Are Kimbers good to go, or trash?

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  • Are Kimbers good to go or solid pass?

    • Kimbers are legit. I would buy from them no problem.

      Votes: 31 54.4%
    • No, Kimbers are not good guns.

      Votes: 20 35.1%
    • Glock Boyz unite!

      Votes: 6 10.5%

    • Total voters
      57
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    CaliGunner

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    Feb 8, 2022
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    I'm kind of new to the 1911 market, just got my first one last week for carry. I'm usually a fantastic plastic carrier (Glock, Sig, HK). I go to the range with a friend who is a big 1911 fan boy and he's excited because "I'm finally converted". So we go, put some rounds down range, then he says, "Try this one. It's legit." I think it was a Kimber Lightweight Custom chambered in .45 ACP. It's a nice looking gun. It has this two-tone color to it where the frame has this "gun metal" color and the slide is black. Really tacti-cool looking.

    So I load a mag, and I start shooting it. It's okay, I think the sights are off a little bit (slightly right). It's definitely not shooting where I think I'm pointing. The grip isn't the most comfortable. The grip safety doesn't have any rounded off bevels, it's pretty harsh actually, almost like a block. Also the grips seemed like they were loose (I could make an audible noise by shaking the gun). I told my friend that it was cool, but he might need to tighten his grips to the frame, and his front sight may need to be re-aligned. But in my head, I thought the gun was kind of trash as a shooter.

    Where does Kimber rank in the 1911 world? Just judging by their prices, they seem to be right around the price range of Springfield Armory, or even slightly more expensive depending on model. Would you rank Kimber above Springfield, or vice-versa?

    edit, this was my friend's gun:
    Kimber_LW_Custom.jpg
    Hurley's Gold
     

    benenglish

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    Nov 22, 2011
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    I assume you're looking for info on their center-fire pistols. I'd also like to encourage anyone with experience with their full size 1911 in .22LR to speak up, also.

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

    ETA -

    As for my feedback, I've never owned one. The kid who cut my grass from the time he was 12, though, saved up and bought one as soon as he could. Out of the box, he tried a half-dozen factory loads, including basic 230 grain ball and wasn't happy.

    I sat with him through field stripping and cleaning. He tried again, using 6 different factory loads through 3 different magazines.

    He never got through a magazine without a failure to extract or eject.

    One sample is not statistically relevant, of course, but my first impressions were not positive.

    Also, that was a couple of decades ago. I assume everything has changed over time.
     
    Last edited:

    CaliGunner

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    I assume you're looking for info on their center-fire pistols. I'd also like to encourage anyone with experience with their full size 1911 in .22LR to speak up, also.

    Yeah, mostly .45 ACP, or even 9mm, which are the calibers I carry.

    .22lr is not something I carry but I'd be interested to read anything about the quality of this brand.
     

    zackmars

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    Kimber brought the modern 1911 to the market, they were one of the first companies to offer a semi-production gun that had at least some of the bells and whistles you used to have to pay a good smith 2-3X the value of the gun to install.


    That was back in the late 80's to late 90's.


    Since then, Colt, Springfield Armory, Dan Wesson, and others have matched and surpassed Kimber.


    Some anecdotal tales, the top two 1911 brands ive seen go down the most are kimber and ruger. Rugers were always fixable by replacing the broken part. Kimbers required a good smith, or multiple trips to the factory (in a few cases)

    The K6 is a nice little revolver, and their rifles seemed nice. But thats about it
     

    Havok1

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    I’ve owned 2 Kimbers. Still have one. Both have been great guns. The only thing though is that as they get more expensive, you’re paying mostly for fancier appearance, not better quality. Something like the TLE would be a solid gun for the price.
     

    candcallen

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    Jul 23, 2011
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    Kimbers suck. They use the customer as QC. They have a highly inflated unrealistic and unrealized self image of their stuff. Some like it. Some swear they never had a problem with theirs but for the money they ask and the image they project they should be at least reliable but are far from it. Ofcourse opinions vary so that's mine and not an unpopular nor is it one that is alone in left field.

    As far as shooting a 1911 versus striker stuff or polymer stuff the experience is going to be different. The metal frame and grip safety feel wierd to folks used to polymer stuff molded to the hand or guns with lots of bevel work. Shooting that type of trigger is different that a striker gun. So I wouldnt just blame the gun right off for the stuff you mentioned. Some 1911s are dead nuts tight and some sound like a rattling old car when you shake them. Both kinds can be reliable and more accurate than you're capable of.

