Stop knocking my Kimber

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Stan200

New member
I was at the range this weekend having a great time with a friend when I struck up a conversation with this guy. It started with him complimenting me on my shooting and the conversation quickly turned to what we were shooting. I showed proper respect to his Les Bear.."that's and awsome pistol...sure is pretty..wish I had one..yada..yada..yada". I was then very put off to find that he spent the next 15 minutes of my life informing me of what a piece of crap my Kimber TLE was (especially after he complimented my shooting).

I apologize that I can't justify spending two or more grand on one pistol right now, but for the love of god, I am so sick of this. In this miserable 15 minutes I did find out that he had never owned or fired a Kimber, never fired any other 1911 other than Les Bear, and he had bad breath.

Was his pistol better than mine? yes
Did I probably pay a little too much for mine? again, yes
Would I do it again? yes
If you can't say something nice (unsolicited) should you keep your pie hole shut? yes

Here I expect to hear everyone's opinions. Here opinions are sought after. However, knocking Kimbers has become somewhat of a sport which has flowed into the real world, and most of the people talking outside just regurgitate what they read. STOP IT! Take information from the net (with a grain of salt) for personal use. Never comment on anything that you don't know personaly. We'll all be better off.
 
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evan1293

New member
Thats annoying, I feel for you. I've had several les baers, kimbers and springers. I had one bad kimber (external extractor) the rest were excellent. Every kimber I owned was a better value than my les baers and for a defensive / carry gun, I probably would have chosen most of the kimbers over the baers.

Range folks get to be too much. They talk a lot and often times, know little. I shoot all glocks these days and I get the same nonsense from people (the few times I go to public firing ranges.) I've had some of these same people take a tactical class with me and find out that their beloved (fill in the blank)pistol doesn't run once you leave the static range and pick up the pace a bit.
 
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LockedBreech

New member
People are snobs, and for no good reason. Don't let it bother you. I have had my Honda Accord and my Beretta PX4 Storm knocked for all sorts of reasons, from where they were manufactured (people seem unaware that 60-70% of Honda's production process is in the US and gives US citizens jobs) or because of how much they cost (Retail 575 for my Storm). However, when push comes to shove, my Honda's never broken down in 6 years and my Storm's never failed to fire a round I fed it, including 8 year old corroded .40s I found in my late grandfather's ammo can.

Point being, if you like it, and it has not failed you, ignore the hot-air ramblings of those without personal experience, and enjoy your things. :)
 
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curt.45

New member
+1 LawScholar

dont knock my 22 y/o S-10!

or my AMT Hardballer!

(I have other guns too)

If you can't say something nice (unsolicited) should you keep your pie hole shut? yes
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I just Quoted this because I like it!
 
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VA9mm

New member
he spent the next 15 minutes of my life informing me of what a piece of crap my Kimber TLE was
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I would have told him where to stick his Les Bear. Enjoy your Kimber, you let that guy ramble on for about 13 minutes to long.

My guns are modest 870 express, Ruger GP-100, Beretta 90-TWO. I like them, they have never failed, and at the end of the day that's all that matters.

One day I will buy some expensive pieces, but I'm certainly not going to disparage anyone for what they own or don't.
 
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Jezz

New member
I know plenty of people who have guns worth 1000's of dollars and can't out shoot a guy with a 30 year old $200 pistol. They seem to think buying the best gun will make them the best. sure it helps but if you cant shoot to begin with whats the point?
 
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AZAK

New member
And I would venture to guess that even if you had been shooting a Wilson Combat, he would have taken the same 15 minutes to tell you how your gun was inferior to his.

For some the glass is always half full.
 
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got_the_itch

New member
If he was a complete stranger, I would have simply turned around and walked away from him. He would have gotten the point as you snubbed him the remaining time you were there.

Each and every gun chosen by an indivdual is a personal preference. Unless your grabbing a smokin hot deal to make a few bucks obviously. But I find it too be quite rude for anyone to voice their opinions about "your" gun. Your the one who picked it out, your the one that paid for it, your the one that shoots it, and uses it to defend what is yours.

Proper etiquette for him would have been too either keep his mouth shut and keep his opinions to himself. Or at the very least told how nice the gun was and then walked away and mumbled what ever he had to say to himself. I'm sure you wanted to smack this guy for his disrespect for you and your hard earned spent monies. I give you credit for not flipping the switch on him. And got totally ignorant, becuase we know how fellow shooters can sometimes get that way in regards to these convo's. I probably wouldn't have been able to keep my mouth shut. But thats just how I'm wired.

Enjoy your gun, everyone who knows guns knows that Kimber is a well respect brand. And I expect them to continue to be for years to come. The range guy poppin off at the mouth is obviously suffering from envy at your results from your Kimber.

