Bottom Gun
Member
You did well. Kimber makes fine pistols. I've never had one that didn't shoot well.
First 1911... Talk me out of (or into) this Kimber
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WheelGunMan
Member
I had never been a fan of the 1911 platform until I purchased a Kimber Micro 9 Rapide after shooting my wife's Micro 380 and her Micro 9. I then bought my daughter a Micro 9...they have all been flawless in their operation. Though not TRUE 1911's they are definitely styled after them. I've enjoyed my M9 Rapide so much that I found myself venturing into the 1911 world and purchased a Kimber Ultra II Stainless. It's a little larger than my M9 and is a beauty to behold. The pistol has been phenomenal right out of the box. I've only put around 100 rounds thru it.. but it hasn't missed a lick. I'd recommend Kimber highly.
Old Dog
Member
My Kimbers have always been excellent. Most of the criticism you'll ever hear about the brand stems from a period where the company's quality control and customer service were, shall we say, lacking a bit. Nonetheless, the company makes pretty pistols that function well. My TLE II is everything I need in a 1911. Below is a Kimber I've trusted my life with, a sweet Pro CDP.
Does it have the exact sights you want, already upon it? Because for a "custom gunmaker", it has been my experience that Kimber won't work with you, at all, making sure you get the sights you want, on your new gun. They simply refuse to work with you, in any manner, at all, and then leave you stuck, paying hundreds more, to have the sights you want installed by an independent gunsmith, later.
Charlie98
Member
There is a lot of Kimber hate out there, and I'm not going to say some of it isn't deserved. There was a period in the mid-2000's when they were kicking out some poorly QC'd pistols, if I am to believe the internet lore, and they, for a period, switched to an external extractor that was a bit troublesome. I think they have reset and are kicking out decent pistols, now... with the understanding that every manufacturer can have a lemon or two leave the factory.
fireman 9731
Member
Am I the only one that saw the two old Smiths in the case for a great price? Where is this shop?
OP
OP
Harriw
Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2018
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- 282
You saw them, but you didn't SEE them. There's a case full of old revolvers there for sure (sorry, I don't know them well enough to identify any of them for you). But they're all in pretty rough shape You can see some of the rust speckling on the one on the left in that picture. It's a pretty good example of what the rest of the display case looks like.
Charlie98
Member
Sounds like you got that diamond among the rough!
Rock185
Member
Harriw, Looks to me like a nice pistol at a very reasonable price. FWIW, Over some years I've owned a few Target IIs. Every one was reliable from day 1, with no break-in required. None of the dreaded firing pin safeties or MIM parts have ever given a single problem. I know it's fun for the Kool guys on the internet to trash Kimbers, but I've never needed to send a Kimber back to the factory for any kind of issue. Wish I could say the same for some of the Colts and other brands I've owned.
My current Kimber, an Eclipse .38 Super, has been exemplary.
My current Kimber, an Eclipse .38 Super, has been exemplary.
nettlle
Contributing Member
Let us know how it shoots.
I keep seeing people refer to a "Series 70" action while referring to the lack of a FPS. The defining characteristic of the Colt Series 70 was NOT the lack of a FPS since no Colt 1911 up until then had a FPS. The defining characteristic was the collet bushing, not the lack of a FPS.
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Charlie98
Member
Series 70 is just an easy way to pre-date the Series 80, it's what came before... but I guess we could call it Series 11 lockwork... or, perhaps, Series 24.
My first 1911 was a Series 70... and, yes, the barrel bushing cracked in half.
My first 1911 was a Series 70... and, yes, the barrel bushing cracked in half.
I’m not the biggest S.A. fan, but my dad just bought one of these, and it shoots really good straight out of the box. It has a nice “classic” look too. My dad can keep everything inside a tennis ball out to about 15 yards. I’ve stacked 3 mags full inside a 2” Circle at the same distance. I might be wrong, but I believe that these are more forged parts and heavier built than the kimbers (I’m wide open to correction on that). I can tell you that we shot 250 rounds through it in tactical/ church security training in about a 2-3 hour period out in the dirt and never had a hiccup out of it, aside from one mag issue(classic waffle spring). He shopped around and got it new for about ($75 one way or the other) the same money as the pictured used kimber.
