Kimber 1911 how good are they

Audet

Audet

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Was thinking about getting my hands on a Kimber 1911, I like what they advertise but I would like some feedback from actual owners.

Thanks,

Rick
 
I have owned a few and each one worked like a top. Never one problem. Just sold them to upgrade to Wilson.
In similiar price range, check out the SIG 1911's. I just got one of those and am very impressed.
 
Misanthropist beat me to it. Kimbers are popular because they have lots of bells and whistles for the price and most owners don't run a lot of rounds through them.
 
If you're looking for a range gun that will never be your "go-to" gun for anything other than range use, Kimbers are OK - better than Para by a wide margin, not as good as many other pistols out there.
 
So what make do you recommend, is Colt much better? I like the fact Kimber seam to come with match features out of the box. Does anyone sell Wilson combat 1911 in Canada?
 
Audet said:
So what make do you recommend, is Colt much better? I like the fact Kimber seam to come with match features out of the box. Does anyone sell Wilson combat 1911 in Canada?
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You have hit on exactly why Kimbers are popular and also a clue to why they have issues: a lot of "upgrades" from the factory, combined with a relatively low price.

Consider that the money that they don't charge for those upgrades means that somewhere, something is getting skimped on...

Colts are typically looser fit, more reliable, and built of better components than Kimbers.

Early Kimbers are sometimes pretty good...if you can track down a Series 1 it's more likely to run well.

1911bdw dot com does sell the WC guns but hold on to your wallet.

Personally for Colt/Kimber price range right now I think the gun to buy is the S&W E series. Note E Series, not standard.

I have not seen one in Canada yet, but I did see them retailing on line somewhere for about a thousand bucks the other day, in Canada. Don't recall where, though.

edit: I will also say that people's standards vary wildly...some people are satisfied more easily than others and some people have expectations bordering on the extreme.

So you will find that some people will extol their Kimbers happily...others are less impressed. It depends on the individual's standards.

For 1911 reading I highly recommend Hilton Yam's blog.
 
I had a kimber, it was okay... Always went bang... But I sold it to get an STI in the same price range...

I find the Sti had better fit and finish...
 
Picking a 1911 is by far the hardest choice in handguns, the market is flooded with options, all with varying degrees of likes and dislikes. It also depends on the model your looking at and what price range its going to be in. I have a Kimber Custom II that I got as part of a trade on EE a few months ago, have about 1k rounds through it so far and it has run 100 percent. Slide to frame fit is tight and if shooting dirty ammo, after 200 rounds or so the action starts to get a little sluggish but otherwise I have zero complaints. Are there better options? probably, but in the Custom II price range they are a good value imo. The new Smith & Wesson E series may be worth waiting for as mentioned above as well. 70 series, reliable external extractor and a few other enhancements to the trigger and slide to improve functioning, if the price is good that would be something to strongly consider.
 
Agree with the general consensus here so far... for about $1200-1400, they are good. With 1911s, we can break it down by price brackets. Obviously we have the big four (Baer, Brown, Wilson, Nighthawk) in the ~$2500-$3500 (or more depending on model) range but for around $1200-1500, there is Kimber, Colt, Springfield, S&W, and SIG. I would say these 5 are the biggest players in this price bracket for 1911s. STI can fit in there too but they have such a variety ranging from $700-2000+.

I have a Kimber which I love and though I don't regret buying it, I do wish I could have found a God damn Springfield anywhere in this country or found a Colt with the features I wanted for a price I could afford. So again, going back to the general consensus, for the $1265 I paid, it was as much 1911 as I was gonna get and I really don't shoot .45 often enough to complain. It is going to do me just fine. I have had nothing break yet and none of the MIM parts have crumbled to dust yet but I'm excited for when things do break as that means I will be able to replace the parts and hopefully turn it into a more and more reliable gun.... The beauty of 1911s!!

As misanthropist said, listening to people's opinions on 1911s is going to turn into a major headache because of the variety. ie "Norinco sucks! Get a Wilson Combat!" without considering it is literally 10% of the price.
 
I have a Kimber stainless 2, It's a great value.

