Kimber vs Springfield Armory

[Bwillis449]

I'm looking to purchase my first Handgunn, and here is my dilema, I've been reading up on both, but I'm not sure which to get a Kimber Custom Royal II, which I would add nightsights to, or a Springfield Parkerized 1911-A1 loaded, which comes with night sights. Or, is getting a 1911 for a first handgun just da dumb idea. I'm leaning towards the Kimber right now, but what do you all think?

[wichaka]

Welcome to the forum!

First of all, getting a 1911 for a first gun is not a dumb idea..........check out the name of the forum you're posting on...... :D

You will get folks here saying that they've never had a problem with either of them, then there's the folks who have had problems with both. There's good & bad with every maker.

I have nothing against the early Kimbers, the models which do not have the firing pin safety, they are very good guns.
But I don't care for the Series II models with the firing pin safety, or the models with the external extractors, nor will I work on them.


The SA Loaded is what I would call a good value of features for the money spent, plus it doesn't have the firing pin safety.
I have one that I carry on duty, and is very accurate.

Not sure if this helps or hinders your decision. But whichever you choose it should be a good gun for you, and you'll enjoy it. Just watch out for the 1911 disease..........usually one 1911 is never enough!

[Madman]

I think you're getting so close to the top of the non-custom food chain with either of the pistols you mentioned that personal preferences would be the determining factor. I'm a little fussy about the finish on my guns and I think the Kimber is slightly better in that regard (others may disagree) but if you're considering a parkerized Springfield, the finish might not be as high on your list of requirements. As for the night sights, I thought Kimber offered them as an option on the Custom Royal II. Maybe someone else can give better advice on that. I think the 1911 would make a fine first handgun, and second handgun, and third handgun..............

Regards,
Madman

[adam184]

I have both a Springfield and a Kimber. They are different models from the ones you have listed, but I do have to agree with MADMAN that the finish on the Kimber seems to be better.
As to wheather the 1911 would be a good first handgun? I would deffinatly say yes, BUT, to quote John "you need to put in the time to master it". It is a lot more complicated to strip and clean than most other auto's and it tends to have more recoil becasue of the serious calibre. That said if you get some lessons from a more experienced 1911 owner both on this forum and at the range/club that you attend you will have a blast ( pardon the pun) with the 1911. Enjoy.

[John]

I would go with Springfield, because I like the Novak Low Mounts more than the Heinie ones. But this is a very personal and biased opinion, so disregard it.

LoL

[Chuck S]

First M1911A1 pistol? I recommend this one for everyone! It may not be what you end up with as your personal favorite, but it'll be serviceable right out of the box and has little fluff on it other than the ambidextrous thumb safety (not fluff if you're left handed!) and the "front cooling vents."

Anything less than this will lack too many features you'll try to add. Anything more than this just gets cosmetics, and fluff.

Springfield model PX0109L should be in the $600 range.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/images/pistols/PX9109LLarge.jpg

-- Chuck

[Bwillis449]

Thats the one i'm really thinking about right now, it's got everything I want for a few hundred less than the Kimber. I found one at a deal near me for $627....

[Hawkmoon]

Thats the one i'm really thinking about right now, it's got everything I want for a few hundred less than the Kimber. I found one at a deal near me for $627....
I don't own either a Kimber or a Springfield but, if I were buying, I would buy Springfield. I have heard and read enough to know that Kimbers are no more reliable out of the box than anyone else's guns, and maybe less so. IMHO they are over-priced.

Plus, I share Wichaka's dislike of Kimber's departures from the "real" 1911 design.

[Kruzr]

Take a good look at both. Field strip them. There is no comparison to the Brazillian quality SA and the US made Kimber in terms of fit and finish. Feel the sharp edges on the SA vs. the finish of the Kimber. Feel how the Kimber has a higher cut under the trigger guard. Pull the triggers....the Kimber will have a better and crisper trigger than an SA loaded. If you get a chance, shoot each. In general, Kimbers will outshoot the SA loaded model.
If you are a purist, SA's ILS system is as much as a deviation in a 1911 as the Colt designed Kimber FP safety.

I had a very bad experience with SA's vaunted customer service program. They pay shipping where Kimber doesn't but that's the only area they are better in customer service. At least with Kimber, when you call about your gun, you can talk to someone who knows what they are talking about. When you call SA, you get a very polite young lady who can't do anything but issue you a return number or transfer your phone call to another polite young lady who doesn't know anything. Also, Kimber turnaround on customer service is the fastest in the business.

FWIW and IMO.

[wichaka]

Like I said, you're going to get differing opinions...........

Go to a range where they rent guns and try out both.........that might help you decide. I'm not going to advise which way to go.

But just to clarify a point...........the ILS on the SA is easier to remove than the Series II Schwartz type firing pin safety on the Kimber, as it involves both the frame & slide parts. The ILS is in the Mainspring housing only.

But don't take that as a recommendation for SA, I've shot both and they both shoot well.........it will come down to personal preference, what options are available with each gun, what you're going to use the gun for etc.

I've got several guys in a neighboring dept. that carry Kimbers on duty, you won't be able to pry their hands off 'em. I've done some minor work for them, and they seem just about as good as anything else out there.

Just as John said above.........he'd take the Loaded because of the sights, so it will come down to what you want on the gun, price, its use.

And waters continue to get more muddy!

[Kruzr]

And just to clarify a point, there is no reason to remove the FP safety from the slide of a Kimber. I know of one with over 100,000 rounds that has never had it removed. One of mine has over 25K without ever taking the sight off. It doesn't get dirty up there, you just spray it out. The only other part to the safety is a small rod on the sear pin. It comes out whenever you remove the sear.

Shoot both, you'll be able to tell the difference.

The internet scares and horror stories about the Series 2 safeties ended about 2 years ago. The latest complaint is the external extractors.........

[cottontoptexan]

When purchasing a new 45 i will add my 02 cents worth . Always get what you want the first time if you can afford it. Adding sights later to a GI or Mil-Spec can get expensive when you add the machine work and the costs of the sights.
I own Springfields and Kimbers and Colts and i think they are all very good guns made my excellent companies. The GI 4" Champion by SA is one i really like for the money. It has a ramped bushingless barrel and from day one will feed anything. Taking the advice of some of the excellent gunsmiths on these forums i changed out the extractor to a Wilson Bulletproof. Nothing wrong with the factory one, but many people had extractors breaking and i just wanted more confidence of what was in the gun.
Kimber makes one called the TLE II which has the Meprosights on it and the beavertail grip safety . Mine has the internal extractor. I personally like the design of the extractor on the inside and once installed correctly they hardly every give trouble. This Kimber runs around 799.00. Costs does go up when you go from a GI to the nicer finished guns with all the goodies. I do not completely strip a gun down to clean it. I use the aeresol cleaner to clean out the firing pin hole , and firing pin safety. I feel it is not necessary to completely dissasemble the slide to clean it thoroughly, but that is a personal opinion. Good shooting.