not good news for Kimber

[Guest mosinon]

I've heard kimber's are great but never shot one. Surprised to discover that North carolina Division of Alcohol is getting rid of their Kimbers because of reliability issues. According to this story they are swapping them out for cheaper, more reliable weapons.

Not bashing 1911s or even Kimbers necessarily, just wondering how plausible it is that a high end gun ($1,055 according to the story) malfs so bad you have to trade it for something else. Or is it because it is high and with careful tolerances you have to be super picky about ammo?

If I was a Kimber competitor I'd make all the hay I could with this news.

[Steelharp]

I've always believed the best Kimbers were the first ones, the ones with the "Clackamas, OR" rollmark (even though they were built in Yonkers, like later ones). They were young, hungry, wanting to nail the coffin lid on Colt, and they were some excellent 1911's.

[HOGNUT]

This is going to hurt their stock. Unfortuantely I have seen many Kimbers have malfunctions.....mostly due to the reloads being used. One actually blew the gun apart but should have done it to any weapon. The person that done this had no business reloading!

[Parrothead]

this would bother me if i worked for Kimber....beyond that, its a non-issue in my opinion. If you carry a kimber, i trust you can afford the ammo to prove it reliable if you carry it. Personally, i dont own a kimber so i dont really have a dog in the is race.

[eapking]

Kimber stories run about 50-50 from what I can tell.

[Daniel]

I do not own one myself. My F-i-L has a custom TLE II that I have fired more than he has and neither he nor I have had any problems out of it when running non kimber mags. Just sayin.

[Erik88]

I have shot 4 different Kimbers of various sizes. All performed great. But I've also heard the horror stories from people I trust. This seems to be the standard for the 1911 platform as a whole though. Most work great, but some don't.

[xRUSTYx]

loved the Kimber I once had ... Yes it was used & an older model, but it never failed to go bank Lightest shooting .45 i have ever shot to boot!

[Guest Sgt. Joe]

I have no dog in the Kimber race either but did find the article interesting. It seems for such a small agency they sure dont mess around with their weapons purchases.

I think the big winner here is the FFL who gets the expensive Kimbers in exchange for a less expensive weapon that he can buy wholesale and then can sell the Kimbers to other FFL's for a profit also. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the idea but that FFL is indeed the winner in it all. IMO

I have read that the Kimbers can be picky critters but having never owned a one all I have to go on is what I have read and I agree it is about 50/50 on those who swear by them and others who say they are over priced. I am doing all that I can to not catch the 1911 bug of any flavor. Since even looking at pics of them makes me want one I have yet to ask to fondle one out of fear of instant addiction and the need for multiple fixes.

[Guest Tnbusarider]

I love my Kimbers, they work great for me!

[Guest mikedwood]

Apparently they are a pretty picky bunch. This is further down in the article.

"Assault rifles traded

In addition to the new pistols, ALE agents have been issued new assault rifles after leaders determined their $1,495 Swiss-made Sig Sauer rifles, bought in 2006, weren't up to snuff, either.

Records show Ledford arranged a deal in July to trade in the agency's 120 Sig Sauer 552 assault rifles, which were bought in 2006 at a cost of $179,400. Ledford said last week that the trade-in was necessary because the 2006 rifles had been discontinued and spare parts were not available.

In exchange, a Greensboro firearms dealer provided the agency 120 Bushmaster M4 assault rifles valued at $1,270 each. ALE also got special Eotech 512 "holographic" sights that make a red dot appear on a target, valued at $439 each.

Because guns were being traded for guns, Ledford said, he did not have to follow state rules on bidding."

[Dolomite_supafly]

The problem I have is that Kimber turned their backs the second the warranty ran out. It wasn't like the guns were decades old, they were a year old. The agency had even contacted Kimber before the warranty ran out and got the usual response "it needs broken in more". I was actually considering buying a Kimber but knowing this I think my money will go elsewhere. I would expect Kimber to have a lifetime warranty like most other makers of decent 1911's but I guess not.

I do like their different models and what each one represents but for the money I will go elsewhere.

Dolomite

[Will Carry]

You have to understand that this is North Carolina politics and take it with a grain of salt. I ain't saying they are doing wrong, it's just when politicians are involved sometimes people do things differently.

[Guest DELETED]

I have a Kimber Ultra Carry that has peen perfect and never malfunctioned in all the years I've had it. I also just got a Pro Carry that wouldn't fire 3 consecutive rounds without jamming with the factory mag. New mags and now it runs like a dream. They are hit or miss (no pun intended).

[leroy]

Being a bit suspicious; a phrase comes to mind here. That phrase is "...spread the wealth around...". I'm a pretty old guy, and been foolin with firearms since the early sixties. I've seen "revolutions in firearms" come and go. With the police and military industry; it's always about doing business with your friends; no matter what the buying agency says. They sometimes "cook the data" to prove a point and steer a contract (....imagine that!...).

