Kimber Owners, Good or Bad Experiences?

[Zerodefect]

Almost spewed ice tea on my keyboard.

Every Kimber I've handled was properly fitted (excepting timing in a few instances and extractors in a larger number). Everyone I've shot was accurate, but never felt one that was "tight."

LOL, I agree.

"Tight" is Kimbers way of saying "full of friction from rough machined finish".

 

[DeepSouth]

It's funny how the numbers change in a year. Can't help but wonder why.

In this poll so far only 26 out of 132 people indicated a negative opinion of their Kimbers, but THIS POLL ended much closer. The Kimber fans did still come out on top buy 20%. It looks like this poll is going to be a landslide for the Kimber fans.

I just wonder what happened, maybe their CS is getting better?

 

[JohnBT]

"The Target has over 10K rounds through it and except for a recent incident where the little nut on the rear sight fell off"

That happened on my '99 Stainless Gold Match in '03 I think it was, well out of warranty. I called Kimber to see if I could buy the nut and the guy asked if the sight said KIMBER on the side. It did and he said because there had been a problem with them he would send one for free. Great.

He did. He sent a new, improved adjustable rear sight. I only wanted the little nut.

 

[Zerodefect]

It's funny how the numbers change in a year. Can't help but wonder why.

In this poll so far only 26 out of 132 people indicated a negative opinion of their Kimbers, but THIS POLL ended much closer. The Kimber fans did still come out on top buy 20%. It looks like this poll is going to be a landslide for the Kimber fans.

I just wonder what happened, maybe their CS is getting better?

Nope, just a different sample of voters. And people are learning the quick sub$1000 1911 fixes a bit better.

 

[Russ Jackson]

I bought my Custom II a year and a half ago. Over 6000 rounds through it and I have done nothing to it. I bet 20 different people have shot it and they all can't believe how accurate it is. My 16 year old son is deadly accurate with it. It shoots all types of ammo and I actually use 3 or 4 miss matched magazines in it. It loves Blazer Brass and Aluminum. Finish still looks new except on the safety where it has turned a whiteish color. Might have been caused by Gun Scrubber? I bought it for $679 new and would buy another. AMERICAN MADE ALSO!...Russ

 

[DC Plumber]

I've have a Commander sized TLE II which is the Pro TLE II with the internal extractor. bought it new in 2007 for $825. Silky smooth slide, great fit and finish. Only put about 500 rounds through it, but never a problem.

 

[davebl]

I have a stainless target II that I have owned for about 5 years. Never a jam, but I do clean and maintain it religiously. I can say its one of the finest 1911 pistols I have owned and shot (comparing to a variety of Colt Gold Cups and Springfield 1911s).

I did pay $850 for it NIB

 

[gatornavy]

Tactical custom II, and ok pistol but definitely not worth the 1000 dollars i paid for it, traded it in for a used colt government and was much happier

 

[TIMC]

I have a Warrior and a Pro Raptor. I love both of those pistols, I've had no issues with either pistol.

 

[Lefty Wright]

My only Kimber 1911 is a Pro Carry II in 9mm. Had a few simple issues in the beginning, but now that it works flawlessly it gets a lot more range time than any of the others. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Kimber.

 

[swinokur]

Someone mentioned that the possible improvement in Kimber's rating may have been improved customer service. Possibly but I am sure there are many owners who have never had a reason to deal with CS because we've had no
issues.

I'm one of them. I'm sure there are many more as well.

 

[goose2]

I had to talked into buying a Kimber and after I did I can tell you there is nothing better for me. I love the feel of it and how I shoot it. Everyone I know that owns one has the same feeling.

 

[Tacbandit]

Two in the family...Pro Carry, and tactical Pro...great shooters, no problems...

 

[Coal Dragger]

I have a Super Match II and have had it since about 2002-2003. Good shooter, very accurate, good trigger, generally very reliable when using McCormick magazines. Doesn't like Rainier Ballistics 200gr semi-wad cutters at all though, runs HG#68's like a champ, along with just about anything else. Currently has around 15K through it, and finally needs some work on the adjustable rear sight.

I have personally fired a 5 shot group standing off hand that went under 2" at 25 yards with this pistol, witnessed by the range master at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO. So clearly the pistol is very shooter friendly when I can do my part. Of course this was done several years ago when I was working up for Collegiate Nationals at Ft. Benning, so I was really really in practice at the time.

 

[gudel]

I like mine that I bought Thanksgiving 2010. I tried two other brands, quality of workmanship is not quite Kimber.

