Colt or Kimber 1911

[jschroed]

I am down to a Colt XSE Gov't SS or a Kimber something. I have a question about the safety systems on these guns. I have heard the safey on the Kimber II is not desired my some, as well some Colt models.

Which models and why isn't the firing pin safety liked. Feel free to add any other thounts about these guns too.

 

[MaterDei]

Both are good guns. Personally, I don't like the looks of the Colt SS, too blingy for my tastes but your tastes might vary.

The Kimber 1911s do have a firing pin safety but it is passive and disengaged by the grip safety so there is no impact on the trigger. I hear a lot of complaining about it but am not sure why.

 

[PRM]

If SS is what you want ~ I'd go with the Colt.

I have over the last 30 years only owned Colt 1911s. Sort of summed up what a 1911 is to me. Sold my last one a couple of years ago.

Something about a 1911 always calls you back. I recently bought a Remington 1911 R1. Wow!!! Is all I can say. This gun has been flawless as far as shooting out of the box. Accuracy is tops for a basic 1911 with a few essential upgrades.

Better than any of my previous Colts in stock configuration. In fairness, it does comes with a SS bushing, match barrel, beveled magazine well, lowered ejection port, and three dot sight system as standard features. Something that was after market on my older Colts.

I bought mine off of Gun Broker for $539. From what I have seen, mid $550s to the low $600s seems to be a going price. It definitely will not break the bank.

I talked some of the factory reps and was told that the frames and slides are made in Ilion, NY, with some of the smaller parts sub-contracted. The guns are built at the NY facility.

The only negative I have found was with the front sight. After about 300 rounds the front sight was getting loose. Close inspection revealed the set screw was stripped out. The front sight on the R1 is dove-tailed in with a set screw to secure it (Novak Sight). I called Remington and had a new sight and screw within a week. I replaced the damaged sight and as I applied pressure on the new set screw, I felt it stripping out??? I removed it and applied red Locktite to dove-tail and the threads on the new screw. After centering the sight, I was able to tighten it down and expect no further problems.

This is one top shelf 1911 at a very affordable price.

 

[MICHAEL T]

That choice would be Colt. My Kimber wasn't all that great I had Colts but wanted a Kimber . Traded Kimber off fairly quick.

 

[_JD_]

Both a majority of Kimbers and Colts use a mechanical firing pin safety. The Colt safety is used by most 1911 makers and is a little more robust than the Kimber design. The Colt style actuates off the trigger and some claim that they can feel the difference. I for one, can not. I prefer the different approach of a lighter pin and heavier firing pin spring, but if I had to choose between the Kimber style or Colt style, I'd take the Colt. the Kimber safety actuates of the grip safety and pin that moves the safety block seems pretty fragile and I've seen a couple get broken due to negligence of the user during reassembly.

Colt stepped up on their XSE line in 2011 and now have genuine Novak sights and a "proper" beavertail grip safety.

Having had four Kimbers and two Colts, I'd stick with Colt.

Kimber firing pin safety:




Colt Firing Pin Safety:



S&W uses somewhat of a hybrid of the two...

 

[Balrog]

Do Series 70 Colts have any firing pin safety?

 

[w2fnt]

NO! Springfield gets around the drop safety issue by using a 9 mm titanium firing pin with a real heavy spring set up. RIA and all other Series 70's I have seen are just like the original 1911a1.

 

[squarles67]

IMHO most people dislike the firing pin safety because it seems "popular" and "that's not the way JMB designed it"

My preference is Colt, I have several with and without the series 80 FP safety. With a really light trigger pull you can feel it but just barely.

The series 70 Colt does not have the FP safety

 

[ugaarguy]

Once you have a firing pin block plunger break and turn your pistol into a short club the thought that "there's nothing wrong pin safeties on a 1911" will leave your mind quick, fast, and in a hurry.

If I have to buy a Colt it'll be 70 series or earlier. If I have to buy a Kimber it'll be a pre-Series II. I'll stick new Springfields in the Colt / Kimber price range.

 

[MCMXI]

Why do people go on and on about Kimber's firing pin safety? :banghead: If you don't like it, REMOVE IT! It takes all of 20 minutes to disassemble the pistol, remove the connecting lever that the sear pin passes through, drift off the rear sight and then remove the plunger and spring from the slide. If you want to be extra cautious, invest in a $17 titanium firing pin from Colt and you're done. I've done this to both of my Kimbers and it's no big deal.

