Kimber Problems fr Gunsmith View
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CatboatWilly
Member
Regardless of the price one pays - the gun is supposed to do one thing well. Shoot when you need it too !
Kimbers are either made too well and therefore will not accept a wide range of tolerance measurements in their ammo or they are just plain junk with terrible tolerances all around! If it doesn't want to shoot what good is it ?
Plus included in the price (at no extra cost )was....;
Absolutely obnoxious customer service ! Their customer service has to rate equal to some third world country ! After paying better than $1K for it - they were very rude and un-carring regarding my new Plus Carry's warranty problems........
Not me........ not again.....to many other reliable manufacturers out there. They are highly over rated. Mine was the wheel barrow with square wheels ! Thanks but I went back to my Model 60 !
So many guns....so little time...
Kimbers are either made too well and therefore will not accept a wide range of tolerance measurements in their ammo or they are just plain junk with terrible tolerances all around! If it doesn't want to shoot what good is it ?
Plus included in the price (at no extra cost )was....;
Absolutely obnoxious customer service ! Their customer service has to rate equal to some third world country ! After paying better than $1K for it - they were very rude and un-carring regarding my new Plus Carry's warranty problems........
Not me........ not again.....to many other reliable manufacturers out there. They are highly over rated. Mine was the wheel barrow with square wheels ! Thanks but I went back to my Model 60 !
So many guns....so little time...
wingnuut
Member
they can't sell their **** in Mass. about the only thing this state ever did right.
Exactly! All I heard was "Shoot 500 rounds and call us back."
Some people shrug and say, "Well a gun needs to be broken in." I wonder if these same people would buy a new car, drive it off the lot, and when it stalled, rattled, backfired, died, wouldn't start, or had any other problems, they would shrug and say, "Well a car needs to be broken in." I feel sure most would be back at the dealership...and a car is a lot more mechanically complex than a gun.
I fail to see why expecting a gun to function reliably out of the box is wrong. Other than shooter-induced malfunctions, or bad ammo, the gun should be reliable out of the box, from round one. If not, the manufacturer should make it so.
JJEH
Member
The only thing Kimber I would like to have are their Augusta- Valier- and Marias shotgun lines.
The Augusta line is imported from Italy, the other two I don't know. But I assume they were made by the same manufacturer?!
The Augusta line is imported from Italy, the other two I don't know. But I assume they were made by the same manufacturer?!
To those that like them, that's great but with my limited experience with Kimber, I don't see myself owning another... unless dirt cheap. Then I may take a chance.
66snub
Member
I am philosophically against a company that will sell a $900 gun to me that has a plastic mainspring housing and comes with only one magazine. I fail to see the value in this transaction...
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Ah, you have "ker-chunk." I will bet that a slight tap on the back of the slide will cause it to chamber the rest of the way most of the time. You need to have Kimber finish fitting out the pistol, and if they won't, let a true 1911 pistolsmith finish the fitting.
JJEH
Member
So you don't like Colt either? At least they come with two magazines...
Jeff423
US Veteran
Fishinfool
Member
Funny, the wide spectrum of Kimber experiences..
I own seven - A first generation Custom target in blue, a second generation Custom target in SS, an Ultra Carry, an Eclipse in 10mm, a .22 bolt action Hunter, an 84s in 308, and a 84L in 30-06, as well as a .22 conversion kit.
With the exception of the conversion kit, all have been well made, accurate, and reliable. If they were not, I would not own as many as I do.
Customer service? My conversion kit was purchased used. Accurate, but not reliable. Sent it back to Kimber last year with a note about the reliability. Ten days later, I received a new conversion kit and magazine. It has been very reliable with high velocity ammo.
Other than the superior high polish blueing on my series 70 Colt Gold Cup, my Kimbers have been more accurate, better fit, and more reliable than my series 70 and 80 Colts. My Ultra Carry with the Kim-Pro finish gets carried a lot, and the finish has held up very well indeed.
Larry
I own seven - A first generation Custom target in blue, a second generation Custom target in SS, an Ultra Carry, an Eclipse in 10mm, a .22 bolt action Hunter, an 84s in 308, and a 84L in 30-06, as well as a .22 conversion kit.
With the exception of the conversion kit, all have been well made, accurate, and reliable. If they were not, I would not own as many as I do.
