Kimber problems?

B

Bill Daniel

New member
I have a Kimber Custom Compact in steel and have found it to be accurate and reliable. I plan to have Wilson Combat install Tritium sights and have considered replacing some parts (extractor,firing pin stop,slide stop maybe the mainspring housing)because of suposed reliability issues.
Have any of you actually experienced failure of a Kimber part especially any of these listed? The increase in total price over the sights alone is only about $150.00 but I don't really know if it is necessary.

All help is appreciated especially actual experience over stories heard.

Many thanks,
Bill Daniel
 
Hello. My Kimber Classic has not had any of the parts changed that you mentioned. I've put about 8000 rounds through it so far and no problems. Best.
 
Hi, Bill,

I have heard stories, but my only actual experiences were with two Kimbers, owned by two different people. Neither would fire even one magazine of GI ball without malfunctioning in some way. Both were new guns, just as they came from Kimber, using Kimber magazines. One had had about 200 shots through it and showed no signs of improving. The other was on the second box of ammo, and it, too, showed no signs of getting better. In fact the owner said that the first couple of magazines went with no problem, then the gun began to malfunction. I know some people insist that there has to be a "break in" period, but how much time and money should be spent to get the gun to do what it should do out of the box?

Since neither gun was mine, I could not do any analysis to determine the problem(s), and recommended that the owners return the guns to the dealer or to Kimber.

FWIW, I consider GI ball the base minimum for a .45 pistol. While some guns may not function with exotic ammo, any gun that won't work with ball is simply not acceptable.

Jim
 
I have a Kimber Classic that routinely gags on SWC's. Ball ammo occasionally caused a jam, but that problem completely disappeared when I lost the Kimber mag's and used Wilson Combat mags.

My advice, put money in the mags and forget everything else. I'm good for 3,000 rounds after changing to Wilson Combat mags with NO problems.
 
I have had a Kimber Ultra Elite for aout two years and have had no problems with it. But the first thing I did was to ditch the Kimber magazines and replace them with Wilsons!Food for thought.
 
For reasons known only to the bean-counters at Kimber, they produce a very good pistol, charge a healthy price, and then provide some of the cheapest junk magazines I've ever seen delivered with a gun. Replace them and you may be amazed at just how well the gun starts working. I've heard good things about Wilson Combat mags. I personally have had great service from Metalform mags. But try a different magazine before deciding that you need to "fix" the gun.
 
Bill,

I own several semi-auto's, and by far the most accurate and dependable is my Kimber Gold Match in stainless. I have currently fired about 17,000 rounds through it, mostly my own handloads. About half of these have been round nose jacketed 230 gr, about one quarter jacketed SWC 20 gr and the other quarter LSWC 200 gr. Other than the problems that I have caused, ie.. OAL to short, to little powder, and other problems, the pistol is extremely reliable. It feeds and fires everything. I use Wilson, Shooting Stars and McCormick magazines.

None of the parts that others seem to have problems with have caused me problems, and when I strip it to clean it I check things pretty close. They show some wear, but not anything that I wouldn't expect.

I have known people who have had Kimbers break. I also know people who have had Glocks, Sigs, Taraus, S&W and Colts break. I have never even heard of a Browning break, but there is bound to be someone who has. I don't think the Kimber parts are more likely to break than others, but that is a choice you will have to make. I will say that I trust my Kimber as much or more than I trust my Colt or Les Baer.

Casey
 
Had five Kimbers, about 14,000 rounds through all of them total, no parts breakage and no malfunctions. I don't think you need to replace any parts.
 
Kimber problems

I have two Kimbers, one stainless and one PRO CDP. I don't think I ever even tried the magazines that came with the guns. I bought Wilson's mags and haven't had any feeding problems. I did have to replace the slide stop on the stainless due to occasional locking the slide back, but Kimber sent a replacement and it cured the problem. During my 20+ years as a LEO firearms instructor, I have seen just about any and all type (and brand) firearms malfunction. Even the revolvers we carried produced more problems than the Glocks that replaced them. ANY firearm is capable of a problem or malfunction. I'm happy with both of my Kimbers.
 
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