I'm in the market for a 1911, and I recently saw a Kimber Custom II for roughly $800 at a local gun shop, and I really liked the look of it. I have heard mixed opinions about Kimber, and I wanted to know if the Custom II is really worth it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!!
Kimber Custom II Worth $800?
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LockedBreech
New member
When you get into the $1,000-1,200 range I lose my taste for Kimber due to so many excellent options in that price range (Colt, Dan Wesson, etc.). However, at the $800 mark I think the Kimber Custom II is very competitive.
sigcurious
New member
Seems about right to me. When I bought mine a couple years ago that was pretty much the going price. One thing to keep an eye on, particularly based on your local climate, is the barrel. They are(or at least were, I am not aware of a change) made of white carbon steel, leaving them more prone to surface rust.
It does not seem to be a real issue with normal care, when I purchased mine I was living on the beach and had no issues.
It does not seem to be a real issue with normal care, when I purchased mine I was living on the beach and had no issues.
Eight_is_enough
New member
There are a whole lot of happy Kimber folks out there or they wouldn't be the top-selling brand year after year. I really like my CII. I've had it about a year. The ONLY thing I don't like about it is that you have to knock the rear sight off to remove the Swartz firing pin block in order to get the firing pin out. I could solve the problem by having the FP block removed, but I prefer to have it there. Every now and then you read a post about someone who dropped a 1911 and it went off. Or a hammer slips out from under a thumb and causes an accidental discharge. As long as I am careful to not depress the grip safety AT ALL while uncocking my CII, the FP block will keep it from firing, at least in theory.
I'm hoping I can take care of the powder residue build-up that takes place in any FP chamber with a good douching with solvent every now and then. And since I shoot only a few hundred rounds per year, it may be 20 years or more before the residue would build up enough to be a problem.
And it is pretty simple for a smith to knock the sight off, clean the FP and chamber and put the sight back on. Either way, it is worth it to me to retain the FP block.
I don't worry about the fact that my old Colt does not have a FP block, but neither would I remove one from a gun that had it. I say this because if you buy the CII you will have umpteen people telling you that you simply MUST remove the "stupid firing pin block." As with any pioneers (Kimber pioneered the serious use of the Swartz FP block, though Colt put it in a few guns several decades ago), Kimber's Swartz system has a lot of critics.
If you buy read the manual carefully, especially p. 15 which tells you to be careful to not depress the grip safety when removing or replacing the slide, and that can damage the Swartz system.
So yes, there is some controversy, but I would not let it stop me from buying another Kimber. I think ALL 1911's are over-priced, but then I'm not putting in the hours to make them. $800 new is a good price at your local gunshop.
I'm hoping I can take care of the powder residue build-up that takes place in any FP chamber with a good douching with solvent every now and then. And since I shoot only a few hundred rounds per year, it may be 20 years or more before the residue would build up enough to be a problem.
And it is pretty simple for a smith to knock the sight off, clean the FP and chamber and put the sight back on. Either way, it is worth it to me to retain the FP block.
I don't worry about the fact that my old Colt does not have a FP block, but neither would I remove one from a gun that had it. I say this because if you buy the CII you will have umpteen people telling you that you simply MUST remove the "stupid firing pin block." As with any pioneers (Kimber pioneered the serious use of the Swartz FP block, though Colt put it in a few guns several decades ago), Kimber's Swartz system has a lot of critics.
If you buy read the manual carefully, especially p. 15 which tells you to be careful to not depress the grip safety when removing or replacing the slide, and that can damage the Swartz system.
So yes, there is some controversy, but I would not let it stop me from buying another Kimber. I think ALL 1911's are over-priced, but then I'm not putting in the hours to make them. $800 new is a good price at your local gunshop.
Pal of mine has a saying, "friends don't let friends buy Kimbers".
I thought that sounded funny but was patently untrue. Kimber makes some beautiful pistols, and they invest in some outstanding advertising...and was previously stated, the seem to have a dedicated following giving them repeat business. Must be something good going on.
I thought that sounded funny but was patently untrue. Kimber makes some beautiful pistols, and they invest in some outstanding advertising...and was previously stated, the seem to have a dedicated following giving them repeat business. Must be something good going on.
I've had one for close to 10 years with no issues at all. At one time Kimbers's higher end guns used an external extractor. While an external extractor done right is just fine, these appear to be the versions that gave Kimber a bad rap. I have never heard any complaints about their base model Custom II that always came with an internal extractor.
Is it worth $800 used? I don't know for sure. But I do think you will like the gun if you can get it at a fair price.
