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1911’s Kimber experience anyone? Login/Join 
Who Woulda
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I have a series 1 Kimber Gold Match stainless that I bought new in 1998. It is a superb pistol. I had a BP-10-II That shot well but the wide body magazines required a shorter OAL round than what I was loading, I traded it off.
 
Posts: 6587 | Registered: August 25, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have an early Classic that has served me well for almost 30 years. I got it at a bargain price because the bluing of the slide was done improperly, and it is plum-colored. I also have a pair of K6s revolvers that work very well.
 
Posts: 17121 | Location: Lexington, KY | Registered: October 15, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of ruger357
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I’ve owned several of their higher end guns. Never had one that could get through a mag without jamming. Been to multiple classes and with one or two exceptions, never saw one make it through the entire class including one rebuilt by Hilton Yam. Clackamas made Kimbers were awesome, the rest, not so much in my experience.


-----------------------------------------

Roll Tide!

Glock Certified Armorer
NRA Certified Firearms Instructor
 
Posts: 7935 | Location: Hoover, AL | Registered: November 06, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Buy that Classic SIG in All Stainless,
No rail wear will be painless.
Picture of cee_Kamp
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I have owned three Kimber Generation II five inch stainless steel Government Models in .45 ACP. Also, I bought another for my Son. So a sample size of four.
All of them had feed reliability to some extent. I am not talking about handloaded ammo. Multiple name brands of 230 grain FMJ ball ammo.
If a 1911 won't reliably feed factory ball ammo after a short break-in period, and a sample size of four, that says something about the brand.
The four in discussion above were Stainless II and Eclipse Models with production dates of 2005 to 2010.

Kimber sure makes them fancy and pretty, if they had only worked as good as they looked, I would still own them.

Kimber is one of several companies on my personal "DO NOT BUY" list.

My neighbor showed me a new Kimber "Rapide" that was recently purchased, it continued with the Kimber tradition of a full featured 1911 with all the bells and whistles.
I haven't heard yet if it runs.

I no longer own any 1911's in .45 ACP as I have moved on. I have several all stainless SIG P220's in multiple barrel lengths for scratching any .45 itch I might get.

Within the last eight years I bought a new stainless Colt Gold Cup National Match. It fed and ran perfectly, however the firing pin "strike" on the primer was almost off the edge of the primer.
Colt replaced the slide, but they should have replaced the gun. That Gold Cup is gone now also.

I got a new Dan Wesson Pointman 9 a few years ago. It is the tightest fit 1911 I have ever handled. With the gun empty, if you slowly allow the slide to go go forward into battery it will hang up.
You will need to push the slide fully closed the last 1/16 of an inch.
However, feed that DW Pointman 9 with ammo and it always runs. I've never had a single malfunction with it. 115 gr, 124/125 gr, 147 gr, it runs well on any ammo including my cast lead reloads.

I got the Dan Wesson because they are manufactured near my location, and I can drive there if I need any repairs.



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Posts: 1497 | Registered: December 14, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I bought mine in 2017. I haven't shot it in at least a year or more but I've never had any malfunctions. I have to admit the round count is kind of low, about 700-800 rounds. I do remember the first time I took it to the range I put 300 rounds thru it with no problems. At about 150 rounds I took the slide off and put more oil on it. By the end, it was really dirty but no malfunctions at all. I just got tired of loading the mags over and over. I ditched the factory mag in favor of Wilson 47D's.

 
Posts: 1440 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: May 31, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have a Tactical Custom II with no issues.
 
Posts: 669 | Location: Orlando,FL. | Registered: March 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hop head
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never owned one and wont,

too many just as good if not better 1911's available for the same money,


one thing about kimber, and saying this as a dealer, I had to fix many mag catches on new guns,
out of the box, the mag catches would not work correctly,

I would pull them off, clean them up, and put them back in and they worked fine after that,

not sure why something as simple was not addressed before it left,



https://www.chesterfieldarmament.com/

 
Posts: 10410 | Location: Beach VA,not VA Beach | Registered: July 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Bummer for us in CA - Kimbers are pretty much the easiest to find. CA legal Springfields are really hard to find - it’s like they don’t make them anymore. It’s either Kimbers or Rock Islands here…



 
Posts: 1957 | Location: Southern CA | Registered: July 27, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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They're generally a mildly overpriced production level gun. MIM parts, minimal or no hand fitting, not super impressive slide to frame or barrel to slide fit.

Most of them are reliable and will hold up fine to what most people will put them through.

If it's got sentimental value, that probably helps. Otherwise, a Springfield TRP is probably a better value in a gun similar in configuration to the TLE/RL II or Dan Wesson Specialist would be a pretty decent upgrade in a similar gun.
 
Posts: 5143 | Location: Iowa | Registered: February 24, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have had nothing but great service from my Kimbers. I owned a Ultra carry in .45 and .9mm. Both fed everything and shot great.
I have a Custom HD I shot a bunch in competition and it has been great also.

They may be a little higher in price but the fit and finish is better than some slightly cheaper ones.
 
Posts: 70 | Location: Georgia | Registered: May 15, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Barbarian at the Gate
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Recently picked up the .45
Aegis Elite Custom (not OI), have 400 ball, 230 gr Fed AE and Seller & Beloit, through it so far. No issues.
 
Posts: 4354 | Location: Thonotosassa, FL | Registered: February 02, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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My series 1 Gold Match was well worth every penny.
 
Posts: 31 | Registered: June 05, 2018Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I've said it too many times before, when I started shooting USPSA/IDPA, there were a couple guys at the matches who shot them and could never finish a stage without a malfunction. That became the running joke when someone had a malfunction, no matter what type of gun, someone would lean over and whisper "Kimber". (unless it was one of two people, then we said "Para")

Through the passing of a family member I came into possession of their near new Kimber, I don't recall the model number but it was the alloy frame commander sized gun. Not cheap.
I could have kept it for free, or paid any token amount. I didn't think enough of it to keep at that price, so I sold it and gave the widow the funds.
 
Posts: 21052 | Location: 18th & Fairfax  | Registered: May 17, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have a Custom II and a Tac Entry II, both 45 ACP. Zero issues with either pistol. Years ago I owned a Pro Carry II and one other Commander style model, don't recall the model and neither would run without intermittent feeding issues. I have had far better luck with their Government model size 1911 pistols.
 
Posts: 255 | Location: Oregon | Registered: April 14, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have a Kimber Custom II . No issues. Just as reliable as my Springfield Loaded.
 
Posts: 656 | Registered: February 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I have owned many different 1911's. That includes Colts, a SA Professional, SA TRP, WC Pro, Kimber TLE's and a SIS. I never put many rounds thru any of them. Never any problems except had to replace a part on the TRP.

I could never get used to carrying one cocked and lockes pointing at my butt.
 
Posts: 238 | Location: SW OH | Registered: September 15, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Gen 1 PRO CDP



In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act
 
Posts: 3435 | Location: W. Central NH | Registered: October 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Saluki
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quote:
Originally posted by 10round:
I have a Custom II and no issues. Purchased in the last three years.

Same same 10mm chambered. Couple stoppages in the first 50 golden these last 200 or so


----------The weather is here I wish you were beautiful----------
 
Posts: 5130 | Location: southern Mn | Registered: February 26, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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