45 Dilemma III

[tocohillsguy]

Okay dilemma solved. I've jumped in, and in a big way. Sorry, but it's not a S&W....

 

[ColbyBruce]

You jumped in with both feet, didn't you? Have you shot it yet?

 

[tocohillsguy]

You jumped in with both feet, didn't you? Have you shot it yet?

Yea, guess I did. I bought it for several reasons. First, when I shot it I ripped a hole out of the center of the target. I shot it better than any gun I've ever tried to shoot, except perhaps my HK P7. Second, I liked the bobtail. It just felt good in my hands. Third, it's fairly light, but I seemed to be able to control it, and the recoil didn't bother me as much as a smaller but similarly weighted 1911. Fourth, I had just gotten finished shooting a Springfield 45 XD, the first full size polymer gun I can recall ever shooting, and I hated it. Fifth, I thought the price was fair, because it was less than a new one and it had the custom bobtail and grips. Six, I thought it was purdy.

Now the down side. 1. Given the grips and alloy frame it's not really intended for extended range sessions, and I'm not sure if I'm going to carry it. 2. Now I'm feeling the need to thin the herd, so I may sell some of my collection. I'm contemplating the potential sale of my 6906 and 686. Ugh.

 

[Knightrider03m]

Looks nice. I just sold off both of my M&Ps for a 1911 and I'm not looking back.

 

[leejack]

Marcus, 2 questions:

1. Which 1911 did you get?

2. Do you still have the amazing sigma?

Lee

 

[Dan Cash]

I don't know how you define extended range sessions but I doubt you will ever hurt the gun with conventional .45 ball or equivalent reloads.

 

[Crabtree]

Very handsome piece indeed. Those grips look amazing on that gun. I waited way to long to own a 1911. Now I rarely make a trip to the range that does not inlcude the venerable 1911 in the mix with the wheel guns.

 

[Kilted Cossack]

Nice one! I'm a fan of the bobtail mainspring housing, it really makes it easier to discreetly carry a 1911. Then again, I like the round butt on a N frame, so who knows?

 

[M29since14]

I bought it for several reasons. First, when I shot it I ripped a hole out of the center of the target...

You can stop right there.

I must have missed installment two of your saga. That is one of those modern, snag-free gizmos that look a bit odd to some of us a little longer in the fang, but if it tears one hole for you, you obviously bought the right gun.

Hang on to your 686. 1911s and S&W revolvers go together.

 

[tocohillsguy]

That is one of those modern, snag-free gizmos that look a bit odd to some of us a little longer in the fang....)

Funny you should have that observation. I tend to prefer more traditionally classic guns, which may explain some of my dislike for the polymer breed and my preference for pinned and recessed S&W's.

When I shot the Springfield 45 XD (not the new XDm) I thought the grip and trigger were terrible. The gun shot below POA, and my groups looked like I was shooting a shotgun. When I shot this Kimber the results couldn't have been more different. The gun felt good, shot to POA, and my groupings were improved. In fact, out of a 50 round box, only two shots weren't in or touching the ragged hole I created. I certainly didn't get that result with the short barrelled (but about the same weight as the Kimber) Springfield Armory GI micro compact. Perhaps I would have had a similar experience with a S&W 1911 or a Colt Gold Cup, but I've never had an opportunity to shoot either of those. Someday I hope to have the opportunity to shoot some other 1911 variants.

BTW, I wonder how many gun sales have been influenced, pro and con, by the ability to take it for a test drive? I doubt I would have bought this Kimber but for the opportunity to shoot it before the purchase.

 

[roughneck6]

I hate to be the dissenting opinion, but having had two Kimbers (Pro Carry II and Custom II TLE), I would rather carry a Lorcin! If that Kimber shoots, and continues to fire without a stove pipe, failure to feed, failure to eject, etc, you are among the lucky Kimber owners. What Kimber does do well, is their marketing! They make people believe it is okay to buy a custom gun, and then expect there "might" be some break in period. I have had friends who had a Kimber and it worked fine and others like myself that either sells them off, has to send them back for multiple trips to the Kimber factory, or a good gunsmith.
I love 1911's and I finally went to the source as stated in a pervious thread and bought a Colt Commander XSE. It is like driving nails, except in over 500 plus rounds I have not had one miss fire. Any modern firearm like S&W, SIG, Glock, Beretta, Colt, etc produce a quality firearm that goes bang out of the box every time; Except Kimber! Keep your 686, it will always work. I prefer steel guns as well, and that is why I have a 4566, not as accurate as my 1911, but at the 7 yard line my shot group is 3 inch’s versus 1 1/2 with my 1911, so how accurate does a combat handgun need to be. It has NEVER jammed and will shoot anything fed into the magazine. I will get off my Kimber soap box, which if it was made by Kimber it most likely would have collapsed.