Is it worth $800 used? I don't know for sure. But I do think you will like the gun if you can get it at a fair price.
viciouskitty
New member
I bought a lightly used kimber custom II last year, I paid 725.00 it's been an outstanding gun! I've put around 800 rounds thru it so far. about 300 of them being reloads. I have only had one hang up and that was the first range trip where the gun failed to fully go into battery. I just tapped it and it went right in. Other than that the gun has been great, showing very good accuracy for me shooting it. It even helped me win my division in a couple local idpa matches. For the money its a bit high I would try and talk him down from 800 but I would recommend the kimber.
thedudeabides
New member
No.
You can get an RO or a Colt 80 Ser. Gov model for that money, and those are both much better guns. The Colt will keep its value most of the three.
You can get an RO or a Colt 80 Ser. Gov model for that money, and those are both much better guns. The Colt will keep its value most of the three.
My 2 brothers own Custom II's, several of my co-workers own them also....never a problem from any of them....
I personally own 2 that I purchased used.
The top one is an Eclipse Custom II .45 ACP that I got for $600 and the bottom one is a Stainless Target II 9mm that cost me $650....I got the better gun cheaper....go figure.
My Kimbers have been 100% with whatever I've fed...$800 is an ok price and I know that the new ones go for around there. You could probably do much better on the used market and still get an excellent gun.
I personally own 2 that I purchased used.
The top one is an Eclipse Custom II .45 ACP that I got for $600 and the bottom one is a Stainless Target II 9mm that cost me $650....I got the better gun cheaper....go figure.
My Kimbers have been 100% with whatever I've fed...$800 is an ok price and I know that the new ones go for around there. You could probably do much better on the used market and still get an excellent gun.
No it's not worth $800.
That's the thing that gets me with Kimber, they use a ton of MIM parts, put lousy finishes on their 1911's and even give you a nice plastic mainspring housing for all the money you paid.
I've had them and the only real difference between a $700 Kimber and a $1500 Kimber is a slightly different finish (maybe), they might put night sights on it for you and a few cosmetic changes, like the style of checkering used, otherwise same gun and they furnish you with only 1 junky magazine. They call their full size "Custom" yet they're about as custom as a big mac at McD's.
They shoot okay, but for the price there are better options.
That's the thing that gets me with Kimber, they use a ton of MIM parts, put lousy finishes on their 1911's and even give you a nice plastic mainspring housing for all the money you paid.
I've had them and the only real difference between a $700 Kimber and a $1500 Kimber is a slightly different finish (maybe), they might put night sights on it for you and a few cosmetic changes, like the style of checkering used, otherwise same gun and they furnish you with only 1 junky magazine. They call their full size "Custom" yet they're about as custom as a big mac at McD's.
They shoot okay, but for the price there are better options.
Eight_is_enough
New member
And I suppose you think the Ruger is a better deal? I remember when the Ruger single action, the Redhawk, the Mini-14, the M7, the Red Label, the Gold Label, et cetera came on the market. The were all OKAY, but by no means great guns. Ruger has never made a great gun. Are we supposed to now believe that Ruger is making a GREAT 1911 for $600? Because Kimber was known for making GREAT rifles before they got into 1911's, and the Kimber CII is a GREAT gun for $750 - 800.
I agree you can pay a lot for bling with the high-end Kimbers, but there is no better deal, day in and day out, than the CII.
I agree you can pay a lot for bling with the high-end Kimbers, but there is no better deal, day in and day out, than the CII.
LockedBreech
New member
Untrue. The Security and Service Six revolvers are considered some of their best revolvers of their era, the GP-100 regularly competes with the more-expensive S&W 686 on fairly even footing, Ruger single-action revolvers like the Blackhawk are some of the best on the market, and the 10/22 is an affordable, versatile and highly reliable design.
SR1911 versus Custom II in the $800 bracket is a legitimate debate, but the statement that Ruger has never made a great gun doesn't hold water.
Eight_is_enough
New member
Okay, maybe I was a little harsh, but even if you are right I am still left looking at a dubious track record over all, at best. I would certainly not trust them to get a notoriously difficult design like the 1911 right.
Many people have very low opinions of Kimber 1911's and that's fine, they are allowed to think what they want. But all I can do is speak from the experience that I've had with a dozen or so Kimbers. They've all been the full sized government models so I cannot comment on the other sizes. It's tough for me to get hung up on MIM parts and plastic main spring housings when all they've done for me is work perfectly......
boondocker385
New member
From my experience with kimbers they are good as long as you don't roll around on the ground and expose them to dirt. They are too tightly fit for that kind of use.