I want to get a Kimber 1911 ordered in the next few weeks and want to keep the price under 1k. I have a good bud with an FFL so I will get the gun for cost.

So I have 2 questions;

1. 9mm or 45? Im leaning in the direction of the 45
2. Which model gives the best bang for the buck? Want checkering on the front of the grip too.

My application is home defence, probly never be used but....
And general shootin, 99.9% of what the gun will be used for I dont have a ccw and want a full size 5 inch gun.

Any info would be great.

Thanks

PP

I am in the .45 side of the debate. They do not need any expansion to make a big hole, lots of available supplies, gun was made for this round. With the steel frame longevity is pretty much a garantee with standard ammo pressures.

Although, the 9mm ammo prices are pretty attractive. I reload to make up the difference.

I picked up my Kimber (stainless TLE II with fixed night sights) last year after careful consideration of what I needed. I chose the SS as I am in the mid atlantic and near the Chesapeake Bay, probably going to coat it once I get a few thousand rounds through it to help even further. Everything rusts around here. It is mainly for defense and "Woods Bumming". It has most of the perks but the front mounted frame rail, which I did not feel was necessary. It has been a very good choice for me.
If you are looking other than stainless the plain old Custom II has a lot going for it, and at $828 MSRP you would have some money left for a decent reloading set up, or adding night sights. The Custom TLE II is the matte black version of my pistol with night sights, MSRP of $1044 would give you some nicer extras. You could still add a few extra mags and be under your price limit.

45 all the way. Gun is designed to be a 45 and you get SO much more power, no reason not to. For home defese, definately get one with the Crimson Trace Lasergrips. If it is not for CCW, then I would stay with a 5 inch barrel. Easier to shoot and more likely to feed anything and everything without a hiccup. The shorter the barrel, the more difficult the angles for feeding and all. I was able to find a Crimson carry pro model for $900.00. If you look and shop such bargains are out there.

Wow! thats a deal. Where did you find that? Was it on line or in a shop?

Thanks for the replys.

Get a gold cup.I love my kimber,but I wish I got a colt gold cup.thx

To answer the question, .45, unless you want a young shooter or lady to get profificient with it as well.

And while I like my 10mm Kimber, I also think you'll have better luck with a Colt. The basic GM is well under $1K, and the XSE is around $1K, with extra goodies and novak-style sights.

pass..,

I have a Custom Crimson Carry II. It does not have checkering on the front strap, but the crimson trace grip does help index the middle finger. All in all it is a very fine pistol with a laser sight (my eyes no longer focus on iron sights so well).

Were I to consider a 9mm, don't think the 1911 platform would the choice.

O

If it's not for carry, suggest the Kimber Eclipse II in .45. Super accurate full-size 45 with good night sights. Am very, very pleased with mine.

The Eclipse is my fave too.....veddy

I have a 9mm Kimber Aegis w/crimson trace. It's enjoyable to shoot & very accurate in my hands.

Custom TLE II, I've had one for awhile; outstanding gun great value.

Get some Wilson or Tripp mags & you'll like it........also available in stainless if you want to got that route.

MM

Kimber Custome TLE II

HERESY!!!! I can hear them shout.

If your primary purpose in buying a pistol is home defense, why are you considering a single stack .45 or 9mm 1911 clone? Unless you (and your significant other) are willing to put in a lot of range time (and you are willing to reload to cut down on costs) it would seem to me that the better choice would be a medium frame, fixed sight, .357 revolver, any number of which can be picked up (used) at most gun shops for waay less than a grand. A used S&W M13 with 4-inch barrel and laser grips should walk out the door for around $500 +/-, leaving you more than enough cash left over for a Mossberg 12 ga. pump (a real "home defense" gun), and enough ammo to get really good with the revolver.

Now don't get me wrong-- my carry is a .45 Colt Commander and the 1911 series of pistols are great (for the money I think it's hard to beat the Remington 1911) but unless you are willing to live with it, in a fumble-in-the-dark, bad guy in the bedroom, life or death situation, a revolver is probably a better choice.

Local Ranch and home supply store. Meant to type 990.00 but it was still a very good buy. Might have been mismarked as the high end laser sighted guns are usually $1300 or thereabouts when I see them. Really like it, will like it better when the feeding issues go away.

Lets see ... I have a 9MM Beretta Billenium, 9MM Beretta Brigadier, 9MM CZ 85-Combat, 9MM Walther P-88 C, 9MM German Luger, as well as some other good 9MM 'Stuff'.

I also have a couple of .45 ACP pistols ... A Colt Model of 1911 WWI (replica) Carbonia Blued - and a Springfield 1911-A1 GI.

There are a lot of GREAT pistols dedicated to 9MM -

If you want a 9MM ... get the Browning Hi-Power.

If you want the 45 ACP, get the Kimber 1911.

I had one of there least expensive 5 inch all stainless steel guns, I forget the model. I very much enjoyed the pistol and it accounted itself well in accuracy and dependability. I would not consider a 9mm on the 1911 frame, that is what Glock's are for as their original frame was made for the 9mm. The 45 ACP is a few decibels lower than a 9mm, so you might regain some of your hearing if you have to shoot a 45ACP indoors. Personally I carry simple hardball in my weapon, it has accounted itself well in several skirmishes about the planet. I now have the commander length alloy frame Kimber with the laser grips as my needs are different, I really do not think you could wear even an alloy frame out in a lifetime of normal shooting and its a few ounces lighter which is good for me.

go with a full size frame in the kimber,i've seen to many of the smaller framed kimbers that wouldn't cycle hp ammo very well.

There you go, agreeing with me again.

This may make me question the natural laws of the universe...

10-4...

sticking my head out the window..

To check and see if the sky is falling....

OK. let's see if we can disagree on something:

1. 22-250 is the best coyote round ever. Period.

2. Any male leopard-print attire is gay.

3. John Moses is not, despite popular rumor, the product on inbreeding.

ANY leopard print stuff...????

Unless it's on a chick or a leopard, YES!

(BTW, I'll quietly agree that I dig the Eclipse)

George

I REALLY thought you'd disagree on No. 3.

Just tryin to get along....

JM is highly suspect though...family trees in his neck of the woods don't have many branches....

We gotta get him in here more.
I miss pickin' on him.

One more thing we agree on....

Just swapped posts with him on another thread. Seems he's pizzy.. missing deer season due to FIL in hospital.

Saw that.........

but unless you are willing to live with it, in a fumble-in-the-dark, bad guy in the bedroom, life or death situation, a revolver is probably a better choice.

This is the truest statement I have ever read on here. My wifes home pistol is a GP100 4" heavy lug. Goes bang every time you pull the trigger. No fuss, no muss.

Swifty