Cheers,
GTI
 
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MisterPX

New member
Well, as a former owner of a Custom 2, I knock on Kimber. Turns out my Custom 2 couldn't make 500 rounds before things like the grip safety stopped working. Granted, I don't rely on the grip safety to do much, but if that became inop. within the break in period, what else would break when I start to actually use teh pistol.
 
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txstang84

New member
...wow...how rude. Well, nice of you at least to bite you tongue and not tell him just how disrespectful and uncouth it is to compliment someone on their abilities only to turn around and say the tool which you used was a POS. That's like saying, nice framing job on that house, too bad you used a hammer bought at Harbor Freight :rolleyes:

...some people's kids.
 
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Steeler Fan

New member
The first time he said something disparaging about the Kimber, you should have turned and walked away from him. You don't have to put up with bullcrap like that. I've owned 2 Kimbers and both have been great guns to shoot.

He is obviously like a lot of guns owners who think the only guns worth having are the one's they have. Having never shot one, he showed his own ignorance.

Momma told me many times: There is one in every crowd. You found the one.
 
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csmsss

New member
Heck, you didn't need to go to the range to have a total stranger rag on your pistol. Plenty of folks here will be happy to do that for you.
 
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Master Blaster

New member
You know I heard that same lecture from one of the Bullseye shooters at my club who has two identical les Baer customs (one for back up durring a match). I suggested that we put my custom classic target with my handloads in the club's ransom rest and compare it with the groups shot by his Les Baer, just for snorts and giggles.

We fired 4, 5 shot groups at 25 yards out of each gun. The Kimber Custom Classic average group size was .42". The les Baer was .63".:eek: LETS JUST SAY HE WAS SURPRISED, and I haven't heard a word about it since.:)

I own two kimbers, a custom classic 1997 production and a TLE II made in 2004 IIRC. Both have fired thousands of rounds with no issues at all, the CCT has about 30,000 target rounds fired with only 4 recoil spring and a couple wilson buffer (the blue plactic ones) changes. I also own 3 colts (including a Gold Cup national match) and a springfield, The kimbers are better made and better finished period.
 
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passintime

New member
I hate this attitude, but am seeing it more and more at IDPA events and on gun forums. Seems like there is something in the water these days.
 
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Steve1911

New member
Was his pistol better than mine? yes
Did I probably pay a little too much for mine? again, yes
Would I do it again? yes
If you can't say something nice (unsolicited) should you keep your pie hole shut? yes
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I know it is annoying sometimes when you answer a question with a question. But ...

WHY is his pistol "better" than yours? Was it the name on it, price tag, or did it shoot noticably better than yours?

But overall, If you were shooting as good as he was or better, imagine the flak you would have been subjected to if you were shooting a real piece of crap like a Hipoint or Taurus...:D
 
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EnoughGUN

New member
kimber

Should have just shot him in the knee and said "I don't know... works pretty damn good from where I'm standing"

I don't have a pile of expensive guns, my 5.7 and Witness Limited are the most expensive guns I own but I don't rag on other peoples guns at the range. Actually take any chance I get to try other peoples guns.
 
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Colt1911forever

Moderator
Blame Kimber not him. He was rude IMHO but Kimber went from a very good small line producer of some of the nicest production 1911s to an over priced lack of of attention piece of junk.

There was a time when volume was everything to Kimber. When you run a business there are two major pitfalls that can kill a company when it comes to volume.

Not enough sales which is obvious. What too many do not realize is that too many sales can kill a company just as quickly. Kimber expanded production to meet growing demand without real internal changes to keep the quality high.

They paid a very heavy price for it in the market place. These days I here less "real" issues with the pistols that they are currently producing but the damage is done.

A question for you however is why do you give a crap about what the guy thought?
 
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Colt1911forever

Moderator
I know it is annoying sometimes when you answer a question with a question. But ...

WHY is his pistol "better" than yours? Was it the name on it, price tag, or did it shoot noticably better than yours?

But overall, If you were shooting as good as he was or better, imagine the flak you would have been subjected to if you were shooting a real piece of crap like a Hipoint or Taurus...
Click to expand...

The Les Baer line is about as good as it gets. It is up there in the top 3 of semi-custom builders out there. They are things of beauty. I own a TRS and it is my nicest 1911 by far.

I also own Colts & Dan Wessons. I have owned a Sig, SA Gunsite pistol (worked on by a young Ted Yost), Norinco etc.....

The Baer simply feels different in the hand. It is dead nuts accurate. It is capable of accuracy that I am not capable of. It's fit and finish are excellent. The tightest bushing I have ever come across. It simply is awesome.

That does not mean that the Kimber is crap but the Baer is better.
 
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