Which is better a Colt or a Kimber

[TMan]

Today at the range while a couple of guys were examining my S&W, one of them asked me: "Which is better a Colt or a Kimber?"

That totally took me by surprise, and I gave some stupid answer about apples and oranges and how much you paid for one vs. how much for the other. Then I started talking about the guns that I own and have shot vs those I haven't shot. I explained that I've shot the Kimber Gold Match (Stainless), but I haven't shot the SuperAmerica. Then with the Colts, I've shot the National Match in 45, but not the National Match in 38Super.

He gave me a stare, but was too polite to tell me that I didn't answer his question. At that point I was saved by the bell - the RO rang it to call for a cease-fire so I had to put the gun away. I took the opportunity to make a hasty retreat. I left the range thinking that I might have a future in politics.

So how would you have answered the question?

[MLB]

I usually tune these threads out on gun boards. Which is "better" for what? Carry, cost, value, target practice, resale value? On and on.

Each of us places a different weight on these, which just might make a Springfield "better" than a Les Baer.

Fortunately, I've not shot any of them so I can plead ignorance.

[Callahan]

Maybe I'm too touchy, but if I had been proudly showing off my new $2,500 Smith & Wesson Performance Center 1911 and some Bozo said, "Which is better, a Colt or a Kimber?" well, that would have gotten my back up.

I guess I might have said, "Neither. Today, it's this one."

[TMan]

Well, after reading MLB's reply, I got to thinking perhaps my ego got in the way. The correct answer should have been: "I don't know!"

Callahan, I've known this guy for about a year, and I think it was a very innocent question. He is not the kind of guy that would try to put down what I had by insinuating that Colts and Kimbers were better.

Speaking of Kimbers, that new Centennial edition knocks my socks off with the color-cased "dust cover". (See you can teach an ole dog new tricks - well new terms anyhow).



Apparently it isn't a Talo Distributor edition, and I can't find it anywhere.

["DoubleAction"]

To each their own; But for my investment, I have always relied on the Colts, ever since I desired one as a young child and I'm not one to quickly to change my mind.

The only other 1911's that have, other than the Colts, is my Wilson Combats.

[MLB]

There's a write up about that Kimber in the current issue of American Rifleman. Apparently, it's a real case colored hardening rather than some chemical coloring.

[TMan]

MLB, I don't get American Rifleman; I get America's 1st Freedom instead.

So I looked online and found this article: www.americanrifleman.org/ArticlePage.aspx?id=2214&cid=29

Is this it, or is there other information in the magazine?

From the picture, it looks like the real color case hardening, which if far different from my sucky Beretta's case coloring.

DA, I didn't realize that you stayed with just the Colt's and the Wilson's. If I remember right, I also have a DoubleStar (good value), Les Baer, Springfield (9MM), Springfield (GI), STI (9MM 6" slide), Taurus, American Classic, S&W, Kimbers (45, 9mm, & 22LR), and RIA.

I don't have a Sig 1911, but looking at their product line, there isn't anything there that really interests me. I like either low-end or top-end, and the Sig's that only mildly interest me are in the middle.

[MLB]

That's about all there was to the article. Just a single page.

["DoubleAction"]

TMan :
DA, I didn't realize that you stayed with just the Colt's and the Wilson's. If I remember right, I also have a DoubleStar (good value), Les Baer, Springfield (9MM), Springfield (GI), STI (9MM 6" slide), Taurus, American Classic, S&W, Kimbers (45, 9mm, & 22LR), and RIA.

Colts has been my choice in the 1911, ever since I was a young child. I finally had my chance to have one when I was in Vietnam.

When I was growing up, The Colt 1911 was the standard, by which all others was measured by. In other words, Colt was the yard stick and the water mark by which all others be measured by. That is the reason why most aftermarket parts are made for the Colt 1911.

This has nothing do with choices made by others; This is my personal choice. I also have found out that Colts gives me the best bang for my bucks.

If I could afford the Les Baer 1911's, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a few. Its all about finances and my budget requirements.

[TMan]

The scoop on the Centenial is that they haven't made it yet, and don't expect it to be available until July. This has to be the ultimate Kimber and eclipses the SuperAmerica. Here is the link to the writeup on Kimber's web-site.

www.kimberamerica.com/products/centennial/

I'm not too wild about the ivory grips, but we do have a lot of pre-ban ivory art work so some poor animals died for those.

They are allocated of course and dealer cost will be slightly over $3K depending on the dealer's status (some dealers are "key-dealers" and get better prices than other dealers.)

