Are all Kimber 1911 stainless steel?

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pete2

New member
Can anyone tell me if all current KImber 1911s are stainless? I read this on the Clark webpage.
 
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Venom1956

New member
They still have some blued ones don't they? AFAIK bluing doesn't work well on stainless. So it would seem those need to be carbon.
 
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TacticalDefense1911

New member
There are several Kimbers that have both carbon steel frames and slides or a stainless frame and carbon steel slide. I believe the Custom II does not have a stainless steel barrel either.
 
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pete2

New member
I was referring to the frames and slides. I bought a black one, I wouldn't knowingly buy a stainless 1911.
 
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Venom1956

New member
Few Kimber barrels are actually stainless. Most are white carbon steel, which is prone to rusting
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^^^ LOL ikr?! I remember when our local PD switched to kimbers from glocks! LOLOLOL ruined guns abound after one winter.
 
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KyJim

New member
Few Kimber barrels are actually stainless. Most are white carbon steel, which is prone to rusting.
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Yep, a lot folks think they are stainless and find out differently the hard way.

I wouldn't knowingly buy a stainless 1911.
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Why? While a "carbon steel" 1911 can theoretically be made more accurate, that's seldom the case in in even top of the line 1911s. Any other reason?
 
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Tom Servo

Staff
Yep, a lot folks think they are stainless and find out differently the hard way.
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Here's one that sat in a glove compartment for two weeks:

kimber_rust.jpg


No other part of the gun showed any sort of rust. What meager advantage in accuracy the choice of steel might impart, it's not worth that.
 
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AZAK

New member
What meager advantage in accuracy the choice of steel might impart, it's not worth that.
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A couple of years ago I was looking at some different 1911s at two different gun shops. Pulling back the slides of different models, I found that the barrel rust can be seen (on this day at both locations) on new under the counter glass top Kimbers.

This was the last time that I have pulled back a Kimber slide.
 
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TacticalDefense1911

New member
Why? While a "carbon steel" 1911 can theoretically be made more accurate, that's seldom the case in in even top of the line 1911s. Any other reason?
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Stainless steel will abrade against itself. Colt actually adds carbon to its stainless steel to help alleviate this. That is about the only other reason I can think of.
 
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LockedBreech

New member
Tom Servo, holy cow on that barrel rust. My PX4 has spent over a month stuffed in a dank garage and it didn't even have a mark on it. And it's only a ~$500 gun. I'd be furious if I spent $1,500 on a pistol and that happened.
 
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pete2

New member
Amen, Arch. I'm not worried about the BBl and it may be stainless, it's bright and no rust or discoloration. I don't want a SS slide and frame. Stainless will gall on itself. It's fine if one half is SS and the other is carbon steel. I have a Combat Elite, SS bottom, carbon steel top, very loose slide to frame fit. No problem with it. I have a SS 92FS, slide is SS, frame is aluminum, no problem. Kimber fits the slide to the frame a lot closer than Colt does, I've been using grease on the rails but I thought the gun was carbon steel. It seems tighter now than when I bought it but I can't see any signs of galling.
 
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Venom1956

New member
Stainless shouldn't gall on it self. That is an issue when they make the slide and frame out of the same hardness of stainless. usually one or the other is softer. I haven't heard of a SS pistol galling since AMT made the original stainless steel 1911s.

Not saying nowadays its not possible. just unlikely. We know how to make pistols outta SS now. Then again if its kimbers QC all bets are off. ;)
 
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Rinspeed

New member
Few Kimber barrels are actually stainless. Most are white carbon steel, which is prone to rusting.
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I have no idea what "white carbon steel" is but many of the top 1911 smiths use Kart barrels which have always been made of carbon steel. :confused:
 
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Venom1956

New member
white carbon steel = carbon steel that hasn't recieved a finish yet. usually carbon steel is 'better' for firearm requirements while stainless is close but holds up better to the elements.
 
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KyJim

New member
Stainless steel will abrade against itself. Colt actually adds carbon to its stainless steel to help alleviate this. That is about the only other reason I can think of.
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If by "abrading" you are referring to galling, 1911 manufacturers learned many years ago to use slightly different types of stainless to avoid this problem.
 
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