Gotta Get A Kimber

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Posted: 4/6/2001 1:50:39 PM EDT

I picked up a Kimber Custom Defender II Wednesday and took off work yesterday to go to the range. WOW, this thing is awesome. My first time shooting a 1911 and I shot groups tighter than I have ever shot with any of my Glocks, even though I've been working with Glocks for years. I did have some mag problems though. Some experienced Kimber owners told me to get some Wilson Combat mags and that should clean up the FTF's. (Because it only happens on the last round.) Kimber makes one hell of a handgun, and I would recommend it to anyone. Just be sure to throw out the stock magazine and get some good ones. I hear Kimber contracted other companies to make mags for them.
Ed.
p.s. Glocks are still superior in the reliability department.

Posted: 4/6/2001 1:56:01 PM EDT

[#1]

Chip McCormicks worked the best in my old Kimber

Posted: 4/6/2001 3:03:49 PM EDT

[#2]

The magazine that came with my wife's Gold Match Stainless is slicker than snot. Its stamped Made in Italy. I've got several Wilson Combat mags and none of them work as smooth as the stock Kimber Stainless. That mag is just really well made. I will buy more Kimber mags.

Arock out.

Posted: 4/6/2001 3:05:53 PM EDT

[#3]

I have two Elite Carrys and one Gold Match and all the stock (Shooting Star) magazines have been nothing but trouble. Your friends are correct, buy some Wilson mags and you will not have a problem. Although my Gold Match did come with a ten-round Mec-Gar magazine as a spare that runs perfectly.

Posted: 4/6/2001 4:02:40 PM EDT

[#4]

Shooting Stars suck, FTF on the last round, baseplates that fall off at the wrong time.

Wilsons are good but expensive, Mec-Gars are those "Made in Italy" mags and mine work flawlessly.

Congrats on yer Kimber, it's a great 1911.

Posted: 4/6/2001 4:07:32 PM EDT

[#5]

Iam glad to see another glock shooter switch to a 1911.I only own one handgun and that is a colt 1911 commander will be getting another colt 1911 soon in 38 super.

Posted: 4/6/2001 5:22:48 PM EDT

[#6]

well, you bought a great gun (except for the firing pin block), I have a Compact CDP, and use 1 Colt 7 rd. magazine in the gun (flush fit), and 2 wilson 7 rd. mags in the carrier, with the medium base plate, I had to buff the ramps, and extractor, but now its perfectly reliable, a little dremel time and some jewelers rouge works wonders!

Posted: 4/6/2001 5:35:29 PM EDT

[#7]

I thought my Colt Stainless Gov't Model 1911 was a great gun until I shot my friends Kimber. The difference between the two was like night and day. Now I have to start saving for another firearm! Congrats on your purchase, it ought to keep you happy for a long time.

Posted: 4/6/2001 6:29:01 PM EDT

[#8]

mec gar of italy makes mags for SIG, so when they work good dont be too surprised

anyone seen any recent kimbers not looking so good in the QC dept? the ones ive seen a year ago were good but the ones seen now dont look so nice. reliability and functioning is something else i cant comment on

Posted: 4/6/2001 6:56:15 PM EDT

[#9]

Another good choice is the 1911 magazines made by Pachmayr. I've been shooting a Kimber in PPC competitions for the last couple of years. I rotate five magazines that have had over 20,000 rounds run through them. I've yet to have a feeding problem. Quality magazines...quality pistol.

Posted: 4/6/2001 7:02:26 PM EDT

[#10]

Picked up a Kimber Gold Match about a year ago. After all the raves, expected something special. Yeah, first time out, slide would not go into battery on a live round more often than not. Tried different ammo. Same problem. Sent it back to the factory - twice. They reamed the chamber a little deeper, but same problem. Emailed ChickBlood at AGI, and started with the simplest of his tips - polish the chamber and lube it til the grease flies off. Works fine now. Shoots the center out of the target. Puts my old Colt Gold Cup to shame. She is sensitive to mags tho. OE works fine. Got a couple of supposed Kimber mags from this jerk in Arizona -look the same, one works fine, one jams regularly. Probably PRC knockoffs. Think I'll get some Wilson or McCormicks.
For a real horror story about quality control, tho, ask me sometime about Kahr Arms - you know, Rev. Moon's gun company.

