Competition. Carry. Is it possible to buy a pistol which satisfies the IDPA-driven need for speed and accuracy with self-defense safety and concealability? Over the last few months I narrowed my search for one handgun to rule them both. I set my heart on a high quality an-all steel 1911 with a four inch barrel. And there she was, lingering inside the gun show loophole: a month-old Kimber Super Carry Pro HD. Kimber’s first all steel 4″ carry model. All it took was two checks, my background and my money . . .
Size & Weight
Carrying the all-steel Kimber Super Carry Pro HD requires commitment. The 35-ounce handgun weighs slightly more than a box of Aunt Jemima’s Original Pancake & Waffle Mix, a 32-ounce product that seems carefully designed to encourage shoppers to swap their handbasket for a cart. Although the Pro HD’s barrel is 1″ shorter than my Custom II, the smaller gun weighs just three ounces less. With a full magazine, the two guns feel equally heavy.
The Super Carry Pro HD is an ergonomically sound firearm, as is. Which makes it a perfect starting point for people who can’t leave well enough alone—or need to raise their game. The Pro HD’s grip-safety is Kimber’s no-bump standard; I’ll change it out for the memory bump version. While I’m at it, I’ll replace Kimber’s ambi-thumb-safety with a smaller, smoother Wilson Combat tactical thumb-safety.
The bobtail on the Super Carry Pro HD requires a slightly different cut grip that a normal bobtail. Luckily, the folks at VZ Grips will contour their grips to fit the Super Carry Pro HD at no additional cost. My favorite grip is the Elite Tactical Carry in Black Cherry. As you can see above, it looks great on this firearm, and fits perfectly.
Fit & Finish
Super Carry Pro HD’s curved bobtail makes this gun special. The parkerized steel mainspring housing is equally appreciated. The good news: we finally have a Kimber with a metal mainspring housing. The bad news: the serrations are practically non-existant.
The deep black KimPro II finish over the Pro HD’s slide and frame is gorgeous. The finish gives the 1911 the sort of elegantly bad-ass look that you’d expect from a gun carried by James Bond’s CIA counterpart (Felix Leiter). Caution! Slippery when wet! I suspect the Pro HD’s “self-lubricating” coating has some Teflon in it.
Like all coatings, it’s not very thick. Touch ups are easy enough using a Birchwood Casey Presto Gun Blue Touch Up Pen. The stainless steel under the coating blues very nicely to a deep dark black.
The Super Carry Pro HD’s Carry Melt treatment removes all the guns sharp edges, especially around the muzzle. While gunmakers sell “de-horned” guns on their ability to minimize clothing snags—a reassuring advantage for life’s big uh-oh moments—smoothing out the rough bits also makes holstering a weapon predictable and easy. That’s a huge plus for competition.
Sights & Controls
The Super Carry Pro HD wears tritium night sights atop a well-designed cocking shoulder. (The set-up’s similar to my Custom II’s 10-8 Performance sights.)
While I applaud Kimber’s decision to offer night sights with a cocking shoulder on the Super Carry Pro HD, the white paint job leaves a lot to be desired. It’s not the most visibility-enhancing choice.
That said, if you’ve ever practiced racking your slide one-handed on your holster, shoe or blue jeans—an important self-defense skill to compensate for an injured arm—you know that a handgun’s rear site design is mission critical. The Pro HD’s will git ‘er done.
Trigger
The Super Carry Pro HD comes with a solid black aluminum trigger. It feels exactly like the triggers on my Tactical II Ultra and Custom II models. If you want to know why 1911s are the first choice for IDPA competitors, the Pro HD is a case in point. It’s as crisp as a freshly chilled head of Iceberg lettuce and cleaner than an OCD toilet seat, with a reset firm enough to shame a Sleep Number Bed showing 100 on the clock.
Range Report
The Pro HD’s recoil spring felt a little “mushy” during both initial range outings. As this example was a “floor model” from a gun show, I suspect the gun had spent much of its short life locked open (i.e. with a fully compressed recoil spring). In theory, this contributed to the felt recoil and, yes, out of battery issues.
