Joined the Church of Browning today...

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Well, some of you know that I had been eyeing a 1911 for some time now... and always leaned towards snagging a Nighthawk Custom T3. I tried to find an FFL that would order me one, to no avail, so I went shopping locally yesterday.

I'm now the proud owner of a Kimber Pro CDP II handgun.

I've already placed orders for the following items, which should be here by middle of the coming week, to improve the gun's reliability and comfort features a little bit.

1. Mil-Tac Knives & Tools - 1911 TFB G10 Grips, Black & Gray, Diamond Pattern.

2. Kimber, SS, Mainspring Housing & Extended Magwell.

3. Wilson Combat, SS, Bullet Proof Extractor.

4. Wilson Combat Elite Tactial Magazines.

5. Minotaur MTAC Holster.

I haven't had a chance to put any lead downrange yet, but might get with some friends this weekend and hit up a local range... but, just from handling it so far, I'm happy with my latest purchase. I'm sure time, and shooting, will only improve the smile and giggle factor.

[fury2neon]

Nice!

[Guest dotsun]

That is sweet, I hate you.

[BimmerFreak]

Nice gun. I guess im not going to order your T3 now...lol

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Nice gun. I guess im not going to order your T3 now...lol

I'm still planning on acquiring one down the road... I just really had the urge to snag a 1911 and we were unable to link up for the deal. Like I mentioned in my last PM to you, everytime I wanted to order something it seemed you were out of the office for Uncle Sam... which is pretty much par for my luck.

I should be relocated back to KY/TN by the time I'm ready to snag that T3, so I'll be able to meet you guys and pick up some toys in person. This purchase just happened to be the right time and place... I had the cash and desire for a quality 1911, and the guys locally had a brand new one for sale. Couldn't pass it up.

However, my wife is looking to get into shooting... and has been drooling over my new Kimber since I brought it home. Might have another 1911 convert interested in acquiring a gun soon... so may hit you up in the next couple of weeks to place an order for her.

[BimmerFreak]

I'm still planning on acquiring one down the road... I just really had the urge to snag a 1911 and we were unable to link up for the deal. Like I mentioned in my last PM to you, everytime I wanted to order something it seemed you were out of the office for Uncle Sam... which is pretty much par for my luck.

Yeah dude, my schedule has been balls to the wall lately.

Combine Army + traveling for Hero-Gear= I am worn out!

Congrats on the Kimber. It sure is pretty.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Thanks.

I'll be sure to update the thread, this coming week, with photos of the new additions to the gun... as well as a range report.

[Guest Mugster]

Welcome to the fold. Pistols made out of iron and wood are the only way to go.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

UPDATE: The UPS, FedEx, and DHL drivers were very nice to me today… and dropped off the goodies I ordered for my handgun, as well as cleaning supplies and other accessories. My range bag, MTAC holster, and gunsmithing tools are due in at the end of this week or beginning of the coming week. Here’s a photo of my updated Kimber Pro CDP II : new magwell/mainspring housing, black & gray G10 grips, and ETM mags. I’m very pleased how it turned out, with the new hardware installed.

[TGO David]

Nice. I shouldn't have told you about those grips before I ordered mine.

But now, I can get a left-hand carry rig, steal your Kimber and have a matching pair. Two fistfulls of hot lead!

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Mmmm... free candy. Gotta love "Smarties".

Oh, it also came with my new MTAC holster that showed up today.

[willis68]

UPDATE: The UPS, FedEx, and DHL drivers were very nice to me today… and dropped off the goodies I ordered for my handgun, as well as cleaning supplies and other accessories. My range bag, MTAC holster, and gunsmithing tools are due in at the end of this week or beginning of the coming week. Here’s a photo of my updated Kimber Pro CDP II : new magwell/mainspring housing, black & gray G10 grips, and ETM mags. I’m very pleased how it turned out, with the new hardware installed.

Very Nice, Enjoy!!

[saintsfanbrian]

You suck!!!

can I have a piece of candy?

