I would not buy any Kimber that has the Swartz type mechanical firing pin safety in it anymore. It sort of interests me that Kimber has not come out with more models without it like Colt is doing with so many of their new "Series 70" pistols. Or what S&W is doing with their E Series and new Perf Center pistols. Anyway the first Kimber I bought was in 2002. It was a Target Elite II. It was a $740 ouch from a LGS. One of the things that amazed me was the trigger pull. I usually don't even measure trigger pull on one of my Lyman or other gauges till I have put over 200 rounds through a 1911. This time I took it home and it measured about 3.5 lbs as I recall. Maybe light for a carry gun but this guy was a target pistol. Soon after I bought it I got a Kimber 22 conversion unit for it.
Fast forward and after a couple thousand rounds and I was out shooting it and it doubled on me. I checked it and stopped shooting it. When I took it home the trigger was now a lovely 1.5 lbs. Yes, I could have fixed it. To puff out my chest I have been shooting 1911s for over 50 years (not THAT old as I started when I was 9) and I have owned a couple hundred 1911s over the years. Anyway I dedicated the bottom to 22 conversion units. Not only Kimber, but Ciener and others. One thing of interest is my Colt conversion unit would not fit on the Kimber bottom, meaning it would not even slide on. Not a big deal as I have a number of Gold Cups to put it on. I ended up selling th Target Elite II to a friend. I let him shoot it and the conversion. He bought the pistol for over $800 but did not want the .22 conversion, so still have that.
Next was a Kimber Grand Raptor in 2005. A very expensive 1911 at about $1.3K in the day. Still very pretty. Not that impressive as far as accuracy goes. The only problem I had with it was the plastic MSH cracked a few years ago. Interesting as I have Colts going back to 1988 with their non metallic MSH and have had no problems. Anyway I ended up replacing it with a SS Wilson MSH which looks very close to the original. The Wilson did take some fitting by the way.
Anyway this guy stays in my shooty collection since it is such a nice looking pistol and it is the only example of a Kimber with the Swartz type mechanical firing pin safety. Now it also has the external extractor. I have not had problems with mine but I know Kimber went through four variations of it I think before they got it right. Also the shorter than 5inch pistols had more problems as I recall. I know one could send the pistol back and Kimber would replace the slide but for me it is another reason this guy stays in my collection.
The problems with the external extractor surprised me as it looked a lot like the one Glock uses. Go figure.
And the last Kimber I bought used. The fellow I bought it from was not even the second owner. Strangely it still had the original box and papers. it is a Stainless Gold Match which Kimber said was made in 2001, so a late model pre Series II. I got to field strip it and put a couple hundred rounds through it before I gave my friend $800 for it. Of course how much of it is original is a good question. The slide has the last three numbers of the serial number. The front sight no. The righty only thumb safety is wonderful, but not sure these came with righty only. I bought some new stocks for it. My friend had put on some double checkered ones which were not flat on the bottom so I ordered some from Kimber. Nice pistol but as I said, not sure how many of the fire control parts are original.
So two Kimbers at the moment and I will not buy any more Series II anything. If I stumble into another older one at a good price then maybe.
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