Got one on a trade recently. Wasn't necessarily looking for a Kimber 1911, but I really have enjoyed the 1911 over the years.

It is the following variant: Custom, TLE / RL II.

Think the trade was back in December and with the weather getting better am thinking about taking it out and plinking.

General thoughts? Worth keeping? Trade down-the-road?

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Rather be outdoors

I've got six Kimber 1911's, five in .45 and one in 10MM. They are all great guns. Some do require a bit of a break in as they have very tight tolerances. The 10MM is one of my off duty/LEOSA/CCW guns and I trust my life with it without worry.

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Bill

Thank you, Bill. I am considering keeping it, given that I already have the ammo and mags for it--plus holsters and other accouterments. Yet to shoot it, but fit, form and function seem to be well/very good.

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Rather be outdoors

I personally think Kimbers are great....just not with Kimber magazines.

I have owned a number of Kimbers and carried one for about a year, it never failed me and fed all the ammo I put through it.

Their magazines are kinda ehh in my opinion however Im a 1911 guy so I have plenty of aftermarket magazines from reputable manufactures.

Shoot it. If you like it, keep it. Otherwise trade or sell. That’s the beautiful thing about firearms they aren’t cars! Much easier to buy and sell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have several Kimber 1911s ranging from 5 inch models to the three inch Ultra Carry. All have given excellent service. I would take it to the range and shoot it. If you like it, keep it. If not, send it down the road.

This Raptor is my 2nd, both have been flawless.

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Pass it on.
Mark

Bought one just yesterday … my 1st officers size 1911. Haven’t gone to the range yet; waiting on a few compact Wilson mags to be delivered first. Seems kinda weird that they only sell them with one magazine.

Stainless Ultra Carry II

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I've had a bone stock Stainless II for decades. Use to shoot USPSA with it. Never an issue. Wife has a Micro 380 for CCW (also a great gun).

I have a series I custom and it’s flawless. Also have a series I Classic Royal ,Eclipse target and a stainless Gold Match all NIB in my collection.

I have owned a couple of them over the years and have shot several others. They have all shot fine but the newer ones have MIM parts and I have heard through several sources that their customer service is terrible. I personally think that they are over priced in most cases and I personally recommend several other brands over them. They are perfectly good and very nice looking.

Each of my 2 son's have one in .45 and my younger brother has one in 9mm, no issues with any of them. CDNN recently had OEM Kimber .45 mags on sale, picked up 2 each for my son's.

I like them, and own more than a couple. Nice thing about kimber is you can get a lot of "bling" (and pay for it). But the standard models that come in comparable to say a Ruger of Springfield Armory at around $7 to $800 or so already come "loaded" with premium features. I think you'll like your TLE. The "ll" version you own has the firing pin safety and I believe the one piece guide rod - so pay attention to take down instructions. Nice thing it is activated by the grip safety, so it has no effect on trigger pull, like the Colt system can.

Larry

Kimber has always used MIM parts.And their customer service is actually one of the best for those who have actually used them.

I never had an issue with a 1911, but I did have a small problem with a 9MM Solo, striker fired gun. I called customer service. They diagnosed the problem on the phone but said that they still wanted to see it to make sure. They immediately emailed a mailing label and I sent it back. I had it back to me in five days. They found nothing wrong but said they did not want to take a chance.

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Bill

I have 4 including a TLE Pro and have had absolutely no issues. I’ve owned them for several years and put many rounds through them and have had 100% reliability. Accuracy has been superb as well. Fit and finish equals or surpasses my Springfields and Colt.the only MINOR, very minor, issue was a magazine with my 5” Eclipse Target 38 Super. The last round would hang in the magazine. I called a Kimber and the shipped another that day. Great service and great products.

I have an Eclipse Pro (Commander size), and a stainless Gold Match Ten ll (polymer frame double stack). Both have been very reliable and accurate. I lacked a 5" single stack and picked up a Rock Island Ultra FS. Around half the cost of a similarly equipped Kimber. It has run well and is accurate. Very impressed with the quality of the RIA.