I have noticed that people who won't spend the money gripe that it's just OK, in order for them to feel better about their 499.00 1911 decision. With aftermarket parts bought off the internet it's "just as good" they say.

I didn't want to spend alot of effort explaining this, but it's like alot of things in life.

I have a 300zx sports car, but at the stoplight buddy with the Honda civic feels just as good because he has a K&N air filter and a big muffler .

That works out for everyone

I like quality things
 
safety first said:
I have a Kimber stainless 2, It's a great value.

I have noticed that people who won't spend the money gripe that it's just OK, in order for them to feel better about their 499.00 1911 decision. With aftermarket parts bought off the internet it's "just as good" they say.

I didn't want to spend alot of effort explaining this, but it's like alot of things in life.

I have a 300zx sports car, but at the stoplight buddy with the Honda civic feels just as good because he has a K&N air filter and a big muffler .

That works out for everyone

I like quality things
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Wow, that is the snobbiest thing I have ever heard about a brand known for offering a nice fancy outside but using mim parts inside to keep it affordable. If you want to be a 1911 snob you better go above a kimber!

Nothing wrong with kimbers, but geez.
 
misanthropist said:
The Kimber is definitely not a 1911 about which you can really say, "I like the finer things in life, like this".

It's more like, "I didn't want to buy Norinco, and this was what they had in the local gun store".
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that is the most far fetched thing I have ever heard. How would someone looking at a 300 dollar gun jump up to a kimber? I guess the store wouldn't have a single ria, sti, springfield, remington or any other entry level 1911?

Read the internet and couch commandos reviews of guns all you want but I personally have owned 2 kimbers and they are by far my favourite 1911's. So much so that I sold my nighthawk and my sti in favour for one and dont regret it a bit.
 
for 1100 to 1550 the kimbers are a great gun.
Mine is a great gun on the range, not one issue, finish on it is top notch (stainless with black oxidiation), As much as i would have liked to spend 3000 on a nighthawk or a STI in a 2011 model, i couldn't justify the cost when the Kimber has the looks and the functionallity that i want.

My money would be kimber time and time again.

*edit* on a Note I have owned some other 1911's and by far the kimber far out weights them in quailty, my first being a Para god how i hate that gun. it cost me 400 less the the current kimber i have now (para costing 1100 and the kimber costing 1500) and the kimber for the money is 10000 times better.
 
So is Kimber the only 1911 manufacturer that uses MIM parts? No other 1911 manufacturers use any MIM parts what so ever?
 
Misanthropist-"1911bdw dot com does sell the WC guns but hold on to your wallet."

Actually they have the best prices around (Nobody Touches there prices,as well they will match or best any one else,on the topic of price.)Also you make an unfair comparison,The CQB ELITE they do have instock is loaded with extra'sTherefore it's never going to be a MRSP price considering all the extra options.As well i would like you to find a concept V for the price BDW is selling for ($2125) you won't find a lower price,i was looking for a Les Baer Thunder ranch a couple months back BDW's competition sells thunder ranchs for the same price(Minus the fact you get Bluing,VS Baer coat on BDW's thunder ranch for the same price as the blued pistol,yet the Les Baer says that is a $300upgrade vs. the bluing -go figure much better value at BDW.I would pay the same price elsewhere yet ,i get a $300 upgrade "FOR FREE" at BDW.As well i should ad that if you priced out the wilson they have in stock now,it would be several hundred dollars more,buying elsewhere!
 
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Many other manufacturers, including Colt, use MIM for some parts. The problem isn't MIM per se, but poor quality MIM and using it inappropriately, such as for making extractors or plunger tubes.
 
Sambaru said:
So is Kimber the only 1911 manufacturer that uses MIM parts? No other 1911 manufacturers use any MIM parts what so ever?
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Actually lot's of lower end 1911's use M.I.M.,this saves them dollars,and streamlines the production (Skimping out on quality)so now they don;t have to pay for good quality parts in there 1911's and they,also save money on there lack of handfitting,which means they get to spend on Glitzy advertising to nail more suckers!
 
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