I am currently looking for a new 1911 to replace my old Colt
as my main daily use pistol.

I am currently looking at a Kimber TLE at the local shop, and
I was wondering if it would fit the bill.
I like the gun, but I do prefer an arched mainspring housing.

Just need someone to put my mind at ease about Kimber's quality.

Thanks,

Scott

Replace a Colt with a bone stock Kimber? I can't make you feel good about it, as I wouldn't feel good about it either. I consider Kimber to be a base gun. Swap out the internals, and then its worthy of defense. The frame, slide and barrel are of good quality and consistently fit well, though.

Be well!

[email protected]

If the Kimber has an internal extractor, I say go for it. If not, you may want to look at some of the Springfield 1911s. I have a Kimber Stainless Custom II with an internal and have had zero problems. A couple of my shooting buddies have the external and occasionally have extractor failures.

New Colts are NOT worth the money. Older Colt Series 70s are about the only Colt 1911 that I would own. I just don't understand why they have let their quality go so far downhill.

I am going to keep the Colt, I should have said that.
I am just going to not shoot it as much, and carry it even less.

I have a Defender for that.

I was just looking for a pistol for range use, as I have been offered a
job as a rifle class instructor, and we have to carry handguns on the job.
I will possibly be teaching handgun classes as well, I am just wanting a
newer and "prettier" pistol I guess.

I have looked at the TLE, and find it to be a good pistol, but all the 1911s
I have ever owned have been Colt's and I know nothing about any of the others.

I have the knowlege to do most of the internal work myself, I was just wanting
a pistol that required the least amount of tweaking out of the box.  I know that I will
swap out the mainspring housings, and do a trigger job, and possibly replace the
sear and dissconnect, if needed, but  I know nothing about Kimbers, and was just
wondering if the quality is there in them.

 

Quoted: If the Kimber has an internal extractor, I say go for it. If not, you may want to look at some of the Springfield 1911s. I have a Kimber Stainless Custom II with an internal and have had zero problems. A couple of my shooting buddies have the external and occasionally have extractor failures. New Colts are NOT worth the money. Older Colt Series 70s are about the only Colt 1911 that I would own. I just don't understand why they have let their quality go so far downhill.

As I once heard:

"Sir, put down the bottle and let the white woman go!!!!"


You wanna replace your Colt......go buy a Colt.  But don't let me be the only one to tell you....my fellow members of the Colt Cult will be along shortly to support my statement of truth and wisdom.  

Quoted: As I once heard: "Sir, put down the bottle and let the white woman go!!!!" You wanna replace your Colt......go buy a Colt.  But don't let me be the only one to tell you....my fellow members of the Colt Cult will be along shortly to support my statement of truth and wisdom.  hr

"The Truth will set you Free!!!!"   Find a good series 70 on Gunbroker and you won't go wrong.  

Quoted: Quoted: If the Kimber has an internal extractor, I say go for it. If not, you may want to look at some of the Springfield 1911s. I have a Kimber Stainless Custom II with an internal and have had zero problems. A couple of my shooting buddies have the external and occasionally have extractor failures. New Colts are NOT worth the money. Older Colt Series 70s are about the only Colt 1911 that I would own. I just don't understand why they have let their quality go so far downhill. As I once heard: "Sir, put down the bottle and let the white woman go!!!!" You wanna replace your Colt......go buy a Colt.  But don't let me be the only one to tell you....my fellow members of the Colt Cult will be along shortly to support my statement of truth and wisdom.

I have heard this a lot.
I was looking at one of the Colt Gunsite pistols, but they are
hard to find, and I want to SEE one first, before I order one.

I guess since I have already owned a Colt, anything else would be
second rate.

Quoted: If the Kimber has an internal extractor, I say go for it. If not, you may want to look at some of the Springfield 1911s. I have a Kimber Stainless Custom II with an internal and have had zero problems. A couple of my shooting buddies have the external and occasionally have extractor failures. New Colts are NOT worth the money. Older Colt Series 70s are about the only Colt 1911 that I would own. I just don't understand why they have let their quality go so far downhill.

the new Colts being produced now are some of the best quality colts ever coming out of the factory.  and only about 200 dollars more than a springfield made in brazil.

why not use your colt as a base gun and send it to a smith for upgrade and update?

