To be fair, I’m not really sure if this is a shot at Kimber or at Wolf Ammo. Those lacquered steel cases definitely aren’t reliable in plenty of guns. Of course, Kimber has a bit of a rep’ of late for being finicky, though I’ve shot a new production Kimber Rapide Black Ice in 9mm quite a bit over the last year and recently reviewed the R7 Mako and both have been rock solid for me.

 

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29 COMMENTS

  2. Given a choice between cheap ammunition and reloads, I’ll stick with the reloads. Of course your mileage may vary.

    • I’m in the market for reloaders and supplies. Do you have a dependable source to recommend? I used to reload with my dad, using RCBM, but I’m not sure if there is better equipment. I am especially interested in carbide dies on “D” frame, not a “C” frame, if you know what I mean. Also nice would be quick change dies to reduce the chances of having to constantly recalibrate.

      • Dependable currently doesn’t exist, unless you want to spend ridiculous prices.

        Components, especially primers, are ‘Unobtanium’, for the foreseeable future, as ammo plants are using all they have to ship ammo as fast as they can…

        • I’m fine for projectiles. I bought online 5000 55g GameKing projectiles at 1c more than pre-shortage, and 2c more each after delivery (42lb package).

          I found a brick of 1000 Winchester Small Rifle Primers at the back of my ammunition locker.

          And I have at least 2lb of powder. Good enough for about 600 .223 cartridges. This should last a while for me. I’ll buy more primers and powder when the lockdown ends.

      • I have the Hornady LocknLoad press. You have to buy the collett bushings for each die but you can buy them in bulk. Changing dies just needs a 1/8ths turn and the die can be lifted out. I’ve been using the press for over 12 years. It’s been great. I’ve recommended the press to others who also greatly appreciate it. The dies hold their adjustment once set. No further calibration needed.

  4. The bad Kimber rep was from when Cohen ran the place. Now he’s working his magic over at SIG with their better than ever reputation for QC and actually releasing finished products instead of beta testing on the customers

  5. We are gathered here today because the dearly departed chose a semi-auto pistol over a revolver…

  7. I’ve never purchased a Kimber because they failed my departments quality control back in the 90’s. However, I did recently purchase a new Kimber the Stainless II in 10n mm. The trigger was absolutely horrible and crunchy. After I spent some time stoning the trigger, it was outstanding! I love the weapon. Very accurate, and operated flawlessly. After shooting 150 rounds, I couldn’t be more impressed.

  8. Kimbers do look nice.
    Wilson makes a good one.
    Novak.
    Theres a bunch.
    .
    But only I have the bestest 1911A1 in the world .

    • I may have a Caspian wide frame double stack 1911 that could probably give it a run for the title.
      A 16 round 1911 is a hell of a thing. Wonder if your little marsupial paws could wrap around it though. 🤔

    • “But only I have the bestest 1911A1 in the world .”

      “This is my 1911. Although there are many like it, this one is *MINE*!” 😉

  10. I own an older Kimber Custom bought in the ’90’s.
    Never have, and never will use lacquered steel ammo on a pistol with tight tolerances.

  11. I heard the ‘rep’ about Kimbers being unreliable and particularly finicky about what you feed them. ALMOST kept me from buying one – but, fortunately, I came to my senses.

    I’ve now owned two, and I’ve put hundreds of rounds downrange, using everything from high-end match and defense rounds to cheap, range reloads. Out of two guns, and probably a combined 2,000 rounds between them? ONE jam. ONE. And it was partly my fault (I limpwristed my hold when I pulled the trigger).

    Kimbers have always had a TOTALLY earned reputation for tight specs and solid build – and a rep for being unreliable and finicky that, in my experience, is clearly unearned. Both my Kimbers shoot reliably, eat whatever I feed them, don’t jam, and are accurate as hell. Of course, almost any 1911 trigger is decent-to-good, but the triggers on both mine are exceptional, even for a 1911.

    Sorry, guys-who-hate-on-1911s, absolutely NOT my experience. If Kimber was truly “too finicky and unreliable”, surely I would have seen SOME evidence from the two I bought and shot, amirite??

    OTOH, I have had friends who bought cheaper 1911s, and did experience problems with them. Seems like kind of a “you get what you pay for” thing, to me. Yep, both my Kimbers distorted my budget – and I don’t regret buying either of them.

  12. I’ve had issues with steel cased ammo in other guns, so I steer clear of steel cased ammo. It’s unreliable in my experiences with it. The only squib I’ve ever experienced, that left the bullet in the barrel came from a box of Tula. Anyone that’s carrying steel cased in their PDW, is of questionable character anyway🤣🤣🤣.

    I reload, so ammo that can’t be reloaded (other than .22 LR) is of no use to me. Even though I believed I was pretty well stocked component wise, before Ammogedon began, it wasn’t long before I had to cut back on my range trips.

    Since it’s looking like the shortage may extend into 2023, especially with that Senile A-Hole in the Oval Office, this is shaping up to be the worst ammo shortage of my 60+ years. Locally, I’m seeing some calibers on the shelves, but some, like .357 Magnum, I’ve not seen for well over a year. Neither of the two LGS’s I buy the bulk of my components through, have received any primers since June of 2020.

    • You are 100% correct. This idiot in the White House has got to go. Thankfully, I stocked up on primers years ago and I am quite well stocked. The problem is with my new Kimber 10mm. First 10 mm I’ve owned and have no cases or bullets. Luckily, I found both at Midway. I don’t need a lot of them, as this is only for defensive Bear use. Midway supplied me with hard cast lead semi wadcutters and the brass to load them. But, in defense of Kimber, after stoning the trigger parts, it has been outstanding. Accurate beyond belief, and operates perfectly with no problems right out of the box (except for the horrible trigger). Luckily, when I bought the Kimber 1911, the store allowed me to buy 3 boxes of shells. But speaking of LGS, mine had to close down last week. It seems now a days, if you can’t afford to buy a million dollars a year, the distributors want nothing to do with them, very little ammo or firearms. They can’t stay in business with nothing but accessories to sell. It still hits me in the gut. They were doing well in our small town for 8 years, but alas no more. Now, I will have to drive 40 miles to get to the large store where I bought my Kimber.

  13. It’s more of a shot at the snowflakes who buy a Kimber 1911 and then throw temper tantrums because it’s not reliable with terrible ammo.

    “Oh this gun sucks because it won’t run my crappy ammo! Wahhh!! I’m getting rid of the gun and not the ammo and then I’ll bitch about how unreliable the gun is online for the next 20 years!!” Wahh!!!

  14. Most people don’t read the manual that comes with their Kimber. It specifically states that you have to run four to five hundred rounds of ammunition through it before it is reliable.

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