I have a Custom II and a Pro Crimson Carry II. Mine, like the above posters, have been flawless. Other than changing the grips on the Custom II I haven't had to do anything but shoot and clean. I did pick up half a dozen or so Chip McCormick mags for them.

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Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

I have a Gold Match II and love it.

I own seven Kimber’s including these 1911s:

- Gold Match II, .45 ACP
- Custom CDP II, .45 ACP
- Pro Carry II, 9mm Luger
- Ultra Carry II, .45 ACP

Three of the, shown here:



——

Here is my take on them.

1) They are well made . They are mid tier. More expensive than RIA and similar 1911s, and about the same as Springfield Armory and Ruger 1911s, unless you start adding on lots of options.

2) They are very reliable:

a) once you break them in (about 200-500 rounds);

b) provided you use a decent magazine, appropriate for the bullet you are using. (I’ve talked about 1911 .45 ACP magazines here before. Kimber, like most other 1911 manufacturers, uses a Colt Commerial/Hybrid style magazine with semi tapered feed lips. It’s designed to work well with both RNFMJ and hollow points as well as FNFMJ and some of the longer semi wad cutter bullets. If you don’t understand why, do a search and read up on the different magazine lip types). The Kimber magazines are very well made and work great with pretty much any factory ammo. If you shot something odd (like really short, light weight semi wad cutters) you might need something else;

c) provided you don’t try to “upgrade it”. The 4” and in particular 3” models have a comparatively short slide over run. One of the biggest mistakes people make with them is installing a shock buffer and or a “extra power recoil spring. Unless you have a degree in engineering and some experience designing 1911s, don’t go screwing around with your new Kimber by adding “upgrades” like shock buffers and extra power recoil springs. A shock buffer further reduces slide over run and will cause feed problems. An extra power recoil spring will mess with the dwell time and slide velocity of the slide and cause feed issues. An extra power recoil spring will also result in the slide coming into battery with excessive velocity and will batter the frame, especially on aluminum frame guns;

d) provided you replace the recoil springs at the specified intervals for the various models (which varies from 800 to 1200 rounds). If you can’t remember the number, just go with 800 rounds. Once you’ve shot a 1911 while, you’ll also notice if the recoil starts to feel a bit “metallic” with the slide bottoming out on the frame under recoil. That’s your sign the recoil spring is worn out, regardless of round count; and

e) provided you run it wet. It’s a 1911, not tactical Tupperware wear like a Glock. Glocks run fine mostly dry, 1911s do not. Don’t be afraid to be generous with the oil. It won’t attract dirt, etc.

3) The Schwartz firing pin system on the “II” models works fine and with close to 100,000 rounds through my various Kimber 1911s I’ve never had one fail. But that’s because I am not an idiot and I read the manual.

The system has a small stud in the frame that comes up when you depress the grip safety. Many shooters learn to field strip a 1911 with a 1911 using the original or Series 70 design with no grip safety. Most of these shooters have a bad habit of reinstalling the slide on the frame by gripping the grip in their manly hands and then sliding the slide back on the frame. In the process they depress the grip safety, the stud comes up and the frame impacts the stud. Some of them, being clueless morons do what they just did, but harder, and then even harder until they brute force the slide over the stud. Then, when they eventually break the stud and the pistol fails to disengage the grip safety, being morons, they blame Kimber and the Schwartz system. If you take care not to depress the grip safety, and in some cases, take your finger and push the stud down into the frame before installing the slide, you’ll never have a problem and will never break the firing pin safety system.

As an aside, Schwartz worked for Colt and Colt planned to adopt the system on all of their 1911s just prior to WWII. The War Department asked them not to, as they were in the process of planning to order a lot more 1911A1s with WWII on the horizon and did not want two types of pistols with different parts in the inventory. After WWII Colt used left over military contract pistols and slides in its commercial pistols for a few years, and by then sales were slow as the world was awash in surplus 1911s. Colt didn’t do a serious redesign until 1970 and left the firing pin safety feature off. By the time they did the Series 80 redesign, Kimber was building their own 1911s using Colt’s expired patents for the Schwartz system and Colt went with the trigger activated design.

