A discussion on Kimber quality

[10mm]

I read about a SWAT LEO that put over 140,000 rounds through a kimber with the exterior extractor that is supposed to be less desirable.When it was at kimber they wanted to study it a while since it had so many documented rounds though it.MIM parts can be good as other parts.If someone wants a really good trigger they can get a jig,stones and a quality sear and stone it to perfection if they take their time.If the trigger hooks are at 90 degrees and polished and the sear matches and dicsco polished along with polished trigger bow and channel the trigger can be 5 pounds but feel like 3 pounds.Colt sear springs are only 4 bucks and be set to whatever pull you feel comfy with.Working on a 1911 is pretty easy after a little practice.There shouldn't be any gritty feel or creep in a 2000 dollar 1911 but you can make it perfect real easy with all the parts and tools that are available.

[10mm]

I read about the Kimber in the 1911 forum and many said he was very lucky that the pistol ran for so many rounds.He said it was a good performer.He said they had a good budget that allowed him to shoot lots of ammo and he said he used it quite a bit.He said he preferred the 1911 as his weapon of choice and that is what he carried.I wouldn't ever get a Kimber with the EE but his was OK for some reason.Some said they were skeptical but he said it was true.Some don't like Kimbers but they have good frames and slides and are accurate.If anything on mine needs replacement parts I get some tool steel parts from EGW,Wilson, or one of the other places.The main thing is to start with a pistol with a high quality frame,slide with a tight fit and you can replace parts as needed or from the start and use the tools to stone and polish them to a perfect fit.I like working on them as much as shooting them.Some day I'd like to get a Wilson or Nighthawk 10mm.My DW is running fine though and very accurate.I feel pretty well armed with it or my Kimber 45acp.I'm looking forward to see how well the test 9mm 1911 runs.It will be very interesting.I prefer the 1911 and a 9mm might be in my future.My wife likes her Kimber tac pro 9mm and I'm getting it broke in and doing trigger work on it.I'm pushing 60 and a lighter kicking pistol probably would be better in my later years God willing.

[Limey-]

I have shot with a number of other Tac Teams (SWAT/SRT) that are mandated to carry the post series 1 Kimber 1911's. Lots and lots of issues with them.
Multiple return to factory trips and guns that are basically a Kimber frame and slide and needed to be completely rebuilt with none Kimber parts to run. The external extractor was an abortion but their later attempts are not much of an improvement it seems.

[BLR]

I have shot with a number of other Tac Teams (SWAT/SRT) that are mandated to carry the post series 1 Kimber 1911's. Lots and lots of issues with them.
Multiple return to factory trips and guns that are basically a Kimber frame and slide and needed to be completely rebuilt with none Kimber parts to run. The external extractor was an abortion but their later attempts are not much of an improvement it seems.

Kimber isn't the largest 1911 manufacturer out there because they can't put together a pistol right.

[TCinVA]

Kimber isn't the largest 1911 manufacturer out there because they can't put together a pistol right.

McDonald's sells lots of hamburgers.

I doubt many would argue they're producing the best burgers around.

[jmjames]

McDonald's sells lots of hamburgers.

I doubt many would argue they're producing the best burgers around.

Exactly... being the BIGGEST in any industry is often a question of timing, marketing, and pricing more than actual quality. And in many cases, size is bad for quality because it becomes harder and harder to make a good product, or continue to find the right people. A lot of times when folks say a company "sold out" what really happened was that they got too big and had to dilute their labor pool to keep growing.

J.Ja

[Jay Cunningham]

McDonald's sells lots of hamburgers.

I doubt many would argue they're producing the best burgers around.

Kimber also has some of the most gorgeous print magazine ads out there. They know their audience and how to target them.

[jmjames]

Kimber also has some of the most gorgeous print magazine ads out there. They know their audience and how to target them.

No kidding. While I tend to avoid gun magazines like the plague, I can't help but notice how often those ads run in a magazine that is praising a Kimber on the same page or within a few pages, with a highly subjective, unquantified opinion. Coincidence? Maybe.

J.Ja

[Tamara]

Kimber isn't the largest 1911 manufacturer out there because they can't put together a pistol right.

No, they're the largest 1911 manufacturer out there in spite of the fact that they can't put a pistol together right. Kimber's entire business model is predicated on selling sizzle instead of steak, labeling production guns "Custom" and offering differing checkering patterns and metal finishes instead of product improvements.

[LittleLebowski]

Kimber isn't the largest 1911 manufacturer out there because they can't put together a pistol right.

Dude, I've come to respect your 191 knowledge a great deal but I disagree with this from personal experience and I'd like to point out that your typical Kimber shooter doesn't exactly run a gun hard......