This is my third Kimber. Each has had its own break-in issues—which smoothed out after 500 rounds of ball ammo. The Super Carry Pro HD with factory magazines proved to be no exception; I experienced a few failures to feed (FTF) shooting Winchester White Box 230gr FMJ ammo.
Specifically, an FTF on round seven in my third string, another on round eight of my sixth string and one more on seven on my tenth string. Note: in almost every “out of battery” instance I was able to hit the slide and fire the round.
Like my Custom II and Tactical II Ultra, the new Super Carry Pro HD is much more accurate than its operator—as you might expect from a Kimber with a bushingless match grade bull barrel. For an OFWG with a bad back, my groups at seven, 10 and 15 yards were more than acceptable. Thanks to the Kimber’s heft and balance, re-acquiring the sight picture is a near-instantaneous process. For self-defense, minute-of-bad guy is a done deal. For competition, confidence is high. [Report to follow.]
Super Carry Pro HD Reliability Modifications
I believe that all the failures to feed that experienced in my first two outings can be traced back to one simple design flaw: the Super Carry Pro HD simple operates too fast with the factory recoil spring, using standard magazine springs. Once I fitted Wolff’s Improved XP Recoil Spring and started using the Wilson Combat 7-Round, Heavy Duty Magazine (47C-HV) my FTF issues cleared up instantly. And completely.
After several IDPA BFFs demonstrated how one pound of additional spring force could affect the “felt recoil” of any 1911, I now use Wolff’s recoil springs in all my 1911s . Once I installed the extra power recoil spring in my Super Carry Pro HD, I immediately noticed the difference. I wish Kimber would pay attention to little details like this.
Conclusions
At $1625 msrp, you might expect the Kimber Super Carry Pro HD to be perfect straight out of the box. For some, it may be. But for 1911 aficionados, the people who have the coin for these firearms, little things are a big deal. With the Pro HD there are a few nits to pick. For example, Wilson Combat’s 47D magazines’ nylon follower is simply a better design than Kimber’s stock mags.
But then high-end 1911 buyers tend to view any pistol as a starting point. And with a few minor tweaks (recoil spring, new magazines), I wouldn’t hesitate to call this weapon Kimber’s finest dual-role 1911.
SPECIFICATIONS
Caliber: .45 ACP
Height 90° to barrel: 5.25 inches
Weight with empty magazine: 35 ounces
Length: 7.7 inches
Width: 1.28 inches
Magazine Capacity: 8 + 1 in the chamber
Recoil Spring: 22 pounds
Full-Length Guide Rod
Frame: Stainless Steel; Matte Black / KimPro II Coated;
Slide: Stainless Steel; Matte Black / KimPro II Coated;
Barrel: Steel, match grade bull barrel; Length: 4 inches; Twist Rate: 16 (Left Hand)
Sights: Fixed low profile night sights, 3-dot with cocking shoulder, Radius: 5.7 inches
Grips: G10 / Checkered with Smooth Border
Trigger: Aluminum, Match Grade; Factory setting: 4 – 5 pounds
MSRP: $1,625.00
RATINGS (Out of Five Stars)
Accuracy: * * * * *
Shooting .45 ACP ball ammo this gun is deadly accurate.
Ergonomics: * * * *
It’s a 4″ 1911 with a curved bobtail and “Carry Melt” treatment. What more could you ask for in a carry gun—other than capacity?
Ergonomics Firing: * * * *
Crisp trigger and reasonable recoil. All the controls are right where they should be. A joy to shoot.
Reliability: * * *
Like any 1911, you’ll need to break-in the Super Carry Pro HD. After 500 rounds it’s nearly perfect.
Customization: * * * * *
It’s a 1911 so (almost) everything is customizable from the grips to the barrel.
Overall Rating: * * * *
The Super Carry Pro HD is Kimber’s top of the line in 4″ 1911s. You could spend over $2800 for a “Bill Wilson Carry” or save $1200 for a few mods, a good holster and lots of ammo.
