Do you love your Kimber?
- Thread starter Impala
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Master Blaster
Member
Two Kimbers here, a Custom Classic target bought in 1999 with about 12-15,000 rounds through it almost all LSWC target handloads, and TLE II internal extractor bought in 2004 about 4,000 rounds down range mix of full power and target handloads.
Both 100% reliable only recoil springs changed, and only 16lb springs used. reliable with 4 different kinds of magazines I own. Accuracy as good or better than my Colt Gold cup, fit Much Much Tighter than the gold cup.
I am a very pleased Kimber owner.
Both 100% reliable only recoil springs changed, and only 16lb springs used. reliable with 4 different kinds of magazines I own. Accuracy as good or better than my Colt Gold cup, fit Much Much Tighter than the gold cup.
I am a very pleased Kimber owner.
schmeky
Member
I have an early model Classic Custom I have lightly modified. This pistol is like magic as far as accuarcy is concerned. Reliability has been excellent as well. Prefer it over any Colt I have ever owned (still have a pair of Colts).
Not for sale.
Not for sale.
nonquixote
Member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2003
- Messages
- 196
Yes I do. A few years ago I decided I needed a 1911 after trying a friend's tuned Springfield. I decided to fondle as many as I could in the $500-1000 price range and buy the one with the best trigger out of the box. The lucky winner was my Stainless Custom II. It is now one of my most accurate pistols and has functioned great for over 3000 rounds.
Sniper X
Member
Impala I have three and love them all. I regretably sold one and never will again unless it is to get another one. I have a total of 9 1911s and love them all but could shoot all the Kimbers great right out of the box. I too fell in love with my first Kimber after the first mag and loooking at the target...all I could say was WOW.....i shot a group off hand at 20 yards and it was about 2.5in....thiswas before I got good at 1911s.
orionengnr
Member
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2005
- Messages
- 5,713
Nah, maybe more like a Ferarri...
And yes, I love my Stainless Ultra Carry II.
mljdeckard
Member
I carried many pistols before I went back to a Kimber Custom II. I dropped the full-length guide rod for a G.I plug, and I will put in a arched MSH. I regard it as perfect, and I'll probably be buried with it.
I shot a Nighthawk at Impact. $2700 sticker. I have absolutely no idea what it is supposed to do that mine can't. I'm reminded of Vincent Vega: "WOW!! That's the best milkshake I've ever tasted. But it ain't worth five dollars."
Some of the 1911 snobs in here, (oh yes I DID just SAY THAT,) will try to convince you that if your 1911 has metal-injection-molded parts, it is guaranteed to break. Mine hasn't after 10,000 rounds, and they survived the LAPD SWAT testing. I think you would be MORE upset if you spent $2700 on a 1911 and had the SAME THING happen.
I shot a Nighthawk at Impact. $2700 sticker. I have absolutely no idea what it is supposed to do that mine can't. I'm reminded of Vincent Vega: "WOW!! That's the best milkshake I've ever tasted. But it ain't worth five dollars."
Some of the 1911 snobs in here, (oh yes I DID just SAY THAT,) will try to convince you that if your 1911 has metal-injection-molded parts, it is guaranteed to break. Mine hasn't after 10,000 rounds, and they survived the LAPD SWAT testing. I think you would be MORE upset if you spent $2700 on a 1911 and had the SAME THING happen.
Bazooka Joe71
Member
Sure do!
I only own one...An ecliplse custom II .45. After the 300 rd break in period, I've shot roughly 2200-2500 rds through it without a hiccup, and the accuracy is a awesome to boot. It eats everything I feed it and just begs for more; I think it might have a tape worm because it never gets full!
I only own one...An ecliplse custom II .45. After the 300 rd break in period, I've shot roughly 2200-2500 rds through it without a hiccup, and the accuracy is a awesome to boot. It eats everything I feed it and just begs for more; I think it might have a tape worm because it never gets full!
KentuckyBoy
Member
Absolutely!! Just got an Ultra Carry last Saturday at a Gun Show, put 150 rounds through it on Sunday with no problems and some of the best groups I have ever put on paper. I'm already scheming on how to sneak another past the wife....
