Got my 1st handgun...
02-28-2007, 05:14 AM
#13
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hamiltucky, OH
Posts: 485
RE: Got my 1st handgun...
"Must"? Hmmm, there's a can o' worms.
I haven't felt the need to do anything to my Kimber Eclipse Custom II. Then again, it's my 1st & only. I have felt better triggers on others, so I might go there. I didn't care for the sights at first, but I've learned to shoot so accurately with them that I'd be afraid to screw them up now! I think you & I started far enough up the 1911 food chain that we don't have to start with the upgrades all that soon.
I trade with others at the range to see if I like how theirs shoot, then see what they've done to make it like that. I also spend more time at the gun case now than I did when I bought mine! I might find something so cool that I'd be inclined to tweak mine.
I like to think of it as having a girlfriend, rather than a wife: if you see something you like better, feel free to upgrade what you've got! Only in this case, you can do it 1 part at a time.
I haven't felt the need to do anything to my Kimber Eclipse Custom II. Then again, it's my 1st & only. I have felt better triggers on others, so I might go there. I didn't care for the sights at first, but I've learned to shoot so accurately with them that I'd be afraid to screw them up now! I think you & I started far enough up the 1911 food chain that we don't have to start with the upgrades all that soon.
I trade with others at the range to see if I like how theirs shoot, then see what they've done to make it like that. I also spend more time at the gun case now than I did when I bought mine! I might find something so cool that I'd be inclined to tweak mine.
I like to think of it as having a girlfriend, rather than a wife: if you see something you like better, feel free to upgrade what you've got! Only in this case, you can do it 1 part at a time.
02-28-2007, 08:43 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Too close to Chicago
Posts: 3,337
RE: Got my 1st handgun...
KBacon,
The 1911, as a critter in general, has been heavily modified and improved from it's original design which actually came outaround 1903 and then had a major redesignaround1911 if memory serves. Kimber's big marketing push is that they specialize in out-of-the-box 1911s that have all or many of the 'custom' features that people have done over the years to make their guns more reliable, perform better, and be more personalized.
Original 1903:
note grip angle and overall shape
Original 1911:
note new grip angle, simple grip safety, hammer shape, poor sights, and small ejection port.
Some common modernupgrades that your pistol appears to already have:
-lowered and flared ejection port (for reliability)
-polished feed ramp (to feed hollowpoints better. The originals were designed to feed hardball ammo due to the anticipated military usage, Geneva Convention restrictions, and the infancy of hollowpoint development at the time)
-beavertail safety (to better protect the web of your gun hand from the movement of the slide, and also to better protect the rear of the cocked hammer from being struck at such an angle that it might damage the sear and fire a round unintentionally when dropped.)
-much better sights (a must for accurate shooting)
-skeletonized speed hammer (for quicker locks times that help keep the gun on target through the trigger stroke)
-a manual safety that is easier to manipulate than the original small bump (not visiblein the above view)
-allen screws for the grips (nice to look at, and generally will show less wear than regular screws.)
Some other things you may wish tochange about your new 'girlfriend':
What a great analogy!
-ambidextrous manual safety (so either hand can work it. Good for competition or off-hand use in the event of a combat injury)
-fancy grips (who dosen't want to change the way your girlfriend dresses occasionally?)
-a curved mainspring housing (most guys like the feel of the straight one, but there are curved ones of varying shapes available too.)
-higher capacity single stack magazines (there are various sizes, but a 10 rounder wont stick out of the bottom too much if you want a few more bullets without going to a double stack sized frame and a whole new gun. Test all magazines for reliability both full and with only a few rounds in them. Poorly shaped mag lips will fail to feed often when the mag is maxed out, and weak springs will fail most often when there are only 1 or 2 shots left.)
-add bump pads to the bottom of your mags since they are already drilled for them (makes it less likely that you will fail to seat a magazine deeply enough during a quick reload, mainly for competition. The rubber pads may not be a good idea for carry since they will adhere to clothing.)
Other than that, there isn't much to change. That pistol of yours is a good modern 1911 with plenty of bells and whistles. As with any gun, it may be more accurate with one bullet weight, brand, or style, so break it in properly with a few hundred rounds of any generic ammo, and then start playing around to see what shoots best.
Enjoy the girlfriend!
-Bulz
The 1911, as a critter in general, has been heavily modified and improved from it's original design which actually came outaround 1903 and then had a major redesignaround1911 if memory serves. Kimber's big marketing push is that they specialize in out-of-the-box 1911s that have all or many of the 'custom' features that people have done over the years to make their guns more reliable, perform better, and be more personalized.
Original 1903:
note grip angle and overall shape
Original 1911:
note new grip angle, simple grip safety, hammer shape, poor sights, and small ejection port.
