We still hate Kimber 1911s, right?

[HeavyDuty]

I was at the local Bass Pro the other night and saw a rather interesting 1911 variant - 5”, 10mm, stainless, blackened slide with a bobtailed gripframe. It was tight and cosmetically more than decent. I’m unlikely to actually buy another 1911 right now, but I was impressed.

Are Kimbers really as bad as their reputation here at P-F implies, or are we not letting go of a historic but outdated issue? Sample of one, and not a semi but my K6s is fine so far, and I know they moved production out of NY.

[SwampDweller]

I was at the local Bass Pro the other night and saw a rather interesting 1911 variant - 5”, 10mm, stainless, blackened slide with a bobtailed gripframe. It was tight and cosmetically more than decent. I’m unlikely to actually buy another 1911 right now, but I was impressed.

Are Kimbers really as bad as their reputation here at P-F implies, or are we not letting go of a historic but outdated issue? Sample of one, and not a semi but my K6s is fine so far, and I know they moved production out of NY.

I wouldn't say it's an "outdated" issue. It's gotten to the point where the gun shop I work at is loathe to buy Kimbers from our distributors because we're sick of customers coming back needing to send the gun in for warranty work.

Kimber still has the philosophy of "make them pretty and get them out the door, it's cheaper to deal with the few squeaky wheels later", and much of the gun industry is heading in that direction. Turns out it's a very profitable business model for them. Most people hardly shoot their pistols and will never know it's problems, and/or will blame any issues on other stuff. Of the ones who encounter issues you might be surprised how few actually try to get the manufacturer to make it right, most just make excuses for the pistol/firearm.

[Evil_Ed]

The last Kimber I had was also a 10mm...the extractor hook was a nub that apparently used The Force to yank casings out, since it really didn't have the meat to grab the rim. The ramped barrel was ok, but constant nose-down misfeeds in both the factory mags and in Colt mags. The first 2 rounds of every mag were basically "no". One grip panel was cracked from the factory; a flaw in the "wood" (blue wood?) that I wound up gluing back together.

Also, their firing pin safety gives me the willies.

Looking at 1911 boards in gunsmith sections, all the pro smiths seem to say the same thing...all the small parts are at best fragile. Thumb safeties like to break, frequently. Slide stops on occasion. Firing pin stops, frequently. Other random little bits will snap, including broken off hammers at the shanks...

If the guns were $500, I'd probably be way more enthusiastic about them; for that price, I could look at it as someone spent some time/energy fitting the frame, slide and barrel and putting sights on it. I can replace/fit all the rest of the small parts as I deem necessary, and not feel bad about it. As it is, spending a grand++ on a pretty gun where I'd wind up needing to refit and replace a bunch of parts...that's a "no" from me, dawg. Again, not even mentioning the firing pin safety. I understand it can be "fixed" so that the timing will always be right (I don't know HOW, just reading that it can be adjusted), but honestly it's probably less annoying to remove the rear sight, remove all the bits from the slide, and re-zero the gun without any of the firing pin safety stuff at all. Which is exactly what I wound up doing to that 10mm I had, before I got tired of wrestling with it at the range and sold it.

I wound up replacing it with a then-new Sig P220 in 10mm to scratch that single stack 10mm itch.

They're so pretty...yet so flawed.

[BobM]

I have a Desert Warrior I bought new in 2005 that works but I’d be leery about buying a newer Kimber, just based on the internet chatter.

[Navin Johnson]

I was at the local Bass Pro the other night and saw a rather interesting 1911 variant - 5”, 10mm, stainless, blackened slide with a bobtailed gripframe. It was tight and cosmetically more than decent. I’m unlikely to actually buy another 1911 right now, but I was impressed.

Are Kimbers really as bad as their reputation here at P-F implies, or are we not letting go of a historic but outdated issue? Sample of one, and not a semi but my K6s is fine so far, and I know they moved production out of NY.

Only places that carry Kimbers in my area are national box stores. This is based on their experience.....

[HeavyDuty]

Only places that carry Kimbers in my area are national box stores. This is based on their experience.....

Back in the Chicago area one of the biggest gun specialty stores (Mega in Plainfield, for those playing at home) carries the full line, but they carry everything.

