[J.Bourne]

I got a sudden case of 1911 fever. And the only prescription seems to be a Kimber TLE for around $700 nib.

I really don't want to spend much more for my first 1911, but I don't want to end up with a "bad" 1911, either.

So I need the wisdom of folks who own them to share their experiences with me, both good and bad.

Thank you.

[Kruzr]

One of the best values in a 1911 today. If you can get one NIB for $700, jump on it!

[10-Ring]

Are the new TLE's coming w/ external extractors?

[45R]

Heck yeah!!!! or you can save your money for the Sig 1911 :)

[Kruzr]

According to Kimber, by the end of this year ALL new Kimbers will have the external extractor.

Has anyone seen a price on the Sig-eleven yet?

[Skunkabilly]

TLE is a good value with the nights and checkering (if checkering is your Camelbak o' tea), but I get bored of plain black guns. I'd get an Eclipse or a blued model.

[shooter.45]

I have one and love it. Good Price and a very accurate gun. Not a problem with mine

[Rob96]

The ones I have seen had weak finishes. Out of the two Kimbers I got to extensive firing with, both (Pro Carry and a Pro CDPII) had reliability issues. The CDPII went back to Kimber and came back worse. Kimber blamed it on shooter error. GEE! I fire my Colt just fine.

[tex_n_cal]

Nay - external extractors are just cheaper to make, not better - unless of course compared to MIM :rolleyes:

I might consdier buying a 10mm Kimber, otherwise I will stick with Colt.

[spacemanspiff]

i love my tle....

[jacketch]

My TLE is accurate and trouble-free.

[cool45auto]

I want one of the TLE's with the rail on it. Very cool.:cool:

[JayGee]

I bought a Custom CDP .45 about a year ago-$900. I've had continuous reliability problems. Initially, rounds would jam during feeding. Now the action locks open occasionally with rounds still in the magazine (but no jammed rounds). I clean and maintain the Kimber religiously.

Anyone have similar problems, solutions???? I'd be careful about paying alot of $$$ for a Kimber.

[Rob96]

Jay, the CDPII that I was shooting would reliably lock the slide back after every shot or so. When it came back from Kimber, it locked back after every shot period. Also began to pattern instead of group. Like you said, these are guns that are almost a grand to buy. They should work rip, sh@t or bust, right of the box and not need to go back. And Kimber gets away with blaming it on the shooter.

[Obiwan]

Most if the trainers that see a lot of different pistols firing lots of rounds agree.

Kimbers run good...run well...you get my point.

Exceptions will occur...and like all 1911 platforms..guns that are not full size often have problems.

My TLEIIRL has been perfect...and very accurate...

I sold my S/A Operator because I stopped shooting it in favor of the Kimber

The TLE is a great value in a 1911...it is more of a "working pistol" than a "work of art"

[Eric Bryant]

No feedback here on the TLE, although hopefully I'll be able to provide some after Christmas :D

With regards to the slide locking back on Kimbers, I found that I had this problem with my Kimber Ultra Ten with certain ammo. What I discovered was that the rounds would shift towards the front of the mag due to recoil (this isn't a real heavy gun), and certain bullet profiles would engage the slide stop. A few strokes of a file left enough material so that the follower would still engage the slide stop, but there was no more interference with the rounds in the mag.

I sure love the way this thing shoots, but between the aforementioned issue, the FTRTB problem caused by the Series II safety (remedied once again with a few file strokes), and the ongoing failure-to-feed problem with certain ammo (seems to be an extracter tension issue, as the nose of the round is kicking up and getting stuck on the top edge of the chamber), I'm less than impressed with this $700 purchase. While I enjoy a bit of a challenge, I gotta imagine that some folks simply will not put up with these sort of easily-correctable but very irritating problems on a gun that's this expensive.

[Wildalaska]

Colt!

WilddancinhorseAlaska

[J.Bourne]

Well, mixed reviews to be sure.

But I do sincerely appreciate everyone who weighed in with their opinions.

I'm not a 1911 guy so far, but have been thinking about ringing one out to try and decipher the allure that seems to be in such vogue right now.

I'm really more of a Sig/Glock/CZ kind of guy. I like military grade handguns that are utterly reliable, durable and are easy to field strip and clean.