[deerslayer]

Good luck with it--if it is anything like the one I had, you'll need it. Of all the handguns I've owned, my Kimber CDP was the biggest disappointment of all.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Good luck with it--if it is anything like the one I had, you'll need it. Of all the handguns I've owned, my Kimber CDP was the biggest disappointment of all.

I'm assuming you had the external extractor designed slide, and encountered such problems that have been reported on 1911forum, glocktalk, etc? This is the only problem I've ever seen anyone complain about in these compact guns, aside from a few recoil spring issues. If not, what issue(s) did you have? I'd genuinely be interested in hearing about them so I can keep an eye out.

You'll notice in the pictures that my CDP has the internal extractor / slide -- the style that everyone prefers, and the style that buyers with problems try to get Kimber to swap their slides out for. Plus, I already have a Wilson Combat bullet proof extractor laying here waiting to be installed... as well as a digital trigger gauge, extractor tensioning tool, and extractor gauges to set it at the proper tension. I'm also thinking about picking up a Wolff recoil spring to have on hand, as I've heard this also rectifies any potential problems in these guns.

I'm aware that the extractors have been a somewhat common issue in the past, which is why I made sure I picked up this extractor design when I purchased the handgun... and also went ahead and picked up the parts to fix any such issue if it should still arise. However, the reported issues -- isolated on these message forums -- compared to the sheer number of pistols that Kimber produces is still quite low. Any gun, any brand, any model can have problems... and most can be easily resolved with a little extra work either on the buyer's part or the manufacturers. Doesn't make it any less easy to swallow, when you shell out a lot of money for something that should be stellar out of the box... but it's still resolvable. Most people that have encountered problems, and replaced either the extractor or recoil spring, have stated they have had ZERO problems since. Easy and cheap solutions in my book, when compared to the money invested in the firearm. They're what... $40-$50 fixes?

[DaveTN]

Nice set-up. Welcome to the church.

However… now you have to get a holster. Discerning handgun owners don’t use Kydex; it’s a sin.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Nice set-up. Welcome to the church.

However… now you have to get a holster. Discerning handgun owners don’t use Kydex; it’s a sin.

I was actually thinking about ordering another all leather holster from Bulman Gunleather, since I really liked the TSAP model for my HK P2000sk. Was eyeing his PDL model for the Kimber. However, he takes a looooong time to craft and ship his holsters (so long I actually had forgotten I ordered the TSAP holster, when it finally showed up -- several months later), so I picked up the MTAC.

May still order the Bulman holster to have on hand, though.

[mousegunner]

Congrats on your Kimber. It is a handsome gun!

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Congrats on your Kimber. It is a handsome gun!

Thanks.

[deerslayer]

Nope, mine was an internal extractor. I never could get the thing to feed--it would hang up in every imaginable way in a maddeningly random fashion, with no rhyme or reason. It would produce different kinds of malfunctions with the same kind of ammo, when you switched ammo, and everything in between. A guy once asked me, "what kind of hollow points are you using in it?" I never got that far--all I ever put in it was FMJs. After a few thousand rounds, I gave up. Somebody good with tuning 1911s probably could have straightened it out, but I didn't want a gun that had to be "tuned" all the time. Kimber quality left a bad taste in my mouth also; mags would not fall free, and the ONE mag that it came with had a follower that I learned chews up an alloy frame just below the feed ramp, which it proceeded to do. I also wasn't crazy about the fact that I was supposed to change the recoil spring every 1500 rounds, or that I had to have a paper clip to field strip the gun. Overall, it was a very disappointing experience for almost $1000--I never would have dared to depend on that gun for self-defense. The gun was accurate as hell, although it shot a bit low. It's not just my Kimber, though. I shoot a lot of IDPA, and 1911s are the ones that are always missing a beat. Just last week, a guy brings an almost-new Kimber (TLE, I think) and the thing starts going full auto. I've seen this several times on old guns, but not a new one! That same night, another guy kept getting FTEs with his $2000 Wilson. This morning, a guy was having all kinds of trouble with his S&W 1911. A friend told me, "if you get a 1911 running good, you'll never go back to that Glock." Well, the "getting one running good" part is too much trouble for me. I'm really not a 1911 basher; I know they are sweet guns when they are tuned just right, but I'll stick to my Glock when protecting my life will be involved--I know it's going to work.

