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kimber?????

My sole experience with Kimber was several years ago. I bought a new Solo when they first came out. At the time was THE most expensive handgun I’d ever bought. Loved the way it felt in hand and how easy it was to carry. Was incredibly accurate for a pocket pistol BUT I was never able to get it to run. After hundreds of rounds of various high end ammo trying to find ONE that would work AND a trip back to the mothership where it was “fixed”, I never, ever made it through 2 magazines without and FTF or FTE. I badly wanted it to work but I just wouldn’t. Finally gave up and swapped for a much less expensive SIG 938, which ran flawlessly right out of the box. Since then I’ve never owned another. I like the looks of their 1911’s and I’ve heard good things about them and their revolvers, but I’ve never been moved to drop any more $$ on one.
 
Shibadog said:
My sole experience with Kimber was several years ago. I bought a new Solo when they first came out. At the time was THE most expensive handgun I’d ever bought. Loved the way it felt in hand and how easy it was to carry. Was incredibly accurate for a pocket pistol BUT I was never able to get it to run. After hundreds of rounds of various high end ammo trying to find ONE that would work AND a trip back to the mothership where it was “fixed”, I never, ever made it through 2 magazines without and FTF or FTE. I badly wanted it to work but I just wouldn’t. Finally gave up and swapped for a much less expensive SIG 938, which ran flawlessly right out of the box. Since then I’ve never owned another. I like the looks of their 1911’s and I’ve heard good things about them and their revolvers, but I’ve never been moved to drop any more $$ on one.
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Not so great experiences can be lasting. Im hoping my 1911 experience from 40 years ago won't return.
 
TEXASforLIFE said:
I know right :censored:🤣, but it's in 10mm 🥳. Before literally pulling the trigger i need to know the "DON'TS" (that's a plural form of don't ;)) about 1911's.
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well.............I DON'T buy ANY 1911 in any caliber but 45 ACP.

to me, they just ain't "right" if they shoot anything but 45 ACP.

then again, i am old, semi-senile, and forgetful.....that i saw a SWEEEET S&W Performance 1911....in 9mm

but as SWEEEET as it is..................and priced the same as a S&W that shoots 45 ACP.....??

i might forget what i said about.....

I DON'T buy ANY 1911 in any caliber but 45 ACP.

i gotta take a memory pill now.......i think...........or my morning nap......i think............i forget.
 
I use to own a Kimber Tactical ultra II . It was one of their top of the line models. Looked like this ---> https://media.mwstatic.com/product-images/src/Primary/478/478548.jpg?imwidth=680

I had 3 FTFs in first 500 rounds and never a hickup after. Carried it many a mile while out of Illinois before we got our FCCL. I wish I still had it. I also have the Kimber revolver DA/SA with 3" BBL. Love it.
 
Old_Me said:
well.............I DON'T buy ANY 1911 in any caliber but 45 ACP.

to me, they just ain't "right" if they shoot anything but 45 ACP.

then again, i am old, semi-senile, and forgetful.....that i saw a SWEEEET S&W Performance 1911....in 9mm

but as SWEEEET as it is..................and priced the same as a S&W that shoots 45 ACP.....??

i might forget what i said about.....

I DON'T buy ANY 1911 in any caliber but 45 ACP.

i gotta take a memory pill now.......i think...........or my morning nap......i think............i forget.
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Ive got a pretty low rent 10mm Stainless II that was purchased in 2020 probably built pre Covid. It’s got 3-4 hundred rounds through it now.

It would have a failure to return to battery issues for the first few mags. I lathered it up with some JB Bore paste and Kroil on the rails, pulled the spring out and worked it till I tired of it.

That was the end of that. It’s run every sort of ammo I’ve found plus my handloads. It was priced at Covid special prices <$700 I’m sure. Lots of Fear and Loathing when Kimber is mentioned, but I’m very satisfied.
 
Kimber.
They do make a nice looking pistol.
However you're paying a primum price.
I bought a Kimber Pro Tac II .45 in 2015
Carried it EDC for years.

The stories of the 45 having issues are true or at least I can say I had those issues as well. That is until about 5K rounds, Then things started to loosen and smooth up. Jams became less frequent. Same with misfeeds. and returns to battery.

I now have about 15K though it and it's my favorite pistol to shoot. But that seems to be the "break in period" for these guns. One has to wonder why the premium price if Kimber isn't going to finish lap instead of making the customer do it.
However, the frame is aluminum and the slide is steel so there may have been some minor galling on the first 5K.

I hear good things about their 9mm 2011. And watch the reviews on YouTube, but you don't really know if they are absolutely telling the truth because of bias or paid endorsement. Though the more legit ones will tell you if they are or aren't. For some reason Kimber 2011's don't have that same issue/reputation.

Anyhoo. Can't help you on 9mm Kimbers.

Kimber 45. Keep them wet. During break in, oil the slide nearly every other magazine.
So there's one massive pain in the seat.
The other one is Kimber often has some goofy proprietary tool you have to use to break down the pistol. And often they are a pain to use. Mine you need a small allen wrench to hold back the recoil spring. Total pain.
https://www.1911ultratool.com/ Makes a magnetic tool for that. Doesn't wallow out that allen key hole, no risk of scratching, etc., easy, fast and simple.

You don't need to buy it it's 50 ish bucks, but it's nice. If worse comes to worse a small allen key or some thin diameter piano wire bent into a shallow "L" would do the trick for you.

So.
Looks 8.

Reliability 3. to finally 8*. Depends if you want to be frustrated that many days at the range. Oil. Lots of oil. Seem to be mag specific. No issues with 7-8 round mags of any make. However, with 10 round mags, there seems to be an almost constant issue. Dunno what it is. Same mags(Wilson) run great in my Dan Wesson. Dunno.

Ease of take down. 9. Same difficulty as a Glock. A couple of tricks you need to know, but they are almost intuitive, not counting the special tool you need, it's a 1911, there aren't going to be any surprises. Kimbers often use an external extractor, so there's that and don't know if you're the type to take it all the way down.

Quirky. 7 Extra tools needed - yes. And that's an issue with some people and could be a serious inconvenience. That's the main reason it gets an 8 for reliability, if you do need to do a field strip, in the field, what if you don't have those tools. You have a paper weight. So in that aspect it's not an "all weather platform." Some what limited conditions until it's broken in.

Once broken in, a dream to shoot.

Cannot comment on their 9mm models.


Hope that helps.
 
I currently have the single stack Kimber Next Gen Pro 1911 9mm commander model. I have put a total of 400 or so rounds thru the gun so and for the most part I have not had any real issues. I can tell you that it will run any mag (Kimber, Ruger, Tisas, Springfield, Checkmate) mag I have used, but it doesn't like mags from Wilson Combat or Nighthawk Customs. I think the cut of the top of those mags interferes with the slide stop or extractor, I can't say which. I have another no name brand mag that runs just fine, I wished I could fine more of those since they are 10 rounders.
Function-wise, the gun will run most of the ammo I have tested reliably with the exception of Fiocchi Blue box range ammo. Fiocchi orange box runs just fine. The blue box ammo gives me failure to go into battery issues. I may have 2-3 battery issues in 100 rounds, but No FTF or FTE issues at all. I am still working with the gun and I intend on getting it 100% reliable.
The gun itself is a great quality build. The frame to slide fit is exceptional and the finish is second to none. I have mounted the RMSc plate with an Osight SE optic. Both work as expected and I have had no issues with the plate so far. The gun has the G2 trigger that is also in the 2K11 and is also exceptional.
Would I buy it again if I had a second chance? Yes, I think I would.
Kimber NG 1911 2ad.jpg
 
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