I have owned two Springfield Armory 1911's in the past, the first was a G.I. model, the other was a stainless loaded model, I could not be accurate with them no matter how hard I tried. The Glock 21 however, was a laser beam in my hands.
I've been looking at 1911's again, more specifically the EMP4, SW1911SC E-Series and Sig 1911 Fastback Carry models. So today I decided to hit up the range and rent a 1911 just to remind myself. The rental was a full size Kimber, seemed like any basic 1911, flat mainspring housing and easy to see three-dot sights.
That trigger was nice! And I was making very good groups.....easily! I even shot it one-handed quite accurately. The target was set at about 10 yards away and it was not a problem to keep all seven rounds in a nice three to four inch pattern with all 50 rounds.
Will it convince me to go out and buy a 1911 now? Probably not, probably not even the Sig Fastback Carry or SW1911SC E-Series, they're just heavier and recoil is more pronounced than with my Glock 17's. I felt more pressure on the web of my shooting hand because of the narrow grip, more so than with the wider gripped Glocks, especially the Glock 21.
As accurate as this pistol was, I have a better understanding as to why there is such a following, they have a nice heft and just feel good in the hand and there obviously is a difference between mfg'rs, you apparently do get what you pay for. And when you run out of ammo, one can put quite a beating on an adversary with that hunk of metal.

ok..so I thought you had a question?..
was this just a review?

Nope, just my first experience with a Kimber

LOL - no doubt.  Nothing like giving out the 'ole Mannix treatment...

Kimbers can be nice. My experience with them has been hit or miss. 50% of their products I've owned/tried haven't been able to get a full 8 round mag thru them. Others ran just like they were a raped ape, unstoppable... I've since sold all Kimber products I've owned except for (2) Kimber stamped 7 round mags that work really well. The fact that if you have a problem Kimber will tell you to put 500 rounds thru it before you call them back; Now that's some bullshit. Then they want you to pay for and insure the shipping. The aforementioned, and the fact that they are a New York company; I don't & won't do any business with them anymore... I've had very, very good experiences with Springfield and Colt's though in the same price range so there is no reason to ever go back to Kimber for anything. YMMV!

I've had two Kimbers, both super solid guns. An Ultra Carry CDP and the Kimber Solo CDP. Never had a problem with either.

The problem with Kimbers is QC.  There isn't any.  They have a VERY high dud rate.  This, coupled with a way overpriced/ hyped MIM gun leads me to "just say no".

To each his own.  I've had similar problems with their rifles.

Agreed! What rifles of theirs have you owned if I may ask out of curiosity? Kimber spends money on advertising where it should be spent on QA/QC instead. But shit, it's working for them because most people will look at you like you are stupid if you say anything against Kimber.... like they are the end all/be all in the 1911 game. I giggle a little bit inside when I see guys working on them over on the side table after we start an IDPA match. Then I usually walk over and offer assistance in getting them back in the match because I was once that "Kimber" guy... Then I know other die-hard Kimber guys that shoot match after match never having a problem. I have a friend that shoots 500 rounds a week at a minimum with a Kimber Super Carry Pro model... Go figure...

I have an Kimber 84M supergrade in .308.  Cycled horribly, bad trigger, completely uneven stock channel, poor crown.  Was an absolute piece of Shiite.  4-5 moa gun.  I sent it back to kimber with a laundry list of problems.  They sent it back to me 3 weeks later with a 2", three shot group at 50 yards with Federal Gold Medal Match and told me it was fine and met specs...

Since that time, I have recut the stock channel.  Bedded it.  Bedded in a pressure point.  Trued the action.  Lapped the bolt raceway.  Recrowned and lapped the barrel, and reworked the trigger.  It is now a shooter, but it is more of an "Aggie_Gunner Special" than a Kimber.  I still have extraction issues sometimes due to a rough chamber (need to polish it).  Needless to say, I am not impressed.

I was shown a 84M at a carter's country (local chain) in 7mm-08 that the barrel left the factory with no rifling.

For me, Kimber = the suck.

I have a kimber raptor ultra carry 9mm and a micro carry .380 and both have been super solid. I have heard some things on their QC but I nor any of my friends or family have ever had an issue with them once you get them through the break in period.

I see a lot of Kimber's at the range I work at. 75% of the time they work fine. In that 75% I include ones that just need lube or different mags to work well. 25% of the time they cannot work.

That doesn't even include the broken parts or the higher percentage of rusty guns than other manufacturers.

I had a Custom II that as you said, OP, shot circles around my Springy Milspec.   That said, I think the complaints with them are valid.   But if you do get a good one, it's a good value.  Or seemed like it to me.  I'd rather have a Wilson over all of them.  But too expensive for me.  

I don't have either of those and I'm 1911less right now and really not liking that.

Kimber's 1911s tend to be pretty accurate as a general thing.  They are generally built well but can suffer from some lack of attention to detail.   Their reputation also took a major hit because they were using MIM parts that were inconsistently made.  It's probably not an exaggeration to say that Kimber is solely responsible for the whole "MIM in a 1911" debate.

They also created the bad reputation for external extractors despite S&W and Sig making reliable external extractors.

That made me laugh out loud a bit... because it's true! Kimber could fuck up a wet dream... Ken_Mays is correct though too! Kimbers are usually built solidly... its the fine points they can suck on. It's the fine points that get them to run or not. I have little patience for a 1K dollar pistol that will not run out of the box.

Honestly, I'd rather have the "Aggie_Gunner Special Edition" than an out of the box Kimber .308! Pistols and rifles that have been hand massaged/end user polished by someone who knows what they are doing are way more appealing to me than any new firearm... Half of my pistols and shotguns are 2nd hand and I love the honest use and wear!

Amen!

Kimber makes a great 1911 although I did have to send my old one in to get it to function correctly....

"Great 1911's" don't need a return to the factory in order to MAYBE run right.

Paladin

I bought a used compact kimber in .45., its the ultra carry II. Never had a problem with it. I have used a lot of different ammo including lead reloads.  My friends have them. None of us have had issues.

I had always thought of Kimber as being a generic/neither here nor there/slightly better than Taurus manufacturer masquerading as some kind of high end brand. It's like redneck high end.

Ive had two Kimbers and they have been superb.

I wouldn't say that.  If they corrected a few minor but common build errors and used better parts, I think their reputation would have never suffered.  The early Kimber guns were highly regarded but after they went with the firing pin safety and then started using shitty MIM, they squandered their rep pretty quickly.

I have 2 older ones. Will never get a new one