Nice writeup, Jeffrey. Unfortunately for me and other inmates of the Bay State, this is yet another fine pistol that’s illegal for a dealer to sell in Massachusetts.
Nice review. However, I must not be the target market, cause I can’t see spending $1600 for a pistol that requires new magazines and a different spring, plus $250 or more worth of ammo run through it before it can be considered “broke-in”, ready, and reliable enough for carry. High-end purchasers may see this so-called basic pistol as a starting point for their customization, but I see a lazy manufacturer who can’t seem to make a pistol that works 100% out of the box.
Don,
Agreed. Kimber needs to watch the details a bit closer but every gun needs a little break in period.
“every gun needs a little break in period”
Why?
Bear in mind I’m an engineer and fully cognizant of wear surfaces and machining capabilities. I understand a trigger may be a bit smoother after a thousand rounds or so, and that there will be some minor wear on contact surfaces, but at $1600 don’t they have the capabilities to get it right out of the box? Can’t they get the critical dimensions such that it works?
To me, the so-called “break-in” should be nothing more than my personal quality check that nothing is grossly wrong with the firearm. Several mags should do the trick. I shouldn’t have to fire 500 / 1000 / “insert number here” rounds to get a pistol up to snuff. That’s laziness on the part of manufacturers.
Here’s a question. Assume I have CCL. My current pistol becomes unusable for whatever reason. I need to buy a pistol today to start carrying tomorrow. I might get an hour of range time later this week to test fire it, but no chance for any extended “break-in” work, perhaps for months to come. What should I get? I presume that any and all Kimbers are completely off the list at this point.
Don,
I too was an engineer before taking up photography full time and I’ve been a shooter for the past 35 years.
Q: Why does a new car have a “break-in period”?
A: Wear
As I’m sure you know, when two metal parts rub together they “abrade” until the small imperfections in the mating surfaces wear away. The piston rings and bearings in a car engine do this in much the same way as the slide and frame do on a 1911. The same way the barrel, barrel bushing, feed ramp, etc. “wears” and becomes smoother and less prone to friction.
The difference between the break-in period of a car and your primary carry firearm is the amount of risk you accept during the break-in period. ALL 1911 pistols require a break-in period to become 100% reliable and most folks that carry a 1911 wouldn’t dream of carrying it until it is 100% reliable. Putting 500 rounds of ball ammo and 100 rounds of JHP through your primary carry weapon to break it in properly is cheap insurance compared to it not working when it’s needed. You may be willing to take that risk for yourself and your loved ones but I’m certainly not. I consider my life and the lives of my family to be priceless.
Q: Why does a new car have a “break-in period”?
A: Manufacturers’ weasel warranty claims.
Jeff, the difference is that a car is not a gun is not a car. Aside from being way more complex, a car works from day one, even while you break it in. And with new cars, new machining, your break-in is basically normal light driving with an early oil change. You don’t say that the car stalled, failed to start, and backfires until the first 3000 miles, and then it runs fine. We expect it to run right straight off the showroom floor. We’re very upset when it doesn’t.
A gun has very few wear parts. VERY few compared to a typical car engine. For $1600, why don’t they machine it smoother such that it’ll work right out of the box. They have that capability. They EASILY have that capability.
I bring this up as a technical discussion. I’ve been shooting for over 35 years myself. And I value my family, which is why I think a $1600 gun should work fresh without break-in. Maybe I’ll just bypass Kimber and stick with a real Colt. Python.
