Let me start by saying that I put 100 rounds through this gun and would have gladly run through a few hundred more (on someone else's tab, of course). This is a sweet-shooting gun. Lots of power but very smooth and manageable.
The Kimber Stainless II is based on the classic 1911 or "Colt .45" design and is part of Kimber's Custom line. It is all-stainless with a 5-inch barrel, 8-round magazine and nicely textured rubber grip panels. The controls are in the usual locations for a 1911, but Kimber adds a beavertail grip safety. This requires the shooter to be gripping the gun before it can be fired and adds a measure of safety for those who carry their weapons "cocked and locked," with a round in the chamber and the safety on.
Having fired .380 and 9mms in the past, I was anticipating the more powerful .45 to be more of a handful. I was mistaken. Don't get me wrong--this gun booms--and that large bore leaves no doubt that this is a serious weapon. But, the recoil is more of a push than a punch, just as I've heard described before. It's actually quite tame, and the long heavy barrel makes barrel flip almost nonexistent. This, along with the short, single-action trigger, made quick follow-up shots easy and accurate.
Regarding accuracy, I am no marksman. I aspire to be, and have put in some time toward this aspiration, but I simply don't shoot often enough to have honed my skills. That said, my first 8 rounds out of this gun made a 6 inch group in the middle of the target at 7 yards. That's not significant if you're talking competition, but it's impressive if you think about it tactically. This is a gun that is more accurate than many people, including myself.
There was very little I didn't like about the gun. I liked the aesthetics, the history reflected in that design. I liked the trigger feel and smooth operation of the action. I like the simplicity of the magazine and the ergonomics of the grip. The only things I didn't like were the sights. They were black, front and back, and would be difficult to make out in low light. A white dot on the front sight would've improved the sight picture nicely.
If you have a chance to shoot the Kimber Stainless II, I'd highly recommend it. Though the 1911 design has been around for almost 100 years, Kimber's only been making them since 1995. But they seem to know what they're doing. The Stainless II can be had for around $800 and would make an excellent home defense (where legal), service or competition handgun.
For the record, I used Remington UMC Leadless .45ACP 230gr. ammo on this outing. There were no failures and the nearly half-inch holes they punched made it easy to ascertain exactly where my shots were going.
7 comments:
There are grip safeties on every 1911, fyi
You're right. My phrasing wasn't the best. The beavertail variety isn't common to all 1911s, and I was trying to explain the purpose of the grip safety to this blog's usual reader, the shooting novice. But I didn't spell that out very clearly. Thanks for the sharpening :)
no prob, i figured it was a mistake. I just got mine after a five month wait. an unbelievable piece!
btw, good review, and top on google!
the mag is only 7 rounds as with all 1911s
The magazine used was 8-rounds. It was a range gun, though, and no doubt had an aftermarket mag. You are correct, Anonymous, that the Stainless II does come from the factory with a 7-round mag. Thanks for the correction.
im not a sharpshooter but i was really amazed with this guns "OUT OF A BOX ACCURACY". For those out there who want to invest in a high quality 1911, this is the gun for you.
Got mine for Christmas! Wow! What a great shooter, I'm the same way, not the greatest shot, but with this gun, golf balls beware! 15 yards straight through the center, I feel like I have shot it all my life. I'll never need to upgrade from this one, favorite gun in my collection, thanks for the review and Merry Christmas!
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