New Kimber 1911

Bruce Mc

Bruce Mc

Handloader
Oct 26, 2005
1,374
859
Yesterday I was at the firearm counter looking at handguns. Some of the new 9mms that hold +20 rounds sure are cool. But, I had to handle a new Kimber 1911 that was just a basic carry gun. When I first handled it something seemed amiss. It had all the checkered stuff and ruff grip to make it "stick" to your grip but it didn't. Upon closer inspection it had a plastic main spring housing. What the heck! What is the world coming to. A high end 1911 with plastic parts.
 
Yikes!
I love my Kimber Tactical Pro II 45 ACP. Something about the 1911 just makes the feel ment to be.
It's easy to put a 1911 together and parts are readily available. I hear what you're saying and I agree but you do have the option of switching out plastic parts with metal.

JD338
 
And I have swapped out plastic parts on a Para LTC. I just find it hard to accept on a top end gun. But, alas, I guess it just the way things are these days. I wonder how much additional profit is realized by the plastic mainspring housing.
 
KinleyWater said:
I think the writing was on the wall the first time they made a 1911 in 9mm. ;)
Click to expand...
That was a long time ago! Not sure when Colt started making 9mm 1911's, but I know my Sgt Major carried one on our deployments together. He loved the 1911 and 9mm ammo was a LOT easier to get by then. We didn't have a lot of 45 ACP ammo on those deployments, only the Recon guys got it for their nicely built 1911's. They were tasked with Hostage Rescue and other direct action missions. The 1911 was considered to be a better choice for that than the 9mm Beretta pistols the rest of the Corps had switched to in the mid 1980's.

Re the mainspring housing - even my 1997 Kimber has some sort of composite/plastic (not sure what it is, but not steel) mainspring housing. It's never given me any trouble, even with 85,000+ rounds through that particular hard-use gun. That was my gun for most of my law enforcement career. It replaced the Colt and Springfield Armory 1911's I'd carried early in my career. Great gun, I wore it yesterday while training a group and am wearing it today as well. :) Beat up looking 1911 for sure but it still shoots good!

Not sure I really think that the Kimber is a "top end" 1911, but they've done well for us.

I've got two Kimbers in 45 ACP, and one in 9mm that I inherited. My son has one 45 ACP Kimber. All have been very good guns though only that one of mine has a real high round count.

The all steel, 5" 9mm with target sights... That thing is so easy to shoot! Very low recoil. I still get hungry for the feel of good ol' 230 grain hardball ammo though.

Guy
 
When working in the gun stores and attending the local IDPA type shooting sessions at the local gun ranges, I really started looking into buying a 1911.
My research led me to the Kimber in 45 ACP. (DrMike now owns that pistol, as the rounded portion of the bottom of the back of the grip on the model I bought did not fit my hand properly)
The factors were price, quality and accuracy. And not necessarily in that order!
When comparing the Kimber to the top level 1911 custom/semi-custom providers, no one could match Kimber's accuracy!
Just about everyone tested their pistols at 15 yards and could not produce 8-shot one-hole groups; which Kimber could, at 25 yards!

Today, the 1911 that I have acquired and have kept is the Eclipse Custom II in 10MM. (Its classic 1911 grip fits my hand better)
 
Guy, whats wrong with carrying hardball ammo. For years everyone said hollow points in a 45 ACP weren't needed because it already had the diameter other rounds wanted to expand too. 😁 I too carry the 1911 because it fits my grip. I once purchased a glock 45 ACP but my short fingers would not fit around that humongous grip.
 
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Carried the Glock 21 for about 10 years. Despised that pistol. When I took over my departments firearms program I sent a request to kimber for a T&E pistol as I had talked the chief into authorizing a 1911 for duty. Springfield actually sent us a couple of variants and also sent one of their top professional shooters out to square away my instructors so that those interested in transitioning to the 1911 would be given good instruction. Two written requests to Kimber went unanswered and a phone call resulted in a message I thankfully saved. I had anticipated 40 pistols when I contacted vendors, Two months on I had 80 requests, including most of the departments female officers. Request for bid went out to Springfield, Colt and Kimber. No response from Kimber. Springfield got the contract, Kimber filed a complaint and threatened to sue. Thankfully every no thanks response had been saved including a very sarcastic voice mail. Kimber went away mad.
They make a good pistol but since they tried to jam me up, I’ll never own one.
Still carry my Springfield TRP. IT’s all metal except for the grips
 
Kimber treated you like crud! And they used to brag about being used by several departments.

I don't blame you for sticking with Springfield, not at all.