Some common modernupgrades that your pistol appears to already have:
-lowered and flared ejection port (for reliability)
-polished feed ramp (to feed hollowpoints better. The originals were designed to feed hardball ammo due to the anticipated military usage, Geneva Convention restrictions, and the infancy of hollowpoint development at the time)
-beavertail safety (to better protect the web of your gun hand from the movement of the slide, and also to better protect the rear of the cocked hammer from being struck at such an angle that it might damage the sear and fire a round unintentionally when dropped.)
-much better sights (a must for accurate shooting)
-skeletonized speed hammer (for quicker locks times that help keep the gun on target through the trigger stroke)
-a manual safety that is easier to manipulate than the original small bump (not visiblein the above view)
-allen screws for the grips (nice to look at, and generally will show less wear than regular screws.)
Some other things you may wish tochange about your new 'girlfriend':
What a great analogy!
-ambidextrous manual safety (so either hand can work it. Good for competition or off-hand use in the event of a combat injury)
-fancy grips (who dosen't want to change the way your girlfriend dresses occasionally?)
-a curved mainspring housing (most guys like the feel of the straight one, but there are curved ones of varying shapes available too.)
-higher capacity single stack magazines (there are various sizes, but a 10 rounder wont stick out of the bottom too much if you want a few more bullets without going to a double stack sized frame and a whole new gun. Test all magazines for reliability both full and with only a few rounds in them. Poorly shaped mag lips will fail to feed often when the mag is maxed out, and weak springs will fail most often when there are only 1 or 2 shots left.)
-add bump pads to the bottom of your mags since they are already drilled for them (makes it less likely that you will fail to seat a magazine deeply enough during a quick reload, mainly for competition. The rubber pads may not be a good idea for carry since they will adhere to clothing.)
Other than that, there isn't much to change. That pistol of yours is a good modern 1911 with plenty of bells and whistles. As with any gun, it may be more accurate with one bullet weight, brand, or style, so break it in properly with a few hundred rounds of any generic ammo, and then start playing around to see what shoots best.
Enjoy the girlfriend!
-Bulz
03-04-2007, 01:01 AM
#15
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 28
RE: Got my 1st handgun...
Congrats on your purchase. Good choice! Kimber makes a fine firearm and the 1911 is an American icon. I have one myself. There are a number of good mags you can buy for it. Wilson Combat, Chip McCormack just to name a few. Shop around, you'll come across some good deals. Just my 2 cents worth..
03-07-2007, 07:30 PM
#16
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Greenfield, IN
Posts: 953
RE: Got my 1st handgun...
Well.. just got back from shooting it for the 1st time... went through a quick 100rds.
I think it shot pretty well from about 40'... considering I've never really shot a handgun before.
Out of 100rds.. I prolly had 7-10 times where the slide locked back.. and didn't feed the next shell. Rack the slide back and it would feed the shell and continue to fire. Not sure what this is called. What causes this? I am new to all this.. and I know that improper grip can cause issues like this?
The below pic is 5 mags worth of ammo.. so 40 rds. The outer spray was just racking off the last 2 clips for fun...
I think it shot pretty well from about 40'... considering I've never really shot a handgun before.
Out of 100rds.. I prolly had 7-10 times where the slide locked back.. and didn't feed the next shell. Rack the slide back and it would feed the shell and continue to fire. Not sure what this is called. What causes this? I am new to all this.. and I know that improper grip can cause issues like this?
The below pic is 5 mags worth of ammo.. so 40 rds. The outer spray was just racking off the last 2 clips for fun...
03-07-2007, 11:02 PM
#18
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Darien, IL
Posts: 6,744
RE: Got my 1st handgun...
Ain't NEVER heard "cheap little 1911" associated with a Kimber.
You got a GREAT deal provided it is in good shape. Hard to beat those up so my guess someone bought it and then didn't like it cause they couldn't shoot it well, it didn't fit them or it was too much for them.
That would be their loss and your gain.
You got a GREAT deal provided it is in good shape. Hard to beat those up so my guess someone bought it and then didn't like it cause they couldn't shoot it well, it didn't fit them or it was too much for them.
That would be their loss and your gain.
03-08-2007, 03:28 AM
#19
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Delaware OH USA
Posts: 534
RE: Got my 1st handgun...
ORIGINAL: KBacon
Out of 100rds.. I prolly had 7-10 times where the slide locked back.. and didn't feed the next shell.
Out of 100rds.. I prolly had 7-10 times where the slide locked back.. and didn't feed the next shell.
03-08-2007, 02:59 PM
#20
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 317
RE: Got my 1st handgun...
I think you just found out why that gun was so cheap. I know there are a lot of Kimber fans here but I have not heard good things about their guns. I was all set on buying the exact gun you just did until I did a little research.I read a lot of guys had gun that jammed, slides actually getting stuck, poor customerservice, multiple returns to the manufacturer. It seems like if you get a good Kimber they are no problem, but it sounds like they have a lot of lemons. Either way you did get a heck of a deal on that gun and if you have to put some money into it to make it reliable you will still make out OK.