Kimber LW or Springfield Garrison?

[twofewscrews]

I'm torn between getting a Kimber Custom LW (45 Auto) or a Springfield Armory Garrison (45 Auto).

Price is the same. The Kimber comes with more magazines but that's irrelevant to me.

Reliability is the name of the game.

My time is limited. This will not be a carry gun, although that always a possibility, this purchase will be a range toy/safe queen/my first 1911.

Which one would you buy? Why?

Thank for your input,

Screws

 

[Balrog]

I have been collecting, trading, and shooting 1911s for about 30 years. Springfield Armory is generally more reliable than Kimber. The Kimber you are looking at has an aluminum alloy frame. I like that for commander length 1911s intended to be conceal carried. But not sure I would want alloy frame on a full size gun, especially if I was mainly going to shoot it for pleasure a lot.

 

[twofewscrews]

I have been collecting, trading, and shooting 1911s for about 30 years. Springfield Armory is generally more reliable than Kimber. The Kimber you are looking at has an aluminum alloy frame. I like that for commander length 1911s intended to be conceal carried. But not sure I would want alloy frame on a full size gun, especially if I was mainly going to shoot it for pleasure a lot.

This is mostly going to be a range toy/safe queen so weight/shootability for pleasure is definitely a major factor.

My time is limited these days so my primary concern is reliability as my range time is now limited to only an hour or two a week and in the future may be less then that. I will not have time to "make" a 1911 work or the money (which is still time) to pay someone else to do so. I want to be able to purchase and enjoy.

Thanks for your input.

Screws

 

[TomJ]

I haven't owned a Kimber, but own some Springfield Armory's, including a Mil Spec 1911 (actually my son's). We've had good luck with them, and when I did have an issue with an EMP I owned their customer service was excellent.

 

[dh1633pm]

Never had a Kimber 45, but I do have a SA Range Officer. Flawless. I do have a Kimber revolver, its flawless, but its not a 45. Not sure I would want an alloy frame. Not that their bad. I just like iron and steel.

 

[md7]

Never had a Kimber, but have had good experiences with SA. My Mil Spec hasn’t had any issues in almost 4,000 rounds.

Had an undersized fps in a SA Loaded that caused some bobbles due to clocking. Swapped it, and zero trouble since.

 

[Anchorite]

Springfield enjoys a better track record. A range toy needs not be an alloy framed gun.

 

[nettlle]

I have a Kimber. Buy the Springfield.

 

[Gary W. Strange]

I own 1911s made by Colt, Springfield armory, Kimber, and the last one I bought was Dan Wesson. It’s a V-Bob, Commander length with a bobtail grip frame. It’s better fitted and finished than my other 1911s, it’s head and shoulders above the Kimber. The Kimber come from the factory with a plastic main spring housing. I replaced it with a steel main spring housing. The Dan Wesson cost quite a bit more than a Kimber or Springfield, but you get what you pay for and it’s more gun. I did put wood grips on it, in place of the g10 factory grips.

 

[Boom Vang]

I don't have a Springfield Garrison. But a client bought one. It's decently accurate for a service-grade pistol, and also completely reliable with 230 FMJ ammo. However, it's full of sharp edges everywhere. I don't care for that.

I do have a Kimber LW. Mine is a limited production FDE from three years ago. Despite the light weight, this pistol is very accurate, and also 100% reliable. It is as accurate as any of my Dan Wessons, and although I have an Ed Brown that edges it out, it's not by much. Maybe mine is an anomaly, but it's usuable right out of the box. I'm partial to my own preference in 1911s, so did replace a few things more to my liking.

Here it is stock except for trigger, hammer/sear and grip panels:


And here it is with additional tritium front sight, thumb safety, slide stop and modified Pachmayr grips:


I would say that if you are planning shooting 50 rounds every week out of a 1911, a steel frame would be a better choice in terms of durability over 20 years. I bought this as a carry pistol and in that regard it's a good choice in my experience.

 

[Riomouse911]

I have a couple of Kimbers, a 5” Stainless Target II and a 3.5” Ultra Carry II, both in 9mm. I also have a Springfield Ronin 4.25” 9mm. Of the three, the Ronin is probably my favorite one, but the ST II is more accurate and didn’t need a Cylinder & Slide Kit to improve the trigger pull like the Ronin needed.

In .45, no Kimbers but a couple of Springfields and a Ruger. (I’m leaving the high dollar 1911’s out of this.) The 5” all steel SA Loaded is a pretty nice pistol. The Ruger SR1911 is a 4.25” with an alloy frame. (The other SA is a 6” long slide .45 Super. Also now a high dollar gun because it’s not very common and no longer made.) The Ruger shoots better for me than the Loaded does. I think it’s the sights, and also the very smooth 4.5 lb trigger that the SR1911 came with.

