Kimber. Overpriced?

Bottom Gun said:
I think people might be surprised if they knew the number of manufacturers using MIM parts in firearms and other products. It truly is an advancement in technology.
Smith &Wesson uses MIM parts but I never hear any complaints about them. Why are only the Kimber MIM parts problematic?

Personally, I think Kimbers are a good value. Every Kimber I've owned has been reliable, accurate and never needed any kind of break-in.
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It isn't the fact they used MIM parts as much as the level of quality in the manufacturing process of the MIM parts and the sheer number of complaints on how Kimber's customer service was horrendous. S&W had failures, just like most other manufacturers, even though the frequency was likely less. Two major differences: One, it's how the manufacturer handled the failure with the customer. Two, it's the method of how the manufacturer addressed the failure of the parts themselves.

Is Kimber currently making quality firearms? Don't know. Don't care. They treated me like dirt when I had problems with my firearm. Call it, "marketing", but having the audacity to roll-mark their slide with "Customer Shop" when, in fact, they had no such thing is a flat out lie. There's no way in hell I will ever spend my hard-earned money to take a chance on their product again. There are multitudes of manufacturers that provide a quality 1911 variant that stands by their products and will bend over backwards to make sure I'm taken care of in the unlikely event a failure happens. The only Kimber I would consider are ones made in Clackamas. That's when they made a quality product.

In the end, "overpriced" is very subjective. I honestly don't think I can sit here and state it as fact they are. I can say it's my opinion, though, based on my experiences.

Oh, and one other thing regarding MIM parts. Admittedly, this is a loaded question coming up. I'm going to compare a truly hand-made 1911 that the owner fabricates all of his own parts minus the wood grips. And his production numbers aren't the same. But some, not all, Kimber owners keep comparing their "Custom Shop" guns as though as they compare in quality. So, that's why I'm going to use it in my example:

How many parts failures have you seen in a Les Baer? All of his parts are forged.
 
How many parts failures have you seen in a Les Baer? All of his parts are forged.
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I've only owned two Les Baer 1911s compared to a far greater number of Kimbers so it's not really a valid comparison but I have never had a part failure with either brand. I must be lucky.

My Les Baers also cost twice what my Kimbers did.
 
Bottom Gun said:
I've only owned two Les Baer 1911s compared to a far greater number of Kimbers so it's not really a valid comparison but I have never had a part failure with either brand. I must be lucky.

My Les Baers also cost twice what my Kimbers did.
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I specifically disclosed the question was loaded and production numbers of Kimbers are higher. The point is some, NOT ALL, Kimber owners think they compare in quality.

Using those parameters, it's pretty difficult to justify the problematic MIM parts Kimber used and still think they compare to a firearm that uses forged parts.

I paid $1350 for my Monolith Commanche. Kimbers were running about the same price depending on the model at the time of my purchase, give or take a couple hundred bucks.
 
You can replace a bunch of broken MIM parts for $1,000 - which, btw, rarely ever break.
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Did Alvin York kill that pack of Heines on a WW1 battlefield with some hiccup-prone, MIM-filled roscoe? :rolleyes:

Noop. Just an all-tool steel, no-frills 1911 that ran like a Singer Sewer.

‘Merica. :cool:
 
It's been years ago, but my experience with Kimber was pretty much the same as Shane Tuttle's. And I also think Kimber is flat out lying when they refer to their "Custom Shop" guns. Kimber lost a lot sales from me over the years as a result.
 
If you are happy with your Kimbers be happy. I have had a Colt government model and later a Colt combat elite both in 45 acp. I sold them both and got a Sig Sauer p220 in probably around 1995 or 96 and it is the most accurate out of the box 45 acp I've ever had. I know 2 people that have Kimbers and love them. I have a friend that has an uncle who is a gunsmith and he says he has to work on Kimbers all of the time. The smith is a Kimber owner too. I may get one myself one day. My only problem with them is they are a PIA to disassemble and then reassemble but I did do it. If I don't get a Kimber I may get another "clone". Be happy with your pistols.
 
I've got a Kimber 3" stainless Ultra Eclipse I purchased in 2004 for $887.00. Every person at the range who has shot it has been amazed at it's accuracy and wants to buy it. Unfortunately for them, I'm not selling.
 
Primers are overpriced! Kimbers? Maybe but what's not "over priced" these days? Based on nothing but shopping around on the internet for 1911's, I'd put Smith & Wessons on the "overpriced" category more than most other competitors (Kimber, Colt, Sig Sauer, Springfield, etc.)
 
Kimber produces over priced garbage for the most part.

Friends don’t let friends buy Kimbers.

Get a Colt or SA instead.
 
Way back I only owned Colts, and had quite a few. Then for whatever reason I purchased a Kimber. It was a nicely finished gun but it never did anything for me and a couple years later I sold it. Then a couple months ago I saw a Kimber R7 Mako, I liked it, bought it and it's shoots very good. It's a reliable accurate gun with a great trigger.
 
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