Talk Me Out of Buying a Kimber Super Carry Ultra HD

[churchmouse]

You may have built it but you ain't freakin' touching this one buddy. LOL! Not jinxin' this little jewel.

Ha....Coward.....

 

[halfmileharry]

Ha....Coward.....

Uh..Maybe?

 

[iChokePeople]

No, it's just that guns (like cars, refrigerators, or any other product) are objects with moving parts that can fail, meaning that every manufacturer makes lemons now and then. If they didn't, we wouldn't have repairmen, gunsmiths, or warranties.
Maybe you never got a good Kimber. I have four and didn't get a lemon in the bunch.
It's a crapshoot.

I agree completely, but in my limited experience with 1911s, you're more likely to get a problematic 3" gun than you are a problematic 5" gun, all other things being equal. It would be nice to have good numbers. I would wager that if you COULD get those numbers, you'd find that there are more issues with Kimber Super Carry Ultra HDs than with Kimber Super Carry Custom HDs (the 5" version), and I'd wager that those results generally hold true for other brands, not just a Kimber thing. I would have to have a lot more problem-free rounds through a 3" gun, ANY 3" gun, before I would bet my life on it than I would with an otherwise equal 5" gun. I could probably get there, but it would take some time.

I'd be interested in hearing from any of the reputable trainers out there who run DEMANDING classes about their experiences with 3" 1911s, especially given that 5" guns already have kind of a spotty reputation in those kinds of classes.

I wouldn't try to talk the OP out of a Kimber, just to be sure that he/she really wants a 3" gun and the "complexities" that tend to find their way to the 3" guns. Those Super Carry HDs are very sexy, and if a 3" gun is the definite path, there's no other one I'd say is clearly better.

 

[sig1473]

I've had 3 Kimbers. 2 of them ran fine(Kimber Ultra .40 & Kimber Custom TLE II). The Kimber Custom TLE II is lights out accurate only being rivaled by the USP Tact. 45. The other 1(Kimber Tactical Pro II) just needed a replacement of the sear pin. After that it ran fine just fine. My only 2 gripes with Kimber are the KimPro finish which is an absolute joke and how the barrels are still in the white and tend to rust.

Now onto Springfields. I've owned 2 of these(Loaded Champion and Micro Compact). These 2 were absolute garbage with the Loaded Champion being sent back to Springfield. Both guns had plenty of FTEs and FTFs. I don't know if maybe it was because they were older guns with Imbel frames, but I can't find myself buying another one If I buy another 1911, it will be a Dan Wesson or above price range(i.e. Wilson/Nighthawk/Ed Brown).

 

[NyleRN]

No, it's just that guns (like cars, refrigerators, or any other product) are objects with moving parts that can fail, meaning that every manufacturer makes lemons now and then. If they didn't, we wouldn't have repairmen, gunsmiths, or warranties.
Maybe you never got a good Kimber. I have four and didn't get a lemon in the bunch.
It's a crapshoot.

Why not just buy a 1911 with a good rep and not worry about playing craps? It's your money, but I've learned my lesson with the 3" 1911s. One them was a kimber. Not worth the headache to gamble a $1000 on. I tell people if they want to practice clearing malfunctions buy a compact kimber

 

[Expat]

I must have forgotten to tell my Kimber Tactical Ultra II (3" barrel) that it was supposed to not run after 7 years and thousands of rounds through it without a problem. I have had three Kimbers (3", 4" and 5" barrels) with their crappy MIM parts and zero issues, goosh my luck is usually a lot suckier then that.

I don't need to patiently wait for Churchmouse to tell me about my experiences with Kimber.

Ditto to my experience with the exact same model. I EDCed this for several years. I shot it enough that I had to replace the recoil spring assembly recently. Great pistol.

No feeding malfunctions here. I wonder why Kimber has sold so many guns...

