Kimber Custom ll Quality?

[gleaner26]

I hear from some people that the Kimber 1911's are very very good guns and then I hear they are not that good do to all the MIM parts they use. So are they good quality guns or not? The one I'm looking at is the Custom ll mainly because of it's price when compared to the Smith 1911.

 

[docnyt]

I bought one used from a fellow member here. Both it and the .22 conversion kit have been reliable after 1000 rounds+ each. I know that's just a drop in the bucket among Kimber users but that is my 2 cents.

 

[Russ Jackson]

I love my Kimber Custom II great gun...Russ

 

[Zerodefect]

The Custom II, TLE RL II, and TLE II are probally the best 1911's in that price range. S&W, Sig, Springy, RRA, RIA have all the same troubles Kimber deos.

The MIM isn't really a big deal. Lost of 1911's are filled with that. I'd recommend you look at K's basic models like the TLE and Custom II. Avoid the nightsighted models, your paying extra for obsolete sights on those.

If the MIM stuff really bother you:
-learn how to do trigger jobs, get the EB sear bar, and a hard Arkansas stone.
-get a W sear, disconnector, and hammer (W's premium linup requires very little fitting, except sear)
-EB MSH
-remove the FP safety parts, theyre MIM as well.

The only MIM parts I've seen fail are the FP safety, sear, and disco. The sear and disco took alot of shooting to kill.

Kimbers real problems are the old fashioned 3 dot nightsights, too fat front sight, horrid magazines, and the need for some ramp polishing. Nothing you can't fix yourself. Allmost all under $1000 1911 have the same issues.

 

[Chuck Warner]

I have a pretty high regard for Kimbers. I have always recommended the Custom ll as a good base platform.

I have heard LOTS of storis on broken MIM this ,that, or the other part....

I have only seen 2 so far as I recall. I like tool steel better, but the failure talk far exceeds the evidence that I have seen.

This gun is a personal training pistol and the parts were changed at 50,000 plus rnds. Zero failures. I just couldnt leave it alone



I definately like them better than S&W

Stainless w/ Blackened slide

 

[kmbrman]

Kimber Quality

I've got the Custom 11 entry level gun,and have fired untold numers of rounds through it. Fires great and as accurately as I'm capable of. Only addition was to add Novak Extreme Adjustable sights to it, as it had the all black sights when new. No trouble in any of the parts, also the one I've got has the EE like S&W, no problems there either. Great pistol from day one!

 

[Jonah71]

I've got an old 2003 Pro II that has been great. Except for the inflated prices I don't understand a lot of the complaints with so few praises. Could be that Kimber owners are too busy shooting their Kimbers to write reviews. I seriously doubt if I ever own a new Kimber, but the $500 I spent for my old double stack was one of my better buys. I certainly have no plans to sell it.

 

[matai]

I love my Custom TLE II, no problems at all

 

[Jed Carter]

Kimber owners run hot and cold, then again, owners of any pistol do the same on THR. You may get all three opinions in three posts, good, bad, indifferent. I'm not a Kimber owner nor a want to own, and it does not have anything to do with how good a Kimber is, or is not. I just do not want a 1911 with the firing pin lock/safety. A Kimber without the II is a different story, no firing pin lock.

 

[swinokur]

I love my Custom TLE II, no problems at all

same here. 1k rounds not a hiccup.

I think the sheer number of guns that Kimber makes might be responsible for the perceived high number of complaints.

You seldom hear compliments on anything, but you always hear the complaining. I like my TLE. Just wish I'd bought the SS model.

 

[MCMXI]

I hear from some people that the Kimber 1911's are very very good guns and then I hear they are not that good do to all the MIM parts they use. So are they good quality guns or not? The one I'm looking at is the Custom ll mainly because of it's price when compared to the Smith 1911.

I have a Tactical Entry II that came with Meprolight night sights and they're excellent sights (not sure why Zerodefect thinks otherwise). I really, really like this pistol and it runs 100% reliably with reloads (185gr LSWC and 200gr LRNFP) or factory ammunition (230gr FMJ) with Wilson Combat magazines. It is extremely accurate and without a doubt it's the most accurate semi-auto that I own. Kimber only includes one magazine but since that magazine doesn't work too well, who cares!! If you're worried about MIM parts, and you probably shouldn't be, you can replace them with more expensive parts from Ed Brown or similar as required i.e. if/when they break. I just spent a lot of money on a bunch of Ed Brown parts with the aim to replace a few parts right away such as the ambidextrous safety, hammer pin and slide stop. I'd like to get the trigger to 3lb or slightly less so I'm also going to replace the hammer, sear, disconnector and sear spring. I'll keep the remaining parts on hand in case of any failures.