Stinger1
Member
Yes I certainly do love my/our Kimbers . . .
Heh. There are several Kimbers in our family, and we love them all. Maybe we've been lucky, but there have been no problems of any kind with them.
My wife is a Navy veteran (Viet Nam Era) and was trained on a Colt 1911 Gold Cup, with which she qualified Expert. Much as I hate to admit it, she can still out-shoot me when she has a mind to. She's always wanted a stainless-steel Gold Cup, but either we couldn't afford it, or they weren't available in our area. So we got her a Kimber Eclipse Target II instead. At 50 ft, she can put 5 shots into one ragged hole, all day long. Dammit. Some time later, I came across a great deal on a stainless Colt Gold Cup, and bought it for her birthday. When the day came, I gave it to her with the proviso that I would "inherit" the Kimber. Her response was: "You take the Gold Cup, I'll keep the Kimber, thank you very much."
I do believe she made the right choice. The Colt is great, but the Kimber is IMHO tighter and more accurate.
Go figure...
Albert
P.S. Blessed is he who can shoot well, and has a wife who can shoot better!
My wife is a Navy veteran (Viet Nam Era) and was trained on a Colt 1911 Gold Cup, with which she qualified Expert. Much as I hate to admit it, she can still out-shoot me when she has a mind to. She's always wanted a stainless-steel Gold Cup, but either we couldn't afford it, or they weren't available in our area. So we got her a Kimber Eclipse Target II instead. At 50 ft, she can put 5 shots into one ragged hole, all day long. Dammit. Some time later, I came across a great deal on a stainless Colt Gold Cup, and bought it for her birthday. When the day came, I gave it to her with the proviso that I would "inherit" the Kimber. Her response was: "You take the Gold Cup, I'll keep the Kimber, thank you very much."
I do believe she made the right choice. The Colt is great, but the Kimber is IMHO tighter and more accurate.
Go figure...
Albert
P.S. Blessed is he who can shoot well, and has a wife who can shoot better!
Doctor Suarez
Member
Proud owner of a GM II here.
She had some teething problems early on. Hated the Federal non-toxic rounds, and had failures to fully close with Blazer Brass (which had fairly rough cases.)
Since then, however, so long as I use Federal AE or Winchester USA, or the shiny factory reloads at my range, she's been a peach. The external extractor works perfectly, she functions like a champ, and is a real tack-driver, far more precise an instrument than her owner.
I never went back to the cheaper ammo, but the gun has lost some of that tightness that you get with a brand-new match-type gun. Since those early days, she's been perfect. I now trust her completely.
And those 1911 ergonomics... Oy vey. It's the most fun you can have with your hand since you were 14.
She had some teething problems early on. Hated the Federal non-toxic rounds, and had failures to fully close with Blazer Brass (which had fairly rough cases.)
Since then, however, so long as I use Federal AE or Winchester USA, or the shiny factory reloads at my range, she's been a peach. The external extractor works perfectly, she functions like a champ, and is a real tack-driver, far more precise an instrument than her owner.
I never went back to the cheaper ammo, but the gun has lost some of that tightness that you get with a brand-new match-type gun. Since those early days, she's been perfect. I now trust her completely.
And those 1911 ergonomics... Oy vey. It's the most fun you can have with your hand since you were 14.
HorseSoldier
Member
I'm extremely happy with both of mine. I would not hesitate to buy another Kimber is I was looking for another 1911 and there was a Kimber design that had the features I was looking for.
2TransAms
Member
I've had three Kimbers,and still own a TLE. Runs like a champ,external extractor and all. Being a gun-swapper, I sold a Stainless Target and traded an Eclipse but I just can't let go of the TLE.
Maybe not on this board,but go to a forum dedicated to the 1911 and see what kind of poop gets slung around.
BrennanKG
Member
I've had my Gold Combat stainless (pre-Series II) for 6 or 7 years. I love it. The only failures I've ever encountered with it were due to some faulty ammo from Triton.
Other than that: dirty, clean, factory ammo, reloads, and many different shooters, it has performed admirably. It's heading to Dave Severns this year for bobtailing and some other light customizing.
B.