I agree with you Don, I just bought a new Subaru and I won’t take it on the Interstate or go over 30mph till it has at least 500 miles on it; It might not be safe to do so, the gas pedal might stick, the brakes might fail, steering wheel might come off . . . who knows what else could happen ; ) Back to guns . . . I have an SCHDPRO coming up on 3 years early next year; ZERO issues. Use nothing but Kimber Tac Mags, but I have also tried mags from other manufacturers and have had ZERO problems with any of them. When I buy a New or Slightly Used firearm, I do as most, clean it, dry run it and then take it to the range. I generally run about 1 or 2 boxes (100 rounds total). If there are no issues, then it is fine to take on the road. First off, how often is the average carrier in a situation where they use the weapon? 2nd, how many rounds are generally fired? 3rd, how many of those situations could you have successfully lived through popping off the additional 400 – 450 rounds that many suggest? More instances than you would likely experience (where you fired your weapon) even if you were a police officer in most average locales. I wonder how many rounds the average Chicago LEO fires in any given year in line of duty (not at the range). So, do you need to fire 500 rounds, no. If a box or two runs fine, it probably is. If you experience issues, typically they appear in the first 50 rounds from my experiences: two Sigs P232 & P290RS and a Ruger MKIII 22. Yes, I have a Kimber that has sporadic issues, it’s an SIS Ultra model. The Ultra (3inch barrel) is the one many have issues with and it is usually stated as a result of the feed ramp angle. To this date I cannot totally blame the gun as I often have flawless outings. My personal thought is, it’s related to my grip on the weapon and failure to maintain the grip after a few rounds. Last time I took it out, it was flawless through 5 mags (30rounds) and I paid closer attention to my grip. The Grips on the SCHDPRO are very grippy G10’s and they may be the reason for my having no failures with my PRO size Kimber vs my Ultra with the much smoother Grips. Hope everyone has a Marvelous Thanksgiving !
I had a full size Kimber for a few years now. It is currently on its way back for repairs. The second time BTW. When spending $1200 to $1500 for a pistol my expectations are fairly high. Kimber has not lived up to those expectations.
My Dan Wesson V-bob functioned flawlessly out of the box and has done so for over 1K rounds. All steel (forged not cast) and no MIM parts. I’d buy a Kimber rifle, but not one of their pistols. Every one I know who has one has had to send them back at least once.
That’s a good looking gun but $1600 is a lot of money.
$1600 for “mushy” and failures to feed. Awesome. Awesome junk, that is. And if anyone wants to speak against that, I will direct you to the North Carolina Division of Alcohol and Law Enforcement.
Mr. Lynch, enjoyed your review if the Kimber Super Carry Pro HD. I just received mine today. Fire 50 rds of Winchester White Box 230gr FMJ with no failures of any kind. I bought this gun for the same reason you did. IDPA and carry. I have carried the Ultra Carry for the last year and my wife has the 9mm Ultra CDP. Again, no problems. Love the HD
Way way out of my price range! And that’s not counting the cost for upgrades or bullets. Lets try a decent $500.00 or less that can do the job. No? Well that leaves me out of IDPA.
That also leaves you out of http://www.wilsoncombat.com, http://www.lesbaer.com, http://www.nighthawkcustom.com, etc.
$1600.00 for a name. My CZ-97 .45ACP cost me a little less than$550.00 when new in the box back in 2007 and it ran flawlessly from day one and still does. It has a capacity of 10+1 in the chamber, it points instinctly and is scary accurate even in my old disabled veteran hands. Thanks Kimber but, no thanks.
SBFP2012!
That’s also why you buy a Chevy and not a Porsche, Ferrari, etc. When formulating your reply, keep in mind that these cars break down frequently and are expensive to repair. You’re not comparing apples to oranges. Take your $500 gun and start adding the things to it that this particular Kimber has: night sights, ambi-safety, but expecially the bobtail that it has. Go find someone to put that exact bobtail on your $500 base gun. Good luck. If you take this $1450 (street price) gun and add $1000 of whatever, you now have a Wilson Combat (2013).
Don I think you may have something. I am still waiting for my SCP HD to return from the shop. Multiple FTF’s and faulty slide release issues. ??????? However if Kimber gets it right they own the mkt in this price range for this style of 1911. At least for a while IMHO.
I’ve got around 4 or 5 hundo rounds thru my SCP. Never a prob with WWB ammo but a very picky eater with any hollow point, roughly one FTF with every mag. I have a 5in. custom also, with never a problem. Im not gonna lie, I love the Kimber name and its a fav with my buddies, but it’s embarassing at the range. Very accurate but the feeding issues are quite infurriating. After saving long enough, (1500 for a break-in gun) and finally getting the gun, Im honestly unsatisfied! I’ll keep shooting it and may even try a new spring and hope it breaks in, but thats horseshit! When it comes to my “go to gun” I’ll stick to my Glock 27.
