The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Handguns => Topic started by: red364 on October 16, 2012, 04:49:12 PM
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What do you guys know about Kimber? I saw a Sapphire Ultra II' Of course, it's beautiful! But I don't have any Kimbers, nor do I know much about them. Anybody know if it's a worthwhile gun to have or not?
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I can't buy there here so I hate 'em! Kidding...but it's true I can't buy them in MA!
Heard both sides of the story, some good, some bad but for the money, it'd better work! The other downside is they're made in Yonkers, NY so most of the people that build them can't carry them!
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They are upper shelf firearms, as far as cost goes, but are no better quality than mid shelf firearms (S&W, Ruger, Springfield, etc.). They are quality firearms, that they are too proud of. IMHO.
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Gotta agree with bjtraz. Although, that is one pretty BBQ gun. ;D
(http://images.rockwellarms.com/ProductImages/Kimber/Pistols/SapphireUltraII.jpg)
FWIW the Ultra has proven to be problematic for some folks, the 3" barrel are historically more finicky than the longer ones. As a personal note, when I pick up just about any 1911 I seem to feel like I am picking up a fine instrument. With a Kimber it feels like I am picking up a tool, like a hammer or something. Maybe it's that plastic MSH that does it.
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bjtraz speaks the truth.
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They are upper shelf firearms, as far as cost goes, but are no better quality than mid shelf firearms (S&W, Ruger, Springfield, etc.). They are quality firearms, that they are too proud of. IMHO.
I have to disagree. I love mine. It shoots great has a much better trigger than the equal priced Springfield I had planned to buy, fit and finish are excellent. Since i bought my full sized guvernmint model there have been several come on the market (Remington, Ruger, etc.) have not got to shoot them. If you want an $800 1911 there are good choices. If you want a little more refinement I think you get more at the $1200 price point. IMO money well spent.
I think they are better characterized as lower cost versions of Ed Brown, Wilson, etc. Sort of a semi custom gun. I keep looking for a bob tailed commander lightweight and the Kimber is quite a bit cheaper than the others I listed. If you are looking a small 1911 I don't think Ruger of the others are making anything quite like the Kimber Ultras. I personally don't have much interest in one with a 3" barrel and small grip frame, but they are very nice guns.
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I have an older, basic custom II 5" and it's dead on accurate, it was better than my friend's wilson. I've heard the quality has slipped a bit over the years, but mine has proven it's worth.
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I have a Kimber Custom II I bought about 6 years ago. It's never failed me once, and it's more accurate than I am. I've read a few horror stories on Al Gore's Intertron, but I've never had an issue with mine. One dude's experience, FWIW.
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I have also heard that quality has sliped over the years. I own a kimber, nothing worng with it, nothing out standing either. My les baer was only $100 more and its in a diffrent league. Yet I still carry my colt commader( 1st 1911) and my delta elites.
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Accurate and expensive. I can buy two Glocks for the price of one Kimber. ;D
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I have been carrying a Kimber Ultra Carry for the past 5 years. My favorite carry gun of all time. It has never been nothing but 100 percent reliable.
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I say it depends on what your going to do with the gun. I just purchased a 1911 trp for 1k from a police officer. While the gun is a perfect gun, he felt self conscious about carrying it in horrible weather. Also he did not want it scratched up if he was on the ground fighting someone - so he went back to his glock. I got a great gun and enabled a police officer to get out of the gun without much of a financial loss.
I am just going to use the gun for home defense. It will probably be a safe queen. Maybe it will be my daily carry gun after I figure out a good holster that works for me.
If you got the coin get the kimber and enjoy. Don't worry about the money. If your really worried about the money - then don't own a gun. For most of us, this is a expensive paper hole punch anyway.
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I have two, a Team Match in 45 and an Eclipse in 10MM. I like 'em.
However...the pro trainers I know were seeing a disproportionate number of failures in classes with the new ones in previous years....haven't heard about the last 6 mos. or so. I have heard really good things about the Ruger and the Remington 1911's though.
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Who knew I was so patient? It finally got here! I like it a lot and can't wait to shoot it!!!
(http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x286/red364/0403131435a-1_zps730943c0.jpg)
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Congratulations, Red :D :D
I bet you'll love it after you shoot it.
But what happened to it? It looks blue?
;D ;D
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Puuurrrdy! Was that the one on GunBroker?
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red, that's Purdy enough to go in the "Party Pistol" thread! Just enough engraving but not too much.
Richard
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That's almost "girly". If it shoots good, you're in great shape.
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Nice one Red, let us know how it shoots.
I figured you would get it, it's blue. ;D
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Nice looking gun. A little gaudy for me, but very nice anyway.
I have a Ruger and my Dad has a TLE II. His gun is nicer, but it took a trip back to the factory to get it reliable. He was getting failure to ejects quite often. My Ruger has been mostly very reliable. The TLE has a checkered front strap, which is nice, and the whole gun is very tight. The trigger is also a bit nicer on his gun, not that the Ruger has a bad trigger by any means. The machining on the inside of the Kimber also looks a bit nicer.
As far as accuracy goes, I don't think either one of us is good enough to tell the difference. I payed $620 for my Ruger and he paid around $900. Probably should have paid $150-$200 more, but the gun was rang up as a Stainless II by the big store he bought it from. They found the mistake, but let him keep it at the price he paid. It is not twice as nice as my Ruger, but I do like the checkered front strap...
Oh, after he got it back from Kimber we could tell that they obviously tightened up the barrel/bushing fit as part of the re-work because it is now tight as a drum. Bummer to have to send it back in, but I guess there was a little bonus for the extra effort.
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Mighty fine lookin' gun, Red....... I like the engraving.
*edit*
My wife just walked by and said, "Hey, that's a very nice looking gun. I'd like to have something like that!"
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A little gaudy for me
Gaudy? Shit, that's my middle name!! I've got gaudier ones, ans I love 'em all!!! ;D
Peg, your wife sounds allright to me!! She must have a birthday or something coming around, hmmm?? :)
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Peg, your wife sounds allright to me!! She must have a birthday or something coming around, hmmm?? :)
She hits the big five-0 (shhh, you didn't hear that from me) in October....... so maybe.
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(http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/billt460/Kimber8400KimberStainless1911Rug-5.jpg)
I've been running this Kimber Stainless II for a few years now. It's been as good or better than any of my other 1911's. A solid, reliable performer that is not magazine sensitive. Kimber, Springfield, Colt, Wilson Combat, it runs them all without problems. The only thing I'm not fond of is the plastic mainspring housing. But even Colt has gone to that, My new all steel Commander has one.
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I've been running this Kimber Stainless II for a few years now. It's been as good or better than any of my other 1911's. A solid, reliable performer that is not magazine sensitive. Kimber, Springfield, Colt, Wilson Combat, it runs them all without problems. The only thing I'm not fond of is the plastic mainspring housing. But even Colt has gone to that, My new all steel Commander has one.
On some models, Colt has been doing that for years. My 1991-A1 Commander came with a plastic mainspring housing twenty years ago. I promptly swapped in a Smith & Alexander unit with the built-in mag guide...... I have thought of swapping the plastic one back to lighten it since I use it for CCW.
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On some models, Colt has been doing that for years. My 1991-A1 Commander came with a plastic mainspring housing twenty years ago. I promptly swapped in a Smith & Alexander unit with the built-in mag guide...... I have thought of swapping the plastic one back to lighten it since I use it for CCW.
I did the same thing with all 3 of my Para .45s.