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Posted: 6/22/2003 2:29:24 PM EDT
I stopped by a gun shop this morning with my wife to get some powders and ended up getting another Kimber pistol.  This time I got a TLE II which I was told is the same one as the ones issued to L.A. SWAT team (who cares).  

I saw the pistol in the case and looked interesting so I took a closer look and found it to be very practical pistol.  It had the 30 lpi checkering on the front strap and fixed night sights.  Slide to frame fit was very tight with almost no vertical or lateral movement and it felt tight but very gritty when I pulled the slide back.  The bushing was tight in the slide and barrel to bushing fit was very good. The 4.5 - 5 lb trigger was a little gritty but not bad.  With the “out-the-door” price of a little under $780 I figured I had a pretty good deal.

This afternoon I fired 100 rounds of UMC 230gr FMJ ammo followed by 200 rounds of my reload.  I finished the day with 50 rounds of Winchester 230gr FMJ ammo.  I’m happy to say that there was not a single failure of any kind with these ammo and using 8 round CMC Shooting Star and Power Mags.  I didn’t use the factory mag.  With the pistol resting on the shooting bench it was almost easy to shoot 2” groups at 25 yards  with the UMC ammo after I got used to the trigger.  My reloads were shooting a little larger group but Winchester could not shoot under 4” but it may have been that I was getting very tired at the end of the session.  Only negative point about the pistol is that the fixed sights were regulated very poorly and would shoot about 5” low at 25 yards.  I believe Kimber will replace the front sight under warranty to a slightly shorter one.

While I was cleaning the pistol this evening I noticed that the slide is riding on the frame much smoother and noticed less grittiness with the trigger.  I expectthis pistol will be a real winner after few thousand rounds.  

This is currently my third Kimber pistol.  I also have the Target and the Ultra Carry and they are both a very good pistols.  Seems Kimber is still making very good pistol for the money.  
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 2:32:15 PM EDT
[#1]
thanks for the review.. but where's the photo's ????  
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 2:40:43 PM EDT
[#2]

Quoted:
thanks for the review.. but where's the photo's ????  



Exactly.

When I get back to the States, I think I'm gonna get one of those for my 1st 1911.

CHRIS
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 2:46:12 PM EDT
[#3]
I'm buying a TLE/RL next month for myself as a 21st birthday present.
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 3:27:25 PM EDT
[#4]
Here is a group pic.



and just the TLE

Link Posted: 6/22/2003 3:38:05 PM EDT
[#5]
Here are 2 more pics of the TLE



Link Posted: 6/22/2003 4:31:19 PM EDT
[#6]
I was going to post a question about the TLE II, but your post answered almost all my ??

I see the pix  and is that a standard pistol, with wood grips?  the magazine articles on the gun  and the Kimber web page  show TLE II  with black plactic hand grips.  the hammer on your pistol looks like it is gold color  and the magazine looks like it is longer then hand grip.

Is this a "custom"  custom  or standard out of box  TLE??

In either case it looks like a winner.  Please let me know as this pistol looks different then ones I've seen locally.  best price locally so far including tax is $787.04   I thought this is still too expensive.
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 4:50:09 PM EDT
[#7]
Professor:

The TLE comes with black plastic grips and although not in the picture it comes with a polished skeletonized trigger.

I the mag he has in the gun in the pic is not standard.

The price you mentioned is about what the go for. You won't find a TLE for much cheaper.
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 5:25:54 PM EDT
[#8]
Professor;

Sorry if I mislead you about this pistol.

I have made some changes to this pistol this evening.  I replaced the factory standard rubber grips with wood and changed the long target trigger to standard short trigger.  

I have average size palm but have short fingers so I always use standard triggers on all my 1911 pistols for better trigger control.  When shooting slow or off the bench the long trigger is okay but when speed is required like at IDPA, IPSC, pin, etc. matches I always like short ones.
   
Also, I use same double diamond checkered cocobolo wood grips on all my 1911 pistols. Rubber is okay but I hate it for CCW purpose because it always sticks to my under-shirt and checkered wood grips give me much better traction/friction when shooting fast.

