Kimber TLE/RL II?

[loupav]

Back in 04' my best friend got himself a Kimber TLE/RL II as his first 1911. He's had it ever since, but shoots his USP 45 much more. I asked him to let me check out the Kimber and take it to the range. Last night I was admiring that gun and looked online, there are a few out there for a reasonable price tag $750-850 used and new for $1100.

I have two friends with this gun and they're both happy campers. And yes both of those guns have the external extractor. Now myself and another friend are looking into buying one.

I know that the Kimber Warriors are not thought of highly on M4C. But I couldn't help it ask what you guys think of the TLE series. My go to gun would still be an HK in 45, the Kimber a range toy.

[SHIVAN]

Oddly enough, many people who dog Kimber have never owned one. Some have, and some have had real issues, but I digress.

I guess I've been lucky, but to date I have owned:

TLE/LE II External
Warrior (came to me with a known mag pinch and doubling issue, work by Novak's fixed it)
Warrior (stock with Rogers Golfballing)
Warrior (work by Novak's shop)

All of them worked as designed, and the one with the Chuck Rogers detail has been my main pistol for training since I bought it a long time ago. My estimate on rounds is a minimum of 3,800, and not a single part has broken or failed in any way. Despite all the regurgitated MIM hate in the world.

David Thomas has a Kimber Desert Warrior up for sale. So basically an $1100 pistol, $200 light, and $100 holster for $1000 = killer deal. He says it works perfectly too, and I'd trust his analysis of a 1911. If I were in the market for another Kimber 1911, that would be in my safe already.

As far as the TLE/RL II, I never wanted to deal with "tuning" an external extractory down the road, so I parted with it some time ago. It was my only concern with that pistol.

Hope that helps/helped.

Here is my "main" 1911, it's never failed me:


Here was one I sold, in a moment of weakness:

[GreyOps]

Have a TLE II, external extractor version, that I picked up in 2005 (now the wife's competition gun). It has over 7k rounds through it, mostly in various training venues and competitions. I haven't done any maintenance other than spring swapping at regular intervals, there's no finish left on it but that's to be expected with Kim-Pro.

[SuicideHz]

Love the Strides Shivan. I miss my SA Loaded that featured those and an X200B...

[loupav]

Out of all the 1911's I've ever fired most of them have been Kimbers. Few Springers and some Colts. The Kimbers always went bang.

I'm very tempted to jump on a TLE/RL II.

[Spiffums]

My TLE has the internal extractor but no light rail.

Most people tend to think that it goes Custom II<TLE II< Warrior<Super Match....... then all the other models fall somewhere in between.

So the TLE is one of the best Kimbers in that price point range. I am happy with mine........ even if I don't shoot it often.

[Pappabear]

If you get a good one, no issues. I feel you get the better, the higher quality, better reputation guns to avoid the lemon. If its not a lemon you are PROBABLY GTG. Loupav, you got cash and we all know it. Go get yourself a TRP or MC operator, NIB.

On the other hand, if you just want a range toy to shoot for 6 months and sell, its not a bad idea.

[VolGrad]

My first 1911 was a Custom II which I put NS on (same as the TLE version). I was basically just missing the front strap checkering. This gun was flawless from the beginning. It never hiccup'd once.

My second 1911 was a Pro TLE/RL II. It was slow to start. I had some feeding issues during the "break-in" period (which I don't personally believe it ... it should work out of the box but that's just my take on a firearm). In fact, I ended up selling it before I got it running 100%.

I don't think it was the TLE on the slide that made it run less reliable. I suspect it was just luck of the draw.

I've since owned a Dan Wesson, a couple of Ed Browns, and have a Nighthawk on order.

Looking back I don't regret letting the Pro TLE/RL II go one single tiny bit. The Custom II I kind of wish I still had ... mostly since it was my first. Secondly, because it was reliable for me. It would make a good truck gun. O well, that's what GLOCKs are for, right?

[MarshallDodge]

I have a couple of the old Pre-II Kimbers and they have treated me well. My Custom Target is reliable, drives tacks, and is exceeding 10K rounds with no parts failures.

The problem is that Kimbers quality control has started to slip over the years and their prices have gone up substantially. They have given MIM a bad name just because they cannot hold the quality. That makes me wary of purchasing a used model because you may be getting someone else's problems.

If you can pick one up for $700 then you have a good solid base to work with even if it does require a little effort to make it reliable.

[loupav]

If you get a good one, no issues. I feel you get the better, the higher quality, better reputation guns to avoid the lemon. If its not a lemon you are PROBABLY GTG. Loupav, you got cash and we all know it. Go get yourself a TRP or MC operator, NIB.

On the other hand, if you just want a range toy to shoot for 6 months and sell, its not a bad idea.

Hilarious!!!! But you are right, I'd rather buy something like an HK (I'm a huge HK nut) and not have to worry about it. That and I just got through a bad 1911 experience. Feeling partly bad that I got rid of my first 1911, I feel I need to repent by purchasing a new one. Since I have two friends with the same model gun and they work well for them, I thought to myself; why not?

Also a good friend of mine is looking at a rail 1911 and I thought I would ask here for the benefit of both.