[4095fanatic]

First off, let me say DARN IT!!!!!! The last thing my broke self needs to do is have another expensive obsession... this really nice gentleman let me shoot his Kimber Custom 1911 (one of 4 he brought with him to the range). 2.5 lb trigger... it really surprised me when it went off. Lightest pull ever. And damn was I nailing the center dot at 7 yards like nobody's business. I want one so bad... *sigh*.

 

[Guest]

Kimber makes some damn nice pistols. I picked up a Custom Carry II a few weeks back, it is one of only 250 made....so I will be holding on to this gun for a while

 

[Guest]

If you got to have a 1911 the Dan Wesson Pointman 7 has a better fit and finish. The slide to frame fit is far nicer on the Dan (It is also under $900... )

 

[browwiw]

Well, I started out inexpensive with my Armscor .45, but I've finally started to do a little customization on it. Hogue grips where the first change I made. I've installed a muzzle break, and it actually has improved the accuracy of my follow-up shots. I also have a drop in recoil-buffer coming that I bought off of Benny's site. My next change will be to install two-tone sights. I should jump to "Skille Level 2" and polish the feed ramp.

There's actually not a whole lot that I can do to 'upgrade' the Armscor. It came out of the box with skeletalized trigger and hammer, ambidextrous safety, and a skateboarded slide. All that for a $265 NIB 1911 clone that shoots and shoots.

The real expense in owning a 1911 is feeding it. It's a damn white elephant! I really need to bite the bullet (meh...puns) and start reloading. If nothing else it'd give me something to do with my hands while I listen to NPR.

 

[4095fanatic]

Hmmm. I'll look into it.

 

[Onepoint]

Man I would have loved to run across an armscor, RIA, SAM or even Charles Daly 1911 for less than $300. I won an auction last week for a Taurus PT1911 for $400 and thought I did well at that.

 

[4095fanatic]

By the "or even Charles Daly" I'm assuming they aren't held in the highest regard among 1911 shooters?

 

[Onepoint]

Not from what I have read, although they were made by Armscor just like the RIA were, until recently when CD and Armscor parted company. Not sure who makes their 1911s now.

I figured if I got one cheap enough I would gamble on it, but most were around the same money as Rock Island, even used. And I wanted the goodies like the beaver tail etc that only came on the RIA tacticals etc rather than a GI. GIs are a little easier to come by.

 

[browwiw]

I was going to post a pic of my Armscor with the new compensator, but I have to recharge the batteries in my camera.

Here's an older pic of my 1911:

The only thing different than the day I bought it are the rubberized Hogue grips. It came with rather handsome checkered wood Novak grips, but they chafed my hand after repeated shooting. The fixed sights are also Novak. Serviceable, but my eyesight is crappy and I need something more forgiving than black on black.

 

[Strangerous]

I want a Para Warthog... 45 in "Regal" finish... soooo bad. It's 1911-ish....

 

[Onepoint]

By far I prefer dots, or a framed dot than plain black. The Taurus has Heinie sights, and what little I shot one, I ignored the dots altogether and used the blade for the most part, but seems like a decent sight system. Its going to take some using them to get my brain trained.

 

[Newskate9]

Yep, love mine too!

My baby

My baby's final test. 30 feet, 3 mags, 27 rounds, rapid fire.

 

[browwiw]

Here's my Armscor since I installed the compensator. I also installed the recoil buffer pad this evening as well. I can't wait to get it to the range and see if there is a noticeable difference.

 

[.45acp]

If you got to have a 1911 the Dan Wesson Pointman 7 has a better fit and finish. The slide to frame fit is far nicer on the Dan (It is also under $900... )

The fit and finish and slide to frame fit on my kimbers was excellent.
I did have the slide to frame hand fit on the CustomII but the Grand Raptor is stock.

I really want a Wilson.

 

[Taurus357]

Hate to bash on Kimbers, but I'm not a fan of them. There are LOTS of excellent Kimbers out there, but there are alot of duds too. Here's an interesting read, but please be warned, if you're a Kimber fan, it's best to stay away.

http://full-auto.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=54&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

 

[.45acp]

Hate to bash on Kimbers, but I'm not a fan of them. There are LOTS of excellent Kimbers out there, but there are alot of duds too. Here's an interesting read, but please be warned, if you're a Kimber fan, it's best to stay away.

http://full-auto.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=54&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

I am a Kimber fan and owner and as with any gun there can be problems. Those pics and articles are not the norm.