What this has done is gotten me interested in seeing what other higher quality but mass production bobtailed 1911s are out there. I’ve been trying to get Ruger interested in bobtails for years, but no luck…

[KevH]

I posted this up yesterday on another forum in response to a Kimber query:

I currently own a 1999 production Custom Classic and a 2000 production CDP and have owned a few others over the years.

I had some reliability problems with the Custom Classic and sent it to a fairly well known pistolsmith back in 2008 who couldn't seem to figure it out. The great Dave Berryhill (RIP) agreed to take the gun and completely went through it replacing most parts with his own or with EGW parts. The gun has been 100% reliable ever since and is a prized possession although the only Kimber parts that are left are the slide, frame and barrel. My CDP is stock and is somewhat nicer than most of the later production guns.

As a police armorer in an agency that allowed the 1911, we had 20+ guys purchase TLE RL/II's and Warriors back when those were introduced. There are only two still being carried. The most frequent issue we had were plunger tubes coming loose and downing the gun. That became a regular replacement item. We had a couple of cracked firing pin stops and I also saw a broken thumb safety on a Warrior and other niggling issues, but nothing too catastrophic. Most guys that stuck with the 1911 moved on to an Wilson or Ed Brown or a true custom gun. On a side note, all of the external extractor guns had their slides replaced by the factory. Those were absolute garbage and the factory replaced it for free.

Regarding Kimber's offering today...

They still have nice slides, frames, and barrels that make a wonderful base for a decent gun with some minimal work put in by a good pistolsmith. Avoid Series II guns since their execution of the Swartz safety was below sub-par. Their problem is their small parts are lowest-bidder outsourced and will eventually need to be replaced.

If you want a 1911 just to play with at the range and say you have a 1911, they're good for that (especially at the $600ish price point). If you want a 1911 to rely on every day there are much better options (albeit more expensive).

[HeavyDuty]

I posted this up yesterday on another forum in response to a Kimber query:

I currently own a 1999 production Custom Classic and a 2000 production CDP and have owned a few others over the years.

I had some reliability problems with the Custom Classic and sent it to a fairly well known pistolsmith back in 2008 who couldn't seem to figure it out. The great Dave Berryhill (RIP) agreed to take the gun and completely went through it replacing most parts with his own or with EGW parts. The gun has been 100% reliable ever since and is a prized possession although the only Kimber parts that are left are the slide, frame and barrel. My CDP is stock and is somewhat nicer than most of the later production guns.

As a police armorer in an agency that allowed the 1911, we had 20+ guys purchase TLE RL/II's and Warriors back when those were introduced. There are only two still being carried. The most frequent issue we had were plunger tubes coming loose and downing the gun. That became a regular replacement item. We had a couple of cracked firing pin stops and I also saw a broken thumb safety on a Warrior and other niggling issues, but nothing too catastrophic. Most guys that stuck with the 1911 moved on to an Wilson or Ed Brown or a true custom gun. On a side note, all of the external extractor guns had their slides replaced by the factory. Those were absolute garbage and the factory replaced it for free.

Regarding Kimber's offering today...

They still have nice slides, frames, and barrels that make a wonderful base for a decent gun with some minimal work put in by a good pistolsmith. Avoid Series II guns since their execution of the Swartz safety was below sub-par. Their problem is their small parts are lowest-bidder outsourced and will eventually need to be replaced.

If you want a 1911 just to play with at the range and say you have a 1911, they're good for that (especially at the $600ish price point). If you want a 1911 to rely on every day there are much better options (albeit more expensive).

Thanks - I still have my Colt so I’m not desperate, but I really do like the way the bobtails fit me. I’ll pass.

[Leroy Suggs]

HeavyDuty passing on a Kimber is a wise decesion.

[HCM]

I was at the local Bass Pro the other night and saw a rather interesting 1911 variant - 5”, 10mm, stainless, blackened slide with a bobtailed gripframe. It was tight and cosmetically more than decent. I’m unlikely to actually buy another 1911 right now, but I was impressed.

Are Kimbers really as bad as their reputation here at P-F implies, or are we not letting go of a historic but outdated issue? Sample of one, and not a semi but my K6s is fine so far, and I know they moved production out of NY.

If you want a bob tail 1911 I would look at Dan Wesson.

I've had 6 Kimbers counting a .22 and 4/6 had issues. The only one without issues out of the box was a 5" Series II in 9mm. I currently have a Kimber Warrior which runs but it was a duty gun trade in from a local PD which was priced such that it was worth taking a risk. It's finish worn but had clearly been tuned a bit by someone who knew what they were doing.

