Kimber Pistols

My Pro Carry II and Micro have been flawless performers since i first purchased them. The .45 has had several thousand rounds thorough it while the Micro trails with close to four hundred shots fired, again these were without any stoppages of any kind. The craftsmanship on my two examples is as nice as you will find on any production firearm, only time will tell how well they hold up, but i certainly have no complaints at this time.
 
orsogato said:
Having said that, I do think they are well made guns. I think all of their 1911's are series 80 types, however.
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NO Kimber 1911s are series 80 types.

"Series 80" refers to a particular firing pin safety mechanism developed and (I believe) patented by Colt. The firing pin block in the Series 80 mechanism is released by pulling the trigger.

Kimber Series II (Roman numeral two) models use a firing pin safety, but not a Series 80 type. Kimber uses a variation on an older Colt design, the Swartz (sp?) system. In this system, the firing pin block is released by depressing the grip safety.
 
I own two Kimbers.

For a good idea of what a Kimber is, find someone that remembers the AMF years of Harley Davidson........


Pretty much the same thing with a different face ;).
 
Kimber Solo Carry user here. Had to send mine back to Kimber, where they replaced everything from the frame up. No problems with customer service even though I bought mine used. Kimbers are very good looking guns, especially in the glossy advertising photos. They start out finicky, but can be reliable once you get them sorted out.
 
I own only one Kimber..the 'Ultra Carry' it's a mini 1911 with 3'' barrel and a steel frame. The newer UC's are aluminum.

I bought it about 20 years ago, & it runs fine with any ammo I load it with, I have no complains with my Ultra Carry .45. Accurate.!

Maybe the quality has slipped in the last 20 years.? I don't know.
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Same. I have an old ultra carry. Quite excellent for the price. Accurate for its small barrel size and a great trigger.

However, there have been constant reports of bad CS, and the .380 they came out with had substantial problems. A friend bought one of their more full size (Aegis I think or such). It broke almost immediately (this happens), but the CS was a pain in the keister, and he ended up eating the cost to fix it, so thats it for me.

There are good pistols for the same price point with better reputations. If you are going to pay that kind of money you should get a quality product or one that is immediately repaired.

EDIT: I should note, this is one of my favorite pistols, and I have had no problems with it, whatsoever. The sights were dead on at 7 yards (perfect for a CC pistol), the trigger was awesome, and accurate for its barrel size. The pistol felt and looked well built with no tool marks or burrs (inside or out) with a good melt treatment. I've put almost 2,000 rounds through it with just one jam (really garbage ammo).
 
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Yes without a doubt. My Kimber Eclipse Target II is very well made, feeds everything I feed it. It loves my reloads. The gun is more accurate than I will ever be. If you want quality it's not cheap. Shop around for a price. You will find you won't have to pay the Kimber asking price in all shops. My guns listed for $1300.00 on the Kimber site. I got mine NIB for $850.00 (plus the obnoxious NYS tax)
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Yes, my Eclipse Target II is VERY accurate and quite reliable. I have been very happy with it and it is my ONLY 1911 that I have not seen fit to do any modification to. The gun was perfect right out of the box, with nice Tritium sights, a very nice grip, and perfect functioning.

 
I bought a Kimber Eclipse few years back . Trash . Any good Philippine 1911 be a better pistol. All Kimber had going was is a very good looking pistol.

Do you really think and gun rag selling full page color ads. Going to bad mouth the advertiser in a test. Nope $$$$ talk and test will be triple A rating
They have no custom shop like Colt or Springer . Their very hit and miss and warranty is . so so.
I will stay with my Colts . Never been any problems out of box and all reliable.
 
I have a Kimber Ultra Carry II Two Tone .45ACP, that my wife bought me for my birthday, so far so good, no problems.
Like my Colt lightweight commander better thou.

Also had a 1980 AMF Harley Davidson, no problems their either!
 