$1500 (or less) Les Baers and Browns? I'll go to China and pick up some of those myself.

Baers, Browns and even Wilson's have some problems, hell, there are full customs that have problems.
The latest Gun Tests report pics Kimber over the Springer though not by much and with nothing against the Springers on my part.

As stated, I have 2 Kimbers neither of which has these kinds of issues and I've handled and shot others in stores and owned by friends and I have never seen these issues first hand.

1911.org was quoted but look through their posts for yourself. Not mentioned was the Kimber owner who stated that his Kimber Gold match shot circles around his Colt Gold Cup but he didn't post the link to that article. Hmmm, wonder why not? Perhaps just a Kimber hater like there are Hi-Point haters?

Shoot what you like but for me it's Kimber untill I can get a Wilson and unless you see these problems personally then I suggest you take them with a grain of salt like you would about a Hi-Point blowing up in someones hand twice a week and witnessed by the uncle of a friends, neighbors, wife's, cousin twice removed.

I'll match my Kimber against your Springer or the Springer of the author of that article for fit, finish, accuracy and operation anytime, again, no slam on Springers, they are fine guns. I just like Kimbers better and the Kimber was recommended by people whom I trust inc a Marine Corps Captain and an Army Special Forces Colonel as well as a State Trooper. The two military officers are veterans of many combat missions and through training and experience have a very good knowledge of firearms and if Kimber is good enough for them then it's certainly good enough for me.

About the only thing that autor got right is that the single mag issued with Kimbers is not the top of the line but then again that is the reason I use Kimber Tac-Pro, Wilson 47D and now Wilson ETM mags.

I can write an article on Baer, Brown, Springers or even Wilson that include links to articles that slam them and some pictures of those with problems also. I've heard first hand from owners of some very high end 1911's blowing up but as stated it can happen to any gun (Even the much vaunted Glocks have stories and pics of kabooms before any of you Glock guys chimes in).

I personally know of a guy that had his beloved Rock River ($3k) blow up.

They are all fine guns, just a matter of preference and the financial means to own them.

 

[Taurus357]

Well .45, I really did not mean this to say all Kimbers were crap, and hope you didn't take it that way. These examples were certainly not the norm, BUT they did get out of the factory non the less. I realize you love your Kimber as I do my Springfield and would not hesitate to trust your life to it as I do to my 1911. I knew this would spark comments from Kimber owners, but posted it because there is no reason Kimber should have let these defective handguns out of their factory, especially on their "custom shop" guns. I know a several Kimber fans, including a friend who spanks me at IDPA with his Kimber (has been been in IDPA for years, i've gone twice). His is an excellent example, and I'm sure yours is too, of what every Kimber owner expects out of their 1911. Kimber has recently been getting bad press because something is just wrong with a company that has this type of QC. These are not $500 guns, QC needs to step it up.

Oh and "I'll match my Kimber against your Springer"... anyday my friend, anyday.

 

[.45acp]

Well .45, I really did not mean this to say all Kimbers were crap, and hope you didn't take it that way. These examples were certainly not the norm, BUT they did get out of the factory non the less. I realize you love your Kimber as I do my Springfield and would not hesitate to trust your life to it as I do to my 1911. I knew this would spark comments from Kimber owners, but posted it because there is no reason Kimber should have let these defective handguns out of their factory, especially on their "custom shop" guns. I know a several Kimber fans, including a friend who spanks me at IDPA with his Kimber (has been been in IDPA for years, i've gone twice). His is an excellent example, and I'm sure yours is too, of what every Kimber owner expects out of their 1911. Kimber has recently been getting bad press because something is just wrong with a company that has this type of QC. These are not $500 guns, QC needs to step it up.

Oh and "I'll match my Kimber against your Springer"... anyday my friend, anyday.

Hopefully someday my friend then over beers we can admire each others guns.

 

[Guest]

First off if you want to spend less than $700 on a new 1911, I would suggest a Taurus. Anyway, my dad owns a Kimber Stainless Target II in 10mm. And I have a high capacity Para P14 in .45ACP .

 

[brjedi26]

I just paid $605 out the door, new in box for a Springfield Mil-Spec 1911 a week ago. I love it.