Please don’t hate me for starting another brand X vs brand Y thread. I’ve used the searched function on this forum and nowhere did I find a direct comparison or enough info to help me in my decision.
This would be my first 1911. I’m looking mostly for reliability as this could become a self defense weapon. Both guns are almost the same price. I have read some glowing reviews on the DE lately and I know that Kimber is a somewhat respected 1911 brand. These are the conclusions I have come to thus far based on my research:
Desert Eagle 1911G
-Aside from the big rollmark, the DE seems to be a solid performer with not many issues
-The DE comes with two magazines as opposed to one with the Kimber
-Has an excellent out of the box trigger
-+1 for the series 70
-Has been reported to have great fit and finish
-Very good customer service from Magnum Research (from what I’ve heard)
Kimber Custom II
-A great base platform to start off with
-Used by law enforcement (Kimber in general, not necessarily the custom II)
-I’ve heard A LOT of mixed reviews on the Kimbers
-Swartz system
-I prefer the rollmark on the Custom II
-Great out of the box trigger
-Reports of Kimber QC declining (I’m not claiming this, it’s just what I’ve come across in my research)
-Not so great CS from Kimber (from what I’ve heard)
Any help on this would be appreciated guys. I’ve done my homework, and these are the two that I ended up with in the end.
My budget is set at $800. I was considering the Springfield loaded and the STI Spartan at one point, but I’m not a fan of parkerized finishes.
If the Kimber had more positive feedback on CS and reliability, I may have picked the Kimber Custom II without ever posting this thread. But it’s also hard to ignore all the positive feedback on the DE 1911. I would love for anyone with personal experience with these firearms to chime in on this. Please, no bashing unless it is based on personal experience. Thanks!
The Springfield would be a much better choice than both of those mentioned.
The Kimber has an awful reputation on this board, and among many hardcore 1911 shooters, and the DE is just an unknown. And being that it’s priced under a grand, that usually means it’s not going to be all that great.
$1,500 is considered cheap for a good 1911.
But an $800 Springfield or a Colt is a good starter.
For a balls out defense 1911, either a custom piece built on a Colt or Springfield gun, or a Wilson/Nighthawk gun. That would be around $2500 for either option.
If you want an $800 fighting .45 then roll with an HK45. The 1911 won’t fit the bill in the long term.
I don’t post much here, usually just lurk and read, but I have been in the same situation and feel like I can offer some advice.
I can’t speak as to the Desert Eagle 1911. I’ve never owned nor shot one. Series 70 and good customer service are both excellent advantages.
The Custom II, though, I have owned, and shot quite a bit, and I can’t recommend it. My complaints were twofold:
the swartz safety system- many people have no problem with this, but for some reason when I was getting a high firing grip on the gun I would manage to engage the grip safety juuuust enough to allow the hammer to fall, but not completely disengage the swartz system. Result: light strikes, clicks when there should have been bangs. Annoying at the range, unacceptable at IDPA, and scary as a carry weapon. I could have fixed this by disabling the swartz system, but I wanted a CDP IDPA gun, and couldn’t make that modification.
Cutting corners - the Kimber has a black oxide finish (ok, whatever) and a carbon steel barrel left in the white to look like stainless. It isn’t stainless, but it gives the gun that nice two-tone black and silver look - until the barrel rusts, because it has no finish on the metal. That was annoying to me. I felt like Kimber was cutting costs on the gun to increase profit while still making the gun “look” higher end.
My pick, for your requirements and budget: Springfield Mil-Spec, in stainless or armory-kote. I sold my Custom II and bought a Springfield and have been 100% happy with it.
I know Kimber is not known here as a great 1911 and in gereral…there are usually better choices.
That said, I have a 5 year old TLE II (which is the Custom II with night sights and front strap checkering) and the thing has been 100% right out of the box. It is also pretty accurate…keeps up with my 2 Colts.
I bought this on the cheap and as a sort of temporary range toy. Honestly…I had heard here and many places how terrible Kimbers were but had shot 2 Kimber 1911s and they ran fine. So for 780 bucks…I rolled the dice.
