Kimber 1911's

[jkroner659]

I have to get a 1911 eventually...it's the American way:cool: So what do you guys recommend(not for carry)? I love the way Foggymoons Kimber looks in that Tucker HF-1:cool: I know Kimber's are known for being "tight" and I rather have "tight" than "loose":D:cool:.

[Cliff731]

...I rather have "tight" than "loose".

Kroner... two words... just two words you need to remember...


Colt
Springfield


The first one is decidedly the archetypal American semi-auto... not mentioning it's a 1911-A1. Afterall, the name of this forum is "Americangunowners"... huh? You want an "American" 1911-A1? Colt does that better than anyone.

The second, while utilizing forged frames, slides and barrels coming from IMBEL in Brazil (hey, that's South America!!)... uses one of the oldest names in American firearms. Very few makers of the 1911-A1 are using forged frames, slides and barrels. Lots of cast frames and slides from the others... check it out.

More importantly, in a defensive 1911-A1, "tight" ain't exactly what you want if it's life saving reliability you're after. Think Mil-Spec or G.I. model. Think the regular ole' Colt Government model. Now, if you wanna punch holes in paper, and that's all you want, well... Colt and Springfield offer some very "tight" fitting shooters with astounding tack driving accuracy... but these are not what you want in a carry gun or even one that you bought just to have around the house with a primary purpose of saving your hide and all around shooting.

That said, yes, there are other places in life where "tight" is absolutely desireable... :p

[Dash Riprock]

I've only shot one 1911, in .45, and it's was sweeet! My IDPA director let me try his out one day and I fell in love with it. Was a scary ass gun though as all you had to do was look at the trigger and it went off.

That was a Colt and a very accurate gun... Very!

I, like you, must have a 1911 and I am pretty convinced it will have to be a Colt... I'm thinking of staying with 9mm though.

[jkroner659]

LOL cliff. So you don't recommend Kimber at all? They look very neat and look like great shooters. I just like a great gun it doesn't have to be American made, Beretta is my fav. brand so...:D. This would be a range gun and maybe a HD gun but as of now my px4 in .40S&W is my range/HD/carry gun since it's my only one for now:o So you would stay away from Kimber? They look sexy though cliff:D

[Cliff731]

I've only shot one 1911, in .45, and it's was sweeet! My IDPA director let me try his out one day and I fell in love with it. Was a scary ass gun though as all you had to do was look at the trigger and it went off.

That was a Colt and a very accurate gun... Very!

I, like you, must have a 1911 and I am pretty convinced it will have to be a Colt... I'm thinking of staying with 9mm though.

David, I hear and read the 9mm 1911A1 shooters, Colt and Springfield, are very sweet!!! Less recoil and less expensive to shoot = more range time with one!!! That was one touchy trigger, huh?

[Cliff731]

LOL cliff. So you don't recommend Kimber at all? They look very neat and look like great shooters. I just like a great gun it doesn't have to be American made, Beretta is my fav. brand so...:D. This would be a range gun and maybe a HD gun but as of now my px4 in .40S&W is my range/HD/carry gun since it's my only one for now:o So you would stay away from Kimber? They look sexy though cliff:D

Jason, It's not that I don't recommend a Kimber... I'm sure they make some fine 1911's... and mind you were gonna use 1911 and 1911A1 intermixed... while a 1911 is actually different in significant ways from a 1911A1 in external design... ergonomics before the word was invented... but... I don't own a Kimber and have a profound reluctance to recommend something to you I've not any actual experience with. I really don't want to mention all the reliability issues and talk of Kimbers that I read.

That said... let me ask you to consider what you're going to use this 1911A1 for? If it's to have for your collection... and not to carry... and it's for target shooting at appropriate defensive ranges... (think "close")... then you can hardly go wrong with a Springfield Mil-Spec for the price... or even Springfield's G.I. is a very good choice. Both offer superb value for the money. Yes, there's some less expensive ones made... and these Springfields aren't the least expensive to buy... but they have exemplary customer service and are solid.

David suggested Colt... you cannot go wrong there. When you think of two "old line" American firearms manufacturers of handguns, there's two names that always come up... Colt is one of them.... the other, Smith & Wesson, makes a 1911A1, but just started a couple of years ago. Most of us think DA revolvers when we hear Smith & Wesson's name... but they've been in the semi-auto business for a long time with their "non" 1911 offerings.

Okay... all that said... if you don't want to spend much over $500... and you want a reliable & dependable & well built 1911A1, I'll still stand behind my recommendation of a Springfield G.I. or Mil-Spec model. I've seen some Mil-Specs coming off the rack that are tighter than some "high priced" models... it's the luck of the draw (pun intended)... my local gunstore has a stainless Mil-Spec right now that has absolutely NO wiggle in the slide to frame fit in anyway or manner. She ought to be a tackdriver and somebody is gonna get a very primo nice one. However, most, like their G.I. models will have some looseness... that's not a bad thing. People talk about how a loose frame to slide fit can affect accuracy in a 1911, but honestly most of your accuracy comes from the bushing and barrel fitting.

This is a gun you've already said you ain't gonna carry... it's gonna set in your gunsafe, be taken out on occassion and "wrung out"... you're going to have some fun with her and generally admire her in your collection for what she is... the definitive American semi-auto pistol in the definitive American caliber... .45 ACP. Yes... .38 Super is sweet... and 9mm is very desirable for range shooting along with the .38 Super. Bottom line is too, you aren't going to clean this pistol religiously... so a tad of looseness is actually an attribute.

