Springfield or Kimber?

Bennett Richards · October 4, 2005, 04:13 PM

I just had a look at a new Springfield Operator (marine) with the Green finish on the receiver and black on the slide. It has a light rail. Looked real nice.

I was just wondering if the Springers are as nice as Kimbers at that level? Are they all using MIM parts? Will they hold up.. and are they as accurate?

I have a Kimber compact Stainless that the great Dane Burns worked on for me and it will shoot under an inch at 25 yards... I have replaced all of its MIM parts. Since I want a gun with a rail I was thinking of having a smith fit a full-size rail frame to my Kimber Compact slide... Might be cheaper...

So what's the take on Kimber VS Springfiled?

Thanks,

Ben

Eghad · October 4, 2005, 05:46 PM

I couldnt decide so I bought one of each

SA Loaded Champion and a KA Tact pro II

delta58 · October 4, 2005, 06:12 PM

Just bought a Kimber Pro carry ten II. I can't see how anything could be much sweeter. I think I like it better than my Colt commander.

LoadIt · October 5, 2005, 01:51 PM

Kimber is American Made. Springfield is Brazil.

Padawan · October 5, 2005, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoadIt

Kimber is American Made. Springfield is Brazil.

What point are you trying to convey? Unless one prefers to "buy American" for purely patriotic reasons, being American made is certainly not an absolute indicator of superiority. You can find excellent and sub-par products produced in either country, but both Kimber and Springfield each make excellent weapons.

IZinterrogator · October 5, 2005, 07:46 PM

Ahem, cough, hack, Kimber Desert Warrior instead, wheeze, choke...

Excuse me, I must be coming down with something.

DT Guy · October 5, 2005, 10:17 PM

Removing all traces of the silly F/P blocks is much easier in the Springfield Armory. That Series II thing has stopped me from buying any of the (many) Kimbers I would otherwise covet.

And no, I'm not saying it's problem-prone or a poor design. I'm simply saying I prefer my 1911s to be JMB designs, not 'JMB and a lawyer in Fresno' designs.

Larry

IZinterrogator · October 5, 2005, 10:38 PM

Hack, Desert Warrior, cough, Series I, wheeze, GI spec, pffft...

Man, this cold is really getting to me.

So, as I was trying to say, the Warrior and the Desert Warrior have internal extractors, no guide rod, no key, and no firing pin safety. Only frame-rail design that I am aware of without the Series 80/Series II system.

Excuse me while I go cough up a lung.

LoadIt · October 6, 2005, 03:26 PM

Padawan, I'm not saying that one is far more superior than the other because of where it is made. I just like to spend my money where I make it. In the United States. Look at the current state of the U.S. automotive industry. U.S. auto plants are closing every year because Americans are buying foreign cars and trucks.

I'd rather spend a little more for a U.S. product knowing the money will help support my economy and help a fellow American to keep his or her job.

Mr Kris · October 6, 2005, 04:17 PM

I have a Springfield TRP Operator.... got it in June I think.... 3076 rounds (yes I keep track

) through it and no major hiccups. A few misfeeds in the first 200 rounds or so but nothing since then. I changed the recoil spring recently, just because the general recommendation seems to be every 2k rounds. It has the Armory-Kote finish, and it's not wearing down as much as I thought it would. Externally the finish isn't wearing anywhere other than under the slide release (of course, I don't have a holster for it, but will soon...). Internally, the finish is wearing at the locking lugs, and only very slightly on the frame rails.

Trigger feels nice to me, and fit seems great. Doesn't rattle at all in full lockup. I'm 100% happy with my purchase

I've shot range rental Kimbers, but don't own one. So, not enough experience for me to form an opinion there.

Padawan · October 6, 2005, 09:24 PM

LoadIt,

You're definitely entitled to your opinion, and I respect it. I think it's important to consider, though, that industrial economics is quite a bit more complex than you make it out to be.

Springfield Armory, as well as the vast majority of the foreign automotive manufacturers you mentioned, have either plants, offices, or factories right here in the USA. These employ tremendous numbers of Americans, and percentages of profits are distributed back into the US in the form of taxes, employee wages, donations (Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and others have all contributed substantially to the Katrina relief effort), etc.

As far as auto plants closing, and the relatively poor financial situation of the Big Three auto makers, this is primarily a case of poorly managed companies rather than some fault of the American public. Ironically, many of the workers who have been victims of the cut-backs these "American" companies have been compelled to make in an attempt to stay afloat will likely find themselves able to locate work with one of the numerous foreign companies who continue to open new plants and offices here, investing great sums of money into the US in the process.

I've gone off on quite a tangent here, but I just wanted to point out that "buying American" isn't as cut and dry as perhaps it once was, or was perceived to be. A person can still support the US economy and our workers (something I'm tremendously in favor of) even if he buys products that are not traditionally considered "American". Again, I'm not trying to take away from your valid opinion, I only wanted to present something that perhaps you had not previously considered.