A buddy of mine manages a LGS and hooked me up with this trade in last year. I got it for about half what it cost new and it appeared to be unfired when I got it. I've only put about 1k rounds through it to date but I will say out of the 4 1911's I have it is the most accurate but the trigger could be a tad better. Smooth but just a little creep in it.
 
Kimber makes some good looking guns. I haven't tried anything other than their SOLO 9mm. I carry it a lot and have fired it the last three Tuesdays.

It has enough rounds thru it that it will shoot the recommended ammo and 115 gr RN without pause, or hiccup. I carry it with the recommended ammo, shoot 30 rounds of it and then switch to the 115 gr.

Very accurate, at least out to 10 yards.
 
I think you'll find that Kimber is one of the "Big players." Over a period of several years, I've owned five. All purchased new, all well worth the purchase price. I cannot say the same about some 1911 type pistols I've purchased from some of the other Big players........
 
I have had two. Both were accurate and had tight tolerances....and hated any amount of dirt. Wouldn't trust my life to them so they got sold. For range play they were great. Depends what you want them for.
 
Two of my eight 1911's are Kimber, a Ultra Carry II and a Custom Target II. The CT is Kimbers version of a Colt Gold Cup, it feels and shoots just like my Colt GC. The UC is very impressive for such a small package in .45acp, it is 100% with both RN and HP's, very accurate. Good pistol in a crowded price range. I've never owned a 1911 I didn't like.:D
 
I don't see a ton of difference

I have three Springfield Armory 1911's (Full Size A-1, 4" Champion and EMP in 40 S&W). I have a Series 80 Colt full size and I have a Kimber Ultra Carry II. While all of my 1911's shoot well, I've NEVER had a jam in my little Kimber and it's deadly accurate. My son just bought the same pistol and his is accurate and goes bang-bang-bang every time so far too.

I think you can get lemons by any gun manufacturer, so it comes down to will they help you turn it into lemonaide or not, right? I've not needed help from Kimber, but if they have a non-responsive customer service department, that would be an issue.

Regarding "customer service" - I'm on several forums including a popular archery one and I've seen people bash companies for their service who have given me nothing but awesome customer care. The point is - beware of any and everything you read on the internet! (DUH!) I think a lot of times it depends on how a customer service department is approached. Come on like a jerk and they might treat you like one. Come on courteously and you might be met in kind.
 
Kimber is made more to the custom gun tolerances but does not have the finishing of a custom gun. They are tight and accurate. Often times the reliability issues everyone talks about are cured by running the gun. Get 500 rounds through them and service them properly they are fantastic. I would never compare them to an ed brown or Wilson etc... but they are not priced at that level either. I would buy them over and over.
 
The ones I've seen in stores, and on the range are pretty as a picture...but the four that I've shot personally and watched as friends tried to make them feed and function then spared with Kimber's customer service...didn't deserve to be called defensive handguns...

The definition for a defensive handgun in my book includes the phrase, "it's gotta work right out of the box...and it's gotta work for an entire magazine without my having to worry that it needs boutique ammunition 'cause Kimber supposedly "fitted it so tight". Anything shy of that is just a pig with lipstick on...how in God's green earth would you ever trust a handgun that needed 200-300 rounds to 'break-in'.

Rod
 
I've owned an Ultra Carry II for six years and once I got rid of the junk mag that shipped with it, I've had no problems. I will say though, I shoot it least well of my five 1911's even though only one is full sized.
 
I own a Kimber Micro Carry 380 acp. I love it. Initially I had a few frustrating FTLs, but after it was broke-in with about 300 rounds it purred. :D

Do I trust it as much as my HKP30? Probably not, but the Kimber quality is evident for the price point. Also if you paid factory list you paid too much.
 
I've owned an Ultra Carry II for six years and once I got rid of the junk mag that shipped with it, I've had no problems.
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Several times I've received some crap for suggesting throwing any $12 mags in the garbage, but especially when it comes to 1911s good quality mags are very important. :confused:
 
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