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M1911 · June 20, 2008, 11:41 AM

None of the above.

I've got a Para P14. It has suffered many failures to feed. In addition, after a couple thousand rounds through it the hammer started following the slide down. So I had to have the hammer, sear, and disconnector replaced. In addition, the slide itself is very soft, and as a result the slide stop notch has become badly misshapen.

I also have a Springfield Armory 1911. This gun had Springfield's two-piece barrel and was very inaccurate even though barrel lockup was quite good. Shot side-by-side, my 4" Kimber Compact was significantly more accurate than my 5" Springfield. In addition, the Springfield had significant creep in the trigger and a disconnector with a bad blade that was not even close to straight. Finally, I don't like the profile of the front strap on the Springfield -- it is very square and blocky. I've since had the Springfield gun's problems fixed (new hammer and sear, new barrel, new bushing), but now I've got as much into the gun as a low-end custom.

I wouldn't get a Series II Kimber because I'm not sold on the Schwartz style safety. I suggest you save your money and get a higher end gun like a Wilson or find a good 1911 gunsmith and go full custom.

June 20, 2008, 11:41 AM	#7
M1911 Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2000 Posts: 4,055	None of the above. I've got a Para P14. It has suffered many failures to feed. In addition, after a couple thousand rounds through it the hammer started following the slide down. So I had to have the hammer, sear, and disconnector replaced. In addition, the slide itself is very soft, and as a result the slide stop notch has become badly misshapen. I also have a Springfield Armory 1911. This gun had Springfield's two-piece barrel and was very inaccurate even though barrel lockup was quite good. Shot side-by-side, my 4" Kimber Compact was significantly more accurate than my 5" Springfield. In addition, the Springfield had significant creep in the trigger and a disconnector with a bad blade that was not even close to straight. Finally, I don't like the profile of the front strap on the Springfield -- it is very square and blocky. I've since had the Springfield gun's problems fixed (new hammer and sear, new barrel, new bushing), but now I've got as much into the gun as a low-end custom. I wouldn't get a Series II Kimber because I'm not sold on the Schwartz style safety. I suggest you save your money and get a higher end gun like a Wilson or find a good 1911 gunsmith and go full custom.