Retiring the Kimber from duty use

[Guy Miner]

No, not mine! My beat up, well-worn Kimber was destined for duty use and has 16 years of wear & tear to prove it.

A buddy at work followed along and finally went with a beautiful .45 ACP Kimber last year, as his duty gun. He shoots it well.

Now, he's going back to his issue .40 Glock because he didn't like the scratches and scuffs starting to show up on his Kimber... Sheesh! Didn't he take a real look at my battered pistol? It still shoots great, but does look pretty disreputable, I'll admit.

Not that the Glock is a bad gun, not at all, but trading BACK after mastering the 1911? Dang... Silly man.

Guy

 

[FOTIS]

1911 all the way. Life is too short to carry a Block!

 

[SJB358]

It is hard to really like anything else after using a 1911 for so long.

 

[DrMike]

One of the difficulties after owning a fine weapon is the temptation to "protect" that weapon rather than see it for what it is--a tool.

 

[FOTIS]

One of the difficulties after owning a fine weapon is the temptation to "protect" that weapon rather than see it for what it is--a tool.

That is the sickness with me. All of mine look like new! :wink:

 

[DrMike]

The first ding (souvenir) is the hardest.

 

[SJB358]

The first ding (souvenir) is the hardest.

Without a doubt..

 

[FOTIS]

The first ding (souvenir) is the hardest.

I might just might have a ding or two in maybe one or two. :mrgreen:

That said they are the ones I bough used.

 

[Guy Miner]

My poor ol' Kimber is waaaay past that first ding or two, or ten, or... :mrgreen:

 

[JD338]

I have a few in my Kimber but she still shoots lights out.
Long live the 1911.

JD338

 

[Bruce Mc]

Mine isn't a Kimber but 1911s weren't made to be safe queens. They were designed to mount up go into battle and bring their owner home safe. Mines been on the road for the same 15 years and looks pretty rough but it still shoots better than I do.

 

[salmonchaser]

I hate to see your partner retiring his 1911. It took me 15 years of effort and a new chief to get 1911 As a duty option. When the pistols arrived we had 85 commissioned officers and issued 58. The remainder stuck with Glocks. I took a group of our poorest shooters into the range for a cold qualification to start their training. No surprise to 1911 fans, those officers who routinely struggle to qualify, significantly improved their scores.
While I carried a 1911 off duty throughout my career I only was able to carry one on duty for six. For my retirement party I received a shadow box, badge, pins, medals and my duty 1911. I remain very grateful for the gift; however, the box is now short one item. My duty 1911 is where it belongs, in my go bag, just in case.
The one I've carried every day still goes everywhere it has for over 20 years. It does not seem to mind being called well used. Get your buddy squared away.

 

[PipesMac]

Sounds like the advice I got when first buying a pickup applies here:
Write the check, then go outside with the new keys and put a scratch on it somewhere. It's not a "truck" if you're afraid to get a scratch on it...

I used to know a guy in TX with maybe 100 different 1911s, an incredible collection, all old. His favorites were those made by Singer, the sewing machine company, during the war when they were converted to armaments. He claimed they were the highest quality during the war.

I believe he had serial # 65 or something from Colt, in any case some very early ones.

 

[truck driver]

Mine aren't too beat up but well used since I shoot a lot of bullseye matches. I treat them like precision tools.
I have Colts, Caspian, Springfield Armory and an old Colt war horse made in 1913 which has a .22lr conversion on top, it was purchased threw the old DCM program back in the 1960's.
Accurate, all but one will place five shots with in an inch at 50yds out of a machine rest with factory target ammo and less with my reloads. The one that doesn't has a barrel problem and the barrel will be replaced soon. :mrgreen:

 

[IdahoCTD]

He might get it nitrided to keep it from getting beat up. It wouldn't help the grips but the rest would be hard to beat up after that.

 

[Guy Miner]

Yeah, I just thought it was sort of funny. I like carrying and using my Kimber, so it's pretty doggone beat up. I like it that way. Shoots just fine.

 

[Wondermutt]

The first ding (souvenir) is the hardest.

The first seat belt nick I got on mine, made me feel like I was going to be sick.