Kimber vs. Springfield at combat last night

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kthomk

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So last night I go to shoot combat and take 2 guns. A Springfield XD 9 Tactical and a Kimber Custom Target. I brought a couple hundred rounds for each of my reloads. The Springfield ran flawlessly and the Kimber fell on its face. Failure to feed, eject, etc. This is not intended to be a hate or bashing thread as they are both my guns. I just found it rather humorous that my big dollar Kimber couldn't keep up with the cheap, workhorse Springfield 9. Needless to say I will be investigating the problem! :)
 
My Kimber Custom II has never failed me, neither has my Kimber Eclipse Ultra II, neither did my Springfield XD9 (before I sold it to get the Eclipse Ultra II).....
 
So last night I go to shoot combat and take 2 guns. A Springfield XD 9 Tactical and a Kimber Custom Target. I brought a couple hundred rounds for each of my reloads. The Springfield ran flawlessly and the Kimber fell on its face. Failure to feed, eject, etc. This is not intended to be a hate or bashing thread as they are both my guns. I just found it rather humorous that my big dollar Kimber couldn't keep up with the cheap, workhorse Springfield 9. Needless to say I will be investigating the problem! :)
Some 1911's need some tweaking from the factory. I took Springfield loaded that would malfunction every 6-8 rds. Did some polishing on the feedramp and runs 100%. Good mags and ammo and I haven't had a malfunction in a long time.

I will tell you when you get the Kimber or a 1911 model running, its like night and day. You really get spoiled with their trigger system :)
 
I will tell you when you get the Kimber or a 1911 model running, its like night and day. You really get spoiled with their trigger system

I've had to do a few things to Kel-Tecs, Llama's, Century Mil-surps and such to "get 'em running". For less expensive guns, that's acceptable. For $1K "custom" pieces, meh, not so much.
 
Some 1911's need some tweaking from the factory.
one of the many reasons that i don't carry and or have one anymore. why should i have to have a gun that is usually more costly than a glock and or xd and have to get "tweaking" done on it out of the box when i can get something that is gonna run hard and at 100% all the time for less?
 
It might be your reloads not the kimber. What bullet are you using? What is the OAL? I always run my finished 45acp reloads through a Lee factory crimp die after I make my rounds to resize the case. If I don't some of the cases will have a slight bulge from the bullet which will hamper feeding. You should be able to just drop the rounds in the barrel smoothly if you want to check them. Mark
 
In my experience kimbers tend to have tight chambers so with lead reloads I always crimp untill the rounds drop in and out of my chamber gage. My 9mm loads I alow to be pushed (gently) into and out of the gage, but not 45. Magazines are also really important, I use chip mcormick mags. A quick polish of the feed ramp can help with feeding as well.
 
one of the many reasons that i don't carry and or have one anymore. why should i have to have a gun that is usually more costly than a glock and or xd and have to get "tweaking" done on it out of the box when i can get something that is gonna run hard and at 100% all the time for less?
Why buy a Mustang when you can get a Honda civic that will be 100% reliable and get you from A to B for less?

All personal preference.

I would say in my experience, some minor polishing on a factory 1911 in the right places can make a big difference. However this does not need to be done. To answer you question : You should not need this "tweaking" done of a factory piece that is brand new. Ship the gun back to Kimber and tell them to make it right. If they don't - get a Springfield and they will.
 
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I've been tempted to buy a couple brands, like Springfield, etc, to try them out but it comes down to, "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

So I just keep buying Kimbers.:)

The reload thing? I have no trouble with my reloads.:D

45and38reloads.gif
 
i have had the same problem, i have two kimbers a eclipse pro and a sis full size and my little 3.8 xdm will run laps around the sis but the eclipse im proud to say shoots right there with the ol xdm. the sis gives me headaches with hage opens, dubble feeds, stove pipes ect, even while shooting the best winchester has to offer.
 
Every time I read where someone has a pos Kimber in the next week or so I get a case of what-ifs, grab my fullsize Raptor II off the bedside table and run a couple mags through it.

hmmm ... worked again... go figure.

If nothing else the more I hang around here the more practice I get with it :rolleyes:
 
Where are all these POS Kimbers for sale by the disgruntled owners? I would love to help someone unload the "junk MIMbers".
 
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