——

In short, the vast majority of the “reliability” complaints you hear about Kimber’s are made by “ a guy who knows a guy who said…” and *that guy* either tried to upgrade it before he ever shot it, and/or used the wrong magazine with it, and/or didn’t break it in first, and/or didn’t lube it properly. Don’t be that guy, if you do decide to be that guy, don’t blame Kimber.

I have had a basic Kimber Custom, Yonkers since the 90's. It has never missed a beat with any magazine. It is the best shooting 45 I have ever had with any ammo. Only problem is a Napoleon Complekted match director did not want me to shoot it in a leg match because it has shark gills on front of the slide.

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"Don't Give Up the Ship"

I'm not a great fan but have a few. This is an Eclipse in 10mm -

IMG_0392.jpg

Most Kimber (IMO) have a soft, rounded appearance. Whether bead blasted or spray paint type - I don't care for it. The Eclipse has a "bare steel" look to it, at least on the slide flats.

I don't care much about the FP block, at least it's grip safety activated rather than trigger. I generally have to adjust it a bit to ensure it works with certainty no matter how I grip the gun.

I really like their ambi thumb safety. Crisp, 100% solid stop off & on. I've fitted a few on other 1911s, nice and smooth too.

My brother has a Kimber 45 that shoots to POA if I do my part. He can't hit the broad side of a barn from the stall. It handles anything I've put in the mags in any order.

Here are the 4 Kimbers I own. The Eclipse is a 38 Super Target with custom stag grips. The 4” is the TLE with a magwell and custom grips, the 5” is one of the newer LW night hawk with factory Vortex optics in 9mm with magwell added and the 3” is an Aegis 9mm that I’ve since added custom grips.

I previously had a 3” in 45acp and a 9mm micro, both excellent.

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Have owned a Stainless Target II in .38 Super since about 2002. Has never missed a beat... Wanted one in 10mm and bought the identical gun in about 2015...turns out all I really need was a 10mm barrel as Kimber cuts the breachface on the 9mm and 10mm slides the same...so I just kept adding barrels...and slides...

Four-Caliber STII... | 1911Forum

Sold the 10mm to a friend in Idaho with .38 Super and 9mm barrels. It is in the shop now having a .357 SIG barrel added...it will now run 10 different rounds from the one frame.

Two years ago found a Stainless Target Longslide 10mm in a local shop...LNIB for a whole $750.00...shot great right out of the box and is getting a Fusion .38 Super barrel added in a couple of weeks.

Then recently Kimber made a run of what they call their Night Patrol, which is a lightweight Government Model in 9mm. Sportsmen's Supply put them out for a penny and was able to get one for $650 delivered...it just had a $50 SIG made .38 Super barrel added...

Lastly is a Kimber Target .22...all aluminum, super lightweight and accurate... And now they have threaded barrels for them..****ns with a can just fine...

To me great guns for the money....

Bob

This is the only Kimber I own - bought a number of years ago when Kimber was considered the best of the 1911 breed by many. Other than adding night sights, it's box-stock, and I'ver never had a malfunction or problem of any sort. It's a 4-inch compact stainless model.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

John that is perhaps the most interesting and unusual set of grips I've ever seen, and I really like them. Good on ya sir for putting them out to be seen.

I traded Cimmaron .45LC for a new Kimber Custom II fullsize .45 about 20 years ago and at the time that was the cheapest 1911 Kimber made. I took off the rubber grips and installed some checkered walnut and that was all it needed. It was a tack driver and had a great trigger and didn't need anything else and I later traded it for some gun I just HAD to have. Several years later a lot of the 1911 buffs were down on Kimber and I'm not sure why, I think they liked Springfield Armory better because of the lightweight titanium fire pin instead of Kimber's Schwartz safety system.