Personally, I find SA and Kimber are pretty much on the same plane. Neither one has much over the other when similar grade guns are compared. I’ll suggest giving the guns that you are looking at a handle, try the triggers, etc. and pick the one that you like best.

Stay safe.

 

[horsemen61]

I say get the garrison I think it’s a better gun all the way around………..

 

[Charlie98]

This is mostly going to be a range toy/safe queen so weight/shootability for pleasure is definitely a major factor.

Then the choice is clear... the Springfield.

I have 2 4" Kimbers... a stainless steel Eclipse, and an alloy Pro Carry... basically the same pistol, minus a few doodads, and, of course, the alloy frame. I prefer carrying the Pro Carry, but I prefer range shooting with the heavier, all steel Eclipse. I would not buy an alloy 1911 as a range pistol. If you want to compare apples to apples, then look at a Kimber Custom II vs the Garrison...

Clockwise from top... Custom II two-tone, alloy-frame Pro Carry, Pro Eclipse II...

 

[halfmoonclip]

Well, I'll toss in the obligatory 'buy a Colt', simply because it's a great idea, and should be worth more down the road.
Have a look at a Colt Competition.
Whatever you get, go with an all steel 1911 for a start. You can experiment with other versions, down the road.
Are you determined to get a .45ACP?
Moon

 

[Roverguy]

I like my Kimber Team Match II (.38 Super) very much. Don’t own anything Springfield Armory.

 

[twofewscrews]

Are you determined to get a .45ACP?

For my first 1911, yes.

In the future no.

 

[Charlie98]

What's funny is... I came from a Springfield stainless Government model... sold it (actually, gave it to my brother... who still owes me for it 20 years later...) and bought my first Kimber. It wasn't a bad pistol, but it was not my Kimber Pro Eclipse II.... of course, it didn't cost as much, either.

Circling back to the OP's original question... I voted for the Springfield, and only because it's a steel frame pistol, not alloy. At the end of the day, the OP will need to pick up each pistol, and let the pistol tell him which one is for him.

 

[buttrap]

Here I went with the Garrison and I really like it and prefer it over my colt to shoot.

 

[ulflyer]

I'm torn between getting a Kimber Custom LW (45 Auto) or a Springfield Armory Garrison (45 Auto).

Price is the same. The Kimber comes with more magazines but that's irrelevant to me.

Reliability is the name of the game.

My time is limited. This will not be a carry gun, although that always a possibility, this purchase will be a range toy/safe queen/my first 1911.

Which one would you buy? Why?

Thank for your input,

Screws

I've got both and find they are equal in reliability and accuracy, but choosing only one, it has to be the Garrison as it is heavier and soaks up recoil slightly better. Should u decide on a Kimber, factory is offering a "Winter Redemption" of 2 free mags and $75 worth of stuff from Kimber until the end of Feb '25.

 

[jonb32248]

Hickok45 has a good video on YT on the Garrison.

 

[nettlle]

I have a Kimber. Buy the Springfield.

 

[v8stang289]

For a pure range gun, I'd probably go with the Springfield due to the steel frame, as it should hold up better as round count goes up.
But either should serve you well.
I have 7 Kimber 1911's and they've all been great from the start.
My most recent Kimber is a LW that I got mainly to use as a suppressor host.
I like that the LW is a series 70 type. It's been accurate and reliable for me.
Good luck with whichever one you choose. The 1911 is my favorite platform.

 

[C-grunt]

I've had really good experience with Springfield 1911s. All of mine have been reliable and accurate.

My dad had a Kimber Gold Medal he bought back in the mid 2000s. It was not reliable. He spent a good amount if money at a gunsmith to get it running. After that is been shooting great for years. I have it now that he had passed. He put something like 30k rounds through it over the years.

A buddy of mine has a Kimber from the mid 2000s too. His is one of the models with an external extractor. He had problems with it new but Kimber fixed it. He still has it and it's been pretty reliable.

Kimber does have a somewhat poor reputation from their guns from the mid 2000s to early 2010s. Supposedly there were QA/QC issues. From my experience that is true. But I've heard, and experienced, that newer Kimbers are much improved. I know a few guys with newer Kimbers and haven't seen or heard any negative experiences that I can remember.

I agree with everyone else that buying an aluminum frame 1911 for a range gun is not a great idea. Especially in 45.

 

[Walkalong]

I don't like 5" tops on lightweight frames when it comes to 1911s, lots of muzzle flip. 4" or 3" lightweight are OK, for carrying. Full sized all steel 1911s for shooting.

 

[dla]

For your purposes, the all steel SA will be a better range gun.
The alloy frame Kimber would be nicer to carry.

Reliability between the two is a wash.

However, at one time Kimber was selling for a good deal less - but I don't know current prices.