I'm very late on this, but Kimbers do NOT have MIM extractors - Kimber uses tool steel extractors and stainless steel barrel bushings.
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I think I'll start a thread every other month or so, crap talking about your Sig's, or your Glocks, or your Younameits, just to level the playing field. I like Kimber pistols, and you're opinion is just that, your opinion. Intelligent statements like " Kimber makes great paper weights" must be designed to provoke fights on here. Just don't get it I guess.
LAPD Swat, arguably the finest Special Weapons and Tactics Team in the United States, are still issued Kimber 1911's, to the best of my knowledge. Guess they don't read the CCW forum huh?
You guys crack me up.
They are using custom guns. Not the off the shelf stuff. It is worked over for reliability. FBI's HRT is issued a Springfield custom shop 1911 similar to the Springfield professional model. They don't get the same stuff you buy off the shelf. You can however order a custom shop gun if you wanted.
Kimber has a reputation for problems. A search would tell you that. From magazine issues to feed issues. Not all their guns are bad but be honest, just cause some group choose that manufacturer does not mean you get the same quality and specs in an off the shelf model.
2: price and production capability. I can pretty much guarantee if they could get Wilson combat cqb elites for the same price and with the same production capacity as Kimber, it would be so. They simply cannot. Kimber can produce x number of pistols and keep it below y price.
6: Dan Wesson is not a custom gun and is not even close to 3x more than a kimber. They are production guns that happen to be well fitted. All tool steel parts, many of them from ed brown. Also you can spend $1100 on a kimber or $1200 on a Dan Wesson and the difference is night and day to someone who knows what makes a reliable and accurate 1911(fitting, barrel lock up etc). I paid $930 for my Dan Wesson cbob brand new. It is better made than a $1200 kimber by far.
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Double post sorry
I've owned two, a Stainless II and an Ultra Raptor II that comes from their Custom Shop. Gave the Stainless II to my youngest son when his daughter was born, and carry the Ultra Raptor daily, with ZERO problems. Yeah, a search would tell you Kimber has a reputation for problems;written by people who can't afford a Kimber most likely. I'm really tired of the argument. Whatever you like and trust, is good for you, and the same is true for me. You know that old joke about "You lay a thousand bricks and nobody calls you a bricklayer" right? I think it's an appropriate analogy here.
For the $700+ price tag, you'd think that they would sell a quality gun. I've worked on and shot a couple of Kimbers and I'm not impressed with their product. For your money, you'd be better served buying a Para, STI, Springfield, or any of the other 1911's that cost at least $100 less than the Kimber. They are marketed like a super-sweet custom gun, but they are overpriced production guns. I don't mean this to sound like a rant, but it's time that Kimber actually gives it's customers what they are paying a premium price for.
As an aside, a buddy at my department also works at a smaller department that allows its officers to select guns from a large list for duty. He chose a Kimber TLE as his piece. So he ordered one from the LGS and after 8+ months of waiting, he contacted the LGS and they said that his model is backordered because they had a large run of guns that didn't meet QC standards and they had to be scrapped. His wait has been upgraded from 4-6 weeks to ?. BTW, this gun is already paid for.
That sux. I want a kimber
Wingit, I have a stainless pro carry (4")with around 5,000 rounds to it with hardly any ftf/fte. Maybe one every 500 rounds after the break in. My mom has an ultra CDP (3") in 9mm, and originally it had a few problems with ejecting some ammo, but we figured out it doesn't like WWB, and one brand of 124 gr ammo. I have enjoyed both of my guns so much I ordered an ultra carry in .45 as my carry gun. I believe that they have gotten most of the QC issues figured out, especially now that Dan Cohen has left for Sig. As it turns out, Sig has now been having problems with QC from what I have heard. Find a range to rent one or find a buddy that has one to try shooting and then make your own decision. They require more maintenance than a Glock, but they are excellent firearms.
Is this thread still active? Wow! Look folks, carry Kimbers if you like 'em (which I do). Don't carry them if you don't like 'em. Problem solved. I can't believe it took six pages to get to that point.:rolleyes:
I love my Kimber and ill start carrying it when i can afford the holster that i want for it lol
As someone who works part time in a LGS suspect that the "quality problems" with Kimbers has to do with two
issues
1) Kimber owns the 1911 market, I suspect they sell more than all other brands combined. This tends to
promote jealousy/ envy from those who choose another brand and want to justify their decision. And also more firearms in the marketplace increases the chance for QC issues. If you sell a hundred guns and have a 1% QC
issue that's one negative forum post. With a thousand guns it's ten negative posts on a forum, the big gun
is always some unsatisfied customers target.
2) I suspect that many Kimber owners are first time 1911 purchasers and in many cases first time handgun
purchases. 1911's require a bit more technical care and maintenance and need to be broken in and run well
oiled. Many novice owners don't get it. Also 1911's especially with the Schwartz safety are very sensitive to limp
wrist-ing. Most of the poly guns on the market AKA Glocks require far less break in and run well fairly dry.
I currently carry a Kimber Pro CDP that runs flawlessly with every thing I feed it. I will admit I felt it was a bit
under sprung and my ejection pattern got a lot crisper when I switched to Wolff Xtra power springs. I also owned an Eclipse 5" I had to sell, it was a far better shooter than I was. I also have an M & P 45, A
heavily customized Glock 19. Ruger LC9 an Ruger SR22. But my first choice for carry is always my
Kimber.