Ruger 1911 vs Kimber middle 1911s

I've owned 3 Kimbers and 2 Ruger 1911s, still have one Kimber Warrior.

If I was looking to buy a sub $1K 1911 I'd get a Ruger over a Kimber. Prefer the series 70 and have had great luck with Ruger in the past.

I have a blued SA loaded 1911 and a stainless “Commander” length SR 1911, both in .45 ACP.



The SA loaded pistol is a great gun, my only beef is the full length guide rod. IMHO it’s a PITA to clean having to deal with that. (My SA V-16 6” .45 Super guide rod takes four hands to reassemble .) It has an ambi safety from the factory if that is important.



The SR is a bit “looser” in fit, but the sights more than make up for any looseness as I shoot it better than the 5” SA. It also has a traditional guide rod set up, so cleaning is as simple as pie.



My only Kimber is a Micro 9 which is a neat little 1911-styled carry piece but it is nowhere near what you’re looking for.

You really can’t go wrong with any of the three. There is a lot of overlap, and to be honest it’ll be the availability and price that’ll probably make the biggest impact on your choice.

(I’m pining for a SA Ronin Operator 9mm someday...love the two-tone look!)

Good luck with your quest!

Stay safe.

It's funny... I've owned 6 different 1911's, from 4 different makers... Colt, Springfield, Kimber, and Taurus. Both of the Kimbers are 4" pistols, and I've gotten so used to shooting them, when I pick up a 5" it feels like a Desert Eagle.

As far as Springfield, my second 1911 was a standard Government stainless, it wasn't a bad pistol, but we didn't get along. I sold it to my brother almost 20 years ago, he still has it, and I get to shoot it once in a while. I still think Springfield makes good firearms, despite the issues I've had previously, and would certainly look at them.

Kimber has had issues in the past... the mid-2000's were a bad time for their QC. From what I've seen on the shelves, they seem to have figured that out and are making some pretty nice pistols, now. The Kimber TLE is at the top of my Want List, right along with a Springfield Loaded.

Charlie98 said:

Both of the Kimbers are 4" pistols, and I've gotten so used to shooting them, when I pick up a 5" it feels like a Desert Eagle

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My major complaint with my Warrior and Remington R1 Enhanced double stack (basically a Para P14.45) is that they aren't 4" barrels. That's my sweet spot, I can live with a commander but I really can't see the front sight on 5" guns anymore.

3Crows said:

Well, y'all got me wanting a SA Loaded but finding one might be a trick and a half!

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Heck, I stopped gun shopping in May of 2020. Inventory is low and prices are high for everything.

I only have a single Kimber...a Warrior....it is made without a FPS. Mine has been very reliable so far. Looking at the website it is no ;longer offered, only the Warrior 2/Desert Warrior. And those are above the price point.

I picked up a kimber custom tactical hd all steel well refined reliable and leaves nothing on the table for what it is. It does everything it’s supposed to do and does it well. Anything that could be improved doesn’t need to be improved. I didn’t want a project I wanted a nice addition that suited my needs and preferences.

350 rounds later

My take having shot both and owned a couple of Kimbers, the Kimbers are tighter out of the box than the Ruger, which means they require more break in and good cleaning. They also have a better trigger. But the advantages of a tighter gun (better long term wear- a better platform if you want to replace some smaller parts ) come at a cost. The Ruger should be more reliable out of the box and it's still a solid gun. I like both over the Springfields in that range which suffer from a less durable finish and some sharp edges. If you get the Kimber add the Wolf spings, on the 4" Kimbers its a great addition. I carried a CDP pro for years good gun, and a tack driver.

The TRP I have started life as a loaded. According to Springfield, the original owner bought the gun in 2003 and immediately sent it back to Springfield Custom for the TRP upgrade. It is one fine shooter. Nothing wrong with a Springfield loaded especially if you want to upgrade the pistol at a later date.

I have a blued SA loaded 1911 and a stainless “Commander” length SR 1911, both in .45 ACP.

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That Ruger is - pretty...but - after reflecting on it - the "Ruger" on the slide looks somewhat out of place.
Kind of like "Porshe" on an SUV - or something like that.
Oh well -could be worse I guess - it could have a big ole "S&W printed there.