Thanks - I have them on my "go to" 1911 trifecta.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I am a long time Kimber owner... the one and only that I have ever owned is a very early Stainless Custom Target, not a II... it cost me a fortune (spiritually)... I traded for it, shooting buddy was a Kimber dealer... at the time it was a fair trade... as of today I was stupid... should not have swapped a 95%+ condition US&S 1911A1 with holster, magazines and white navy lanyard... oops...
anyway, the Kimber has been flawless in 45acp and was retired a few years back and now does duty as a platform to run my Marvel 22 conversion... I may have been an idiot, but the Kimber has been great.

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I have owned many Kimbers over the years and currently have 3 in 45 and one in .357 (K6S CDP) one of the .45s is the same model as yours but in the Pro (4”) configuration.

As others have said, I have never had a problem with any I have owned both pre series II and series II.

I do also recommend purchasing Wilson Magazines for it as the factory magazines are mediocre and should be delegated to range use only in my opinion.

Enjoy the gun and post some pics!
BB

Only have experience with the 3 inchers. The original 3 in Ultra Carry did not have a ramped barrel. The split tail mag followers and certain hollow points dug into the alumnum frame feed ramp.

These mags mitigated that and have a steel locking notch. Mec-Gar Mag 1911 Officer 45 ACP 6-Round Steel Blue

Sold the original version and bought the Ultra Carry II with ramped barrel. With the Meg gar 6 rd mags, it is reliable and very accurate. The schwartz safety system is moronic in the extreme, precisely because it eliminates the common/easy method of holding pistol during reassembly. The other positive features of the pistols easily overcome that undesired/idiotic design feature.

As with a lot of other light framed pistols with steel slides, it helps to look close for any sharp edges in the slide tracks, then modify as required.

I know a guy from other forums that has 80,000+ rounds through his and it's still going strong.

80,000 Rounds and Counting (Kimber 1911 in 45 ACP) – Ultimate Reloader

Kimber "Factory" magazines are made by either Mec-Gar or Checkmate, both are excellent products, but you can get a lemon from any maker of any product you can name. I have many from both makers, for several different guns and have had no issues with either brand.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

I had a custom II with an external extractor. Always reliable and quite accurate. Gave it to my son and when his place flooded he had the Kimber refinished in a two tone. Now it’s accurate,reliable and sexy lol

I’ve had my Kimber Ultra Carry Series I since 1999 and it’s a regular in my EDC rotation. I’ve only experienced issues with hollow points fed thru OEM magazines; no problems with round nose bullets. I use Chip McCormick magazines to carry my Hydra-Shocks.

I had (and traded) a plain Jane Kimber Custom Classic; too big for carry but great range gun.

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About four years ago, the local Sportsmans Warehouse had Kimber LW Stainless base model on sale so I bought one. I have several 1911s including a Springfield Armory I shot several thousand rounds through in IPSC competition.

The Kimber is the only 1911 I've owned that has been flawless from day one with hardball, hollow points, and my 200 grain SWC handloads. This model does not have the series 80-style firing pin block nor an ambi safety. The only thing I would changes is I would do away with the front end serrations. Not a fan but not a deal breaker on this particular gun.

I really like mine, I've had it since about 2007 and has been flawless. Reliable, accurate, tight, good trigger and sights. All things considered I would prefer to not have the firing pin safety but it hasn't caused me any problems.

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Common sense isn't so common.

I've owned few Kimbers, and all were good guns. My current Eclipse, in .38 Super, has been such a good gun that I decided to add a 9mm barrel. The 9mm barrel and magazines were all that was necessary to achieve reliability in 9mm. I didn't change, adjust or tweak anything else in doing the conversion.

Kimber's .40/10mm breech face sure makes some of this stuff easy.

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NRA Life, COTEP 640

Kimber has almost as many "fan boys" as Glock. To them there's nothing better and they're the "coolest" 1911 made. Mostly they show them off because they paid too much for them and its "looky what I got!"

I am NOT a fan. I consider Kimbers to way over rated and seriously over priced. If it runs good, fine you got lucky. Enjoy it. But it still ain't worth the money.
Back when I was shooting IDPA regularly, I saw more Kimbers choke on the firing line than any other brand of 1911. They don't hold up under serious use.
I have shot them before. Decent gun. But not as good as claimed and certainly not worth the price. I don't want one and have no plans to get one.

