I just have to laugh, you guys will excuse this but if a part breaks on a Kimber, they are all junk. My point is all manufacturers have lemons. If they were all lemons they would not be in business.
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I just have to laugh, you guys will excuse this but if a part breaks on a Kimber, they are all junk. My point is all manufacturers have lemons. If they were all lemons they would not be in business.
Oh I see. I thought you were implying that kimbers have less problems. I own a loaded stainless Springfield 1911 that has about 4k rounds through it without a single problem. I know several people with problematic kimbers. I thought you were taking a shot at Springfield.
No, just the haters. I have 3 Kimbers, 2 with several thousand rounds, around 10,000 each or so I would guess. All three run great. I just like to point out that all brands have their problems, even the custom shops. I don't have an opinion on SA one way or the other, I have never owed one. Just think of all the bashing this would be getting if it was a Kimber. But for some reason it's no big deal since it is a SA. Just something to think about.
FWIW, I don't hate Kimber as a company and I don't hate their guns. I've owned Colt, Kimber, S&W and Springfield Armory 1911's. Each had thinks I like(d) and things I didn't.
What you and some others who get butthurt over so-called "Kimber bashing" fail to understand is that some of us are VERY experienced with a wide variety of guns. Not just shooting them, but watching others shoot them as well. In my unique position, I get to observe literally over a thousand pistols a year from all over the world being fired in dynamic conditions. Last fall I supervised the firing of over 100,000 rounds of pistol ammunition by over 400 shooters, IN ONE WEEK! Over the past 13 years, I've probably observed well over a million rounds fired from within spitting distance of the shooters. I've fired several hundred thousand rounds in my career as a shooter and hunter as well.
Even with my level of experience, I still occasionally see new and unique ways for shooters and guns to puke on the range. I've remediated dozens of guns and shooters when things went from bad to bloody awful. I've done numerous field expedient repairs to shooters guns so they could salvage what was left of their day and their pride.
None of this is intended to impress you. But when some of us relate what routinely works and what doesn't, some of you with less overall experience should choose to listen. Or not, because in all honesty I could care less whether you do or don't. This isn't for you, it's for those who may be reading this thread that aren't as stubborn as a hard headed mule! :D
With that much shooting I am sure there are a lot of breakages. But you are not the only one with shooting experience. I have 40 years of shooting experience with all kinds of guns and I know things will break. Even with the so called best guns. My point is that when it happens to a Kimber everyone piles on but other companies get a lot of excuses. I own Kimbers but I also own 50 plus other guns. I don't care if people buy a Kimber or any other gun. It is the hypocrisy that bothers me.
If you look closely, no, they aren't getting a break. There's been a big piling on with the Gen 4 Glock debacle. Same for Gen 3 Glock 22's with WML's. Same for S&W M&P mag catches, firing pins and dismal 9mm accuracy. Same for cracked Beretta slides. Same for current production Sigs overall quality. Same for a lot of different guns over time. I remember when Colt switched to a collett bushing and they were universally panned. No manufacuturer is immune.
The difference is what the company does to fix the problems in production, or in Kimber's case, what they don't do to correct the problem. Unlike the aforementioned gun manufacturers, Kimber doesn't have major LE contracts. They occasionally produce limited runs for special LE units, but no major dept. in the country issues Kimber 1911's. Imagine how many issues we'd be hearing about if that were the case?
Fact is, 90% of all the Kimbers made will only ever see light use. Under that load, the manufacturing flaws aren't going to reach critical mass nearly as often. It's been discussed already that some Series II Kimbers seem perfectly fine, while others shit the bed repeatedly. It would almost be better if they all failed so that Kimber would correct the production issues. As it is, the good ones are kept and cherished, half the bad ones are sold or traded in disgust and the rest are returned to Kimber for repair. I guess it must be cheaper to do those repairs than to correct the issues is all we're saying. Somewhere down the road, Kimber may fix the probelms and eventually be placed on the "good to go" list. But, they'll have to rehabilitate their reputaion before that happens. So far, they ain't! :(
Wow - I did not know that had happened to Kimber - that could be devastating to their reputation, could it not? I wonder how sales have fared since that happened?