I do like it though - the black trigger & such set it off real nice. The Kimber Stainless I have on the desk next to me seems real plain now.
If/when things open back up I might go looking for a Ruger.

I own Kimber and Ruger 1911's - I'd say pick the one you like the look or features of best.

Love my Ruger CMD-1911

I ended up buying two Dan Wessons, but I started out by trying to decide between a Springfield or a Smith & Wesson. Prior to buying my DWs I handled both of those and the Ruger.
The Ruger felt loose and wasn't as nicely finished as the Springfield.
The S&W trumped both, but it has an external extractor.
I ended up going DW, but in hindsight the S&W E series is a lot of 1911 for the money.

I'm not a big Prancing Pony guy, but I will say since you are looking at about the range and want steel, the Colt Competition is a really good option for the just under $1k range. One of the few Colt offerings that I think hits their price point right on.

Of course with Colt's bankruptcy and subsequent repurchase who knows what's going to happen to their lineup in the future but I think CZ will do right for Colt.

3Crows said:

Thanks everyone. I have learned a lot in this thread, it has guided me off into good research. Let me bother y'all once more, how about Sig in the scheme of things? I have never owned a Sig and am not terribly familiar with their products?

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I've only shot the C3 (a CCO, commander barrel, officer frame) in the past and it was a very nice, well made, 1911.

I have both a Kimber Target Eclipse II and a Ruger SR1911, and they are both fine pistols. My Kimber is more of a refined, almost a semi custom pistol, in fitting and accuracy. My Ruger OTB, actually had a better trigger pull than the Kimber at almost half the price, and it's now my full time nightstand piece. For my money, you can't beat a Ruger SR1911 if all of them are as good as mine. Don't take my comments as a Kimber put down, just stating my own personal opinion.

3Crows said:

Thanks everyone. I have learned a lot in this thread, it has guided me off into good research. Let me bother y'all once more, how about Sig in the scheme of things? I have never owned a Sig and am not terribly familiar with their products?

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SIG 1911's are pretty good. They have a Series 80 style firing pin safety and a proprietary external extractor.

Like my comment above about Kimber vs Dan Wesson, (in normal times) you can probably find a new $800 SIG 1911 which would be a good value. If the SIG 1911 you're looking at is $1,500+, you are spending money on "bling". At that price point there are better values.

3Crows said:

Thanks everyone. I have learned a lot in this thread, it has guided me off into good research. Let me bother y'all once more, how about Sig in the scheme of things? I have never owned a Sig and am not terribly familiar with their products?

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They do make attractive 1911s, even if they have external extractors that need to be replaced at the factory. On a great sale, I got one of their 938 SAS models (not a true 1911) and it's mostly good. However, I do see surprisingly heavy wear on the aluminum frame rails. Once you buy the gun and read the manual/paperwork, you will see that if TW-25B grease is not used on the rails, the warranty is voided. And that does bother me. I bought the correct grease and the wear on the rails is still prominent. Sig says this is normal and others have experienced the same issue. That also bothers me.

I don't want to start a "brand war" or knock anyone's choices but Ron Cohen is president and CEO of Sigarms USA. This is the guy who tarnished Kimber's reputation for exceptional quality (relied on by the LA SWAT team) and turned Kimber into a company that mass produced pretty, but not consistently reliable guns with poor customer service. I think since his departure, Kimber has performed much better and Sig 1911s have gotten more positive than negative reviews, and they are very good-looking. Any company can put out a lemon, but with Cohen's track record and my own 938, I am somewhat leery of Sig 1911s.

Good places for getting comparisons between the brands are:
https://www.1911talk.com/ They have it broken down by brand
https://forum.m1911.org/ Also broken down by brand
https://www.1911forum.com/forums/ Also broken down by brand

I own several 1911s by several makers. No Kimbers however. One maker that is often overlooked and is one of my favorites, is the Magnum Research Desert Eagle. Bought mine before the current lunacy for $750 ( groovy knife included ). Don't know what they'd be costing right now, but almost sure to be in line with the Kimber or Ruger ( have 2 full size SR1911s 45 ACP & 10mm ). Took awhile before I noticed the grips on the knife were actually 1911 grips.

https://www.magnumresearch.com/desert-eagle-1911/

I would take a Ruger or Springfield 1911 over any Kimber.