Mine eats all fmj and about 5 brands of HPs that I have run through it with no troubles. A miracle? Maybe. I always joke that I have the only decent running Kimber ever made! LOL
The swartz safety issue is really overblown. Yes, it is a terrible idea but with the replacement of the firing pin with a Series 70 pin…you disable the thing. A cheap and pretty easy fix if you ask me. In about 5 years and maybe 2-2500 rounds…mine has never not fired because of the Swartz safety - I just disabled it.
The finish on the barrel? Yes, the Custom II line does have a carbon steel barrel in the white but so do both of my older Series 70 Colts. If you use modern rust prevention products you will probably never see rust. I have carried mine out on the tractor or doing other ranch work and it has gotten plenty wet and again…no rust. I have seen Kimber barrels rust…just not mine. Blue Armadillo is your friend.
Also, when you peruse the 1911 forums, you will notice that the lower end Kimbers (the Custom II line) seems to have less reported problems than the Raptors and other more expensive Kimbers.
So make your own decision but in my experience with the Kimbers I borrowed and the one I bought…they are not always terrible.
If you can swing saving a little more…you’d be better off with a Colt but if you can get the Custom II cheap enough…might be worth taking a chance.
Just tosing in my two cents…flame away, cuz I know Kimber gets no love here! LOL
I’ve gone through dozens of 1911s over the years. I wouldn’t keep a Kimber if I won/was given one. Of 8 Kimbers I had, only ONE ever functioned correctly out of the box. The problems I’ve had with the brand are too numerous to list, but they run the gamut of typical and non typical 1911 issues.
I know nothing about the DE 1911.
My choice would be a Springfield and work from there. I’ve had Springers run just fine out of the box and their custom shop is excellent if you want their services later.
Hilton Yam has forgotten more about 1911s than most people know.
If that seems too daunting a task you are probably not a candidate for a 1911. 1911s take an extra level of attention a care to keep running. I would also recommend you read a few books and buy a few videos on fixing 1911s.
The 1911 is my favorite pistol…but after years of messing with 1911’s (custom and stock) my go to 45 is now a M&P 45 FS with thumb safety and Apex FSS trigger and I really don’t miss them.
Get a springer loaded, shoot the piss outta it and then get it refinished. I wasn’t a huge fan of parkerized finish either, but its held up really well over the last 7 years. It gets carried daily and I have used it at times on duty when I was getting my other 1911 worked on. I have owned 1 kimber and it went back to the factory twice before it worked right. The worst part of it is I ordered it on a gun store employee purchase program so they even knew it was going out to someone that would be selling their weapons and they still couldn’t get it right.
I have never played with a DE 1911 though my buddy did a build on one of the Kahr 1911 GI models and it has been a pretty solid gun, but then again he replaced 99% of the components in the gun
Mirrors my experience and opinion exactly, except my go to is M&P FS9mm. M&P was the first plastic wonder pistol to get me to convert from my beloved 1911s, but no regrets.
Avoid the Kimber series II or any 1911A1 with the Swartz firing pin safety like the plauge. Some of the early series 1 Kimbers were pretty good. For an entry gun take the advice above and buy a Colt or Springfield Armory.
Wow, ok. Thanks for the insight. I realize that $800 bucks is definitely cheap as far as 1911’s go, but it’s what I have. I wonder if I should just get that Sig P229 with night sights that I’ve been interested in? It was going to be my next purchase AFTER a 1911, but…it may be the next. I already have a 9mm and a .40, so I figured I would look into 1911’s.
That’s awesome. I’m glad that your Kimber has run well.
Take your time save some cash and look around. Don’t just settle on a pistol now because its in your price range there are deals out there or you can save for a while and get what you want. I have found some great deals when I pretty much gave up looking. A Springfield loaded or a Talo Colt would be an awesome first purchase.
Recent experience with two Kimbers. One an Ultra Carry, the other a Custom Crimson Carry: Both had noticeable surface corrosion on the exterior barrel surfaces. They receive reasonably good care by their owners. During a range session, the Ultra Carry ate everything fed to it, inc 165gr Corbon Pow’RBall, some 185s, and some really crappy 230gr reloads that I didn’t expect to work well at all. I didn’t get to shoot the Crimson Carry.
A colleague has an entry-level Springfield that is doing well in range sessions.