 

[tocohillsguy]

I hate to be the dissenting opinion, but having had two Kimbers (Pro Carry II and Custom II TLE), I would rather carry a Lorcin! If that Kimber shoots, and continues to fire without a stove pipe, failure to feed, failure to eject, etc, you are among the lucky Kimber owners. What Kimber does do well, is their marketing! They make people believe it is okay to buy a custom gun, and then expect there "might" be some break in period. I have had friends who had a Kimber and it worked fine and others like myself that either sells them off, has to send them back for multiple trips to the Kimber factory, or a good gunsmith.
I love 1911's and I finally went to the source as stated in a pervious thread and bought a Colt Commander XSE. It is like driving nails, except in over 500 plus rounds I have not had one miss fire. Any modern firearm like S&W, SIG, Glock, Beretta, Colt, etc produce a quality firearm that goes bang out of the box every time; Except Kimber! Keep your 686, it will always work. I prefer steel guns as well, and that is why I have a 4566, not as accurate as my 1911, but at the 7 yard line my shot group is 3 inch’s versus 1 1/2 with my 1911, so how accurate does a combat handgun need to be. It has NEVER jammed and will shoot anything fed into the magazine. I will get off my Kimber soap box, which if it was made by Kimber it most likely would have collapsed.

Well, I guess someone had to rain on my parade. I certainly hope my experience doesn't mirror your own, and I take no offense to your expressing your opinion and experiences. I know Kimber had some issues with exterior extractors, but that's old history. I've also heard that some believe their magazines aren't as good as their guns, and as we know magazines can be the source of many issues. Time will tell if I have a positive experience or become a Kimber basher. That being said, I tend to believe the name brands such as S&W, Colt, Beretta, CZ, Glock, and yes Kimber, etc. all make fine firearms. I also suspect they all turn out a lemon from time to time. Sometimes the model is a lemon and sometimes its just a particular example.

I love my S&W revolvers, but ironically my 686 "no dash" revolver which you indicate will "always work" was the subject of a S&W recall because it could lockup on magnum loads. To its credit, S&W fixed the problem, and my 686 has the "m" stamped on the crane to indicate it has the recall fix.

As for your Colt Commander, I have no reason to bash it, and would love to own one. I have a couple of Colts (but not a 1911). For what it's worth, it seems to me that Kimber as a company wouldn't even exist if Colt was on the ball. Colt owned the 1911 market, and could have, and should have, been developing their guns to fill the nitch that is presently filled by Kimber.

Just saying...

 

[Kilted Cossack]

(snip!)
I love 1911's and I finally went to the source as stated in a pervious thread and bought a Colt Commander XSE. It is like driving nails, except in over 500 plus rounds I have not had one miss fire. Any modern firearm like S&W, SIG, Glock, Beretta, Colt, etc produce a quality firearm that goes bang out of the box every time; Except Kimber! Keep your 686, it will always work. (Snip!)

BCHarris:

Can I call you BC?

I'm not going to argue the merits of various producers of 1911s overly much, because there have been valleys and mountains for all of them.

I am on the fringes of a community that includes some real 1911 fans as well as some hard-core SAA nuts. I have handled some Colt Government Models that were embarrassingly bad---poor fitting, horrid trigger pulls, sight dovetails cut crooked. I have also seen some (recent) Colt Government Models that were bang on. Also, a buddy ordered a Custom Shop Single Action Army in .38-40, that arrived with a .45 Colt barrel. The lockwork on this sixgun was reminiscent of what you'd expect on an Italian SAA back in the 1950s: the parts were there, all right, but they didn't exhibit any "gung ho" working together spirit.