One more thing... there's a guy over on the Beretta forum right now... trying to sell a Springer Mil-Spec chambered in .38 Super. It is a rare gun... being in parkerized finish. He has it priced right at $500... IMO, that's under market value and she looks like NIB*. Someone is gonna get lucky!!! The .38 Super is a great defensive round... however where it shines is having a very flat trajectory and less recoil than the .45 ACP... that, Jason, is why you will find so many Camp Perry match shooters with a 1911A1 .38 Super.

*He sent me the pics of her, I'll be glad to send them to you.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/pentaxuser01/SAGIPk_SAMSPk.jpg

[Cliff731]

...They look sexy though cliff:D

Jason, This is "S-E-X-Y"...

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/pentaxuser01/PI9134LP.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/pentaxuser01/Mil-SpecBi-ToneSmallerImage-1.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/pentaxuser01/PX9104LP1.gif

[Cliff731]

Jason... I would rather think of this when I have mental imagery of "sexy"...

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/pentaxuser01/SultryKateBeckinsaleRezize.jpg

[jkroner659]

Ya they are "sexy" is that top one a loaded model??? LOL true about that last pic:D

[Cliff731]

Ya they are "sexy" is that top one a loaded model??? LOL true about that last pic:D

The top one is a Loaded Target model... available in .45 ACP or 9mm... your choice- for real.

Kate, sadly, is only for drooling over. :p

My local gunstore has one in stock just like the photo... want her bad... can't do it right now. These are $800+ Springers, well worth the price though, but at that amount of money, you're easily up in Colt territory.

Then I start looking at Colt's stainless Series 70 "reissue" again!!!

Here's their blued version of that offering... along with a stainless Springfield Mil-Spec...

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w266/pentaxuser01/Colt70_SAMSSS.jpg

[Headhunter 13]

I am thinking I need a 1911 but which one (probably something I can carry) My boss and I went shooting the other week and he brought out his WWII 1911 made by Rand Corp. Still a damn fine shooter after 60 years

[LOBO]

I have had a Kimber Team Match II since November of 2002. It has the external extractor which alot of folks don't like. I agree that its not "original", but mine hasn't given me any trouble. All in all, its a great gun.

Now the flip-side of the story. To me, a 1911 is a Colt. I have always wanted one, and I finally gave in on Saturday when I picked up an XSE blued Government model. Still haven't had a chance to shoot it, but its a very nice gun.

I know I probably haven't helped but heres some "gun porn" for you to peruse.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a266/LOBO2/KimberTMII8-3-07a.jpg


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a266/LOBO2/COLTXSE1911GOVERNMENTCCWFMJA.jpg

Chris

[ksuchewie]

I'd like to get a .45 1911 someday....I just don't have the $. :violin:

I hate my student loans.:angry017:

[CBnL]

I had a Kimber, with their enhanced estractor... sucked beyond belief.
3-5 our of 50 would be left hanging in the chamber in various degrees of removal. Also would suffer feed issues.
I have two SA Operators and both function flawlessly!
(and yea, I unloaded the Kimber at a $200 loss just to get rid of it)

[The Guinea]

I had a Kimber, with their enhanced estractor... sucked beyond belief.
3-5 our of 50 would be left hanging in the chamber in various degrees of removal. Also would suffer feed issues.


Same here. I owned 2 Kimbers. Both were jam-o-matic pieces of garbage. :vomit1:

I have vowed never to purchase another Kimber again.

BTW, one had an internal extractor. And the other external. Both still sucked.

The Guinea

[Sinatra877]

After the first two hundred rounds and retrained myself in stance and grip, my Kimber has never given me a problem. As far as their customer service, I've heard they'll do just about anything other than sleep with you to get the problem taken care of. This is a standard Kimber CDP (Custom Defensive Package) Pro with a Wilson Combat magazine.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z220/Sinatra877/Tools/KimberCDPPro.45ACP.jpg

[FoggyPete]

After the first two hundred rounds and retrained myself in stance and grip, my Kimber has never given me a problem. As far as their customer service, I've heard they'll do just about anything other than sleep with you to get the problem taken care of. This is a standard Kimber CDP (Custom Defensive Package) Pro with a Wilson Combat magazine.

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z220/Sinatra877/KimberCDPPro.45ACP.jpg

Exactly my experience. Kimber replaced my slide with the external extractor with the internal one and I haven't had a problem since. Plus, they called for FedEx to pick it up and in 10 days I had it back... all of course, no charge. Their customer service is outstanding and the turn-around time on email is 24 hours or less. I have heard horror stories about Springfield, Colt, Taurus etc., so it is understandable that certain 1911 users would form their own prejudices. I did research for a full year before I purchased my Kimber Pro Carry and it did jam but I half expected it might. The customer service fixed the problem and today, customer service can't be over emphasized.

I've stopped trying to "convince" one person or the other regarding firearms, autos, movies, music or whatever. I just know what works for me... you pay your money and you take your chances... just like anything else.

My Kimber is terrific... and I am trusting my life to it. That is all I have to say about it.

FoggyPete

[Sinatra877]

I have to say that I like some of the Springfield 1911's especially the TRP Operator.

As far as Colt's go...unless it was a Gold Cup Series 70 or under, I wouldn't rely on it. There is absolutely no reason why a basic Colt 1911 or 1991 that you'd just bought for $800 has to go back to the factory to touch it up to shoot accurately or just work. I don't have much respect for Colts anymore. Even their M4's are "iffy". I think Bushmaster makes a better one. DPMS is ok but their customer service stinks.

[capnswervon]

I picked up a Kimber Pro Tactical II with internal extracter about 6 months ago, and after the first 300 rounds or so, it has run like a top. It is by far the most accurate handgun that I own other than my Ruger 22/45 with a red dot. Here is some gun porn for ya folks!

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z17/capnswervon/weapons051.jpg

The Capn'