October 4, 2005, 04:13 PM	#1
Bennett Richards Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1998 Location: Carlsbad, CA USA Posts: 356	Springfield or Kimber? I just had a look at a new Springfield Operator (marine) with the Green finish on the receiver and black on the slide. It has a light rail. Looked real nice. I was just wondering if the Springers are as nice as Kimbers at that level? Are they all using MIM parts? Will they hold up.. and are they as accurate? I have a Kimber compact Stainless that the great Dane Burns worked on for me and it will shoot under an inch at 25 yards... I have replaced all of its MIM parts. Since I want a gun with a rail I was thinking of having a smith fit a full-size rail frame to my Kimber Compact slide... Might be cheaper... So what's the take on Kimber VS Springfiled? Thanks, Ben

October 5, 2005, 07:46 PM	#6
IZinterrogator Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2004 Location: Prescott Valley, AZ Posts: 2,457	Ahem, cough, hack, Kimber Desert Warrior instead, wheeze, choke... Excuse me, I must be coming down with something. __________________ "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!” - Samuel Adams

October 5, 2005, 10:17 PM	#7
DT Guy Senior Member Join Date: February 4, 2001 Posts: 984	Removing all traces of the silly F/P blocks is much easier in the Springfield Armory. That Series II thing has stopped me from buying any of the (many) Kimbers I would otherwise covet. And no, I'm not saying it's problem-prone or a poor design. I'm simply saying I prefer my 1911s to be JMB designs, not 'JMB and a lawyer in Fresno' designs. Larry __________________ He who fights and runs away had better run pretty damn fast. Government, Anarchy and Chaos

October 5, 2005, 10:38 PM	#8
IZinterrogator Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2004 Location: Prescott Valley, AZ Posts: 2,457	Hack, Desert Warrior, cough, Series I, wheeze, GI spec, pffft... Man, this cold is really getting to me. So, as I was trying to say, the Warrior and the Desert Warrior have internal extractors, no guide rod, no key, and no firing pin safety. Only frame-rail design that I am aware of without the Series 80/Series II system. Excuse me while I go cough up a lung. __________________ "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!” - Samuel Adams

October 4, 2005, 05:46 PM	#2
Eghad Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 6,231	I couldnt decide so I bought one of each SA Loaded Champion and a KA Tact pro II

October 4, 2005, 06:12 PM	#3
delta58 Senior Member Join Date: July 25, 2005 Location: Florida panhandle Posts: 128	Just bought a Kimber Pro carry ten II. I can't see how anything could be much sweeter. I think I like it better than my Colt commander.

October 5, 2005, 01:51 PM	#4
LoadIt Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 269	Kimber is American Made. Springfield is Brazil.

October 6, 2005, 03:26 PM	#9
LoadIt Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 269	Padawan, I'm not saying that one is far more superior than the other because of where it is made. I just like to spend my money where I make it. In the United States. Look at the current state of the U.S. automotive industry. U.S. auto plants are closing every year because Americans are buying foreign cars and trucks. I'd rather spend a little more for a U.S. product knowing the money will help support my economy and help a fellow American to keep his or her job.

October 6, 2005, 04:17 PM	#10
Mr Kris Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2005 Location: USA Posts: 111	I have a Springfield TRP Operator.... got it in June I think.... 3076 rounds (yes I keep track ) through it and no major hiccups. A few misfeeds in the first 200 rounds or so but nothing since then. I changed the recoil spring recently, just because the general recommendation seems to be every 2k rounds. It has the Armory-Kote finish, and it's not wearing down as much as I thought it would. Externally the finish isn't wearing anywhere other than under the slide release (of course, I don't have a holster for it, but will soon...). Internally, the finish is wearing at the locking lugs, and only very slightly on the frame rails. Trigger feels nice to me, and fit seems great. Doesn't rattle at all in full lockup. I'm 100% happy with my purchase I've shot range rental Kimbers, but don't own one. So, not enough experience for me to form an opinion there.

October 6, 2005, 09:24 PM	#11
Padawan Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2005 Location: Coruscant, Galactic Republic Posts: 137	LoadIt, You're definitely entitled to your opinion, and I respect it. I think it's important to consider, though, that industrial economics is quite a bit more complex than you make it out to be. Springfield Armory, as well as the vast majority of the foreign automotive manufacturers you mentioned, have either plants, offices, or factories right here in the USA. These employ tremendous numbers of Americans, and percentages of profits are distributed back into the US in the form of taxes, employee wages, donations (Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and others have all contributed substantially to the Katrina relief effort), etc. As far as auto plants closing, and the relatively poor financial situation of the Big Three auto makers, this is primarily a case of poorly managed companies rather than some fault of the American public. Ironically, many of the workers who have been victims of the cut-backs these "American" companies have been compelled to make in an attempt to stay afloat will likely find themselves able to locate work with one of the numerous foreign companies who continue to open new plants and offices here, investing great sums of money into the US in the process. I've gone off on quite a tangent here, but I just wanted to point out that "buying American" isn't as cut and dry as perhaps it once was, or was perceived to be. A person can still support the US economy and our workers (something I'm tremendously in favor of) even if he buys products that are not traditionally considered "American". Again, I'm not trying to take away from your valid opinion, I only wanted to present something that perhaps you had not previously considered.