Kimber vs. Springfield

[ElectricHellfire]

Been burned on Kimbers. Ill never buy another. Go with the Springfield.

(or a Glock) Thats for you Sturmgewehre!

[kenjs1]

Kimber Pro Carry. This might help you.
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review...a_ProCarry.htm

[Sturmgewehre]

It helps me... remember why I like SA so much.

The committee pored over its measurements and test results and came up with the Springfield Armory Champion 1911-A1 as its No. 1 choice. The 1911 is a significantly smaller and lighter gun than the Beretta.

However, because of haggling over the price, the Springfield dropped off the list and the Kimbers surfaced.

[MrNiceGuy]

springfield is a better pistol and a better company.... whereas kimber is less expensive for a reason
that's not to say kimber is 100% bad... but it's dug itself a hole with spotty workmanship and absolutely atrocious customer service


i'd vote for springfield, hands down

[shepherddogs]

I don't buy the notion that any Springfields are made in US. From what I understand the parts are shipped from Brazil and partially assembled in the US. And this is only on a small fraction of their top of the line guns. Thats just what I've been told. The company does make some pretty decent 1911s but I still prefer Kimbers.

[MrNiceGuy]

if kimber customer service is par for the course with US made guns.... then i'd never buy another US made gun.....ever

promoting a horrible company solely because of where the parts are cast is asinine imo

pride in american products was built on quality.
I wont continue to support a bad american company solely out of pitty

[Sturmgewehre]

I don't buy the notion that any Springfields are made in US. From what I understand the parts are shipped from Brazil and partially assembled in the US.

If that were the case, then they would be marked "made in Brazil" like the guns made in Brazil.

If you took the time to learn something about Springfield Armory, you would learn that when they started making 1911's they produced them all in house, 100% from the ground up from forgings.

In case there is any confusion, this is a raw forging.



A few years later they contracted with Imbel of Brazil (one of the largest arms makers in our hemisphere) to reduce cost. All the while they maintained their ability to manufacture 1911's in house and continued to do so for their custom and high-end guns.

Today they continue to make 5,000 handguns a year or so.



Now, if SA isn't making 1911's domestically, what are they declaring to the BATF? The XD's which are clearly made in Croatia? Humm... probably not. The only handguns they make are 1911's.

So, they do small runs of various models in their line-up. You can tell the US made guns from the Brazilian made guns two ways; 1) they lack any reference to Brazil on them and 2) their serial numbers begin with NM.

You can choose to believe what you've "heard" or you can accept the facts. If you love Kimber and hate SA, then it's pretty easy to continue to parrot the falsehood that all SA's are made in Brazil. If you're not bias and are open to learning something, then you will accept this fact.

All I buy are US made SA's. I feel, and with good reason, they are superior in fit and finish to the Brazilian made guns.

Oh, and yes, the frames for all SA's are forged in Brazil. The final machining (rails, flats, internal finishing, etc.) are all done here on the US models. If it was a box of parts coming in from Brazil that was being assembled here, the frames would have to be marked "Brazil" to get in the country as they would be firearms and would have to be declared to the ATF including their serial number. What SA gets are forged, uncut frames without serial numbers as a forging isn't a firearm. Everything on a US made gun looks different upon close inspection. You also have to ask yourself, why would Imbel import a box of parts and import complete firearms at the same time? That makes no sense, if they were making all SA's from the ground up they would just ship the completed guns.

[Captain Bligh]

I believe Springfield's forgings are coming from Brazil. The ones stamped made in the US are finished and assembled here from imported parts/materials. If you think that Springfield is a US pistol in the same manner that Kimber or Colt are, I think you are mistaken.

Not that it makes much of difference to me. My Browing was made in Belgium. My Sig didn't come from US either -- all great guns.

[sammy69]

I LOVE my Kimber. It is a Stainless Target II that is STILL out to Cylinder and Slide for a 2.5lb. action job and magazine well. That gun has been more reliable than my other two 1911's, Baer TRS and Wilson CQB. I am looking foward to getting it home. IMO it is a much better made gun than the Springfield loaded. All the Springfields have been awful. The triggers and safteys feel like sandpaper.

[Officer's Match]

I'd probably take a Kimber given those two as the options. And plan on spending some effort to get it where I want it to be.