 

[NyleRN]

I agree completely, but in my limited experience with 1911s, you're more likely to get a problematic 3" gun than you are a problematic 5" gun, all other things being equal. It would be nice to have good numbers. I would wager that if you COULD get those numbers, you'd find that there are more issues with Kimber Super Carry Ultra HDs than with Kimber Super Carry HDs (the 5" 'custom' verion), and I'd wager that those results generally hold true for other brands, not just a Kimber thing. I would have to have a lot more problem-free rounds through a 3" gun, ANY 3" gun, before I would bet my life on it than I would with an otherwise equal 5" gun. I could probably get there, but it would take some time.

I'd be interested in hearing from any of the reputable trainers out there who run DEMANDING classes about their experiences with 3" 1911s, especially given that 5" guns already have kind of a spotty reputation in those kinds of classes.

I wouldn't try to talk the OP out of a Kimber, just to be sure that he/she really wants a 3" gun and the "complexities" that tend to find their way to the 3" guns. Those Super Carry HDs are very sexy, and if a 3" gun is the definite path, there's no other one I'd say is clearly better.

Reputable trainers will tell you right off the bat not to buy a 3" 1911. If you need to hear it for yourself then I'm sure someone can dig up Larry Vickers take on it

 

[tetsujin79]

Buy your Kimber, get some Wilson 47D mags, detail strip/clean/lube it, then hand cycle or shoot the snot out of it until you don't feel or hear the slide drag anymore.


Now some more opinion...

You want a flawless feeder? Get a 1911 with either a ramped frame or a ramped barrel. Of all the brands of 1911 I've owned (SIG, Colt, PARA), they've all had either the frame or barrel ramped and I've never had a malfunction related to the gun. Could just be my experience, but then why do all the HS/LD guns have ramps?

Frankly, the old saw about the mag being the issue seems to be true in my experience. The Saint J. Browning made an awesome gun, but dear lord, those magazine followers!!!

IMHO, I think the whole super tight tolerance thing is hype. Yeah, it might make a skilled shooter THAT. MUCH. MORE. ACCURATE. But on the whole, all that tightness is more likely to slow down the slide, jam up with powder, case burrs, & bullet jacket crud.

EDIT: The Colt I had was a 3" New Agent in .45. Alloy ramped frame. Thing was awesome, no troubles, soft shooter (OEM captured double recoil spring). It also came a part like a SIG P series (slide & spring assembly came off the frame in one piece).

Also, needing a special tool to field strip a gun is kinda wonky...

 

[kawtech87]

I don't know if maybe it was because they were older guns with Imbel frames, but I can't find myself buying another one If I buy another 1911, it will be a Dan Wesson or above price range(i.e. Wilson/Nighthawk/Ed Brown)

That is one of the reasons I have read as to why Springfield shut down the operation in Brazil and moved everything back in house at the IL factory. To many variables in production, and not tight enough QC.

Both Springers I have are made in IL and run great. Both are 5" guns one a Loaded Stainless the other an MC Operator. I also have a Sig Traditional Compact that has seen a 1k rounds at least and is still running strong. It did have 2 FTFeeds in the fist few hundred rounds, with some dirty WWB FMJ ammo, but has been flawless since, even with WWB ammo. But it could have been the mags too. I don't know who Sig uses to make their OEM 1911 mags but the ones that came with it are awful. One can't even be loaded all the way and they are not able to be taken apart to be fixed. It never had a problem with WC mags.

 

[Cam]

I'm late to the conversation here but I'll go ahead and toss my experiences in. I won't talk the OP out of his purchase either if that is what he wants. They are nice guns. A nice gun's relation to the corresponding price point is up to each individual...

I've had several 3" and 3.5" 1911's (Kimber and Colt) and have not had a single failure in either range shooting or IDPA matches. Guess I am just lucky.

I will say to the OP that if you are still on the fence and are in the market for a 3" 1911 I have two words: Colt. Defender.

 

[tetsujin79]

I will say to the OP that if you are still on the fence and are in the market for a 3" 1911 I have two words: Colt. Defender.

 

[churchmouse]

Looks like we are about 5/50 on pro/con.
Not done the specific math just a guess.

 

[halfmileharry]

Looks like we are about 5/50 on pro/con.
Not done the specific math just a guess.