Now I'll just settle back while the rabid fan boys plan their attack.

If I got one in a trade, I would keep it. They are simply adequate guns. Nothing more. But I would never buy a new one.

Dan Wesson offers the finest production 1911 available. And for the same money.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Not fan boys but rather satisfied customers.The difference with positive reviews opposed to the haters opinions is that we actually own them. The fun thing to do admittedly by the haters is to bash the brand on line in a forum setting .Then talk about their bashing deeds together. It’s always the same thing I heard , I know a guy or in your case I saw several malfunction. Sure you did .

^^^^^^ I knew it wouldn't take long. ^^^^^^

Click you tube video to see forum kimber bashing confessing after he fell in love with his Kimber. I could offer proof all night but I thinks this says it all

I have a Kimber CDP11 in 9mm and a SIS version in 45 ACP. Both have been reliable.
The magazines that came with the CDP looked like they made from a galvanized bucket, replaced them with Wilsons. I also use Wilsons in the SIS version

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SWCA 1932 SWHF 135

Two thoughts on this.

1) I’m not a Glock fan at all, in part due to the operating system limitations and in part to my early negative experiences with Glock triggers that felt worse than the average Craftsman staple gun. But that’s just me.

I acknowledge that they work and are consistently reliable handguns. That’s actually why there are so many Glock “fan boys”.

Kimber “fan boys” exist for the same reason - because they work and are consistently reliable.

Which takes us to point 2.

2) You observed:

“Back when I was shooting IDPA regularly, I saw more Kimbers choke on the firing line than any other brand of 1911. They don't hold up under serious use.”

There are a few sampling issues we need to discuss to qualify that observation:

- Kimber has been making 1911s since 1979, and for years they have been the largest single producer of 1911s. In short, when you are talking about 1911s made in the 40 years, Kimber 1911s will be the most numerous 1911s in the sample.

That means that all other things being equal more Kimber’s present means more Kimbers “choking”.

- Kimbers are mid tier 1911s that exist in between lower end 1911s and higher end custom guns. Kimber blurs that a bit with lots of options and models. That also makes them fairly popular with new tactical shooters who don’t want to show up with something like an RIA, but don’t want to spring for a custom gun.

- A growing number of shooters have been treating pistols like AR-15s and 10/22s, where the basic firearm is just a blank canvas for a wide range of aftermarket “upgrades”.

A full size 1911 is reasonably tolerant of that kind bubba aftermarket re-engineering, but the Commander sized 4”-4.25” 1911s have less slide over run than a full size Govt Model and the 3”-3.5” Officer frame pistols have essentially no spare slide over run to start with.

Kimber offers a lot of smaller 1911 options and shooters who “upgrade” them before they ever shoot them cause a lot of reliability issues.

- finally, as noted in my prior post, Kimber 1911s are fairly tight and require a fairly extensive break in period - up to 500 rounds on some of the steel frame target models. Steel frame 1911 Kimbers are pretty common at tactical shoots, and if the new shooter hasn’t put in the break in time, it’s more likely to choke.

Fortunately it’s a free country and no one is going to force you to buy a Kimber.

Nor will anyone tell *you* what to buy or not to buy.

It’s appreciated when that goes both ways.

No expert on Kimbers. I only have one, a ProCarry II in 9mm. Bought it many moons ago. It was pricey then and I had to add an ambi safety as I am a lefty. Never any problems. Over the hood of my Jeep it will dispatch prairie poodles out to 40 or 50 yards with no problems.

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Keep Shootin' and check 6

And in my case, you would be wrong. My first was a Clackamas Kimber. Fine gun. Then they were bought out went downhill.

I’ve owned several Kimbers 1911’s. Dan Wesson is still better.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Only one Kimber was assembled in Oregon. Every 1911 was made in Yonkers and shipped to Oregon for test fire.Kimber has never been bought out.This was never a Dan Wesson vs Kimber discussion.