Nice Kimber, but I’ll hang on to my Compact Aluminum with CTC grips
Hi Guys, great review of the Super Carry HD. I just bought one last Saturday and finally got to the range today. No doubt, the gun is more accurate than this shooter…in that what you point at, it hits. Regarding some of the feed issues described. I ran 100 rounds of PMC 230 grain FMJs through my HD in two different KimPro Tac-Mags without a single misfire or failure to feed (FTF). Perfect out of the box shooting. Highly recommended weapon.
The only shortfall in this firearm is I would have liked Kimber to have been more aggressive with their scales that they use for the frontstrap and slide. They seem to be lacking depth which makes them a little to slippery for my likings. The use of the G10 grips help this matter somewhat, but i would like to see a more aggressive frontstrap and slide. Otherwise, a great looking and excellent performing Kimber.
If I am not mistaken, the SIS was also an all steel gun and came in all 3 sizes as offered in the Super Carry HD. I have an SIS Ultra, no problems with the KimPro finish scuffing or wearing, and I have it going on 3 years now. I find personally the only time I seem to have feed issues, is if I do not hold the weapon tight enough aka limp wrist. I personally like the Kim Pro Tac magazines; I have about 5 of them and they seem to work just fine. Even in my SIS Ultra I really haven’t experienced any ammo feed issues that were not rectified through a more solid grip, when using HP ammo. I ‘ve read numerous reviews about feed issues in the Ultra size using HP ammo. Recently picked up an SuperCarryHD Pro, so far out of 200 rounds I have had one failure to feed and one extraction issue. My grip screws have come loose though, so it might be the cause of those. My first time out there were no issues and the grips were tight. The grip screws loosened up during the second outing and the issue popped up late in the outing as did the loose screws. I had the same loose grip screw experience with a Springfield EMP 40 a year ago. Tightened them up about a half turn and no problems since then. I hope that solves the problem with the Kimber as well. Shop around and you can find a Kimber for $200 – $250 off MSRP. Took me about 9 months of looking before I found my Super Carry Pro HD; traded in the Pro Raptor II I had bought prior to the Super Carry Pro HD being announced (that was over a year ago).
Daniel, nice review and comments. I’d be interested in hearing why you traded in your Raptor, as that was initially the pistol I liked but instead chose the Super Carry (likely because of the bobtail grip). What say you?
Why I traded the Pro Raptor II; mostly because I really wanted an SIS Pro and they quit selling them. The SCHD Pro is the closest thing there is being made by Kimber today to an SIS model. The SIS serrations leave something to be desired, but the cocking shoulder sight is actually better in my opinion and I like the KimPro somewhat metallic looking gray finish on the SIS, as well as the grips. One of the reasons I bought the Raptor was the super deal I got at Cabela’s. It was one of those employee pricing to customer sales for 10% off, which still gave me 1.5% off after sales tax. I also liked the grip feel, the serrations and I am a fan of black matte finish guns. But the SCHD Pro just said buy me all over it when I first saw it. Wasn’t really considering selling the Raptor, until the day came when I saw the SCHD Pro in the case. There are not a whole lot of these out there. Mostly I see SCHD Ultras in stores. I asked the dealer what I would get for a trade on my Pro Raptor and that pretty much sealed the deal. I researched on line and found he was giving me a fair shake in the trade and the SCHD Pro price was also good. I’ve held many Dan Wessons and Wilsons, not feeling as comfortable as the SCHD Pro or my SIS Ultra to me. The Kimbers just fit my hand nicely. Colt, Springfield and Rock Island 1911’s are nice too, as are the new S&W E Series in Scandium. If I want a higher end 1911, then I’ll invest into my Kimber being tuned further. After all, a Wilson Combat runs between $2.7 & $5 very big bills! I could make a lot of improvements for another $1000 and be at the bottom end of a Wilson. One of the reviews of the SCHD Pro mentioned the Meprolight night sights and the white ring around them. I like the Meprolight sights way better than Trijicon night sights; the white ring is part of the difference, they are also somewhat larger and brighter every time I’ve compared the two brands. Bottom line, quicker site picture.
