New Kimber 1911 styles

[treehugger]

Are they really pot metal crap because they really are nice looking, stoked up watching Midway Night At The Range and its 1911 night, and the Kimber was on my radar

 

[jimbobborg]

I'll bite. Which Kimber are you looking for? From my own experience and the experience of a few other folks I've worked with, if the MIM parts don't break in the first 500 rounds, you're good to go. I'm still getting rid of my plastic mainspring cover, which as far as I'm concerned is ridiculous on an $1100 gun, but my Kimber shoots well and is reliable with mags other than Kimber's.

Jim

 

[Mt Airy]

I have friend that has replaced parts on his Kimber and said the same thing after taking it apart that there were a lot of pot metal parts on it.

 

[Billcw]

I am not sure I agree with potmetal parts .. but most of the experience I have had with them and I have sold quite a few in my time behind the counter an shot lots more on the range they have been pretty good .

Any gun can be an issue .. just like a car .. not sure how its going ot act until you put some miles on it ..

 

[Punch_master]

Not quite pot metal. The stuff is called MIM. That stands for Metal Injection Molding. It's just the small stuff that is made that way on Kimbers. Backstrap, thumb safeties, and such for instance. The frame and slide and anything that counts are made from the good stuff. If I paid $3000.00 for my kimber and it had MIM parts I'd be upset but I only paid $1100.00. $1100.00 don't get you a ready to rock race gun that shoots nothing but pinwheels.

The other alternative is to buy a wilson or brown for three times the price.

 

[trbon8r]

Not quite pot metal. The stuff is called MIM. That stands for Metal Injection Molding. It's just the small stuff that is made that way on Kimbers. Backstrap, thumb safeties, and such for instance. The frame and slide are made from the good stuff.

The problem is the small parts made of the not so good stuff tend to break. Too often thumb safeties snap off, slide stops break, and extractors don't extract. Kimber is not the only one with this problem, but in my opinion whatever subcontractor it is they are getting their MIM junk from, just so happens to be the worst of the bunch. SA doesn't seem to have nearly as many issues with their MIM components. Same with Colt, but then again Colt doesn't use nearly as much MIM as their counterparts. Not that Colt is perfect either. I had one of their ambi thumb safeties crap out, and replaced it with a bar stock EGW part.

Anymore if you want a good 1911 made with top of the line materials and workmanship, you had either better be prepared to fork out 2k+ for something like a Nighthawk, or better yet spec out the gun you want with the parts you desire and get Clandestine to build it for you for under 2k. This gets you the gun that YOU want, rather than the semi-custom world where Brown, Baer, Nighthawk, etc., are only too happy to tell you what they think you need in terms of safeties, sights, grips, etc.

 

[Punch_master]

The problem is the small parts made of the not so good stuff tend to break. Too often thumb safeties snap off, slide stops break, and extractors don't extract. Kimber is not the only one with this problem, but in my opinion whatever subcontractor it is they are getting their MIM junk from, just so happens to be the worst of the bunch. SA doesn't seem to have nearly as many issues with their MIM components. Same with Colt, but then again Colt doesn't use nearly as much MIM as their counterparts. Not that Colt is perfect either. I had one of their ambi thumb safeties crap out, and replaced it with a bar stock EGW part.

Anymore if you want a good 1911 made with top of the line materials and workmanship, you had either better be prepared to fork out 2k+ for something like a Nighthawk, or better yet spec out the gun you want with the parts you desire and get Clandestine to build it for you for under 2k. This gets you the gun that YOU want, rather than the semi-custom world where Brown, Baer, Nighthawk, etc., are only too happy to tell you what they think you need in terms of safeties, sights, grips, etc.

That's funny you mention ambi thumb safeties. I bought a really nice ed brown extended ambi safety made out of FLAWLESS STAINLESS steel for my kimber and after every 20 shots the two halves seperated and caused the gun to jam no mater how much I squeezed the tabs together. I bought a Kimber ambi safety with a extended pin made out MIM and no more problems. Sometimes better design trumps better material.

 

[lee2]

friends dont let friends shoot kimbers!

 

[clandestine]

Kimbers are for 1911 guys who dont know better.


NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
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[Punch_master]

friends dont let friends shoot kimbers!

You are right. If our friends don't ever shoot one they won't want one. We want to keep them all for ourselves.

 

[lee2]

You are right. If our friends don't ever shoot one they won't want one. We want to keep them all for ourselves.

new in box?

 

[clandestine]

new in box?

You have to use recycled soda cans to make something.

 

[lee2]

You have to use recycled soda cans to make something.

 

[Punch_master]

You have to use recycled soda cans to make something.

Most people put something else down to make themselves feel better about the turd they bought instead. It comes out sounding more like petty jealousy than anything else.

 

[lee2]

Most people put something else down to make themselves feel better about the turd they bought instead. It comes out sounding more like petty jealousy than anything else.

if you chrome plate a turd its still a kimber.

 

[clandestine]

Most people put something else down to make themselves feel better about the turd they bought instead. It comes out sounding more like petty jealousy than anything else.

You really dont have a clue do you? I have worked on more Kimbers than you have looked at on the internet. I can afford or build any 1911 I want, it would NEVER be a kimber.

I make jokes because there is truth to it. Stop getting your feeling hurt because its all you could afford.

RIA makes better guns for half the cost.

 

[Punch_master]

You really dont have a clue do you? I have worked on more Kimbers than you have looked at on the internet. I can afford or build any 1911 I want, it would NEVER be a kimber.

I make jokes because there is truth to it. Stop getting your feeling hurt because its all you could afford.

RIA makes better guns for half the cost.

RIA? oh PLEASE!!! Statements like that make it hard for me to take anything you write seriously.
I fully realize there are better pistols out there than Kimbers. Ed brown's Wilson combat, Les Baer, nighthawk etc, etc. That doesn't make Kimber's junk. If they were junk they wouldn't sell as well as they do. If you wish to blindly brand bash for no apparent reason (You certainly haven't mentioned any real reason so far) that is your choice. Your opinion doesn't change the way my kimber shoots so your blind hatred of my gun means nothing to me. I can just ignore you.

 

[Punch_master]

if you chrome plate a turd its still a kimber.

Again, no substance, just blind brand hatred.

 

[clandestine]

RIA? oh PLEASE!!! Statements like that make it hard for me to take anything you write seriously.
I fully realize there are better pistols out there than Kimbers. Ed brown's Wilson combat, Les Baer, nighthawk etc, etc. That doesn't make Kimber's junk. If they were junk they wouldn't sell as well as they do. If you wish to blindly brand bash for no apparent reason (You certainly haven't mentioned any real reason so far) that is your choice. Your opinion doesn't change the way my kimber shoots so your blind hatred of my gun means nothing to me. I can just ignore you.

Experience...........


Fixing and Customizing countless 1911's over the years.

Kimbers have twice the sticker price over a RIA, and I see them constantly for problems. What justifies 2x the price? It isnt accuracy, materials or craftsmanship....

RIA 1911's, rarely have issues.............


Want to get to brass tacks......Who have you worked for in the industry? Ive been a Smith for 10 years at Scotts Gunsmiting.

 

[lee2]

Again, no substance, just blind brand hatred.

i have had the displeasure of examining several unhappy customers kimbers.
Like Clandestine said, the bottom line is kimbers quality control sucks!