You guy's and calling Kimber's mimber's you crack me up. Kimber is a good gun not great but good. I would choose an American made Kimber before I would choose a made in Brazil Springfield. "LT" warranty or not Kimber takes care of their customer's if having problems. SF's high dollar custom shop gun's are the only gun's made here in the USA and don't kid yourself SF's are jam packed with MIM part's as well and did I mention made in "Brazil".
Kimber has had problem's yes! SF has too! Kimber's problems were created by them and are being fixed by them, SF's problems are created by Brazil and being fixed by SF here. Kimber had a difficult time with the creation of their version of the external extractor that went through 4 different designs but by then had so many problems with the early version's people have lost faith in the EE respectfully.
Kimber is now (and have yet to officially admit it) going back to the traditional internal extractor design on resent shipments reported by gun dealers and buyers have been internal extractor slides being shipped. This to me is good new's! and if you can pick up a Pro Carry with an Internal slide that is the gun you want. Super accurate, nice trigger 4.5 # trigger pull approximately, I would recommend the Stainless model but that is your choice, change the mag's to Tripp Cobra mag’s or Wilson Combat and you have yourself a GOOD carry weapon for about $820.00 for a PC/SS/w,NS and the PC/BL/w,NS for about $750.00.
Yes SF's are cheaper but are not made in the USA and does not support American industry! that for me seal's the deal on buying any.
Some have mentioned Nighthawk's and Wilson's! these gun's are in the "Great" category and are more than double the cost of a Kimber or SF. You didn't ask about them, you asked about Kimber and Springfield and I choose Kimber between the two. If you are open minded and want to consider a high end carry gun then yes! I would agree and recommend a Wilson Combat Professional or CQB, A Nighthawk Talon II, III or IV and the NH Predator II or III are all fine choices along with the Ed Brown Kobra Carry or Executive Carry, Les Baer Stinger or Thunder Ranch Commanche or even a Rock River Arm's Elite Commando in 4.25" Commander length are excellent gun's. None of these mentioned offer the aluminum frame as Kimber does.
These "great" gun's range from $1,800.00 to almost $3,000.00 depending on the one you choose and what you choose to have on them. At the Same time a Kimber bought for say $800.OO can be sent to your local smith that you trust or can be recommended to you, have a reliability tune and trigger job to your choice of # pull for about $100.00 and change the mag's to Cobra or Wilson
[email protected] $60.00.
You will then have a very good, light weight, reliable, carry piece for under a grand! about $960.00 to be exact using the above example.
I did this with my Kimber UCDP although I spent much more and changed much more then I am recommending to you, this is all you will need to do to have a very nice carry piece. This is the perfect time to buy a Kimber now that the Internal extractors seem to be back, do yourself a favor and only get one with an internal extractor to save a possible headache.
I am done, finished, worn-out! I have written enough and that's how I feel about it. Your money, your gun, your choice! Good luck with it and let us know what you chose and why along with a range report and pictures.
Ti.