SCHDproUpdate: 500 rounds + and no additional issues to report since the 2 reported in early March (1 FTF & 1 FTE, grip screw related possibly). I use Kimber TAC Mags; I’ve even used them in my SA TRP and my Rock Island Officer without issue. Out of all the firearms I have had and shot regularly, I’ve had more issues with a Sig Sauer P232 and Ruger MKIII (multiple issues with both). Zero Issues with S&W M&P of any size or caliber (9, 40 or 45). Next time out with the SCHDpro I will begin shooting various Hollow Point rounds and see how they feed.
I use the same set-up with Wolf Spring and the Wilson Combat 7-Round, Heavy Duty Magazine (47C-HV). This cleared up my FTF and FTE. However, I still found that on occation I had a FTL. I now use a Tripp follower which is similar to Wilson’s but a metal insert for the slide lock and filed the small bump on the top of the follower. Getting good reliability in my Kimber Stainless Steel Pro which was manufactured in 1999. Previous to the additions I put this on the shelf as the way it is shipped from Kimber did not give me confidence for a carry gun.
There is no excuse for this pistol to have these problems. I am sending 1 in now for a customer I sold to. This flaw needs to be fixed. These guns need to shoot and function right before they leave the factory PERIOD.
I thought my SIS Ultra had problems with feeding too. It was only once in a while and mostly with one brand of ammo. I also read that the Ultra size Kimbers are notorious for feed issues; esp. with hollow points, due to the feed ramp angle. All I can say is, more often than not, the feed issues seemed to be cured by a better grip in the pistol. My SCPROHD has had no problems since the two initially reported when my grip screws were loose. Still using Kimber TacMags and have not changed out any parts at all.
This is my 2nd Kimber and fired it brand spanking new right out the box without any issues along with getting it for a great price. Accuracy is great with this firearm and overall it fits like a glove. By far this is my favorite piece and yes some people may customise theirs some but it does fire straight out the box fine , I put about 600 rounds through it at the shops range 5 minutes after purchase and enjoyed every minute of it had one FTF the whole time. I guve it 5 stars
This is my 2nd Kimber and fired it brand spanking new right out the box without any issues along with getting it for a great price. Accuracy is great with this firearm and overall it fits like a glove. By far this is my favorite piece and yes some people may customise theirs some but it does fire straight out the box fine , I put about 600 rounds through it at the shops range 5 minutes after purchase and enjoyed every minute of it had one FTF the whole time. I give it 5 stars
I own several Kimbers’s (including the 5″ version of the model reviewed) as well as Taurus’s, Colt’s, and Springfield’s. I think everyone is missing the point on the break in period. It just say’s in the owners manual you should run good premium ammunition with 230 grain FMJ’s for the first few hundred rounds. I also don’t think that anyone here is foolish enough to take a gun right out of the box and carry it without going to the range and firing a few rounds through it. I think this is also known as a break in period. I own an Ultra Carry, Super Carry HD, and 2 Solo’s and I can tell you that I have had no problems with feeding, ejecting or the magazines. I have put over 3000 rounds through my Ultra. Yes the Kimber’s are expensive and I think I get the value I expect from them or I wouldn’t own one! Only time will tell for the Super Carry as I just bought it and have only put 100 rounds through it but so far it have proved extremely accurate and without any issues at all
Hey Jeff, how about a one year followup review/range report with some more of your awesome pictures.
Thanks for the great reviews and pictures.
Stay on target,
Tom B.
I held my nose and registered and voted in opposition.
