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1911 questions

Is that a Kimber?

If so, not a pos (unless it's a problem gun which Kimber had some trouble with a few years back), but a step backward from a pre-war commercial Colt.

It's like Mausers, the commercial rifles of the early 1900s were beautiful, the military rifles were quite rough in comparison and now I'm not sure what a modern Mauser really is. I know they exist but I think I have seen one with a plastic stock...

Here you go:

 
Is that a Kimber?

If so, not a pos (unless it's a problem gun which Kimber had some trouble with a few years back), but a step backward from a pre-war commercial Colt.

It's like Mausers, the commercial rifles of the early 1900s were beautiful, the military rifles were quite rough in comparison and now I'm not sure what a modern Mauser really is. I know they exist but I think I have seen one with a plastic stock...
Yes sir it is. I was pulling your leg a lil bit.
It's no LesBear custom, it's a working mans pistol.check out the pipe on this thing.20191130_113911.jpg
 
Yep, they really cost reduced the barrel bushing.

There are several ways to skin a cat. That one has a bull barrel and a few critical parts made by MIM.

Lucky for you, you can swap out the MIM parts if you feel like it and either way have a damn good gun that you can shoot without worrying about value.

My pre-war commercial Colt is similar, it's a custom so the value is not really changed by use despite what it is.
 
Quantity, quality or history?

A friend of mine has a Valtro which is high on quality. Mine is high on history but not the type of history people pay $$$ for. I have a couple more but I'm sure there are many people who have many more.
 
well gents... things got a little off topic... but here i pose another question... i think they are both decent guns so no bashing please.. but which has been recently made to higher standers... kimber, or springfields?
 
Springers without a doubt, starting with a forged frame and slide, 70 series ignition, and a true custom shop that will build you a hardballer ready to compete.
 
While I don't have much 1911 knowledge to share, I can say my Kimber Master Carry Custom is trouble free for me so far.
 
Springers without a doubt, starting with a forged frame and slide, 70 series ignition, and a true custom shop that will build you a hardballer ready to compete.
Agreed I've got a fondness for the Springfield.
 
Springfield's use induction hardened frames from Imbel last I heard.

I think the custom shop might finish the frames in house?

They are fine but I would rather have a US made forged/billet frame or even a Norinco.

The standard out of the box Kimber is pretty nice, they were the first affordable 1911 with most of the common custom stuff already done. A friend of mine had one when they first came out in the late 1990s or very early 2000s and it was nice but with the MIM and I'm not sure how the frame is made, I don't know about long term or hard use durability.

If you are just giving someone money and need a gun for competition, maybe the Springfield custom shop gets you there cheaper? It should be fine but I would pay for a better frame.
 
If you go to nighthawk or wilson combat and want them to build a pistol off of your own parts they only will use a springfield. That may tell you something. I have both built from their frames/slides and they are in the top 5 for custom 1911 lust. Cabot is the top of the heap and one day i shall own one i hope. Its the only top tier 1911 i havent owned or own. I have a fondness for a 1911 (those that know me know that). I wish i had every dime ive put into a 1911 variant over the last 30years so i could move up by SPJ in montana. If you want one built and have dreamed of certain features troy harp is the one that can bring your dreams to reality from engraving to gold inlay- your checkbook is the only limiting factor. He is in a league of his own i assure you. Its funny to think of the money i have stuck in my waistband- true safe queens to most any sane person
 
I know a lot of shops won't touch a Norinco because the steel is too tough and will wear out their cutters...

I haven't messed with 1911s to much recently but I seem to remember there being a few sources for nice forged frames but being in California, unavailable to me.

I'm much better at not being pissed off about things when I don't think about them so a lot of my project 1911 stuff is boxed up, waiting for me to move out of here and get more time on my hands.
 
For (himself ) my 1911 smith builds mainly off Caspian frames and slides, cylinder & slide ignition parts, barrels vary as do sights and small parts use to be Fusion iirc.
Ask him to recommend non custom , he points to Dan Wesson or Fusion arms.

Myself I like Colt National Match pistols.
 
im Looking for some information on 1911’s and thought you gentlemen/ladies might know... there is a 1911 on an auction today I am interested in.... it seems to be a colt 1911 frame from 1918... with a Remington type one slide from 1942/43.... I understand it’s a 1911 frame and a 1911-a1 slide... is this ok? Will it be safe to shoot ( after inspection and no issues found of course) any information and advice ASAP would be greatly appreciated

spike

Its our own intrigue that inspires us all, so go for it !
 
If you go to nighthawk or wilson combat and want them to build a pistol off of your own parts they only will use a springfield. That may tell you something. I have both built from their frames/slides and they are in the top 5 for custom 1911 lust. Cabot is the top of the heap and one day i shall own one i hope. Its the only top tier 1911 i havent owned or own. I have a fondness for a 1911 (those that know me know that). I wish i had every dime ive put into a 1911 variant over the last 30years so i could move up by SPJ in montana. If you want one built and have dreamed of certain features troy harp is the one that can bring your dreams to reality from engraving to gold inlay- your checkbook is the only limiting factor. He is in a league of his own i assure you. Its funny to think of the money i have stuck in my waistband- true safe queens to most any sane person
There is a member of this forum.. not sure when he has been on here last. I think that he has since deleted his account on here.. but a pistol smith from Neb.. Joe Chambers once made comment about MIM parts and was throughly chastised by many and called an idiot.. but those that made the comments don't build pistolies either.. they don't make pairs like this one
https://chamberscustom.com/chambers-custom-creations/

Dusty.. look at the lefty/righty set! Saweet!
 
1911's are a lot of fun, especially when they are very accurate and function without issue. I have several collectors, all Colt. When it comes to just going to the range and shooting I have a Kimber TLE/RLII. It is dead perfect accurate and has never, not one time ever failed to function. Maybe I got a good one, maybe I got the only good one they ever produced, but this one is fantastic and I would buy another one if I needed to. There isn't a gun I cannot own if I want it, but I just don't see a reason to go looking for anything else 1911. Hate 'em or love 'em...MIM or forged, Kimber works just fine for a shooter. How I arrived at this gun?? I wanted a 1911 with a rail for my night stand gun and at the time it was either this or the Springfield Operator. I wanted to try out both of them, but Operator's were just out and no where to be found. Had I stumbled upon one I would have bought it and probably posted this same post about the Operator!!!

Edit: one thing that surprised me about this Kimber, it has a silver colored plastic main spring housing!!! I purchased a stainless one because I figured it would soon give me trouble. Well, the stainless one is still in the package what, some 15 years later.
 
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