thoughts on Kimber

Status
Not open for further replies.
I have a Kimber Classic with an Oregon Stamped frame, apparently made before Kimbers' move to Yonkers. Anybody have any idea of how many of them are about?
Click to expand...



I think there are around 5000 or so of these Clackamas Kimbers. Great 1911 but they weren't made in Clackamas Oregon. They were made in the Yonkers plant and shipped to Clackamas because Kimber didn't have the FFL for the NY facility. The plant in NY which used to be Jerico Precision was putting out some top notch 1911 parts including slides and frames for Wilson Combat.
 
Last edited:
I've owned my Kimber Custom Target II for about 10 months now. I put 2000+ rounds through it and it has yet to fail. I can't comment on the customer service cause I haven't needed it yet. I go shooting probably once every 2 weeks so I have to get the cheapest ammo possible to keep it a bit economical. It has shot CCI Blazer, Remington UMC, WWB, Aguila, even one box of Wolf and not one single issue.
kimber50shots.jpg
This was 50 rounds at 30 ft, that just shows how well I shoot, the gun is better.
 
I just shot a Kimber Custom 2 tonight. Great gun. It was a range rental, but I'll be buying one of my own in time.

I've shot a few other Kimbers too. There wasn't one I wouldn't have loved to own.
 
After I figured out I had a bad magazine and fixed it my Kimber Pro Carry Ten II shoots big ragged holes at 10-15yds. Before I solved the problem I had a total of 4 FTF's. Keep a Kimber well lubricated and it'll run like a sewing machine, don't and you'll have issues with it.
 
I am shooting a Kimber Custom II, and have never had any problem with the Shwartz (sp) safety. Replaced the plastic MSH with an Ed Brown and running Wilson springs. Other than that, the usual pickyness of a 1911 with magazines has been the only issue through about 4.5k rounds.
 
I own a CDPII and an Ultra Carry II LG. The CDP had a couple of failures to return to battery in the first couple hundred rounds, but nothing since and it's over 1,000 now. The Ultra Carry was flawless right out of the box, but only has a little over 300 rounds through it so far.
 
brand names aside i am with the bellow
How can one compare a CZ to a 1911, anyway? (I do like many of CZ's offerings, but really, now ...)
Click to expand...

i think that kimber has some great guns out there, the tle, the warrior, the det 1 etc. but the biggets problem for them is the fact that they get a good thing going and it seems that they start selling lots if guns and the qc starts slipping bad. they make great stuff and when the gun is right it is right but when the gun ain't right it really isn't right. they do make and sell more 1911's than any other company out there, i am gonna stay away form them basically because i am a sa loyalist but if i find a good deal on one than i would jump all over it.
 
I have four Kimbers and my wife has three.

I have two first series classics, one is a Clackamas and one is a Yonkers. Both are flawless. I also have a Gold Gaurdian and an Anniversary that are unfired.

My wife has an Eclipse series II bought used with no problems. A Custom II with the external extactor that was bought new. At first we could only fire Blazer aluminum through it, it would jamb on all brass. Now it fires anything. She also has a series I Stainless compact aluminum frame that she carries, it is light wieght and does have a little snap to it, but it has never had a problem either.

P.S. I have a CZ75b and I like the Kimbers better.
 
I've never really been able to figure out the animosity some have toward Kimbers... I can understand the feelings of the individual who pays 1000 dollars for a lemon, but there are really very few lemons around. I haven't seen one personally. I shoot a series 2 Kimber Gold Match that has never had a failure to function of any kind, from the time I took it out of the box.
Marty
 
I have 4 Kimbers and they all have tight tollerances. Only issues I had was with a 4" Pro Carry II. I sent it back and it came back just as reliable as the other three. All have internal extractor and two are custom shop guns.
 
I've never really been able to figure out the animosity some have toward Kimbers...
Click to expand...



Bad news travels fast on the errornet. The first things I did when I first got my Custom II was to check the extractor to make sure it tensioned properly and throw the Kimber mag in the junk drawer. I used only Wilson 47Ds and had zero malfunctions. I've heard some Kimbers have a chamber that is too tight and this will cause big problems. I think the main reason they have such a bad reputation with some is because they don't make sure the pistols that come in for service are 100% when they go back out.
 
I own a Classic Custom, first series. It shoots real tight groups, but it shoots them a little to the left. My Glocks all shoot dead on, so I don't think I'm doing anything wrong. The fixed sights are HARD to move (as should be expected), the thumb safety broke off, so I sent it in to Kimber for repair, and I am not really satisfied. The thumb safety used to have that positive "snap" to it, and when I got the gun back, it wasn't the same. The finish on it wasn't very good either. The pistol has had a few double-feeds, but no stovepipes. I use wilson combat mags, so i doubt that it's the mags causing the trouble. I have decided that this 1911 is for fun shooting, keeping clean, and showing to friends. My glocks are hard to beat, so I'm going to be a Glock toting man until I find a pistol that is superior, and by the looks of things, I won't find it soon.
 