Other than that: dirty, clean, factory ammo, reloads, and many different shooters, it has performed admirably. It's heading to Dave Severns this year for bobtailing and some other light customizing.
B.
GOLD COMBAT
I put purchased a blued gold combat model 10 years ago, paid around 1500.00 for it. It is the most accurate .45 I have ever owned, it shoots flawlessly and have never experienced a malfunction. I also own Les Baers and custom colt .45's, but always seem to go back to shooting the kimber.
I put purchased a blued gold combat model 10 years ago, paid around 1500.00 for it. It is the most accurate .45 I have ever owned, it shoots flawlessly and have never experienced a malfunction. I also own Les Baers and custom colt .45's, but always seem to go back to shooting the kimber.
HMMurdock
Member
I've got a Kimber Gold Match Stainless I .45 and she's been perfect. I've owned a lot of quality 1911s (Sig GSR, Springfield TRP, etc.) and this has definately been my favorite. No complaints whatosever. As far as 1911's are concerned, she's 100%.
TRL
TRL
High Planes Drifter
Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2006
- Messages
- 1,204
I've had a consistant FTRTB probelm with my Calssic Custom. I followed 1911Tuners advice to no avail. I've swapped mags, and ammo. What can I say, I paid over 7 hundred bucks for the thing new.? I sent it back to Kimber, no improvent.
BTW, I havent read the results before posting this if this makes a difference or not.
BTW, I havent read the results before posting this if this makes a difference or not.
Tom Servo
Member
I've got a Series II CDP Compact (Officer frame, 4" barrel) that I'm quite happy with.
Yes, it's got the firing-pin safety, the external extractor and all the other Portents of Doom, but barring 2 FTF in the first 20 rounds (when the gun was *tight*), I've not had a failure in over 2000 rounds. It's sometimes gotten 300 rounds or so in one sitting, and it works just as well dirty.
It's marvelously accurate, and for some reason, felt recoil is less than my lightweight Commander.
Yes, it's got the firing-pin safety, the external extractor and all the other Portents of Doom, but barring 2 FTF in the first 20 rounds (when the gun was *tight*), I've not had a failure in over 2000 rounds. It's sometimes gotten 300 rounds or so in one sitting, and it works just as well dirty.
It's marvelously accurate, and for some reason, felt recoil is less than my lightweight Commander.
never_summer
Member
my kimber has barely had any problems with the first 650 rounds put thru it. About 5 failure to extract, but mostly slide lock issues. Noticed the slide lock starts to happen later as the rounds start going up. Overall im still shooting about 2" at 20 yards, but still havent managed to pull them over. Cant get the trigger pull down and im grouping 2" to the left of the bullseye dead center. I will definitely be getting some more 1911's in the future and have confidence in kimber even thou some of the bad reports on them
sm
member
Agree
Never seen me type the "L" word either and you won't hear me say it either.
Older original Kimbers back in the day I liked better than the one Series I Steel Target I kept, or any of the other bone stock Series I's I have had.
I do not do Series II.
Kimber still makes a nice gun, just w-a-y too much line extension, guilty of forgetting "what brung 'em up" and I really do not like duckbutts , curb feelers and fuzzy dice on 1911s.
No Sir, I do not
I have a jammo-matic Eclipse Custom II. That POS has jammed at least once every 100 rounds or so. I must have shot about 5000 rounds through it. Used 3 different brands of magazines, and 8 different brands of ammo (from cheap to expensive.)
I also sent it in for repair once. It took 6 weeks.
I called them up after a month and it sounded like they forgot about it. :banghead:
Today will actually be the last day I own my Kimber. Found a buyer willing to put up with all it troubles (at a greatly reduced price.)
But when it does work, oh boy it is accurate.
I have a jammo-matic Eclipse Custom II. That POS has jammed at least once every 100 rounds or so. I must have shot about 5000 rounds through it. Used 3 different brands of magazines, and 8 different brands of ammo (from cheap to expensive.)
I also sent it in for repair once. It took 6 weeks.
I called them up after a month and it sounded like they forgot about it. :banghead: Today will actually be the last day I own my Kimber. Found a buyer willing to put up with all it troubles (at a greatly reduced price.)
But when it does work, oh boy it is accurate.
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