It's interesting how the northwest law enforcement has a long-standing history of using 45 1911's. That continues to this day with some large and some small agencies. Little ol' Wenatchee issued me a stainless Colt Gov't model when I signed on. Made this jarhead smile. However many of the Colts we had at that time were purchased in the 1980's and there must have been some QC issues because we had a bit of a struggle keeping them all running. Lots of trips to the best local gunsmith. Fortunately he liked and knew 1911's well.

I swapped the department Colt for a Springfield I had that local gunsmith spiff up. Made it into a real nice gun. Eventually though the slide cracked! After only a couple of years of use. :( Probably should have returned it to Springfield, but I bought the then-new Kimber instead, in 1997. It worked so well that I just kept using it, eventually buying a fancier Kimber Eclipse II in 45 ACP as well. Then my dad saw how much I liked my Kimber and he bought one in 9mm. Then my son turned 21 and I bought him a 45 Kimber... And so on it goes here. Lots of Kimbers and a couple of cool Colts as well.

Guy
 
Sorry to hear such a terrible story about Kimber's atrocious customer service and attitude. Makes it even worse that they would treat those that put their lives on the line everyday to serve and protect in such a manner!
Not to mention, departments that buy numerous firearms every year to equip their personnel; makes one wonder about their business model! Do they not realize where their "bread is buttered"?
Not that I can acquire any new handguns with our current government's rules...but I don't believe that I would be supporting them any further in the future!
 
Guy Miner said:
Kimber treated you like crud! And they used to brag about being used by several departments.

I don't blame you for sticking with Springfield, not at all.

It's interesting how the northwest law enforcement has a long-standing history of using 45 1911's. That continues to this day with some large and some small agencies. Little ol' Wenatchee issued me a stainless Colt Gov't model when I signed on. Made this jarhead smile. However many of the Colts we had at that time were purchased in the 1980's and there must have been some QC issues because we had a bit of a struggle keeping them all running. Lots of trips to the best local gunsmith. Fortunately he liked and knew 1911's well.

I swapped the department Colt for a Springfield I had that local gunsmith spiff up. Made it into a real nice gun. Eventually though the slide cracked! After only a couple of years of use. :( Probably should have returned it to Springfield, but I bought the then-new Kimber instead, in 1997. It worked so well that I just kept using it, eventually buying a fancier Kimber Eclipse II in 45 ACP as well. Then my dad saw how much I liked my Kimber and he bought one in 9mm. Then my son turned 21 and I bought him a 45 Kimber... And so on it goes here. Lots of Kimbers and a couple of cool Colts as well.

Guy
Click to expand...
Guy I remember we were all jealous that you had a 1911 issued. Couldn’t complain about our Sig P226’s, as they were excellent guns. But mine only made it to the day I got off probation when a Colt Commander found its way on my hip. A little work done by Rick Neimer, formally of Detonics, and I was on the road running. Like a moron I sold that gun when I became a Firearms instructor and started toting a P220. For some reason I thought I should carry the same platform I was teaching new hires to use.
 
Well, I understand carrying the same gun as the officers. We had about 7 of us who stayed with the 1911 45, mostly Kimbers. I also owned and studied the Glock hard so I'd know it even if I didn't carry one on duty. Good guns. Reliable as all get out.

Guess I couldn't spell SIG.. ;)

Guy
 
My wife has a Sig P365 XL and she loves it. I have shot it and it's pretty nice. I'd switch out for a bigger back strap to fit my hand better bot it points and shoots well.
I've got a Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro and it's nice for its intended purpose but hands down, my Kimber is my favorite. The fit, form and function is ideal, at least for me.

JD338
 
This is an old thread, but it's a timely one from my perspective.

I had avoided Kimber 1911s for a long time just because of some reputation problems, but I put a Winchester Super-X 2 up for sale or swap a couple of months ago and a fellow in my locale (that means within 100 miles in this part of the world) offered up a Stainless Target II in 9mm in trade for my shotgun. In terms of street value it was a very good swap for me and I took it. I happened to be wanting a good 9mm range toy at the time.

Once I fired that Kimber, I fell in love with it. What a sweet shooter!

A few days back I tore it down completely for a thorough cleaning and lube, and I noticed that the mainspring housing was indeed made of plastic. I began to feel a sense of deep shame and revulsion. I know that this part would probably have outlasted me, but it was just a matter of "oh, hell no!" for me. I immediately hopped on Brownell's website.

I found a Nighthawk Custom mainspring housing, in stainless steel and with 25 LPI chekering there and for only about $40, so I bought it. It arrived in the mail this afternoon and I have already swapped it into the gun. There were no issues installing it, and its finish matches my Kimber perfectly.

The world spins nice and steady on its axis once again.
 
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Congrats! After decades of shooting 45 1911's, I find myself with a 9mm Kimber 1911 as well. You're right, very sweet shooter!

Very little recoil. So very easy to keep it on target in rapid fire.

Enjoy!
 
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