As for the original question, I don't own a Colt 1911 but I've handled and shot a bunch. I'm sure you'll be happy with a Colt. The stainless rail gun that my friend bought recently is a really nice pistol. You might also be happy with a Kimber ... I know I am.

 

[mljdeckard]

My Kimber is the best handgun I have ever owned. Not it is NOT the ONLY handgun I have ever owned. That includes my Colt 1991. It wasn't bad at all, but it didn't shoot nearly as well as my Kimber.

As for the safety, I see no need to play with it. I am more likely to break something in trying to remove it than have something go wrong with it from regular use. In all fairness, yes, you do need to make sure you don't shear off the plunger when you re-assemble it.

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

get a springfield armory. no ridiculous safety that adds unnecessary extra parts, and you get more features/better fit for the money than colt. IMO

 

[Zerodefect]

Depends which Colt model. Get one without the series 80 junk. I tend to like the Colt Rail Gun and Special Gov. Models because they have a nicer bump grip safety and series 70 guts.

As said above, I wouldn't sweat the Kimber FP safety. You can remove the finger on your first detail strip, and the plunger and spring can be removed by replacing the rear sights. Kimbers have pretty lame factory sights anyways, so change those out ASAP.

 

[CDW4ME]

Not yet mentioned, but might be a consideration: the Colt has a stainless barrel, only a couple of Kimber's models have a stainless barrel, the others are "in the white"; if you decide to go with "in the white" keep it oiled.

 

[Balrog]

I tend to like the Colt Rail Gun and Special Gov. Models because they have a nicer bump grip safety and series 70 guts.

I was told by the guys at the 1911forum.com that the Colt Rail Gun is a Series 80, which means it would have a firing pin safety. Don't know about the Special Govt.

 

[Dr Who]

"Why do people go on and on about Kimber's firing pin safety? If you don't like it, REMOVE IT! It takes all of 20 minutes to disassemble the pistol, remove the connecting lever that the sear pin passes through, drift off the rear sight and then remove the plunger and spring from the slide. If you want to be extra cautious, invest in a $17 titanium firing pin from Colt and you're done. I've done this to both of my Kimbers and it's no big deal.
"

Sorry to go off topic, and not to be a smart ass but the Kimber rear sights are crushed fitted /installed with a hydralic press and reported to be not all that easy to get off without wrecking the sight and /or slide. How did you do it ??


Oh, to the OP I would look at the Springfield Mil Spec`s.

 

[Zerodefect]

I put my Kimber slide in a vice between two pieces of soft plywood. (leftover model airplane 1/4" plywood, I'm not sure if real plywood is harder?)

Wacked the rear sight with a regular sized claw hammer and steel punch three times. Kimber sights are easy to remove.

You can allways saw a line down the center of the sight, left to right, with a dremel cutting wheel. Then even mighty XD sights will fall right off.

I've never had trouble getting sights off with that technique. Filing down new sights and fitting them tightly without needing those lame setscrews is the hardpart.

 

[varoadking]

 

[batex]

Most definitely get the Colt. The Kimber I had was unreliable. Yes, I know that my experience is with a sample of one gun but that was enough for me. The Kimber was "pretty", but my Colts have never had any of the mechanical problems my Kimber had and that is enough for me.

 

[JROC]

I'm very happy with my Colt Combat Elite. It is very good.

Not sure why so many hate on the Series 80 as my gun has a very nice trigger pull.

 

[MCMXI]

not to be a smart ass but the Kimber rear sights are crushed fitted /installed with a hydralic press and reported to be not all that easy to get off without wrecking the sight and /or slide. How did you do it ??

As Zerodefect mentioned, I put the slide between two pieces of wood in a vice and used a brass punch to drift the rear sight off. I've done this to two Kimbers without any problem at all. My TEII sights are dead nuts on but I need to move the rear sight of the Raptor to the right about 0.050". I really should buy a 1911 sight installation tool. I have a really good one for my SIGs and it makes sight removal/installation/adjustment easy.

I shot a USPSA match today (single stack) and one of the new shooters had a brand new Springfield Range Officer. I was really impressed with his pistol. He was shooting it for the first time and it ran through 150 rounds of 230gr FMJ without a single issue. It's a well built pistol with no barrel play, a decent trigger and good rail to frame fit .... an excellent choice for under $800.