I use 8 round CMC Shooting Star or Power mags with base pads in all my full size 1911 pistols and Wilson 7 shot mags in compact models.  The factory mag was flush with the bottom of the grip. I never had any failure with compact size Wilson mags but I did have 2 failures with full size ones in past so I been using CMC mags for past 12 years (without any problems).  

The hammer is standard factory one but the lighting made it look gold.

I will make 2 more changes to this pistol in few days.  I'm going to replace the factory  FLGR with standard GI guide/plug and add a S&A mag well.  Basically I like consistancy among my pistols so all my full size 1911 pistols have this same set-up...

short trigger
GI guide/plug
S&A magwell with flat MSH
checkered or skate board tape on the front grip strap
double diamond checkered wood grip
18 1/2 lb. Wolff recoil spring
19 lb. hammer spring
extra power firing pin spring

The price of the pistol without the tax, call in, etc. was $719.
       
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 6:49:07 PM EDT
[#9]
yobo & Thehellurider:  thanks for the feedback. this TLE II looks like a great 1911.  I've heard nothing but positive feedback on how it is built  and shoots ( Kimber in general)

good shootin'  thanks for info
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 8:05:37 PM EDT
[#10]
I thought these models had integral rails just fwd of the trigger guard????

or am I confusing this with another model?
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 8:20:54 PM EDT
[#11]
I've been looking at Kimber's web page, and it look's like they have a model of the TLE with a rail.  It's called the Custom TLE RL II.
www.kimberamerica.com/pr.php


I have a question about the front sight.  What bullet was that sight chosen for, if you need to have it replaced to shoot 230gr FMJ?


CHRIS
Link Posted: 6/22/2003 8:22:34 PM EDT
[#12]
7IDL;

Those are Kimber's "RL" series pistols that were just introduced.

Here are some pics;



Link Posted: 6/22/2003 8:43:16 PM EDT
[#13]
Ahhh, ok.. at least I haven't TOTALY lost it!!

thanks!
Link Posted: 6/26/2003 4:22:07 PM EDT
[#14]
I fired another 400 rounds of my reloads in this pistol now and it just keeps getting better.  The slide to frame fit is very smooth now and the trigger is getting better too.  Trigger pull was almost 5 lb in the beginning but is closer to 4 1/2 lb now and feels very crisp. So far zero malfunction in over 750 rounds fired.

I'll have the S&A magwell installed in few days and the GI recoil rod and plug is already installed. I still have the problem with POI being about 5" too low at 25 yards so I'll be sending the slide to Kimber to replace the front sight with shorter one.  

I found that the black matt finish is not very durable and is wearing out on some edges of the pistol but I expected that from kydex holster.  I'm not worried about the finish and will continue to use it with the kydex holster for now and later I'll have it re-finished with something more durable.

Overall, damn good pistol!    
Link Posted: 6/26/2003 6:07:48 PM EDT
[#15]

Quoted:
I have a question about the front sight.  What bullet was that sight chosen for, if you need to have it replaced to shoot 230gr FMJ?


CHRIS




CHRIS
Link Posted: 6/26/2003 6:29:13 PM EDT
[#16]
Cixelsyd;

Sorry, didn't mean to ignore your question.

I believe most fixed sights are sighted in for factory 230gr FMJ ammo.

From what I have been able to findout some TLE pistols were shipped out with wrong height front sight.  My pistol came with 0.180" front sight but it should have been 0.150".  With the 0.150" sight pretty much any factory ammo should be right on the target.  

With standard factory 45ACP ammo between 185gr to 230gr weight bullet the point of impact will be very close when closer than 25 yards.  I never actually measured the difference but I expect the difference between these ammo would be less than 2" at 25 yards.  In my Ultra Carry with 3" barrel Federal 165gr JHP (1,070 fps) and Remington 230gr FMJ (740 fps) ammo both group within 2" of each other despite the over 300 fps difference in speed.  

 
Link Posted: 6/27/2003 2:01:20 PM EDT
[#17]
Thanks Yobo.  




CHRIS
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