Posted: 4/6/2001 7:30:27 PM EDT

[#11]

Glad you like your Kimber...I absolutely love my Gold Match, and I have yet to have a jam out of any of the five Kimbers I have owned after over 13,000 rounds.
As for mags, I prefer the Wilson 8-rounders for my Gold Match.

Posted: 4/6/2001 7:56:44 PM EDT

[#12]

futureleo

As far as the Shooting Star mags, nothing a little Turtle Wax won't fix. Try it on any mag that sticks. You got one helluva weapon.

jeff

Posted: 4/6/2001 8:00:25 PM EDT

[#13]

Well, RikWriter, you are a lucky fellow, didn't have a problem "nib". Me, I'm pissed. Yeah, it works great after much aggravation. Fit and finish, especially that mirror deep blue is fine. Accurate as any handgun I've shot, even Les Baer. However, for the price, I expect it to work great out of the box, not after 3 months of agita. Don't think I'd buy another, but, now that this one's working right, will definitely keep her. I would be interested to hear from guys that bought one recently to see if they cleaned up their QC problems. Might rethink another purchase.

Posted: 4/7/2001 4:28:38 AM EDT

[#14]

Hey, I have a Classic Custom Target. Works great. It jams once in a while, mostly on rapid fire reload drills. I use Chip McCormck 8 round mags. I have some Pachmyr s.s. mags that work good also. Hey if it doesn't hang up once in a while, how are you going to practice your weapon clearing drills?

Tap, rack, bang.

hazmat

Posted: 4/7/2001 4:48:50 AM EDT

[#15]

I have two Kimbers and the Wilson and the McCormick Power Mags work flawlessly. Kimbers are neat! PS I have had no trouble with Shooting Stars either.

Posted: 4/7/2001 5:28:09 AM EDT

[#16]

I have an 8 round Shooting Star mag that had a FTF on the last round everytime. The problem is spring tension or lack of it. I put a wolff +power spring in it and it functions perfectly.
New springs also helped some old Colt mags work
up to snuff. Mec-Gar makes the best mags for the money IMHO.
-Trigg

Posted: 4/7/2001 5:52:51 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Well, RikWriter, you are a lucky fellow, didn't have a problem "nib".

View Quote

Actually no, I am not. I have a half dozen friends and acquaintances that also own Kimbers, and none of them had any problems with their guns either. There are three Kimber master dealers within a half hour's drive of me and I talk to them all regularly, and they have had only a tiny handful of Kimbers come back, despite having sold literally thousands of the guns between them over the last three years.
Sounds more to me like my story is the norm and you just got unlucky.

Posted: 4/7/2001 6:00:06 AM EDT

[#18]

Kimber mags are alright, 1911 forums claims that they are low-grade ChipMcCormick mags, but they work alright in my Kimber Pro Carry. I LOVE my Mec-Gars, and if the AW/hi-cap ban drops in '04, I'm buying all my Hi-Caps from them. Everything. Mec-Gar rocks.

Well, now I know what to send in the next McGift exchange. [}:D]

Really, I wouldn't do a thing like that...

Posted: 4/7/2001 1:41:11 PM EDT

[#19]

Sounds more to me like my story is the norm and you just got unlucky.

View Quote

Maybeso, RikWriter. I'm willing to allow for that possibility. However, do recall seeing some unhappy Kimber owners over on 1911.com a while back. Whatever. Not trying to trash the Kimber. I'm more than happy with mine now.

Posted: 4/7/2001 1:49:31 PM EDT

[#20]

Has anyone seen the new polymer Kimber Ultra Compact, 10 rounds of 45acp in a small package. I have been drooling over the Ultra Carry CDP for months now. If fact I was gonna buy one but got the LEGP instead. Maybe that was good since it looks like I might want the plastic pistol instead. I hope they do a CDP package on one. If they do that I might just have to bite the bullet and buy one.[:D]

Posted: 4/7/2001 1:54:14 PM EDT

[#21]

If any of you guys are looking for a Kimber let me know. We recently became a master dealer Kimber and we are trying to bolster our initial sales. We will try to get you into one extra reasonable. [email protected]

Posted: 4/7/2001 5:06:23 PM EDT

[#22]

I found the problem!!!
While taking the follower out to de-burr and polish it, I was thumbing the rounds out of it and sure enough the last round gave me a problem. Thats when I realized there is this bump or nipple in the middle of the follower. It looks like the manufacturer hit it with a punch from below. I took the bump down and polished it with a dremel. Sure enough, no more last round failure to feeds.
Ed.

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