Kimber Problems fr Gunsmith View

[s2harry]

Just read a thread on the problems of Kimbers that so many people talk about. It was more a treaties on the steps that take place in the feeding process and little things that get in the way. This guy said that what people call failure to feed, failure to go into battery, magazine problems etc. really boil down to "a failure to chamber". They dont know the proper names of the steps in the feed process so they call it something it is not. Check out a sticky on the Kimber Forum "Common Issues: Diagnosis and Corrective Action, by Mike240 it will help you understand whats going on. I can see how I did the same thing. My problem is failure to chamber completly and go into battery. Not failure to feed.

 

[GKC]

Kimber makes pretty guns...but I prefer guns that shoot. I also prefer a company with good customer service. I've owned three (3) Kimber 1911s (note past tense) and will never own another.

 

[manyguns]

I own an alloy frame commander sized Kimber. Thousand of rounds through it including a lot of lead SWC 200 gr. with no problems at all. I have heard the Kimber grumbling before so maybe I just got lucky. It is not a low dollar Kimber so maybe that made the difference.

 

[klausinak]

I'm in the same boat as manyguns above, I own 2 of their 1911's and 2 of their rifles. The handguns have seen multiple thousands of rounds w/ never a hiccup, the rifles not nearly the round count but no issues. I've had no problems, but again maybe I got lucky as well.

-Klaus

 

[LimaCharlie]

Two of my favorite carry 1911s are a Kimber Super Carry Custom .45 ACP and a Kimber Stainless Target II 10mm. I have zero issues with either one and have thousands of rounds through them.

 

[Laketime]

I haven't bought a Kimber since 2003. Although I love the ones I do own, I won't buy another until the quality returns to what it use to be.

 

[Autococker07]

I bought a polymer target when they first came out.... neither me, my gunsmith, OR his ransom rest could get through 1 magazine without an FTE. (This is a day#1 pistol). I called customer support, and was told "its your problem now" by the cust service guy. I had to use my CC return policy to make that one go back on principal, all over a simple $35 extractor issue.....

FF 10 years, I swore I would never own another Kimber, until I shot my 1st Sgt's CDP pro.... it ran like a sewing machine, and I found a great deal on a CDP ultra on gun broker for $600 shipped. I bought the gun and have fired about 7K of mixed ammo through it with nary a problem. It is the most reliable small 45 I have ever owned.

I have owned one terrible and one awesome, but have heard lots and lots of horror stories, and noticed that my favorite gunsmiths no longer use them as a base for their custom guns.... I would only buy another for a very good price, but I would not fear one for a good price! I think they must be a mixed bag......

 

[Mushki]

I have a Kimber Tactical Entry that I absolutely love. It did have a few issues early on while breaking in but that was years ago. I have fired approx. 15,000 rounds shooting cdp in idpa with only one jam in that time frame. Two years ago I started shoot ssp with a m&p for a new challenge but I still regard my kimber as my favorite and take it out every so often to shoot three gun. Nothing compairs to a fine 1911 in my book. Break them in, keep them properly lubed and they will just run and run, may have to replace a mainspring or extractor every so many years but what do you expect.

 

[307-Niner]

I owned a Kimber Pro Carry II. Jammed constantly after the second magazine. Kimber blamed the magazines, bought new ones from them (on my dime), but nothing changed. Their answer to me after that was, I needed to send it to their "Kimber Custom Shop" to the tune of $500-600. BTW, this was a brand new gun.

I sold it to a buddy for $450 as is. Lost my butt on that one. I will never buy Kimber again, and I will share me story every chance I can.

 

[chuck8388]

Sold my Kimber bought a Glock 21 now I have a reliable .45!

 

[Kanewpadle]

I absolutely hate Kimber. Never buy another unless the price is so low I can't resist.

Having said that, Kimbers guns are as well made as any other mass produced 1911. The problem is that Kimber is arrogant. They think they know what we want and they produce some of the most butt ugly guns ever made. And their service is terrible and their guns are overpriced.

Too many other choices such as Ruger, Springfield, Magnum Research, Dan Wesson, etc for me to ever buy another Kimber.

 

[marinevet]

I have a kimber TLE……, never had any issues with it, and it is probably the most accurate semi auto that I own, including the Sig's, and Ed Brown…….point of aim…..point of impact……

Semper Fi!

 

[STCM(SW)]

I have a Kimber Pro Carry II. No problems in the past 5 years but I don't shoot it much and have the spring sets they say to replace after so many rounds.
My Springfield 5" XD is big but is better I think.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I own hand have been shooting a Custom Classic and a Pro CDP for many years with nary a problem.

 

[GKC]

It is not a low dollar Kimber so maybe that made the difference.

Mine weren't...they were all over $1K. That's not low dollar to me!

Another thing that Kimber does that honks me off...they actually make a good magazine, the KimPro TacMag. Is that the one you get with your $1K pistol? Nope! The cheapest mag made is what you get, AND you only get one. I've bought many 1911s, and almost all of them (Colt, S&W, Ruger, Springfield, etc) came with two mags. The RIAs I bought only came with one mag, but the Citadels came with two.

 

[s2harry]

Crazy

Isn't that crazy? On one side of the room we have guys with Kimbers that run like Swiss watches. On the other side we all have Kimber wheel barrows with square wheels!!

 

[robertrwalsh]

I have three Kimber's, two .38 super and one .45, and am very happy with them.

 

[Frizzman]

I remember the 70s and 80s when Colt turned out some loose and lousy 1911's that would only function with ball ammo...Smith and Wesson during the Bangor Punta days produced some poorly made guns...I had a Ruger Mini-Thirty that the trigger group would fall out every few rounds and it had three trips back and still never worked...I won't go into the Taurus, Dan Wesson and Charter Arms guns that were unsatisfactory. Colt's CS was lousy. I sent a defective Trooper back for warranty work in the early 80's and it took eight months to get back AND it had been finished in bright nickel that didn't ask for...I have had three Kimbers. The first was a Classic the first year they were made. Currently, I have a Pro CDP that is not a II and a Stainless Ultra Raptor...All have been 100%...T

 

[RO73]

I had one Kimber, and it spent more time back to Kimber & and the gunsmith than it did in my house. Based on the "fool me once..." rule, I will never buy another.

 

[BigCityChief]

I've owned a few Kimbers. While they were beautiful to behold, they were unreliable and unfit for consideration as carry weapons. The new "spray and bake" KimPro finish is also inferior to that of many other pistols I own. I will not likely be purchasing another.


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