Anybody betting if TMan be successful in getting one of the 250?

["DoubleAction"]

TMan; That Kimber is a very good looking piece of hardware. I wish you whole a lot of luck in getting it.

[TMan]

Mar 25, 2010 8:43:12 GMT -5 "DoubleAction" said:

Colts has been my choice in the 1911, ever since I was a young child. ...

DA, I was watching a show on TV the other day and it showed the Remington Arms plant in Ilion, NY, which was one of my accounts from 1970 to 1975. It showed a lot of people there using a lot of new computer controlled equipment making guns. These were a lot of young people, and none of the people that I interfaced with, way back then, were there any longer.

I got to thinking about how young I was back then, and how old they were, and I realized: they were all gone. The people that made the guns were gone, the equipment they made the guns on was gone, but the only thing that was still the same was the name: "Remington".

I still have my original Nortic Track ski machine upstairs. Towards the end of the company, they produced a lot of other exercise machines, which were crap. They went out of business. The name: "Nortic Track" lost its meaning.

My most recent Colt, which was made by Walther, which is owed by Umarex, is nothing like the Colt you carried in Vietnam, but does have some resemblance to the Colt rifle I was issued when I was there in 64-65.

You really can't go by the name anymore. Even if the company hasn't gone away, things change. The name IBM still represents the same company, but it is nothing like the company that Tom Watson ran. Their full employment policy, their "respect for the individual" - just another thing of the past.

As I write this, my wife is in Hartford, CT. meeting with another one of my old clients. However, all the people I enjoyed working with are all gone. The company has changed, and times have changed.

Can you still go by the "Colt" name?

One thing hasn't changed: I can still type - even though I am as drunk as a skunk. ;D I have to go find my wife's teddy bear and go to bed.

["DoubleAction"]

TMan; I agree with you that the manufacturing of firearms has changed. I have acquired some new Colts, but it has been a few years ago. Some of my Colts average anywhere from 1982 and some was bought in 1996.

I have my Gold Cup Trophy and my Reissued Blued Steel Series 70, and my Defender. For those three pistols; I acquired them for right at $2,000.

Of course, I have admit that I didn't the pistols with some of the features that you in the photos. That part is the real bargain of owning a Colt, because you make it anyway you want to and it will be a Colt.

However; The Wilson Combats are the ones that holds the bragging rights in my safe.

[TMan]

DA, that middle one, I think that is the one you called "Reissued Blued Steel" is a real thing of beauty. Why is it called "reissued"?

Well, I have to get back to the last of the Buckmarks. I got the rifle done and one of the pistols, and now I'm on the last pistol. I had one heck of a time trying to find it. I was looking for a grey Browning case, and it was in a rug. Looking down at the tops of the rugs you can't see what is on the side. I thought it was a Performance Center revolver, but when in desparation I picked it up and looked, I saw that it was a Browning.

I have two Buckmarks that were great right out of the box, but these other two, and the rifle weren't so they got shelved until I had time to work on the triggers. The two that are done are breaking at just over 2lbs with no noticable creep.

They have been waiting for over 3 years, and I think the next thing I'll tackle will be the two CZ-75's (9mm and 22LR). Their triggers are really creepy and gritty. But first I have to finish the guest bathroom. (Being married does have some drawbacks.)

["DoubleAction"]

"DA, that middle one, I think that is the one you called "Reissued Blued Steel" is a real thing of beauty. Why is it called "reissued"?"

TMan; When Retired Marine General Keyes became the CEO of Colt; he made the commitment to bring back the Colt Series 70 Government Model. The General kept his promise and I purchase two of the General's Pistols in a very short time; the other one was the Gold Cup Trophy with the factory installed BoMar rear sight.

The Reissued 70 shoots as good as looks. Both pistols was the bargain of a lifetime. However; Not all Colts are made the same way every time. There was three different Blue Series 70 pistols in the the glass counter, when I looked at them and I got the pick of the litter. I told the counter guy to return the other two back to Colt for frame to slide fitting.

The Gold Cup Trophy is a good of a pistol can be at price, so good, that my brother offered me a deal on a Wilson Combat Stainless "Protector" model and I didn't even think about it.

My Colts has a lot of stories attached to them.

The most beautiful blued 1911 I have seen on a Colt was one that my brother had on a Colt Gold Cup Trophy in Colt's Royal Blue. That was a sight to behold on a pistol.

I don't know; Maybe I've been hooked on Colts for too long, and not just the 1911 pistols. However; I would part with my S&W Revolvers for anything.