I would buy another.

 

[Hk Dan]

You're asking the wrong people. Ask former Kimber owners.

 

[jbh13]

I've got a Tactical Pro and Ultra Carry. Love them both. Ultra Carry is my everyday carry choice. Local dealer also helps if there are any issues, which I've had none, and is very knowledgeable with the Kimber line, which helps with future purchases.

 

[gudel]

You're asking the wrong people. Ask former Kimber owners.

He could do that, ask the people who bought it YEARS ago and no longer have the pistol and their opinions that no longer matter; or you could ask people who bought Kimber recently.

 

[Hk Dan]

<g> I used ot hunt birds a lot with my brother (pheasant). At one point my other brother gave him an English Setter, and that dog was...marginal at best. Dave worked with him, cajolled and spanked, trained, and petted, and the dog turned out okay in the end. To hear him talk about the dog you'd assume it was Old Yeller, Lassie, and Rin Tin Tin all rolled into one shaggy frame.

My other brother looked at me in the middle of a rant on the qualities of that dog and said "Do you know how to take any mutt and make it the greatest dog ever? Sign Dave's name on the pink slip."

And we're all like that. Ours is the best, period (me too). I know more former Kimber owners than Kimber owners, so he'd have a bigger sample size, especially if they bought that God-awful external extractor model.

I watching Kimbers at USPSA and IDPA matches over the years, I have yet to see one that didn't choke at some point. They're fine when you run them in slow fire, but ya add in a little stress and a little speed and they are not very forgiving. Wilson, Nighthawk, even Springfields--those I have seen run flawlessly, but not Kimbers. Universally at some point they gave a stage ending malfunction, every single one of them.

I took a class with a guy who has a TV show now (2, actually). One of the students had a 1911. Heasked who made it and the student said "MEUSOC", he'd gotten the pistol when he went Distinguished. The instructor said "Good. I saw it was colored oddly (Desert tan) and thoguht it might be a Kimber. If it made it through the whole class I wanted to write a book about it".

Don't get me wrong--they're pretty guns. They look like they'd be worth the price alright. But when the rubber hits the road and you need that gun to run fast and hard, they just don't in my experience.

 

[cowtown22]

Have three full size 1911s, Kimber custom cdp, Kimber custom raptor 2, springfield trp, all great firearms. cdp is by far the most accurate. Out of the box 16rds @ 25yds in a 6 in circle and I am only a fair shooter, needless to say never looked back. aim small

 

[glockman19]

Of my 5 Kimbers I had minor issues with only one...sent it back to Kimber and it has shot flawlessly ever since.

I have the Ultra, Pro and full size Raptor II's, a Pro Carry II and recently sold my Custom II.

 

[Ala Dan]

Kimber's are not the Holy Grail of 1911's; but certainly make good entry level
pistols~!

 

[drbeans]

^What that guy said.

I have a Custom II that HAD an external extractor with issues. After the pre-requisite 500 rounds I still had extraction issues. Sent to Kimber, they replaced the slide with an internal extractor. Still had issues. I replaced the extractor with a Wilson, tuned and polished it, replaced the springs with Wolfe, now it finally runs right.

 

[Paints]

Well, IMO it depends on the year of manufacture:

I have a 1997 Compact. Good gun, very reliable, I use it for CCW sometimes.

I have a 2001 Gold Match II. Hasn't been shot much but I don't recall any problems.

I bought a 2009 TLE II for CCW. Mistake. Can't trust it, it's a safe queen until I find something to trade it on (anyone want to trade a Sig P220 SAO?). I will buy no more Kimbers.

I also find it interesting that according to Kimber, the 2009 TLE has no more capacity than my '97 Compact (7 rounds). The 2001 Gold Match came with both 7 and 8 round factory mags but Kimber doesn't want to support 8 rounders newer guns.

1 year old TLE/RL II. Perfect OOB. About 1k rounds through it. 230g WWB, HST +p, Gold Dots. No problems whatsoever.

Interesting. Mine has premature slide lock with 230 gr HST +P. Kimber did send me a modified slide lock but I the gun hasn't been out of the safe since then.

Ken

 

[Tacbandit]

Quote: from EddieNFL
"Every Kimber I've handled was properly fitted (excepting timing in a few instances and extractors in a larger number). Everyone I've shot was accurate, but never felt one that was "tight."

Wow...too bad...Both of ours are tight'r than a drum...Pro Carry, and Tactical Pro...great shooters...
Smooth, accurate, and dependable...