There are some that look down their noses at the Kimbers, but I've had three, and still have two and never any problem with them. Granted, I don't shoot 200,000 rounds a week through them like some people do with their 1911s.
Hope you have the same luck with your new pistol.

 

I have a TLE/RL II that a bought as a police trade in about 6-7 years ago. While I am not a fan of the Swartz safety,it has so far been trouble free, very accurate, overall a pretty nice pistol.

 

Comparing my several Kimbers to my several Springers.......both need a little TLC to get the triggers to my satisfaction and I check the extractor fit and hook shape before shooting them.

Some Springers and Kimbers have required different sights to get elevation correct at 25 yards.

Both have been accurate and reliable.

 

My TLE has around 25000 rounds through it. Never an issue.

 

I have a Kimber TLE II vary nice guns , I am a former ERT Team leader and if these are what LAPD SWAT chose for their guns than they are vary good weapons. I have one just like this listed on Gunbroker, RMR and suppressor sights. They only ones that were not the best is the alumnium frames guns. The issue is Kimber is not the gun but the mags and what ammo you use. Buy some Wilson Combat 8 round mags. It doesnt like Blazer(alum cased) it likes Winchester 230 grain, either Ranger Law Enforcement or standard ball ammo as sir Browning intented. The LAPD SWAT loves their Kimber TLE and many have 25,000 plus rounds thru em.LAPD SWAT is the best of the best, so if they chose Kimber TLE .45 than the answer for me. FBI HRT are now carrying Glock 19M FDE HRT configured with RMR over their Springfiled Opererator .45. LAPD could carry Glock M's but they are for now still carrying Kimber TLE

 

That's a lot of scratch for that gun... But I haven't seen a RMR mount on one...

 

sorry about your loss.... I will take it from you as it seem to be a bad choice of 1911. ..next time ask before you buy...
with that said I'm after the custom II...

 

Zero issues with them nice guns, we shoot a few in uspsa single stack, maybe some trigger work and extractor for a carry gun.

 

If you know someone who is knowledgeable (pistolsmith level or close) with 1911s it wouldn't hurt to have the pistol examined. If it's completely stock, it might benefit from a little tweaking here and there.

I gotta like a guy who owns a 1911 and a G22...

 

I bought a used TLE several years ago. It became one of my go to guns and will never leave. I’ve had several Kimber and currently have three. I don’t get the Kimber hate; I’ve never had a problem.

 

I'm glad those that are having no issues are having no issues

I worked at Gander mountain for fun awhile back

Customers would bring them in, I'd guess about 5-6 in the year I worked there

Kimber makes them tight, I'll say that. We'd send back on behalf of the customer. Kimber in the cases I can remember advised the customer to shoot 200-300 more rounds for break in.

You can form your own opinions from there

 

I'm glad those that are having no issues are having no issues

I worked at Gander mountain for fun awhile back

Customers would bring them in, I'd guess about 5-6 in the year I worked there

Kimber makes them tight, I'll say that. We'd send back on behalf of the customer. Kimber in the cases I can remember advised the customer to shoot 200-300 more rounds for break in.

You can form your own opinions from there

Kimber recommends you fire at least 500 rounds before sending the pistol back if there are any issues. I had a Kimber Desert Warrior that was having 2 or 3 malfunctions per magazine. Failure to eject, failure to go into battery, stovepipes. After 200 rounds of constant malfunctions and a huge argument with the customer service rep they finally agreed to take it in. 2 months later I got the pistol back and had 3 malfunctions with the first mag I ran through it. Back it went, and 4 months later I got it back. I have to admit, there was an improvement. I only had one failure in the first magazine. But then, when you pulled the slide back and released it, the hammer would fall without me having my finger on the trigger. I took it to the gunshop I bought it from and traded it at a huge loss.

 

Eight Kimbers including a stainless TLE II. All have met or exceeded my expectations. My Custom II stainless and TLE II stainless came with factory rubber grips. They went away real fast and were replaced with wooden grips, also from Kimber.

 

Isn't that what Harry Bosch carried?

 

Look at the right side of the slide is the extractor external if it’s not chances are your gun will run very well


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I've owned a couple over the years, those ran just fine. I also didn't put 10,000 rounds a year thru them either.

YMMV. Good luck with your purchase.

 

I will check to see if the extractor is external or internal, I don't believe it is external.

 

It’s external.

 

It is External, I guess i'll see how it goes, this is simply a Gun in the collection take it out and shoot from time to time and that's about it.

 

You might want to visit the wolff gun spring website (gunsprings.com) and pick up a few of their external extractor springs for the Kimber. These springs are more heavy duty than the original factory units and solved the problems with the external extractor for a lot of folks.

 

I am going to clean and lube it and see how it goes, I am sure there are a lot more out there without issues then there are with. I will keep the Wolff spring in mind if I have issues , I will have to get a guide for taking it apart as I have not taken one of these down.

 

I have Kimbers, an early Custom Classic, and a series II Pro CDP. Both have been excellent. I do my own research and don’t listen to the haters. I don’t like MIM parts, but lots of fun manufacturers use it.

I don’t care for the Schwartz safety, but I am also careful when I reassemble so I don’t catch it.

I trust both of these Kimbers with my life.
That said if I could only grab a gun or two, Glocks would win. Also I almost only carry Glock now.


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OP, The TLE II is perhaps the best line in the Kimber stable. It has front strap checkering and night sights for about $100 more than a Kimber Custom, which is their base model. I have owned numerous and they have all been great pistols.

 

I called their CS Line last week, lady was nice but kept on yawning Like I was keeping her up lol

 

glock makes a great pistol, but everyone should have at least 1 1911 45acp. I have run my Kimber for over 8 years now and never had s problem.

 

As for the Kimber, the entry level models are the models to get. That's one of them.

 

I have had no problems with my TLE II. I did have the Swartz (sp) safety stuff removed. Some like the Swartz and Series 80 stuff, I don't.

Have not put a ton of rounds through it, but zero issues, fills a niche in my small 1911 collection.

 

I love mine. 😎👍🏻