Customer service? My conversion kit was purchased used. Accurate, but not reliable. Sent it back to Kimber last year with a note about the reliability. Ten days later, I received a new conversion kit and magazine. It has been very reliable with high velocity ammo.
Other than the superior high polish blueing on my series 70 Colt Gold Cup, my Kimbers have been more accurate, better fit, and more reliable than my series 70 and 80 Colts. My Ultra Carry with the Kim-Pro finish gets carried a lot, and the finish has held up very well indeed.
Larry
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ChattanoogaPhil
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I bought a new Kimber Pro Tactical II Special Edition about 15 years ago. Flawless and more accurate in my hands than my Colt. A fine pistol all way around.
I've heard a lot of talk about break-in period of 500rds. I'd rather throw the dang pistol out in the woods and be done with it than endure 500rds with a malfunctioning gun.
Reminds me of the AR thread about a gun shop telling a guy complaining about his new single shot AR that he needs to first put 2k rounds through it for break-in.
I've heard a lot of talk about break-in period of 500rds. I'd rather throw the dang pistol out in the woods and be done with it than endure 500rds with a malfunctioning gun.
Reminds me of the AR thread about a gun shop telling a guy complaining about his new single shot AR that he needs to first put 2k rounds through it for break-in.
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Stewmeister
Member
I have a CDP II Pro that has given me no problems. That being said, the magazine issue (cheap model, only 1) pisses me off royally. Therefore, I refuse to buy any of their mags, and have 8 Wilsons & McCormicks
I really don't understand the logic behind this MSH business...I have bought two Colts that had them, and they were $1k or more. I just bought a Citadel 1911 A1 FS 9mm (it was $329 on sale at Academy Sports), and it now comes with a plastic MSH! The Armscor guns didn't use to...I've bought several of them. You could almost understand a "budget gun" cutting some corners...but this isn't the place to do it! (Besides, in my experience, Armscor guns have been very solid and reliable guns.)
It just seems to me that the MSH isn't the place to "cheap out." I know the arguments that it supposedly is fine, and it's self-lubricating, etc (I feel the same way about guide rods...yes, I know a lot of pistols have plastic guide rods today, but that doesn't mean I like them.) If they want to save some money, delete one of the mags they send...I usually toss them (or sell them for next to nothing) and buy better ones anyway.
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andyo5
Member
I have owned a Kimber Eclipse II for over 10 years, competed with it, and never had a single issue with it. I just purchased a stainless TLE II and it has yet to arrive. I am hoping for the best.
CatboatWilly
Member
Andyo5,
Sure a wide range of experiences here with Kimbers. Good luck with your new one.
My biggest complaint is customer service and the unsympathetic attitude when you have problems. But philosophies regarding customer service come from the top management.. You'll recall the old line about the fish rots from the head on down ?
Sure...we all make mistakes (it's a machine after all) but it how you handle them makes the difference..
Customer service is the bench mark that pits one company against the other. The Japanese built their entire car industry on it.
Perhaps I was expecting too much for $1k ? and buying American .
Sure a wide range of experiences here with Kimbers. Good luck with your new one.
My biggest complaint is customer service and the unsympathetic attitude when you have problems. But philosophies regarding customer service come from the top management.. You'll recall the old line about the fish rots from the head on down ?
Sure...we all make mistakes (it's a machine after all) but it how you handle them makes the difference..
Customer service is the bench mark that pits one company against the other. The Japanese built their entire car industry on it.
Perhaps I was expecting too much for $1k ? and buying American .
JDBoardman
US Veteran
Well, they're in Naw Yark (Yonkers, to be exact) so ya gotta expect a 'tude when ya cakk 'em. New York City... get a rope!!
I have a Pro Carry II stainless, and other than the useless Schwartz safety, it has been a completely reliable and functional pistol. In over 3,000 rounds, all of which are hand loads, it has performed satisfactorily for me. I do agree the magazines are not the best, and I hate the plastic MSH, which I replaced as soon as I got home with the pistol. Mine has been fine, other people have had problems. C'est la vive.
I have a Pro Carry II stainless, and other than the useless Schwartz safety, it has been a completely reliable and functional pistol. In over 3,000 rounds, all of which are hand loads, it has performed satisfactorily for me. I do agree the magazines are not the best, and I hate the plastic MSH, which I replaced as soon as I got home with the pistol. Mine has been fine, other people have had problems. C'est la vive.
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