Though approximately as scarce as hens teeth or frog fur right now, I’ve been a fan of magnum research/desert eagle’s 1911 for a bit. I think they tend to be unnoticed and eclipsed by their big bro. Been a bit since I looked at one, but they were about the same $$ range.
That said, if I had been born rich instead of so good lookin() I probably would have all the above plus in my theoretical 1911 vault.
Hardly a 1911 expert but I have owned three Kimbers and all three have been great. No complaints other than Kimber would do themselves a service to provide the Kim-Tac magazine instead of that POS that comes with the pistols. And for their 4 inch models buy their springs from Wolf. Aside from that all three have run perfect out of the box. One of them went to live with my brother. I replaced it with a RIA which I also like very much (and also comes with a POS magazine). Stainless II, Pro Carry II and RIA GI-FS:
And just to say, after getting the better magazines and Wolf spring, the PCII is the best shooting pistol I have, accurate, reliable and a decent carry weight being alloy.
I think the OP will love the Stainless Target. It also appears to have had an ambi safety added.
3C
And just to say, after getting the better magazines and Wolf spring, the PCII is the best shooting pistol I have, accurate, reliable and a decent carry weight being alloy.
I think the OP will love the Stainless Target. It also appears to have had an ambi safety added.
3C
OP
OP
Harriw
Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2018
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- 282
It does indeed have am ambi safety, which i greatly appreciate (I'm left eye dominant and shoot rifles lefty, pistols righty. So I'm a big fan of ambi controls). I hadn't realized that was an upgrade though - just assumed it came that way.
gotboostvr
Member
I liked my plain Jane Kimber Custom II alot. Easily the second best semi auto I've owned, only behind my Colt Wiley Clapp LW Commander.
Had to sell it to pay some bills, and the Colt XSE I bought to replace it once I was more stable left me wanting. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't as nicely put together.
That Kimber was nice.
Had to sell it to pay some bills, and the Colt XSE I bought to replace it once I was more stable left me wanting. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't as nicely put together.
That Kimber was nice.
Charlie98
Member
Be aware... the Kimber '4" ' 1911's are actually 4.25" and require a proprietary recoil spring... I get mine from Wolff, too. I found out the hard way by ordering 4 Colt Commander springs, thinking they would be universal. NOT. The Colt-sized springs are way too long.
By the way... I can make someone a great deal on 4 Wolff Colt Commander recoil springs...
Coyote3855
Member
I have owned and shot several different 1911 for recreation and in competition. Couple years ago, Sportsman's Warehouse had Kimber .45 Lightweights on sale for around $700. Basic no frills. It runs every ammunition I've tried including my 200 grain SWCs. I did replace the factory sights with night sights. I'm a Kimber fan and I think you did well with your purchase.
Seedy Character
Member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2021
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- 2,064
You know we are enablers.
Buy it! Better yet, but 2.
Buy it! Better yet, but 2.
Congratulations on your purchase. The Kimber will serve you well for many years. My father in law as a Super Match that he bought in 2000. Hard to believe that the pistol is turning 22 this year. The kids grow up fast. It's a great gun and a pleasure to shoot.
When I was selling guns for a living I never tried to talk anyone out of a Kimber. On the other hand I never tried to talk anyone into one either.
Seemed to me a higher percentage of Kimbers needed service than other makers. I have seen NIB guns rust sitting on the shelf because of finish problems. They're decent guns and look great but in my mind are overpriced.
For me, until you start getting into high end and custom 1911s there is not that much difference in any of them as far as "fun factor" goes. For the money they're asking for the used Kimber, I would get a Rock Island, a bunch of ammo, and shoot hell out of it. Save up for the USGI.
Seemed to me a higher percentage of Kimbers needed service than other makers. I have seen NIB guns rust sitting on the shelf because of finish problems. They're decent guns and look great but in my mind are overpriced.
For me, until you start getting into high end and custom 1911s there is not that much difference in any of them as far as "fun factor" goes. For the money they're asking for the used Kimber, I would get a Rock Island, a bunch of ammo, and shoot hell out of it. Save up for the USGI.
