I own Kimbers, I own Wessons. Like both manufacturers; Wessons trump Kimbers, and wouldn't sell any of them.

E.

Here's my take:
Purists do not like MIM parts. Ever.

there are dozens up dozens of anecdotal experiences of MIM parts failing. But I haven't seen any.

Most, if not all the major manufacturers have gone to MIM parts for non stress / low stress parts. Some have even gone to MIM for some higher stress parts.

It's metal injection molded. It's been around a long time. It works. Until it doesn't. If there is a bad batch made, its going to affect the guns that use that batch of parts. Doesn't happen with bar stock. Strength? Got to say that from what I've read, mim is as strong as machined parts. But I WILL catch flak for this opinion.

Kimber? I'd go SIG 1911 before I went Kimber. But that's just me. KImber DOES sell a whole bunch of guns... so someone likes them. I do like my DW CCO a whole lot tho. And the Sigs are beautifulugly in their own way. You love em or you hate em... Personally... I love them.

Just my 2 cents.

I've come to the conclusion that discussing calibers and manufacturers is akin to the old Ford vs GM vs Mopar or Harley vs others. People are just going to stick to their favorites.
I'm a big Kimber fan. I own two, but also a fan of Glock.
To that end, my first duty was a Sig (229) and loved it. On the contrary I hear Sig quality control has tanked these past few years. While I do know if this is true or not I do not like their latest model of pistols they have been putting out. Although, I have no experience with their 1911 line.

I agree.

And I think someone else said it in this thread. Buy what you're comfortable with and don't let anyone tell you different.

Lacking real, verifiable evidence for one against another, it comes down to personal preference.

But don't come crying when your MIM part breaks!

Sorry, just a joke. Couldn't resist :)

Boats

I've only owned one Kimber, but it was a really nice pistol.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y34...s/DSC_0365.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y34...s/DSC_0364.jpg

I've had several
 

I've owned a number of Kimbers; a Custom II was my first, then a Stainless Target II 10mm, then a Tactical something and that was the last one. The Custom II was actually my first 1911.

I honestly never had a single issue with any of them. They were flawless out of the box, never failed a single time and were more accurate than I was at the time. The LGS here is big on Kimber although they are starting to branch out. Few or no Colts, more STIs now, some Ruger and Remington, virtually no Dan Wessons, which I just don't understands, the Springfields. Many of the 1911s they sell are easily as expensive as the Dan Wessons.

As for MIM, I just don't know. Cheaper, yes, less durable, don't know. That has been an argument going on for a very, very long time. I'm sure there are some cast and barstock parts that are lower quality than the MIM parts in many guns.

If you like them and they work for you, then go for it. I have only Dan Wesson right now, some pre-CZ Patriots, a CBOB and an early Valor. I also have two early SIG GSRs for which I have an unreasonable fondness. I really have not desire, for some reason, to own a Kimber. I look, but they just don't evoke any excitement. Springfiels somewhat more excitement.

A thread about the name that shall not be mentioned! WOW! All joking aside my problem with Mimbers is they make 40,000 guns a year and quality control sometimes suffers. That is why you get people that love them and hate them. My other problem is they use mim for their sears. While mim may be good for some parts the sear is not one of them. IMHO

My only complaint about them was take down and reassembly. Launched too many dang springs into the atmosphere. Hated having to use the paperclip to keep things from going "sproing". But other than that it ran flawlessly and was extraordinarily accurate.

Well, if the Marine Corps Special Ops guys are willing to carry it during missions...

Exactly.

To paraphrase Forrest Gump, Kimbers are like a box of chocolates...:rolleyes:

A historical reason to bash Kimbers is how they totally screwed up on their external extractors and couldn't figure out that the problem was simply that they made them too short. So instead of correcting the problem, they ditched them. That legacy still lives on in their 22 Conversion slides...

S&W and Sig both screwed up on their first go at external extractors too, but they corrected them.

http://www.cotep.org/forum/picture.p...&pictureid=869

Kimber lost me way back with their at the time external extractors screwing up...

That and I dated a girl named Kim in high school, still haunts me.:D

I have never bee a big fan of their marketing " Kimber Custom" when nothing could be further from the truth. If you start out with a lie it's difficult to trust them.

