Are Kimbers worth it??

offcamber

offcamber

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I been looking at a Kimber Crimson Carry II at my local shop. I reall want a compact .45 but $1,100 seems a lot. So is it worth paying almost double? I realize its all what you like but I guess ounce for ounce are they that much better.

Thanks
 
no, Kimber uses their customers to do the QC. If it doesn't run, Kimber will expect you to run 500 rounds through the gun to "break it in" before they will take it back... so add that to the cost
 
This should be good.

Deer-popcorn.gif
 
If you get a nice one, yes. If you get one with issues, no. There's very little way to tell the difference ahead of time.

On balance, I'd say no. If you're going to spend that much money on a gun, STI is better these days in that price range, and semi-custom options are a lot better (although, even more money).
 
I have no personal experience with Kimbers but I will pass on to you what was said to me by a local gunsmith who knows a lot about 1911s and who's opinion I respect. He told me that you will see a lot of people talk crap about Kimber online but not to believe it. He told me that his opinion is that they are a nice gun and he rarely sees them in his shop because they don't seem to break. IMO, S&W also makes a very nice 1911 for the price so that's what I ended up going with.
 
offcamber said:
I been looking at a Kimber Crimson Carry II at my local shop. I reall want a compact .45 but $1,100 seems a lot. So is it worth paying almost double? I realize its all what you like but I guess ounce for ounce are they that much better.
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Double of what? They aren't double the cost of similar 1911 from a different company.

I own three Kimbers, all Series I. My usual carry gun is a full size, stainless steel Kimber Custom. Personally, I wouldn't buy a Kimber II. They've had issues with their Swartz-style firing pin safety and their external extractor.

If you want a 1911, since you are in a free state, I would consider a Springfield Armory if you are on a budget. If you want a better gun, look at a Wilson or Ed Brown, but then you are talking serious money that will make a Kimber II look cheap. As a general rule, fullsize 1911s are usually more reliable than shorter ones.

While 1911s have some great advantages, they also have disadvantages. They have lovely triggers and their safeties, magazine releases, and slide stops are all properly sized and located. The relatively small grip circumference makes them fit many hands. A plethora of replacement sights are available to fit anyone's taste.

On the downside, 1911s are heavy (less so if you get an aluminum frame) and have a low capacity. The magazine well is narrow, slowing reloads compared to a double-stack. And they are the king of feedway stoppages.

So is the premium for a 1911 over say, a Glock, worth it? Lots of shooters answer that question by carrying 1911s, but many choose a Glock (or HK or SIG or...). Only you can say whether the premium is worth it to you.
 
smcnally said:
I have no personal experience with Kimbers but I will pass on to you what was said to me by a local gunsmith who knows a lot about 1911s and who's opinion I respect. He told me that you will see a lot of people talk crap about Kimber online but not to believe it. He told me that his opinion is that they are a nice gun and he rarely sees them in his shop because they don't seem to break. IMO, S&W also makes a very nice 1911 for the price so that's what I ended up going with.
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The odds of a smith getting a kimber in his shop is low because of two reasons
1. The majority of Kimbers in MA are the older models, for back when Kimber made a quality gun, these guns run and are what made the kimber name
2 There are very few new Kimbers as they are not approved and therefore fairly rare. So is will be rare to even see one in the shop because of the #s available, not quality

If you look over the county as a whole, talk to Gunsmiths and shooters that put a lot of rounds down range every year. You will find that Kimber is not longer the great company it once was
 
offcamber said:
I been looking at a Kimber Crimson Carry II at my local shop. I reall want a compact .45 but $1,100 seems a lot. So is it worth paying almost double? I realize its all what you like but I guess ounce for ounce are they that much better.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Where are these $550 1911's!!!?
 
I said almost, I have seen Springfield's in the case for about $600 and Rock Island has one for about $430. The RI has a really nice trigger pull. The problem is most are full size...
 
M1911 said:
So? I'm not a big guy and I carry a fullsize 1911 in an IWB holster. The full size 1911s are typically more reliable.
Click to expand...

I've carried a full sized 1911 in the same Crossbreed that was made for a Walther PPS. It's almost as comfy and is really just as easy to carry. Just a bit heavier, really, and I too have no problem concealing it.
 
The older Kimbers are great guns... I would not touch any of the newer ones with a 49.5 foot pole, unless it was one that I had a chance to fire/test before buying. I have a 2004 Kimber and the g**damn gun is an albatross that has always been finicky. I'll get it fixed someday... [laugh]

In the price range most new Kimbers are in, you are better off just finding an equivalent S+W product. It might even be cheaper, and it is probably more likely to work right.

-Mike
 
Not a bad price for a basic 1911. The problem is that I'd have to replace the sights, thumb safety, and grip safety. That would easily run another $300. Still good to see another alternative, though.

Give us a range report after you put a 1000 rounds through it. Also, is that a Series 80 or Series 70 style action?
 
M1911 said:
Not a bad price for a basic 1911. The problem is that I'd have to replace the sights, thumb safety, and grip safety. That would easily run another $300. Still good to see another alternative, though.

Give us a range report after you put a 1000 rounds through it. Also, is that a Series 80 or Series 70 style action?
Click to expand...

I'm gonna keep it the way it is,its no hot rod that for sure, but fills my utilitarian no friills requirements and budget.

Overall a pretty basic USGI style,it has a firing pin block safety system (I belive thats an 80 series trait)..though I don't have alot of 1911 experience to compare it against such as Kimber or Colt models.
 
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I've never owned a Kimber 1911, buy know many who do. They always say the first thing you do is replace the magazine. I guess the factory Kimber mags are junk. That will account for 90% of all problems.
 
PatMcD said:
I've never owned a Kimber 1911, buy know many who do. They always say the first thing you do is replace the magazine. I guess the factory Kimber mags are junk. That will account for 90% of all problems.
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Funny you mention that...when I looked at the one in the shop I couldn't get the slide to return. I thought I was an idiot but the salesman told me to pull the magazine out and it racked fine. He said its something the way the Kimber mags are made and most people replace them....so add that to the price.
 
PatMcD said:
I've never owned a Kimber 1911, buy know many who do. They always say the first thing you do is replace the magazine. I guess the factory Kimber mags are junk. That will account for 90% of all problems.
Click to expand...

I wish replacing the mag would solve my problems. Mine is worse with some than others, but it still has problems with all of them. I just need to get it back to a gunsmith to have it worked on.

-Mike
 
how about a S&W 4513 in 45, it caries so well you don't know its there,

i don't believe they make them anymore but you should be able to find

a used one. i have one, and as Karma someone here gave me the exact

holster. Its a great carry piece, strongly you look into it.
 
speedy said:
How about a SIG 1911?
Click to expand...

I don't know how they are now, but they had all sorts of problems when they first came out and for at least a couple years after launch. They do have a Series 80 firing pin safety, which I prefer over a Swartz style firing pin safety. The use a non-standard external extractor (like S&W and Kimber II). Kimber had all sorts of trouble with their external extractor, but S&W has made it work. I don't know about SIG's extractor.

Another issue with the SIG is that they use a non-standard slide profile to make it look like their P Series guns. As a result, it won't fit in some kydex 1911 holsters.

All in all, I'd go with a Springfield Armory base model instead and send it off to a gunsmith to make it what I want. Or maybe just start with a Caspian slide and frame instead.
 

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