Thoughts on Kimber Custom TLE II?

Hey everyone, I'm very new to the sport, but absolutely hooked and looking to add that second pistol. I currently have a Buck Mark and would like a .45. I've got a budget of around $1k, so looking for something to get me started--all of the choices will shoot better than I can for the time beiinh--that can shoot well out of the box and ideally be upgradable with some enhancements down the road. I currently have my eye on the Kimber Custom TLE II and would really value any thoughts/insights you'd be willing to provide. Thanks much!!

Spend your money on a Springfield and learn the basics with iron sights. Later it can be the basis for a wad gun build by a good bullseye gunsmith.

Stay away from the Kimber. Eventually you'll want a real BE pistol. If you get a Springfield RO you can shoot it out of the box and have it built into a wadgun down the road. I just finished building one that turned out perfect. I've built a few Kimbers and don't care for them.
Jon

I am neither a gunsmith nor a very accomplished shooter. I do own and shoot an older Kimber Custom and a Range Officer. Rumors suggest that Kimber is not 'what it used to be' and as mine is an older gun, I can not speak to that. One thing about Kimbers now is that all of the models which end in II utilize the 'Series 8o style' safety mechanism in the slide. Some report that you can still get a wonderful trigger with that mechanism in place, others don't seem to want to touch them. Removing the mechanism does disqualify the pistol for any competition that follows all of the rules. If my comments have any value, I will say that after a decade or so of shooting the Kimber I was able to shoot the Range Officer better, pretty much right out of the box. Much of that might well be the easier to see sights so ...... I don't think there is a 'wrong' choice but I think money for a Range Officer is well spent.

Bruce

+1 on the Springfield RO.  Just take it to a bullseye smith for a fitted bushing (or custom order from Springfield) and get a CMP legal trigger.  You'd be good to go til you get to high SS.

Kimber is a fine gun but not for bullseye. Springfield Armorey Range officer and then send it to Dave Salyer or George Correl for a kart barrel. 

The Kimber will shoot ok for the first 1000 rounds and lossen up too much.

Kimber 1911s are very accurate. I carried one on duty for 7 years with over 4500 rounds through it. I can hit 9 inch steel plates at 200 yards with it and even used it in a couple bullseye matches. They are more accurate out of the box than my Gold Cup. Stay away from stainless guns for bullseye.

Really great stuff, everyone. Very much appreciate your helpful replies! A RO it is! I noted some of the bullseye smiths you mentioned, anyone aware of one in Northern Virginia?

PM Jerry Keefer (a top bullseye smith).  Jerry is not taking new work anymore but is in the Richmond area and probably knows all of the gunsmiths in that area.  Dave Salyer is good, affordable, and usually willing to do only what you can afford, but he is in SC I think.  He might be willing to buy you a new gun, do the initial work (bushing and trigger job at a minimum), and ship to your FFL agent.

Awesome. Thank you!!

Just some clarification. The Kimber IIs unlike the series 80s have a firing pin block that is deactivated with the grip safety. The Colt series 80s is deactivated with the trigger. It is just as easy to get a good trigger job on the Kimber as the RO. That being said, Straight out of the box my .45 RO will shoot tighter groups then my Kimber Gold Match II but my Kimber Target Match shoots much better. All of them shoot better then my 9mm RO. Roddy Toyota has the 9mm now so that is being taken care of. YMMV

Len

OldMaster65 wrote:Just some clarification. The Kimber IIs unlike the series 80s have a firing pin block that is deactivated with the grip safety. The Colt series 80s is deactivated with the trigger. It is just as easy to get a good trigger job on the Kimber as the RO. That being said, Straight out of the box my .45 RO will shoot tighter groups then my Kimber Gold Match II but my Kimber Target Match shoots much better. All of them shoot better then my 9mm RO. Roddy Toyota has the 9mm now so that is being taken care of. YMMV

Len

Thank you for that clarification. Having only an old pre-firing pin block Kimber I knew that they had added the block but should not have assumed that it was trigger deactivated like the series 80s. Good to know that it works by the grip safety. I will try to not spread any more disinformation.

Bruce

We keep a barrel of disinformation floor dry around here somewhere. I'll toss a little on your post... 

In my opinion Kimbers are overrated and over priced

Flytrap1 wrote:In my opinion Kimbers are overrated and over priced

I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion so I have no problem with what you stated. I would like to add a little bit however. If you want to talk overrated and over priced then Nighthawk, Wilson Combat and Les Baer should also make that list. I for one like Kimber pistols. I guess if pressed I would have to say that they (Kimber) were a little better in the past then they are now. They have however not fallen on their lips like Colt (probably should be on the above list). With a little searching there are Kimbers out there to be found for less then a 1000.00 that would be great shooters. I would think with some work the pistol the OP asked about would also work for Bullseye. This of course is just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.

Len


Picked this one up for 900.00

Old Master 65,
Is your Kimber based on series 70 while the TLE II has the firing pin blocking gizmos?

The KTM's were built like the series 70. There is no firing pin block. My other Kimber the Gold Match II has the block but Roddy Toyota was able to do a sweet 42oz trigger job. I suppose I should mention the GMII is not .45.

Len

They are out there.   http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=503153370