[JohnO]

If you want a bob tail 1911 I would look at Dan Wesson.

Yes, resoundingly! The answer to most 1911 inquiries is: get a Dan Wesson.

I wanted a Lightweight Commander and at the time DW's closest offering was the Bobtail Guardian. I did not want a Bobtail. I contacted Keith at DW. Keith told me the Custom Shop could build exactly what I wanted. Going forward Keith requested all communications be via email so everything was on record. I specified exactly what I wanted. The parts Keith didn't have I had dropped shipped to DW to Keith's attention from Brownell's.

It was almost exactly six weeks later Keith emailed and said the gun was ready, send payment. I don't recall having to send a deposit.

It has been flawless.

https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=29276&d=1534686234

[Cory]

Yes, resoundingly! The answer to most 1911 inquiries is: get a Dan Wesson.

I wanted a Lightweight Commander and at the time DW's closest offering was the Bobtail Guardian. I did not want a Bobtail. I contacted Keith at DW. Keith told me the Custom Shop could build exactly what I wanted. Going forward Keith requested all communications be via email so everything was on record. I specified exactly what I wanted. The parts Keith didn't have I had dropped shipped to DW to Keith's attention from Brownell's.

It was almost exactly six weeks later Keith emailed and said the gun was ready, send payment. I don't recall having to send a deposit.

It has been flawless.

https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=29276&d=1534686234

Not surprising. I love my DW. I grew up nearby, and learned that one of my wife's childhood friends works there now. So that's cool.

For me, Kimbers are the equivilent of a Taurus. It's in 1911 form, and looks great though. Both companies have done great things for the gun industry... but I'm not looking to own either.

[45dotACP]

In a surprise to both myself and others, my experience with Kimber is far better than my experience with Colt.

By several orders of magnitude.

Both required work to get running. The Colt was more expensive to buy and required the more expensive repairs and still doesn't shoot as well.

Just my experience. I forgo most of the drama by recommending Springfield or Dan Wesson

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[Elwin]

I own two, both 5” .45s. I’ve got them running fine, but it took some work, especially tuning the Swartz safety in both of them. It’s a bit of a pain, really, especially if you’re also tuning the grip safety at the same time. One is a TMII with what’s considered the best version of their external extractor, and it passes the 10-8 extractor test with absolutely flying colors… after putting an extra power Wolff extractor spring behind it. I’m also planning on preemptively replacing small parts (some have gone or are going based on taste anyway) or being prepared to replace broken ones. I’m happy because these are guns my dad bought when I was in high school and let me have after college, and I like tinkering with things.

Starting new I’d definitely go with something else.

[LittleLebowski]

I still hate Kimber.

[Clusterfrack]

I still hate 1911s.

[Cheap Shot]

I still hate 1911s.

Blasphemer!:p

78795

Because this never gets old:cool:

[vcdgrips]

5 inch, all steel, Kimber Series I (non external extractor/non Schwartz guns) were solid guns based on owning two and personally seeing 20-30+ guns in play. Indeed, Kimber may have peaked with the Warrior line in the Early 2000s (Series 1, night sights, a Rail, grips/stocks that gave some traction.)

Very soon thereafter, quality has slide to that point that in the sub 1500 space, I would go Springfield Armory and in the sub 2500 space, Dan Wesson. If was going to spend 2501+, I suspect I would stretch to a Wilson Combat or perhaps something else a bit more boutique.

In short, absent a pre 2004 ish all steel, 5 inch Series I Kimber ( with the possible exception of a Series I, 5 inch lightweight CDP), "we" still hate Kimber.

FWIW/YMMV Greatly

[DDTSGM]

Example of one: I got a Kimber Classic Gold Match for my 45th birthday, which would have been 22 years ago. I was still shooting bullseye at the time and the first three rounds out of the pistol clover-leafed @ 25 yards. It still shoots better than I do. Not in love with the Swartz firing pin safety system, but I've never have a click when it should have gone bang, and since I don't remind dropping the pistol to otherwise test the thing, I assume it works.

It's probably had 6,000 or 7,000 through it and is still more accurate than I am.

Aside from recoil springs, the only thing I've replaced is the ambi-safety, it broke about two years ago.

Don't know that I'd buy another, but this one has been a keeper.

It definitely is not my primary shooter.