So, what is wrong with a Kimber?
 

Before I pull the plug on my friend's NIB Kimber TLE, what is exactly wrong with owning a Kimber? I'm no 1911 expert, but I have owned a few in my lifetime; Springfield, Colt, STI, Nighthawk, Baer, and now DW.

I see all these bad things said about Kimber; mim this, mim that, customer service stinks, etc, etc. Does anybody really know what mim is? If it is indeed inferior to steel? Granted, I would replace some components anyway to get it the way I want it, like most people do to any 1911. Have you dealt with their CS? Have you owned one? Or do you subscribe to the beliefs of what people say on the internet?

I had one. It was accurate and reliable. I got rid of it cause it poked me in the ribs.

I used to have a Kimber custom eclipse 2. Shot great and accurate. I sold it. I had it for 2-3 years and made $350 when I got rid of it. Beautiful pistol never had any issues with it either. I always buy and sell guns. It's a money making hobby of mine.

Tell me your secret. ;)

I've had a Tactical Pro II for quite awhile. After a trip to the smith, it now functions reliably and has always been accurate. In fact, I ran 100 rounds through it last weekend. I just seldom carry it, opting to carry the Wilson because I trust it.

Pls tell me that secret, too.:confused:
Jim

I have a Pro Raptor II with 900rds through her. Had several problems during first 500: ftf, fte, failure to retun to battery. Sent her back to Kimber, they replaced a number of parts, returned pistol within two weeks. Pistol works fine now and can only say good things about their service. If you are compelled to give a gun to a family member I suggest you keep the VBob and give them the Kimber.
Jim

I've got one, love it. Despite what's been said about them on just about every website known to exist, they've outsold every other manufacturer ten fold. Must be doing something right!

Yeah, they've got MIM, so does every other production gun! Bottom line, all steel can fail whether forged, cast or mim.

Regarding customer service, I had an issue with the finish on mine and they took care of it. Even did some work to the frame ( swapped some SS parts for black ones ) without charging me for it, I had only inquired what it would cost to do it, they went and did it for me pro bono!

So, people are going to talk smack about owning a "mimber", but at least it's made in the USA!

By the way, what's the price on it?

$600.00

Buy it, that's a great price!

There is nothing wrong with them. I have Stainless II and do like it. Its relaable, will shoot all type of shells, accurate as my SA's. Its a large production item so there are some varations on the gun to gun sometimes but they make a lot of guns. I like mine....but I like my Colt and my STI better.

I'd take it - even if all you do is resell it.

Lane

Really no secret to my madness guys. I see them as an investment. I just look for deals and pick them up. Then resell them. I dunno what I do but, I guess I make one hell of a salesman.

Nothing at all wrong with a Kimber, after all it is a 1911!!!:)

I have a polymer pro carry that shoots straight and is perfectly reliable I've had it since 2001. The only reason I bought my guardian was to have a single stack. I must say though the dw is still my favorite.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.332484,-85.704357

MIM... there is a difference.

Ive got a kimmy. Carry her everywhere. Shoots perfect.


Every good forum needs something to pick on. Kimber is the butt of most "jokes."

No, that would be you my friend...hehehehe

My own take on this is that MIM was invented to make tooling tough enough to cut the newer super alloys. If done right, MIM parts should be pretty much indestructible.

On the other hand, I don't like additional firing pin blocking systems in a 1911. Why add complexity (and possible failure points) you don't really need?

If I were looking to buy a Kimber, I'd look for a pre-II gun. On the other hand, for $600 I might learn to like a II. :D

Randall

Buy it before he changes his mind.

Nothing wrong with my Kimber
 

I know some people diss them because they have MIM (Molded in Metal) parts, but I have no issues with mine.


(OK, there is one thing wrong with it: it has an idiot scratch. But don't blame the gun, blame the idiot: me.)

Don't you mean Metal Injection Molding?

we all know what he meant....forgive him...:p

For he knows not what he does...he bought a mimber. :bdh::D

Ok... let's get off the sacrilegious stuff before I make you all come to confession. At which time I will find out that you have ALL coveted a Kim*er (the name that shall not be named) sometime in your past. This poor misguided soul obviously has not yet been enlightened to the touch of a Dan Wesson softly stroking the web of his hand as he raises it to the target. But that is NOT his fault. He only knows that MIM is MIM... and he wonders if this is the way it was meant to be.... Those who have partaken of the Dan Wesson waters know the uplifting flavor of a life of gnosis! So, for TLE... no forgiveness is necessary. If he lives within shooting distance of a Dan Wesson COTEPIAN, we are bound to invite him to drink the waters of Wesson, at our expense... at our local range! ROFLMBO!