Gallup has reported on the same thing as well – http://www.gallup.com/poll/150464/americans-believe-crime-worsening.aspx
Even though crime keeps going down, most people think it’s increasing. It’s primarily due to the creation of 24/7 “news” channels. They know that there isn’t enough news to run 24/7, so they take anything bad and blow it out of proportion to create news. That’s why they spend days or even weeks harping about ONE incident, to make it sound like it’s a major problem that happens enough to spend weeks at a time in the headlines. The news stations know that “there’s no news like bad news”. If you run a story about a kid saving a puppy, people will say “That’s nice” and forget about it in five minutes. If you run a story about a kid being killed, people will sit there glued to the TV waiting to hear more about what they need to be afraid of. It’s why EVERY TV station runs sensational headlines such as “Could there be poison in your water? Find out at 11”.
http://youtu.be/0JuZyfBGADA
I agree. Thanks for the great review!
How does it go…avoid stupid people doing stupid things?
But state law demands that you send your children to school. Uhhh?
Thanks for the review! What was the pound rating of the Wolff XP spring you used?
I would like to apologize to other readers for not updating after the issue I had when I initially purchased my SCPHD in 2012. As I spelled out I had multiple issues when I first purchased it……at least one FTE and at least one failure to return to battery per magazine even after multiple cleanings, several different magazines (Wilson and Kimber). After speaking to Kimber they sent me a shipping label, I sent the gun (along with a letter explaining the issues and what I had done to try to remedy them. Less than two weeks later my gun was back in my hands. I immediately loaded a dozen magazines and went to the range……zero issues! I have since run approx 600 rounds through it with absolutely zero issues (I know, 600 rounds is not much in 3 years but I have a tendency to swap out “carry guns” every few months—-again, I know, you’re ‘supposed to’ carry the same gun you practice with……). Point being…….yes I was VERY disappointed at having to send a brand new $1600 pistol to the mfr for repair but their turn-around was very quick and the pistol has worked flawlessly since.
Anyway……I currently own 6 Kimbers and 10 other “1911s”……..they all run like sewing machines as long as I do my part (proper cleaning/lube, proper grip and Wilson Combat mags).
Bought a Super Carry Custom a year or so ago, because it fits my hand perfectly, and with the aluminum frame, it’s lighter than a steel full size 1911. Unfortunately, it had a trigger problem right off the bat – a subtle ‘catch’ that I didn’t really notice in the LGS. Having that in a $1,500 gun was a real bummer. I’d read about Kimber’s declining QC, but for some reason thought it wouldn’t happen to me. Oh well. So the LGS sent it back to Kimber, and a couple of weeks later it was back and now works fine. No FTF, trigger is smooth, and as others here have suggested, it’s more accurate than I am.
Would I buy another Kimber? Possibly. Now that the trigger’s right I really like the gun. And the rounded bobtail (together with the carry melt) is really nice since I do, well, carry it.
Tengo muy buenos comentarios de la firma Kimber.podria recibir sus boletines y comentario
Unbelievable the number of whining crybabies commenting. ANY machine worth it’s salt and expected to last (btw, cars are built TO wear out, dummies!) is going to have a break in period. If you want perfection in the human world out of the box you’re simply fooling yourselves-though the Kimber I’ve used for years was. The only mods I did were to my liking, not to it’s function.
Quit your whining, save up, or buy a Rock Island and be happy with your junk instead of tearing down one of the best 1911’s made thus far in history. Must be the new gen snowflake babies we’re hearing from, or folks that truly never have managed to make enough scratch to spend on a Kimber and want to cry as if they had and were disappointed to make up for their shortcomings.
I own many 1911`s from various makers,including Kimber. My next malfunction will be my first one.I wonder if people bother to lubricate them before taking them to the range?
There’s a lot of hating on a gun that shoots flawlessly and consistently. If you’ve ever owned a Kimber you know that almost every one of their 1911’s needs a break in period to shoot to its full potential.
That said, it’s not just Kimber. I’ve had SIG X5’s, HK’s, and other 1911’s that have this exact same situation. Also thats not to say that it wont work extremely well just that its a break in period for the springs/ barrel, and other parts so its a universal things thats pretty normal.