    We joke about 1911s needing work to run and a host of other stuff but like any modern gun they should, and do, come dead nutz reliable and accurate out of the box. Again Kimber uses the customer as quality control so some can come that way but far too many dont.

    I like Springfield 1911s. Many think the best value today is out of armscorp/rock island but their prices have creeped up. I think Springfield offers exceptional value based on their quality but again oth er rs will disagree.

    If you're gonna get one do research and try many and you could probably afford one of the top tier guns, lol. Guns are tools and if I spent 4 grand on a 1911 I'd be afraid to carry it. 700 or 800 on a Springfield that is just as accurate and reliable seems a better idea to me.

    Have fun in the 1911 rabbit hole. My gun budget is limited so I have to stick to the necessities and limit calibers but I truly love 1911s. I refuse to carry guns with dissimilar operating systems cause it will get you killed so I stick with M&P handguns ARs and shotguns.

    I do miss 1911s though. You cant really beat a full size wide body high cap 1911.
     

    General Zod

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    Sep 29, 2012
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    Kimber has not had a good reputation in the past few years. They were big in the 90s, but...yeah, I don't think I'd buy one of theirs. My Rock Island GI1911A1 is comfortable, accurate (even with non-adjustable GI sights), and eats any ammo I feed it. Kimbers have a reputation of being finicky, prone to jams, and unreliable. Could be that they tightened up tolerances that were intended to be loose, I dunno. The myth that 1911's require a multi-hundred round "break in" period started with guns like Kimbers which are unreliable out of the box. I've always suspected it was just a rationalization from guys who didn't want to admit they paid too much for a lemon.

    If you want a good 1911 to get yourself into shooting them, don't drop a grand on some super-spiffy tacti-cool pistol. Buy a Rock Island, or a Tisas, or an Auto-Ordinance or a Remington R1. Stay in the $600-$800 range and you're be better off and have a better time.

    Oh, and one other thing - the 1911's I've recommended tend to rattle just a little bit. They're supposed to. If a Kimber rattles, it tends to be because something's loose...they've tightened everything up till it doesn't work as reliably as it should.
     

    zackmars

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    It would be interesting to see whether the people replying have ever owned a kimber or not when leaving their reply.
    Seeing a kimber, one single pistol Suffer from failures to extract and eject, a broken grip safety, and a bushing that was so poorly fit it fell out, I'll pass.

    Kimber spends their QC money on glossy full page ads in American rifleman
     

    Havok1

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    Seeing a kimber, one single pistol Suffer from failures to extract and eject, a broken grip safety, and a bushing that was so poorly fit it fell out, I'll pass.

    Kimber spends their QC money on glossy full page ads in American rifleman
    Do you, or others that talk about their QC have any real data showing what percentage of their pistols come back for repair? What about the same data from other manufacturers? Was that pistol yours?
     

    ZX9RCAM

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    I own a few 1911s, including a CDPII.

    Every 1911 I have ever shot has jammed on me.
    No, I don't limp wrist.

    Of course I found out it was due to the way I held it being left handed.
     

    candcallen

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    Because decades of real world word of mouth experience among a small community of enthusiasts never trumps fanboi feelings.


    Right

    Just like the sig 320 issues and remington 700 trigger issues arent real if you never personally experienced one.

    I'm also sure there is a Yugo or American market Daewoo car owner who swears they are misunderstood icons of automotive reliability.

    One doesnt have to have personally taste dog shit ir shove it up their nose to know it stinks. I mean dogs seem to like it...
     

    Havok1

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    Because decades of real world word of mouth experience among a small community of enthusiasts never trumps fanboi feelings.


    Right

    Just like the sig 320 issues and remington 700 trigger issues arent real if you never personally experienced one.

    I'm also sure there is a Yugo or American market Daewoo car owner who swears they are misunderstood icons of automotive reliability.

    One doesnt have to have personally taste dog shit ir shove it up their nose to know it stinks. I mean dogs seem to like it...
    “Word of mouth experience” is worth what you paid for it. Usually a bunch of people just repeating some version of what they’ve been told by other people repeating some version of what they’ve been told.
     
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