Help! Do I need to trade in my Kimber?

[Matthias]

My father picked up a brand new Custom TLE II at a gun show for me but he didn't realize it didn't have the Tactical Extractor until he brought it home. Does the external extractor improve performance enough to warrant trading the gun in and getting one that does have the TE? :confused:

I haven't shot it yet, and I'm not dying to offer a dealer an additional $30-40 to trade. The fact that the TE also serves as a loaded chamber indicator is really not that important to me--I am concerned with function and reliability. I don't want the hassle of trading it in, but I want something I can bet my life on, and if the TLE II with the tactical extractor is the superior choice, so be it.

Matt

[N7CAV]

My buddy's girlfriend has a new Kimber with the cheeseball extractor - They reported several FTE's & double-feeds, but I wasn't there to make an assertion. Shoot it a few hundred times first, and see if it can be tuned if needed. I don't quite understand the concept of a three piece (How many pieces is that anyway?) extractor either -

Don't lose money on it, just test it out, get some good advice from the forum, and at worse, put it in the trades list for something you want.

Good luck with your pistol, and I hope your next trip to the range will invalidate this thread :-)

[Recon]

I've got the external extractor or "Tactical Extractor" as Kimber calls it. Thousands of rounds with no problem.

[Chuck S]

This is called a Tactical Extractor? :eek:

My Ultra Carry II has one. I wish it didn't. Many failures to extract. They seem to be gone after two trips to the factory and Kimber finally sending me a new extractor, but I can check and adjust a standard extractor very easily.

Spend the extra $40 on an Ed Brown Hardcore extractor to replace the casting that's probably in there.

-- Chuck

[Twig]

I have the Custom II with the internal extractor and I love it. Have fired approx. 1800 rounds of hardball through it and have had no problems except for some magazine problems which I have since solved. I've had external extractors on other weapons and never liked them. They collect dirt and oil and powder residue, which of course can be cleaned out like the internal extractor. My advice is to shoot the hell out of the weapon and enjoy it. I don't think you will ever notice a problem with the internal extractor.

[Sabre]

Your best bet is probably to keep the internal extractor. There are quite a few unconfirmed reports on the internet of serious problems with the external extractor. The internal extractor is simpler and has worked since, oh, 1911 or so. I'd consider yourself lucky to have obtained one of the few remaining new Kimbers out there that have the internal extractor.

P.S. Oh---my---goodness :eek: . Tactical extractor :confused: ?????? Is that really what Kimber calls it? You've got to be kidding.
Even though I have a Pro Carry II that I like quite a bit, and I feel Kimber produces (produced?) a very good pistol and I've never had a problem with them, my respect for them diminishes every day. They just lost a lot of credit in my book with this obvious marketing ploy to pull in those who don't know any better and think that this "tactical" exctractor must be better than the internal, or the external on other pistols. I mean, nobody elses is "tactical", is it?

[Sabre]

Spend the extra $40 on an Ed Brown Hardcore extractor to replace the casting that's probably in there.

-- Chuck


Kimber internal extractors are machined from barstock.

I wouldn't recommend spending any money on "upgrades" for this pistol until you have put some rounds through it.

[Recon]

from: www.kimberamerica.com/tactical.php

"The new Kimber Tactical Extractor is another standard feature."



An often rumored justification for Kimber changing from internal to external is economic. Supposedly, the internal extractor is made from more expensive material and requires labor intensive hand fitting during the manufacturing process. The external extractor supposedly comes from less expensive material and doesn't require the same level of fitting.

[Nathan]

To my way of thinking, I would much rather have an internal extractor. I can make one of those perfect. An external, can't really be adjusted fully.

[Recon]

Para Ordinance choose to stay with the internal extractor but have somehow improved it with "Power Extractor Technology"??? Even the internal extractor folks are using marketing ploys.

[Falcon576]

Stick with your internal extractor pistol. Shoot the bejeesus out of it. Keep it clean and well lubed. Should run great and make you very happy.

Look at what the real high-end "ubersmiths" are doing with their guns... People like Les Baer, Ed Brown, Wilson Combat, etc. They all use internals. Even Para stuck with the internal design, though they made it bigger and added a flex point with spring tension. (I have one. Works great, but we'll see how long it lasts compared to my Series 70 and my Kimber Pro CDP with basic internal.)

As someone else has already said, the basic internal design has worked for about 96 years. It worked in real, down and dirty combat through two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, law enforcement shootings, and millions of rounds fired in competition.

Shoot it. Know it. LOVE it!
:D

[cottontoptexan]

My Kimber Eclipse Pro II has been totally reliable from day one with the internal extractor. I do not want the later models with the extractor on the outside if i had my choice. I feel it was a choice to make this change based on the amount of labor it took to tune the internal one and the machining process.
Hang on to your gun and shoot it like a Colt, (like it isn't going to let you down). It won't. Good guns with a high standard of Quallity Control i feel. Remember you will always see more bad forums on the most popular guns than the least popular ones. Lots of bad written on Springfields also. I have one and would not take for it. In a batch of 100 pistols each manufacturer basically looks at what they would allow for returns. You can't be 100% in anything except taxes. Have fun . you have a nice firearm there. Curt

[Kruzr]

Do not trade it in because of the internal extractor. You're better off with an internal for now. Kimber has a few different design external extractors and they are still working out the kinks. You can adjust the internal yourself if you find it needs it. If you want to replace it, there are lots of choices. I don't have anything against the external extractors but I prefer the internal ones since it gives you more flexibility.

[fnfalguy]

Take the pistol to the range and never look back!!!

[Chuck S]

External extractors and modified internal extactors are a valid manufacturing solution to new owners having no clue how to adjust the original extractor on a M1911. All new design pistols, Glocks etc., have them as far as I can tell looking over pistols in the case at the gun shows, the only hold ons are the good olde M1911.

The external extractor is a solution to a known problem. A problem for the new user who, naturally, just expects the empty case to be extracted from the chamber every time and isn't into the mystical world of M1911 extractor adjustment.

Just about everyone's solution to this real problem has it right. The Para PXT works every time and needs no adjustment, no extraction problems with SIGs. Kimber, on the other hand is having teething problems with their design which was, obviously, put into production without adequate testing.

-- Chuck

[glocker1911]

I would consider myself lucky to get an internal extractor. The reports or trouble with external ones may or may not be tru or internet legend, but an internal is a sure thing. By the way, I think you would be in for a rude surprise if you think you could trade your gun back in for $30 or $40. You'll find guns are like cars. Once they leave the building, the gunshop will give you the old "I have to sell it as USED line" and hit you for a big loss. at least that how it works here in INdiana.

[Tokarev]

I'm one of the Internet BS-ers who has had nothing but trouble with Kimber's new external extractor. I won't bore everybody with this stuff, as it has been reported numerous times on 1911forum.com.

Anyway, be glad your dad picked up the wrong gun. The external extractor is the wrong solution to an imagined problem.

[wildon1911s]

I have never owned a 1911 with the external extractor mainly due to cosmetics, but I do however own Sigs and H&Ks with them and haven't had any problems with them. Like I said before, on the 1911s it is just cosmetics to me.

[Tokarev]

In addition to the jam-o-matic Kimber mentioned above, I have a SW 1911 Sc and a custom Caspian with the Caspian/Wilson extractor. These two guns function fine. Kimber's design of extractor is the problem.