I now have 3 Kimbers. A Tactical Custom II, A Desert Warrior, and a Custom Eclipse II in 10mm. All have worked well for me. I use only Wilson Combat 47D's in all my 1911's and don't have much in the way of feeding problems.
In fact my most used carry gun is my Tactical Custom II. It has digested most all ammo that I have fed it. I currently use Winchester Ranger SXT ammo as my carry and it will feed them without issues. I have read all the threads about problems and issues but I have yet to experiance any of these with my Kimber's.
 
These are some of the most accurate and fantastic guns ever - and I personally am not a 1911 fan. The only issues I've seen is if they are over oiled or excessively dirty (like 1000 rounds no cleaning).
 
I will say right up front and with great honesty that I just flat don't like Kimber. It's irrational on my part, but they bear the brunt of my intense hatred of the 1911 fad. Realistically, they probably aren't bad guns, but I just flatly don't think a 1911, any 1911, is worth what they charge (on average) and thus I refuse on principal to even consider one. Flame me all you want, but thats the most honest answer you will ever get when it comes to brand hatred, lol. For what it's worth, I also won't pay that much for any 1911 regardless of manufacturer, although for a true custom gun, I might. My Taurus 1911 was sold at a price that is about as much as I am willing to spend on a 1911 ($550.00, more or less), and after a year and a half worth of ownership and many rounds downrange, I feel vindicated in my beliefs. I am completely and totally satisfied with that pistol, and I bought it at a price that is more in line with reality as I see it.
 
Wow really? Seems like when I bought mine in early 2000 they were like a little secret or something.
Click to expand...

Im still trying to find the actual article but I read somewhere that Kimber sold over 60,000 1911 pattern pistols in 2006. More than Springfield and Colt combined. Springfield sold around 20,000 or so, Colt around 10,000...

Now you know why there are more people on the internet with Kimber "Problems". Well, if Springfield Armory produced 60,000 pistols a year they would have more problems too...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_148_24/ai_64565403
This isn't the same article I was reading but it goes to show you that Kimber has a bigger piece of the pie than most people assume. Maybe it is that most Kimber owners can't have just one?
 
Im still trying to find the actual article but I read somewhere that Kimber sold over 60,000 1911 pattern pistols in 2006. More than Springfield and Colt combined. Springfield sold around 20,000 or so, Colt around 10,000...
Click to expand...


The last numbers I seen SA out sold Kimber by 10,000 units or so. I'm not sure if that included the XD series or not though and that would make a big difference.
 
How can one compare a CZ to a 1911, anyway? (I do like many of CZ's offerings, but really, now ...)
Click to expand...

Well there are the Dan Wesson 1911s and Dan Wesson is now part of CZ. So you don't have to compare CZ to a 1911, you can compare the CZ 1911 to other 1911s.

I have owned a Kimber Classic Custom Target for 9 years, it has had many rounds through it and it is an accurate and dependable pistol. I have been very satisfied with it. In fact, it is the 1911 my son prefers to shoot when we go out to the range.

If I were to buy a new 1911, it would be the Dan Wesson PM7. No knock on Kimber, I just think the DW is now a better gun for the money. As a matter of fact, I did just that. Here is my CZ 1911 (Kimber on top, new DW below).

KimberDanWesson.jpg
 
Well to each his own. If you want to spend you hard earned dollars there go ahead, it's not my money.

I'll spend mine elsewhere thanks. I've seen plenty of kimbers and all the new production stuff seems the same. Even the SIS. It does not impress me in the least.

There are pistols that do impress me, I've purchased a few, and no not a single kimber.
 
Kimber Custom II here....awesome gun, great finish, never fails, and is very accurate.

Id buy another anyday.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

eastbank
  • Locked
kimber desert warrior-45acp, any good?
Replies
10
Views
707
Greg528iT
G
J
  • Locked
Kimber ??
Replies
5
Views
681
Ken Rainey
K
A
  • Locked
Thoughts on Bryco and the cheap pistols.
Replies
24
Views
2K
k4swb
k4swb
Blue Brick
  • Locked
Old Ruger reviews
Replies
3
Views
3K
19-3Ben
1
R
  • Locked
Here's to soon buying my first autoloader!
Replies
14
Views
680
Setzer77
S
Back
Top