I've also never spent more than $685 for any handgun, though I own two .45s, .one 40, one .357 Magnum, two .357 SIGs, two 9mm's, and one 10mm.

Maybe the 1911 spiel aint' my bag, but I keep going back and forth.

[JayGee]

It's amazing that an owner is able to correct widely reported Kimber reliability problems-the slide locking open-with a few file strokes, while Kimber's highly publicized engineering can't do it with a few manufacturing and quality control changes.

Live and learn :fire:

Anybody recommend a good (non-Kimber) .45 small CCW that is high quality and reliable?

[Rob96]

It's amazing that the CDPII that I have experience with went back to Kimber with the slide locking back problem and came back worse.:confused:

[Sulaco]

I have two CDP II's. I have never had a problem with either one. One is the Custom (fullsize) and the other is the Ultra Carry (the smallest they make). I have over 4,000 rounds though my Custom and over 1300 through my Ultra. When I first got the Custom, I had one or two rounds jam, but it was breakin stuff and went away very quickly. All 1911's are prone to breakin related issues.

On a side note, my Ultra is the newest model with the fully supported, ramped barrel. This does seem to make a difference with the smaller guns.

[Kestrel]

Colt.

[Eric Bryant]

It's amazing that an owner is able to correct widely reported Kimber reliability problems-the slide locking open-with a few file strokes, while Kimber's highly publicized engineering can't do it with a few manufacturing and quality control changes.


As an engineer, I generally hate it when people do this to my products, because there's typically a very good reason why the part was designed the way it was. However, in this case, the problem just seemed so glaring and easy to remedy, and so far I haven't seen any downside to the modifications I've made. So what gives? Maybe I just don't understand the complexities of the slide-stop/follower relationship ;)

I swear, with the processes and process-control techniques we have nowadays, a bad firearm should never leave the factory. A problem once in a while I could forgive, but now that I discovered a loose front sight on my Ultra last night, I'm up to four problems in the first 500 rounds with a $700 gun. That's got to be more than a simple accident - gross negligence comes to mind. It's kinda like buying a mid-80s domestic car :banghead:

And yet, I'll probably go and buy yet another Kimber, so don't take any of this as complaining, just as a word of warning. I'm a sucker for things that work great when they decide to and give me big headaches when they don't.

[Siggyboy]

I have a TLE and highly recommend it. Never had any problems and I think its a good value. I also like the NRM Colt 1991A1.

If I had to choose between another Kimber and the new Sig, I'd probably go with the Sig, especially if they offer one sans-rails.

[J.Bourne]

Eric - I could not agree more with just about everything you said.

Siggy - I saw the GSR series and it looks very nice. I have very little hope they're going to price it near the $700 price point though, and doubt it will be less than $1,000 when everything is said and done. The rail doesn't bother me as such as some because I do often use a tactical light on some of my nighstand guns. It's nice to have that option, but I understand how it might rub 1911 purists the wrong way.

Thanks everyone. This forum is a great resource.

[ARperson]

No problems here with my Custom CDP. One mag results in no slide lock back after the last round is fired, but it is only with that one mag. Eats all kinds of ammo too. I like Kimber quality and my next purchase is going to be one.

Anybody recommend a good (non-Kimber) .45 small CCW that is high quality and reliable?

Ruger P90 or P97 are known for reliability and accuracy. Carry is probably a little more difficult since they aren't as slim, but definitely not impossible since my better half has carried the P95. They're not exactly small, but they fit the rest of your criteria.

[Sunspot]

The only way I would own another Kimber will be if it is given to me for free.
My Kimber hi-cap ran just fine for 500 rounds and then it got the jams. I sent it back to Kimber and they claimed it was owners fault. Btw, I cleaned it after each range use. It came back with more jams then ever. To make matters worse, it was the most money I had ever spent on a pistol.

[Obiwan]

If you want small, I would go for a G36

If you want full size 1911....Kimber all the way

[SnWnMe]

Get a Colt. Keep it happy with quality magazines.

[Erik]

So what's a comparable Colt cost these days? Oh wait... Is there even one these days?