It has been my experience over the years that folks (...like Kimber, for example...) make real good stuff. That means most everybodys "stuff" is equally good. That causes you (...the interested buyer, contractor or supplier...) to "gilflirt" the data (...all very honestly, of course--complete with testing procedures, charts, diagrams, data, and hardware...) to make something look bad; say reliability with mags known to have problems, using ammo that will hang on anyone's feed ramp, ect -- you get the picture --- to justify your purchase to provide "enhanced reliability (...or whatever else you are seeking to prove...).

I simply refuse to believe that one of the two companies (...springfield is the other...) that dethroned Colt (...as much as i love 'em...) makes an "inferior and unreliable pistol". I simply wont buy that notion. I am open to entertaining the thought that a feed ramp may need a bit of polishing or a magazine may need an $8.00 spring kit. I simply refuse to believe that Kimber is a second class vendor. Again, i'm a suspicious man.

In the interest of full disclosure; I neither own a Kimber nor a Springfield. I own Colts. But if i was looking for another 1911 type pistol; i would'nt hesitate to buy one.

I trust Springfield, Kimber, and Colt far more than i trust polititians, government purchasing agents, and political pals who sell guns; but that's just me.

Food for thought.

suspicious leroy

PS ---Refer to the "Words to think about" section below for more thoughtful opinion on this matter

[Mad_Squirrell]

I tend to agree with Leroy .I bet there are some back door dealings going on. There was no bid on the contract because of the trade in sounds like a scheme for a politician and a buddy to make a little money on the side while Kimber gets the bad rap. With that large of a contract you'd think that they(Kimber) would work out any issues if needed.

If it is on the up and up I bet they are still using Kimber factory mags and they have not put near the round count down the pipe to break in all the guns . While I have never owned a Kimber I have heard that they need a 500 rd break in period and sometimes require adjustment .

[Guest clownsdd]

Recon Rangemasters will ban them also after this?

[Guest jeliggett]

Put around 100 rounds down my Kimber Raptor II yesterday with NO problems. Using the factory magazine.

[Chucktshoes]

I'm not a Kimber fanboy, in fact, I don't really care for them. However, when I read this article I didn't get the impression that the Kimber's were crap. I got the impression of a state agency that likes to buy new toys every couple of years and wants to do so again but this time needs to blame the manufacturer as an excuse for the purchase. Also, I would put money on somebody's cousin, uncle, brother-in-law making some money off of this deal. I can't wait to see how much those Kimbers end up on Gunbroker for.

[RobertNashville]

Currently, two of my 1911s are Kimbers, one is my usual carry weapon; a Kimber Custom Pro CDPII in .45ACP and the other is a Kimber Eclipse II, that one is a 10MM.

I've owned a couple of others. My CDPII has never had a hick-up and I practice with it regularly.

My Exlipse had a major malfunction the second time I took it to the range (a major feeding jam) - it's the worst jam I've ever had in any 1911 and I've had (and have) many. The third time I took it to the range it worked flawlessly. I'm not sure why the feeding malfunction happened but I've ordered some different 10MM ammo for it to see if that makes any difference.

I think we can all agree that any weapon made by anybody can fail...I don't think Kimber is any more or less susceptible to problems than any other.

[Guest Ken45]

From what I've read in other places, the Kimbers were special order 3". The general consensus on 1911's is that reliability drops below 4.25" barrels.

Why would a law enforcement agency choose a subcompact for a duty weapon???

They also claimed to have "worn out" their earlier Sigs. Short of a special duty combat outfit (Navy Seals, etc.) how many people can wear out a Sig? Especially an organization like this one?

Ken

[Lumber_Jack]

I read this whole thread first, then went back and read the article. Wow, that sounds like some back door dealing if I ever saw it. they have bought new guns in 2003 and 2005, then again in 2009. Each time selling the "surplus" guns to the agents for $325. "some of which bought more than one of the same model" Duh, I would too, you could resell for profit easily at that price.

I carry a Kimber Eclips Pro II every day and have never had a malfunction except when the recoil spring wore out after about 2500 rds. Replaced spring and runs flawlesly. I certainly would not that that horse manure of an article deture you from buying a Kimber. If you find evidence elswhere and decide not to, so be it, but not that crap.

[VERO1]

I wouldn't mind buying a handful of their trade ins!

[Guest josh123]

I'm not a Kimber fanboy, in fact, I don't really care for them. However, when I read this article I didn't get the impression that the Kimber's were crap. I got the impression of a state agency that likes to buy new toys every couple of years and wants to do so again but this time needs to blame the manufacturer as an excuse for the purchase. Also, I would put money on somebody's cousin, uncle, brother-in-law making some money off of this deal. I can't wait to see how much those Kimbers end up on Gunbroker for.

couldnt have said it better myself

[R1100R]

I have owned two Kimbers. Both had issues. It was there customer service that made me trade them off more so than the issues. I have a friend that owns one

and swears by it.