tight in the wrong place. Unacceptable.
The main reason most new 1911's owners think their guns are super tight is that they are fighting the mainspring on an uncocked hammer. They equate that to tightness when its really just spring resistance.

I can often get chambers to squat by pressing down on it with the gun in battery. Unacceptable. Most kimbers also ship with loose breeches, however thats an issue found in alot of manufacturers guns. Sig is especially bad about this. Unacceptable.


Their overhead is extreme. Every 12 guns we sold we got a free kimber by turning in the receipt. A coworker of mine received 7 free kimbers in 2 months. They all ran like ****. "Free guns" is a bribe to an employee making barely over minimum wage, therefore they will try and talk up kimber hardcore. Ive been on that side of the counter and its real. Thats a program directly through Kimber. (Springfield does the same thing. Depending on how many you sell, its a free XD or TRP)

One magazine only? That shows the attitude of the company. "Screw the customer, heres one crap mag. Go ahead and buy another so we get MORE money out of you." I cant think of another gun company that only includes one magazine with their handguns.

And one of my big issues with Kimber is their closed door policy. No one has seen the inside of their factory. As far as their "custom shop" guns, its a label. Period. There is NOTHING custom about those. I still have $100 sitting around for anyone that can get me the custom shops number, or the name of a pistolsmith that works there. Fact is, it doesnt exist. Period. Because all the good smiths are doing it from home, or working at Wilson, Les Bear, Nighthawk, etc.

Want to see their factory? Here you go: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...r+factory+tour

[Merc1138]

Perhaps your experience at the gun counter was a while ago? Companies change and improve, I can't believe your talking about the same handguns that I'm using. The rust issue makes me laugh. Kimber doesn't use stainless steel barrels in their cheaper models, that's why I paid more for a mid range Kimber. My model does have a stainless steel match grade barrel and guess what, no rust!

Uhh...
You got this one, right? http://www.kimberamerica.com/stainless-target-ii

Stainless target II in 9mm? Even kimber themselves doesn't advertise that barrel as being stainless. In fact, they're very specific in omitting "stainless" when mentioning the barrel material, as they readily identify the slide, frame and barrel bushing as being stainless.