Change question: What would it cost to get a Colt and have someone add the features to make it comparable? A lot more than $700.

[Rob96]

Change question: What would it cost to get a Colt and have someone add the features to make it comparable? A lot more than $700.
Features are different than bells and whistles. As far I can see, both feature grip safeties, thumb safeties, and so forth. With Colt you are getting better quality steel, way less MIM parts and a MUCH better chance that your gun is going to work straight from the box. None of that crap from Dennis, of shoot 500 rounds thru it before you send it back, or after you do send it back with the same problem only worse, you are told it is shooter error. Kimber is good at advertising, nothing more.

[Brass Balls]

the ongoing failure-to-feed problem with certain ammo (seems to be an extracter tension issue, as the nose of the round is kicking up and getting stuck on the top edge of the chamber)

I had a similar problem with my Compact CDP II. I was able to eliminate the problem by switching to Metalform magazines with the round metal follower (magazine 45S-797 for the officer's size or 45-797 for the Gov't). Now the gun runs perfect but the one drawback is that the flush round follower mags hold 6 rather than the 7 rounds held by the stock magazine for the officers or 7 rather than 8 for the Gov't.

https://www.metalformmagazines.com/Magazine.asp

[JayGee]

Thanks for the advice on the mag; I'll give it a try.

Actually, since I originally posted my Kimber slide lockback problem, I took the advice of one of the posted replies and slightly filed down the internal cam on the slide release so that there is more clearance between the bullet nose and the slide release cam. I've fired over a hundred rounds since doing that, with all different types of ammo, and NO MORE SLIDE LOCKBACK PROBLEMS!!

I'm still amazed that Kimber can't adjust their design/tolerances so that a customer doesn't have to do that himself! Since buying my Custom CDPII a year ago, I've had jamming problems during the feed cycle, a faulty magazine release, failure to eject problems and of course the faulty slide lockback problem. They're all corrected now, but what a statement on Kimber quality!

My next gun will be a Colt.

[Vitamin G]

I purchased a USED tle II (LNIB) for $500, AND traded in a bersa .380 on it. I knew it was going to be a total crapshoot, heavily in the house's favor when I purchased it. After all, its USED (and who would give up a good, working kimber), and CHEAP, and they accepted a trade-in.

After 400 rounds, there have been NO PROBLEMS. I've learned that checkering isn't my thing, and i wish I would have puchased the high noon holster with slide guard, rather than without the slide guard, but a pair of hogue's fixed that up for me.
I'm getting a pair of smooth cocobolo for it, and so ill be dealing with the checkering on my side again.

Anyone have any suggestions for dealing with the checkering, that isn't "wear a Tshirt"? I'm a very hot-blooded guy ;)

[C. H. Luke]

Had an older 4" "Custom Shop" gun and while it was superbly accurate
and had no real problems beyond lousy Trit. sights it's long gone.

THe STI TRojan have now is a markedly better 1911 IMO.

True it costs $200 more than your limit but it's easily in the $1,200 to $1,300 League!

[Brass Balls]

If you're still in the market here's another point of reference. I picked up a brand new TLE/RL last week. I put 320 rounds through the day I got it of mostly ball ammo and 20 rounds of Win. 230 SXT JHP. The gun worked perfectly with several different magazines and follower designs. Curiously enough the one stock mag the gun came with wasn't able to be loaded at all because the follower wouldn' t slide into the magazine. I like Kimbers a lot but have been very unimpressed with their stock magazines, yet again.

The gun's a shooter though. At ten yards freehand the targets showed one ragged hole. I shot a target freehand at 25 yards with sixteen rounds and got this:

[Brass Balls]

.

[Brass Balls]

Oops wrong photo this one's better:

[Monkeyleg]

I'm on my third Kimber now, and pretty much all problems I've had can to attributed to the factory magazines. For the two pistols that are used only for target, I've done some fiddling with the magazines to get them to work consistently. For the defense pistol, I switched to Wilson 47D's. No problems with either handloads or hollowpoints with those mags.

I love the guns, but I can't for the life of me understand why they keep shipping them with the same magazines. You'd think they would have learned by now. And I doubt that a Wilson-style mag would cost anymore to produce or buy than the factory mag.