I'm assuming you had the external extractor designed slide, and encountered such problems that have been reported on 1911forum, glocktalk, etc? This is the only problem I've ever seen anyone complain about in these compact guns, aside from a few recoil spring issues. If not, what issue(s) did you have? I'd genuinely be interested in hearing about them so I can keep an eye out.

You'll notice in the pictures that my CDP has the internal extractor / slide -- the style that everyone prefers, and the style that buyers with problems try to get Kimber to swap their slides out for. Plus, I already have a Wilson Combat bullet proof extractor laying here waiting to be installed... as well as a digital trigger gauge, extractor tensioning tool, and extractor gauges to set it at the proper tension. I'm also thinking about picking up a Wolff recoil spring to have on hand, as I've heard this also rectifies any potential problems in these guns.

I'm aware that the extractors have been a somewhat common issue in the past, which is why I made sure I picked up this extractor design when I purchased the handgun... and also went ahead and picked up the parts to fix any such issue if it should still arise. However, the reported issues -- isolated on these message forums -- compared to the sheer number of pistols that Kimber produces is still quite low. Any gun, any brand, any model can have problems... and most can be easily resolved with a little extra work either on the buyer's part or the manufacturers. Doesn't make it any less easy to swallow, when you shell out a lot of money for something that should be stellar out of the box... but it's still resolvable. Most people that have encountered problems, and replaced either the extractor or recoil spring, have stated they have had ZERO problems since. Easy and cheap solutions in my book, when compared to the money invested in the firearm. They're what... $40-$50 fixes?

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Range Report:

With the holiday, and having the day off, I finally got to check out a local indoor range that I've been wanting to try... and, likewise, try out the new Kimber. The wife, who has shown a lot of interest in getting involved with shooting, tagged along.

I'm more than happy to say that after shooting 180 rounds through it, on it's first outing, that the gun shot and functioned 100% flawlessly.

I did experience one FTF, but that was totally my own fault. I limp-wristed it, after just changing my grip, and even caught myself mentally saying "Damnit, I just did that" as soon as I saw the slide lock back. Dumped the magazine, pulled the slide, put the round back into the magazine, and went back to business... never skipping a beat. Just proved that I am human, capable of error, and the gun simply is a machine.

Right off the bat, my grouping and shot placement with the 1911 was spot on. I attribute that more to the craftsmanship and natural ergonomics of the shooting platform, than my own skill... as I honestly haven't touched or shot a firearm (aside from annual M-16A2 qualification) in the past 5+ years, before I was sent overseas to Germany. Everything was center mass, and within 1-1.5" groups @ 7 yards... and 2.5" @ 20 yards. To say I was very pleased, with both myself and the Kimber, would be an understatement.

My wife even managed to get in on the action and, having never shot anything aside from a .22 before, kept every round within the 8-ring on the silhouette target. Her groupings weren't bad either, but she kept putting them low-center of the target... which kind of worried me, when I received a smile while asking her if she was trying to neuter the target. With a little more training and experience, I think she would really take to the 1911.

The range allowed rental of firearms, and I wanted to see how she would do with a 9mm handgun compared to the larger .45ACP round, so I paid the fee for her to test out a Glock 19. She actually did worse with the Glock, and said she hated the feel of it, even with the lower recoil. Then asked if she could go back to shooting my Kimber.

All in all... I couldn't be more pleased with how the Kimber performed, and how well I was able to shoot it after my long absence from target shooting. I would have loved to put more rounds through it, but told myself before heading over to the range that I would stick to the suggested Kimber break-in procedure. I would highly recommend buying or trying out one of Kimber's Pro series handguns, regardless of how much negative reviews and posts you may have read. As my brother told me, before I left for the range, when I mentioned that I was nervous to shoot it after reading all the bad reviews... "I think you're seeing the few bad reports but not the thousands who have no problems." Heck, I've even been informed by the wife that I will be buying her a Kimber like mine.

