Kimber vs SA vs RAI

[Thomas Garrett]

Why are Kimbers so over-rated vs Springfields and RAI's. Reason, I go to the range twice a week with friends, (like Bowling). I've got a Springfield Mil-Spec with minor Mod's, and a RAI Tactical, My other friend Has 2 Kimbers. and My third friend has a Tactical also. Shooting we swap quite often. Trying to outshoot each other. Everytime, the Kimbers on paper are the losers. No matter who shoots them. Are they overrated? Both are way over $1000.00 each. the SA was like $600.00 and the Tacticals were about the same. What's up? My friend is alittle Heartbroken.

 

[bpl]

Are they all full size 5" Government Models or do the Kimbers have shorter barrels? Are the Kimbers lightweight frames?

 

[Thomas Garrett]

They are all full size 5" barrels, also i forgot to add, BOTH Kimbers are the only ones to have FTE's, we shoot the same ammunition. CCI 230 Gr. TMJ and UMC 230 gr. Metal jacket Ball.

 

[wccountryboy]

Not sure what kind of mods you had done to the milspec, but that could account for part of it. What model Kimber are you using?
In general, kimber seemd to have a little bit better fit and finnish than SA, dollar for dollar. Kimber typicaly has a much lighter and smoother trigger than a comperable SA.
RIA really isn't in the same leage as far as overall quality goes. Lots of bells and whisltes for $500 though.

 

[Thomas Garrett]

My Mil-Spec only had Trigger work and the Wilson Combat Spring kit installed and the Feed Ramp Polished. As for the Kimber's i'm really not sure what model's, all i know there were about $1200.00 each. I asked him, (he's the friend with all the money!) he bought both in about a week. (different finishes). he couldn't decide which one to buy, so he bought both of them. He called Kimber about it (he's frustrated) and Kimber told him about the 500 round "break in" period. We're all about that right now with all 5 handguns. My Mil-Spec and RAI Tactical (out he box) were perfect shooters, my other friends RAI Tactical was flawless also. We've also tried range (Atlantic Arms) reloads. Same situation. Believe me I'm not Knocking Kimber's, thier beautiful pistols. We've even "Benched" all of them and the Kimber's (both) seem to be alittle loose, no "set" groupings and the situation of FTE's. we've even swapped magizines from one to another to see it may help. Internally everything seems to be tight on both. Same problem. Any Ideas? Called my friend, ones a Tactical Pro Custom II, and the other is a Super Match II.

 

[LeonCarr]

I am not a 1911 guy, but a good buddy of mine is. He has a SA Mil-Spec .45, and the first time he shot it, it shot an 8 shot 3 inch group at 25 yards with Black Hills 230 grain XTP red box ammo. He took the gun to a master gunsmith, had him install a Kart match barrel and bushing, and gave it a 4 pound trigger pull. Those are the only modifications done to the gun. Those two things took it from a 3 inch group gun to a one hole group gun, with the same ammo, with 100% reliability. He has all of about 650 bucks in the gun, including the cost of the barrel/bushing and gunsmithing.

Performance is everything.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Thomas Garrett]

My SA was about the same, haven't had anything done with the barrel or bushing yet (money), i just had trigger work, dropped the poundage tremendously, now its confortable. (i was pulling in the beginning), and groups better because of it one handed. Benched (new) at 25 yards the groups were about average 3-4 ", now with just the trigger work is like about 2-3" and can kill the X ring on NRA B-8 targets. Free handed (one) i'm consistant in the 10 and X ring. (and I'm left handed), i get alot of flack at the range because of it. Now shooting my friends Kimbers i'm within the outer part of the 9 ring . no consistancy. Believe me i'm not a professional shooter, but normally i hit what i'm aiming at. we're all working to start shooting in the NRA 2700 series conventional pistol competitions. We all have .22, .38Sp., also the .45's. Within the next few months we're going to try one. The range guy loves us when we come in ($$$$). Next is to get our wives involved.

 

[FoMoGo]

I have posted quite a few times about the malfunctions I have observed at various ranges across the country, most of the 1911 malfunctions have been kimbers... by a wide margin.
My RIAs have never had a malfunction.
YMMV


Jim

 

[Thomas Garrett]

LeonCarr/ FoMoGo, wow, your friend got a nice combination for the $650.00, i looked up Kart barrel/bushing kit, $185.00 and the price of the pistol. I'm looking to go with the Wilson Combat Stainless Match barrel/bushing kit. Have Springfield fit them (at the same time they armoryKote my slide in t-black) and have the slide custom fitted.

FoMoGo, yes, i'm starting to identify the same (kimbers). As for my RAI, I haven't done anything to it but clean / oil / and shoot it. If anything maybe find adjustible sights for it, and grips. I got it from another friend, was going to go with us 3, he bought it, wife told him about being pregnant (mysteriuosly) at the same time (same week), "She decided" he had to sell it, so i bought it from him as i stated, new in the box. I did let him shoot it though. i told him later on if he can afford to but it back, so be it, I'll just get another one. P>S> i seen yours on another thread, Same pistol (2 tone), and your grips are nice.

 

[LeonCarr]

He had bought the Mil-Spec for 400 bucks, and has a dealer account at Brownells .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[mongo4567]

I haven't had your same experience. I've seen and shot a lot of 1911's. The Kimbers have all really stood out well in out of the box configuration. I've seen some full customs and high end guns shoot as well or better than the Kimbers. For the price range, I've only seen similar performance from a Springfield Operator.

 

[Ken Rainey]

Thomas Garrett, Have your friends with the Kimbers to check their extractor's tension, proper adjustment there will likely (hopefully) solve their failures to extract. As far as the Kimber's accuracy, I dunno...they usually shoot very good groups...mine seem to prefer the 200 grain bullets for best accuracy but each pistol is a machine unto itself....

 

[schmeky]

Thomas Garrett,

Your quasi-comparison is weak. I have a Kimber and have owned a RIA, but not a Springer. You can't compare a RIA to a Kimber. Until you find the ammo any pistol likes, can relay shooting distances, group sizes, etc., there is no comparative evaluation.