I have several
 

RCP, compact, pro HDII and a USA Olympic match with the Swartz and external extractor. I have put over 3000 thru the match with no problems. And it can shoot very straight, better than me. None of these 4 have had any problems. I shoot them allot, carry the RCP allot. I own over 40 firearms and have never owned a turd. Must be one lucky person. I will keep my kimbers till I die, would like 2 more 1911's. An ECO and a 6''. My all time favorite pistol is a S&W model 41. I have shot thousands of rounds thru it over 30 years.

Me too. Love them.

That's what was an eye opener for me.

Then I noticed that the other brand 1911's I was buying at that same time were all running great immediately. No "500 round break in " BS required; waiting for MIM parts to smash themselves together, rather than being properly fitted BEFORE the gun was shipped out.

That was when I got over the Kimber Kool aid.

For the last few years; Colt has been the only production 1911 I'll still buy.

Thank goodness I'm not the only. Gaud she was a .......... funny

Kimber makes 60,000 guns a year Dan Wesson makes around 1000. That being said, they are going to have more problems. I know a lot of people that have Kimbers and have been happy with them after a trip or two back to the mothership and some that have sold them instantly after return. I don't have anything against them, there are other guns I would buy before a Kimber.

Now I did it! I used the word that shall not be mentioned.:mob:

I've had a TLE II for several years. It's had several thousand rounds thru it even +P. It's never been to the gunsmith.

It just works.

I don't believe you, lol! :mob:

It seems everyone has a Kimber story. I bought my first one, a CPD 15 or 20 years ago. It was a fine little 1911, well built, accurate and dependable enough that I carried it for over 10 years. Sure I couldn't find much Custom Shop about it but it fit my needs perfectly. I sold it for what I had paid for it and thought that was a fine thing. So I bought another Kimber, this one with doodads like a round butt frame and it too was pretty, accurate and dependable. This is turning into a long story on the end of a very old thread so to save ink lets just say the first part of the story has repeated 3 times to my present Kimber Eclipse II Pro. You know that one. Out of the box, first evening, initial take down, unfired. Genius! My very first idiot scratch after more than 55 years of dicking around with 1911s. It is still handsome, still new in the box and unfired and still has the grand canyon looking faint scratch on the frame. I do not know why I am punishing the pistol except bad juju. That is the only Kimber "story" I have. Nice pistols that worked, returned my cash for other "investments." This Eclipse II needs a trip to Kimber for a scratch fix and a home where it can play. I have read the Kimber bashing pieces, have no doubt that those folks were indeed disappointed but my experience has been completely positive and I have no doubt that the Eclipse in my safe is as dependable as the others have been. My carry piece will continue to be my DW ECO until something shoots better and pushed it out of my holster.

Better a member with a Kimber than a dolt WIF a Colt! :eek: :mob: :D

Fixed it ...... ;)

Yep, it's true. I will not part with the first gun I ever bought. Sentimental value is worth more than dollar value.

That and I've done a bunch of things to the CDP that are "personal" touches and that makes it hard to sell to someone else, meaning tastes vary.

Wrong :D

Nice! That I can understand. My M&P 40C was my first. I would have loved to have a Kimber 1911 as my first., and I would keep it too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's my point "after a trip or two back" to get them right.

I owned four. Two went back to Kimber. Both came back with problems I still had to fix myself.

Of the other two; the Custom TLE II was fine.

The Custom CDP II worked, but barely. It fed with a very noticeable "ka-chunk" you could hear and feel, and any rounds that were chambered but not fired exhibited very noticeable setback.

Every other brand I bought ran right out of the box.

I quit reading all the gun mag ads; and faced reality.

The one from my wife that I kept was made totally reliable by me, and the high stress MIM parts were replaced and fitted (by me) for a total cost of $135.00.

For what they sell them for; they ought to come with decent parts, and be reliable.

But as long as new buyers come along that believe the BS ads they read; Kimber will keep shoveling their poorly fitted, MIM filled crap out the door.

But hey; they are pretty.

I have a Kimber TLE II. It works, period. I have a few thousand rounds thru it.

I have a DW VBOB. It's already been back for repairs. I have less than 50 rounds thru it.

I carry my Kimber.