Add another member to the Church.

EDIT: In reference, to my wife hating the Glock... I swear by all that's holy, I did not have any influence in her decision. I actually recommended that she go ask if they had a Glock 19, M&P 9mm, or XD 9mm. I wanted her to make her own decisions, and find anything that was comfortable to her as it would be the basis of whatever I purchase for her soon. But I about pissed myself laughing when she stated she hated it and wanted to shoot my 1911 again.

[TGO David]

Here's my take on Kimber...

10 years or so ago, they were a new player in the 1911 game and were cranking out a smaller number of firearms. People loved them and they became increasingly popular. Today, Kimber cranks out a metric ton of 1911 handguns and they still sell like hotcakes.

Along the way, Kimber suffered growing pains. They experimented with the external extractor design and had mixed reviews. Some people (like me) have never had a problem with their external extractor 1911s. Others did, and they bitched. Loudly. The detractors even included some gun magazine pundits who really raked Kimber over the coals to the point that Kimber finally decided that they were getting too much bad press over the extractor design and went back to the internal one.

Another growing pain that they have suffered is in the area of customer service. A few folks didn't get the answers they wanted, or talked to in the right tone of voice (boo ****ing hoo) by a Service Rep, or didn't get their gun sent back to them as quickly as they wanted, so they started bitching too. And they bitched not on just one forum but on any forum that they could find on which to spread their sewage.

By no coincidence, those people who bitched sometimes got told to go piss up a burning rope by a few of the head Service Reps at Kimber who also watched those forums. I'm not a huge fan of the idea that "the customer is always right" and I deal with enough New Yorkers for work to know that they don't suffer B.S. as much as we do down here in the South, so I can see where George T. Complainer might get told to go fist himself by a Kimber rep who was having a bad day.

In fact, there's a few Kimber customers that I've read posts from who *I* wanted to tell to go fist themselves after reading some of the hate-filled bile that they've posted, trashing Kimber, the Service Reps in particular, and accusing the Service Rep's moms of having had orgies with packs of canines. Seriously... what do these people think they are going to accomplish by pissing off the people who can help them fix their firearm???

I'd tell them to get bent too!!!

So, basically you have a few heartaches along the way but the vocal minority always screams the loudest and bad news always travels fastest. There are thousands of Kimber 1911s out there that run like clockwork and their owners have never had an issue with them. A lot probably have external extractor pistols too!

But we'll never hear from those folks because they don't post "I love my Kimber!" threads over on M1911.org.

[TGO David]

BTW... I need to go dig up that thread where the Nighthawk Custom owner received his 1911 after a few weeks of waiting and the frame-to-slide mating tolerances looked like the pieces had been machined with a dull hatchet by a monkey on crack.

Sure, Nighthawk fixed it for him but Kimber generally fixes all of the botch-jobs that slips by their Q&A people too.

[molonlabetn]

BTW... I need to go dig up that thread where the Nighthawk Custom owner received his 1911 after a few weeks of waiting and the frame-to-slide mating tolerances looked like the pieces had been machined with a dull hatchet by a monkey on crack.

Sure, Nighthawk fixed it for him but Kimber generally fixes all of the botch-jobs that slips by their Q&A people too.

I didn't know that Century Arms made 1911s....

[deerslayer]

Tungsten-my Kimber was made about two years ago--it was not one of the new-company-growing-pain models. The majority of Kimbers I see (at IDPA matches) have some sort of issue--I'm not basing any of what I say about them on what I've read on a forum. Hell, I wish mine had come with the external extractor--it couldn't have been any worse.

Verbal-Congrats on your gun's reliability. Like I said, a good running 1911 is a sweet shooter. I just don't see them (reliable 1911s) as often as other makes. BTW, my wife begged me not to get rid of mine--she liked it much more than a Glock. No shock that your wife didn't like it; most people either love or hate Glocks, and they usually form their opinions quickly. She just liked shooting it better (one hole groups at 7 yards tend to make the range a bit more enjoyable). She didn't give a rodent's rump if it jammed; me on the other had, well, I don't need it if I can't carry it.