When Kimber was just a couple of years old, I visited with Alex Hamilton (of Ten Ring Precision and former president of the American Pistolsmith's Guild) and he had nothing but praise for them. I also know that there were several years (at least) where Kimber couldn't do anything right---or at least, when their quality control didn't stop horrible examples from escaping into the population. I think both the Swartz style firing pin safety and the external extractor were huge, huge blunders.

Regarding S&W, I've handled and measured N frame .45s with ridiculous, absurd, oversized chamber mouths---like up to .457.

I'm just saying that nothing is forever. Companies will overexpand their production lines or their model selection, quality workers will retire and be replaced by hackers, corners will be cut, and quality control will suffer. Similarly, sometimes companies really decide to bring their A game and do things right, and they not only do things right but catch the mistakes before they get out the door.

I hope this doesn't come across as too negative---I'm not attacking I'm just trying to offer a different viewpoint. In the spirit of amity I'll entirely agree that a good 686 qualifies as a true "keeper."

 

[Kilted Cossack]

(snip!)

As for your Colt Commander, I have no reason to bash it, and would love to own one. I have a couple of Colts (but not a 1911). For what it's worth, it seems to me that Kimber as a company wouldn't even exist if Colt was on the ball. Colt owned the 1911 market, and could have, and should have, been developing their guns to fill the nitch that is presently filled by Kimber.

Just saying...

I have never, for the life of me, understood how any half-way decent company could completely lose its "franchise rights" to not one, not two, but three of the iconic American firearms. Colt did it with the Single Action Army, the Government Model and the Stoner AR-15.

Regarding the Colt Commander, I had a 1957 version for a while. Box stock with small sights and mostly didn't feed much besides hardball, but it was a dandy little pistol. Wonderful fit and finish, gorgeous bluing, nice trigger pull and shot right to the sights at 15 yards.

 

[ColbyBruce]

Kimber made some bad guns, my son and I both owned one. Both had external extractors. Last year, I ran across a Custom Classic Royal and decided to give Kimber another try. This one shoots well and has never malfunctioned (knock on wood). If yours develops problems, the employees at American Classic in Norcross swear that Andy Gazaway in Alpharetta is one of the best 1911 wizards in the south.

 

[tocohillsguy]

ColbyBruce, thank you for the heads up. Hopefully I won't need any of Mr. Gazaway's magic, but it's nice to know there's someone in the vicinity if help is needed.

 

[T.Webb]

I hate to be the dissenting opinion, but having had two Kimbers (Pro Carry II and Custom II TLE), I would rather carry a Lorcin! If that Kimber shoots, and continues to fire without a stove pipe, failure to feed, failure to eject, etc, you are among the lucky Kimber owners. What Kimber does do well, is their marketing! They make people believe it is okay to buy a custom gun, and then expect there "might" be some break in period. I have had friends who had a Kimber and it worked fine and others like myself that either sells them off, has to send them back for multiple trips to the Kimber factory, or a good gunsmith.
I love 1911's and I finally went to the source as stated in a pervious thread and bought a Colt Commander XSE. It is like driving nails, except in over 500 plus rounds I have not had one miss fire. Any modern firearm like S&W, SIG, Glock, Beretta, Colt, etc produce a quality firearm that goes bang out of the box every time; Except Kimber! Keep your 686, it will always work. I prefer steel guns as well, and that is why I have a 4566, not as accurate as my 1911, but at the 7 yard line my shot group is 3 inch’s versus 1 1/2 with my 1911, so how accurate does a combat handgun need to be. It has NEVER jammed and will shoot anything fed into the magazine. I will get off my Kimber soap box, which if it was made by Kimber it most likely would have collapsed.

I have a Kimber and a Taurus PT 1911. I usually get by Kimber lovers, but that Taurus shoots smoother, and better than my Kimber ever hoped to. But, my buddy has a Kimber that I'm envious of. It's just that good.

It sounds like the original poster got one of the better ones.

Congratulations.

 

[maggie]

Andy receives lots of praise on ARFCOM Ga. forum also. Where do you range at THG, I'm very versed in Dekalb co., don't remember one in the hills, Druid or Toco. lol.