TLE.. if you are near CT... please, come shooting with me. I have all sorts of stuff to play with!


My story and I'm sticking to it!
DaFadda

Forgot about this thread. I passed on the Mimber, or whatever name it goes by now. Thinking along the lines of a Ed Brown now.

Can I get a amen from the congression!!!:D:D

Amen, or Uh huh! :D

I think that would be what is called job security. :toast:

Hehehehe..... job security. I like it.
DaFadda

LOL!!!!!

Very well put!!!








Noel

I sold my Super Carry Pro Custom Shop K**ber to buy my CBOB. The weight of the Pro was nice, it was a bobtail, and was very accurate. However, the alloy frame and using hollow point bullets was a concern to me, so I opted for the DW. Both guns are 70 series, no FPB, but I prefer the stainless frame.

Hey, all things being equal I'd rather have a D.W. but some Kimbers can't be beat for the money. You can buy a custom II for around 800 maybe alittle less, that's alot of gun for that price. Is Kimber as good as a D.W., no, is D.W. as good as a Wilson, well I really don't know I can't afford a Wilson. Or a Brown for that matter, might swing a baer someday but to tell ya the truth I'm pretty happy with what I have.

Glider,

Don't take all the Kimber bashing you see around here to heart. The guys just like to razz people about owning Kimbers. It's mostly just jokes.

There are some gun snobs here that really do believe their guns are the best on the planet and that all others suck. So be it, everyone's entitled to their opinion.

Remember this is the internet and this forum is just like all the others, it's filled with opinions and you know what they say, opinions are like azz*****, everyone's got one!

I love my Kimber. I'll sell my Dan Wesson before I sell my Kimber.

I'll buy your DW. :) just bring it in May.

the fact of the matter is, It is darn hard to run across a total piece of crap modern manufactured gun.

yeah you may end up with a lemon, but if you grab another of the same model, it will likely work.

what it comes down to for most people is usually these things. I might be wrong on the order

1) name recognition. Kimber 60k 1911's DW 4500. Yeah it is hard to beat that name recognition.

2) price point. If you have 700 bucks you only have 700 bucks. So you look for things in that price point. 1000 dollar HK's are out.

3) aesthetics Yeah yeah all guns go boom but some just look cooler to you. That differs person to person other wise we would not see those glorious tiger striped 50AE Desert Eagles.
http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/wp-...er-Striped.jpg

4) comfort including grip and weight. I think more people are looking at what feels good as opposed to one that had 19 rounds like a noticed in the 90's.

5) Capacity. people want bullets man. the more, the safer they feel.

My two cents in a world of 20 dollar bills.

Well my PM9 is very well fit and it's a tack driver. If they're all like that I want another. I really don't see the need to spend more than a D.W. cost, I don't see how anything could be better made. If there is something better made I don't want to know. I've sold a few Kimbers but the ones I still have are keepers. The Gold Match goes to the range with the PM9, the compact is a carry and the Custom II is just a real good plain jane work horse. If I would decide to do some custom work on a 1911 that would be the one.

They are great guns but like all things. They can be done better. Read Severns custom's two shoot out threads on the big forum.

I have guns I like, guns that i think people here would laugh at. Hell one of my best accuracy groups from today was with a CZ-82. damn fine pistol for what it is, a Chech comm-bloc pistol that is beat to hell.

Buy what you like, give it a go, and don't let people get under your skin.

i have my list of what i want. An HK P7 was on that for over 10 years. I picked one up this last year. Not a bad gun, but after 3 mags it was to hot to do anything with. I shoot other guns better. so I traded it.

I bought that cz 82 to get free shipping on an order 3 years ago. It is the only gun of the original 4 i still have.

I know what you mean, that Custom II is kinda special to me and it's the cheapest 1911 I have. I've got a Sig P229 that is a very fine weapon, never a problem of any kind, it just runs and it's a tack driver.

I own a Kimber, I own a Wilson. Is the Wilson better built, with a better fit and finish, more accurate, with a lifetime warranty for whoever owns it? Yup. Was it worth the extra 1800 bucks? Again, yup. Did I have to take the Kimber to the smith to make it run right out of the box? Again, yup. Still have the Kimber though, and it still hits MOD (minute of dead) on steel targets. Carry it from time to time, too. But I carry a j frame BUG when I do.