Quoted: Quoted: If the Kimber has an internal extractor, I say go for it. If not, you may want to look at some of the Springfield 1911s. I have a Kimber Stainless Custom II with an internal and have had zero problems. A couple of my shooting buddies have the external and occasionally have extractor failures. New Colts are NOT worth the money. Older Colt Series 70s are about the only Colt 1911 that I would own. I just don't understand why they have let their quality go so far downhill. the new Colts being produced now are some of the best quality colts ever coming out of the factory.  and only about 200 dollars more than a springfield made in brazil. why not use your colt as a base gun and send it to a smith for upgrade and update?

I have already updated the old Colt,
New sights, hand fitted match bushing, Wolff spring kit,
New grips, Clark 4 leaf spring, Ed Brown dissconnector,
Wilson sear and hammer, new mainspring housing, and polishing and
throating.

I just want something new I guess.

Sort of one for work, and one for play I guess.

What about the new XSE Govt. models Colt is making now ?

1911 Base Guns

Which 1911?

Quoted: If the Kimber has an internal extractor, I say go for it. If not, you may want to look at some of the Springfield 1911s. I have a Kimber Stainless Custom II with an internal and have had zero problems. A couple of my shooting buddies have the external and occasionally have extractor failures. New Colts are NOT worth the money. Older Colt Series 70s are about the only Colt 1911 that I would own. I just don't understand why they have let their quality go so far downhill.

New colts and kimbers are the same amount of money. As far as quality going downhill, quite frankly you are blowing SMOKE, the new one's are the best in 40 years. Older series 70s are NOT all that great frankly, some were good some pretty sad. Few older s-70s fed hollowpoints reliably without work. Might I suggest a NEW series 70 reissue? They have the enhancements you want as far as feeding and all and the triggers are unencumbered with the 80 stuff, tho I find it to be a non issue. I'd look for a Kimber series I before I would touch a series II.

Here's a list of new Colt 1911s that I have bought recently [past 2 years] all have been totally reliable cept with some out of spec PMC that EVERY 1911 I tried it in choked. [too fat]
Colt SS LW defender[did lose a white dot in the front site. enameled it]
Colt series 70 reissue. Kick ass gun, If you can find one get it.
Colt Talo No problm
Colt 1991 No problem-you can actually feel this gun lock up, a steal at 400 bucks. Accurate
Colt WW1 reissue Tons of fun, not all that practical but triggers is sweet and is very accurate
Colt WW1 reissue. Not shot it. Kids 18th birthday present, tho he don't know it
Colt Commander sweet little blued car gun, accurate but sight is a bit off, have not messed with it tho
I have not had ANY problems cept the one front sight dot. You can scratch the one WW1 reissue if you want, but all others have been shot to include HP [cept for the reissue as I do not intend this to be a self defense gun] all fed fired and extracted fine, NO break in garbage of 1000 rounds and all that hokey shit which is asinine and bulls--t. I always strip, clean, and lube before shooting so the preservative gunk which is sticky does not cause problems.

This does not include used Colts which run a hell of a lot better then most other makes. I do NOT buy dinked with guns tho, way to many dremel demons out there.  SA makes some nice guns too but after 3 with problems that should have been fixed if they had been test fired at the factory first I am staying away from them for a while.  {new}  

Kimber makes some nice stuff too, but I am partial to the series I which I consider to be the best they made, don't see all too many complaints at all about them. Series IIs.......well, I'll just say I don't think that they are as good as the Is.

Para, can't tell you much as I have never bought one. Same as RRAs, hear very good stuff about the RRA tho.

High end stuff I don't buy as I just don't see the justification, but there is some sweet stuff out there. Have been hearing some complaints tho about one particular make tho that seems to be coming up more and more. Maker does not seem to be really interested in complaint's.  They should be tho as it seems as if reliability is slipping.

Lots of good stuff out there right now and some of the new makers are worth looking at tho there were some initial problems. Seems as if they got them worked out tho.

As far as arched MSH, i'd buy what I wanted even if it did not have one and change it out. It's not like they are all that much.

Heck, call me stupid and dumb, but I would take the Kimber TLE.  Planning on that to be my next Kimber.  If its good enough for SWAT, should be fine for me.  

It should go nicely with the Eclipse Target II I allready have.


Just my .02, I dont think you could go wrong with either one.(Colt or Kimber)


Travis