Kimber Haters

[ryno066]

Ok i have a Kimber team match 2. The gun shoots smooth and is accurate as i can be. That being said it will stove pipe and/ or no go into full battery 1-2 rounds out of a 100. I I have not had the time to or the will to start messing with it yet. For the most expensive pistol i own i expected more from it. Oh and i have had zero rust issue with mine.

[BigStiCK]

Had a Kimber CDP Pro. Was finniky with ammo & the slide started to rust. I'm very picky about keeping my stuff clean. The rust vexed me. No mo Kimber.

[dmcmillenfv]

I have a custom 2 with over 5k through it. No problems With it. When it was brand new I polished/lapped the frame rails and slide, and polished the chamber and feed ramp and never had any non ammo/ magazine feeding problems. But kimbers quality has gone down in the last few years. Not sure I would buy another one. I don't understand the op's friction fit mags. Do the mags drop free?

[gotshotgun?]

Barrel rust...

[shootbig]

Barrel rust...

Nope, no barrel rust. Nice try though.

[shootbig]

I have a custom 2 with over 5k through it. No problems With it. When it was brand new I polished/lapped the frame rails and slide, and polished the chamber and feed ramp and never had any non ammo/ magazine feeding problems. But kimbers quality has gone down in the last few years. Not sure I would buy another one. I don't understand the op's friction fit mags. Do the mags drop free?

Yes, they drop free.

[shootbig]

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.

Yes, I have one like that except it came with black grips, not the wood.

[Merc1138]

Yes, I have one like that except it came with black grips, not the wood.

So then you don't have a stainless steel barrel.

[porcupineballs]

My kimber eclipse custom ii has been so terrible and unreliable the last 8 years, that the wife confiscated it for her own HD weapon of choice. The looks on peoples face at the range is great, with a tiny 110lb person is tack driving tight groups with a full frame 45 acp.

[Too Swole]

I have a Stainless Gold match that runs like a dream..on the other hand I have a Custom Target that is a total piece of junk!

[zman]

No. 1 - Due to MIM parts, people started calling Kimber, Mimber
No. 2 - It's the Schwartz!!!
No. 3 - Barrel rust

[Cuda440]

I have a Raptor II, older external extractor, unknown amount of previous owners or round count- its my favorite range gun, smooth shooting, tight, accurate and in a couple thousand rounds of any cheap bulk ammo and even range reloads i cant remember a single malfunction. Always using CMC power mags.

I also have a 70's Colt combat commander, series 70- its loose, sloppy, and the sights and trigger suck compared to the kimber. Its more of a candidate to be sent out and customized, its not all that rewarding to shoot as it is.

[MrOrange]

Well, you guys know the old saw: When a $400 gun malfs, it's a P.O.S; when a $2,000 gun malfs, it just needs breaking in.

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!

Funny you should ask that. When Kimber started making 1911s, they had a good rep, but around the time they switched to the external extractor was when they lost a lot of quality and any potential buyers among the cognoscenti. I'm convinced switching back to the internal extractor was basically a PR move to make the masses happy, especially when you consider that the external extractor is a technically superior system.

No. 1 - Due to MIM parts, people started calling Kimber, Mimber
No. 2 - It's the Schwartz!!!
No. 3 - Barrel rust

1 & 2 are why I'll never buy a Kimber for serious use. Don't much care about a stainless barrel.

[skosh69]

Come on guys, the OP is happy as horse sheet about his Kimber, let him have his day in the sun. We were all like that once, right?

FWIW, my first 1911 was a Kimber, CDP full size, still have it...will never sell it, sentimental value I guess.

Then I bought a Dan Wesson and then a Les Baer. Heck, I still want a SS Raptor, those scales and grips look so cool.

There a lot of Kimber's that run great right out of the box and never have a problem, same can be said for Colt, S/A, Baer, Brown, WC, etc, etc.

Then there's the one's from from the same manufacturers listed above that have problems from day one, some get worked out, some don't.

No manufacturer, operating an assembly line process will be free from defects or faults, just the nature of the business.

People should recognize Kimber for at least one key innovation/process that rejuvenated the 1911 and brought it mainstream and popular again and that was their MARKETING Dept. You make as many models available with subtle changes between each one, engrave the words "Custom Shop" on some of the slides, offer them at a decent price point and guess what, the masses will buy in great numbers and that's exactly what Kimber did....a fantastic marketing job.

Hate them or not, they have to credited for at least their genius marketing.


OP, head over to www.1911forum.com and introduce yourself there, there's a sub forum for Kimbers and you'll get all kinds of love there as well as advice and knowledge..

[kustomkat1950]

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...

The ones that hate In-n-Out scare me. not to be trusted.