JTQ
Member
You have a mish-mash of information there.Be aware... the Kimber '4" ' 1911's are actually 4.25" and require a proprietary recoil spring... I get mine from Wolff, too. I found out the hard way by ordering 4 Colt Commander springs, thinking they would be universal. NOT. The Colt-sized springs are way too long.
By the way... I can make someone a great deal on 4 Wolff Colt Commander recoil springs...
Kimber "Pro" size guns are 4" guns. I'm pretty sure Kimber doesn't have any 4.25" barrel guns in their line-up and never has. Colt Commander's are 4.25" guns. That is why the Colt Commander size springs would be too long.
You are correct, though, when looking for springs for a Kimber "Pro" length gun, you need to get springs for a 4" gun and not springs for a 4.25"
Off topic I guess but this is the Wolf spring, PN 32726, I use in my 4 inch Pro Carry that works well, the OE part does not work well:
https://www.gunsprings.com/KIMBER/Compact & Pro Carry/cID1/mID32/dID413
The OPs new Stainless II will not need a new spring any time soon and being full size it does not have the spring issue some Pro Carry Kimbers do.
3C
Charlie98
Member
OP
OP
Harriw
Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2018
- Messages
- 282
Well the weather finally warmed up a bit today, and I managed to sneak away for a little while this afternoon to try this thing out. There were a few requests for range reports so I figured I'd give you all an update. The gun went BANG on every trigger pull, so I'm calling it a success, lol. Seriously though, it did just fine. I've sent my share of 9mm downrange, but this was my first experience with a 1911 and with .45acp so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. There was definitely more recoil than I expected, but nothing outrageous - just something different/new to get used to. My first few shots were kind of all over the place as I got used to it, but my group settled down nicely after that. I don't have the steadiest of hands so my group was nothing to brag about, but by the end of 25 rounds I was doing pretty much as well with it as I can do with 9mm.
I only put 25 rounds through it today. I had to set my target up in 2 feet of snow, and kept losing hot brass in the snow. Besides, my main goals only to a.) make sure everything works as it should, and b.) make sure I don't dislike shooting the .45acp cartridge (I had all the dies, shell plate, and other goodies necessary to start loading .45acp sitting in my Midsouth Shooter's cart, but wanted to make sure I liked .45 before spending all that money for nothing). In 25 rounds of 230 gr. FMJ, I did get 2 or 3 Failures-to-Feed. I'm hoping that turns out to be the fault of the Kimber (not Kim Pro) Magazine that came with the gun. Getting some better mags for this gun is high on my to-do list. It's also very possible I was limp-wristing it too much while getting accustomed to a new recoil impulse. I'm just hoping there's nothing wrong with the feed-ramp geometry.
This trigger is going to spoil me rotten though.... switching back to my cz-85 after shooting this for a while made that CZ single-action trigger feel like a double-action, lol. I had no idea what I was missing out on. I'm going to have an awful lot of fun with this thing... Needless to say I placed that order for dies as soon as I got home
I only put 25 rounds through it today. I had to set my target up in 2 feet of snow, and kept losing hot brass in the snow. Besides, my main goals only to a.) make sure everything works as it should, and b.) make sure I don't dislike shooting the .45acp cartridge (I had all the dies, shell plate, and other goodies necessary to start loading .45acp sitting in my Midsouth Shooter's cart, but wanted to make sure I liked .45 before spending all that money for nothing). In 25 rounds of 230 gr. FMJ, I did get 2 or 3 Failures-to-Feed. I'm hoping that turns out to be the fault of the Kimber (not Kim Pro) Magazine that came with the gun. Getting some better mags for this gun is high on my to-do list. It's also very possible I was limp-wristing it too much while getting accustomed to a new recoil impulse. I'm just hoping there's nothing wrong with the feed-ramp geometry.
This trigger is going to spoil me rotten though.... switching back to my cz-85 after shooting this for a while made that CZ single-action trigger feel like a double-action, lol. I had no idea what I was missing out on. I'm going to have an awful lot of fun with this thing... Needless to say I placed that order for dies as soon as I got home
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