Close enough. 6 of one...half dozen of the other

 

[tetsujin79]

Looks like we are about 5/50 on pro/con.
Not done the specific math just a guess.

Close enough. 6 of one...half dozen of the other

Yahtzee!

 

[JetGirl]

more likely to get a problematic 3" gun than you are a problematic 5" gun,

Well, that's kind of a "duh" with anything going smaller and smaller... But in this instance, you're taking a design meant for round nose/hard ball through 5"... and shortening the frame, the barrel, and asking it to feed something flat like self defense HP rounds. Kerrderr.
So, yeah... I'll give you that. HOWEVER, in my experience with that very subject, Wilson Combat mags have "fixed" every issue hollow points in a compact frame have caused. YMMV

Why not just buy a 1911 with a good rep and not worry about playing craps?

Maybe I have a bunch of different ones. Maybe.

It's your money

That's right.

I've learned my lesson with the 3" 1911s.

That's right... YOUR lesson. Your experiences are not mine, are not his, are not the next guy's.

One them was a kimber. Not worth the headache to gamble a $1000 on. I tell people if they want to practice clearing malfunctions buy a compact kimber

Thanks for your opinion.

 

[88E30M50]

I can't talk you out of it. I had one and it was far more reliable than the fabled Glock 19 I have. It's one of the few guns I regret selling. Short 1911s are not necessarily less reliable, but they are awfully unforgiving of a lack of maintenance. Short 1911s need spring changes more often and should be cleaned and lubed often. If one is set up correctly and if they are maintained well, they will run with the best of them.

 

[churchmouse]

I can't talk you out of it. I had one and it was far more reliable than the fabled Glock 19 I have. It's one of the few guns I regret selling. Short 1911s are not necessarily less reliable, but they are awfully unforgiving of a lack of maintenance. Short 1911s need spring changes more often and should be cleaned and lubed often. If one is set up correctly and if they are maintained well, they will run with the best of them.

The light weight Pro Shop offerings I had just felt klunky. FTE/FTF. Draggy triggers. Hard to describe on a key board. The other 2 just never impressed me for the price point. Call me nuts or what ever but I hold to a standard when I drop north of 1K on a hand gun.

The ultra carry was the worst. It took a lot of work to get it to run. It was more than just the Mags although that did help some. Once that was done it found a new home.

 

[IUprof]

Just not up to the price point. Not all that accurate. It would stove pipe too much. I fixed that but it was very mag ammo picky. For the price it should have been a better gun. I did not trust it for a carry gun.

It was very pretty so it had that going for it.

it IS pretty. I've not had any feeding issues in about 300 rounds so far and this with reloads. Chip McCormick, SA and Ruger mags. But YMMV. I also like my RO

 

[iChokePeople]

So... more likely to be problematic by a factor of "duh", but let's not bring that up in a thread in which the OP asked us to talk him out of it.

Look, I'm a little inept at social stuff, so I might be way off base here, but when *I* see that, I assume that the OP is not playing "do I look fat in these jeans" games and really wants what he says he wants -- to know the bad side of the gun in question and the things he might want to consider. OP, if you really want us to just tell you what a wonderful choice it is, I apologize for missing your real intent.

Having said all of that, here's my last, most honest answer: I love 1911s. I don't hate Kimber. Yes, you pay extra because they look sexy, but isn't that always the case? I have no problem with that. If you were my son, or someone I know and care about, I would try to talk you out of a 3" 1911. First, I'd try to ascertain whether you really NEED to go that small, or just can't grow up, MTFU, and get rid of your skinny jeans. On the chance that you REALLY, no-kidding, have no choice but to go that small, I'd suggest a Glock 26. I know, it's heresy, but that's the way I would steer my sons if they came to me with this issue. Either figure out a way to carry at least a commander-sized 1911, or get a glock 26.

YMMV.

Peace, out.

 

[churchmouse]

it IS pretty. I've not had any feeding issues in about 300 rounds so far and this with reloads. Chip McCormick, SA and Ruger mags. But YMMV. I also like my RO

Yup.....damn "Pretty" pistol



I just wish it would have ran.