[spittinfire]

So I bought a slightly used Kimber pro carry 2....blue, 150ish rounds thru it. I get it home, clean it, oil it, take it over to my parents, show it to my dad. We handle it as any normal person would when showed a new handgun. 12-14 hours later I open the FACTORY SUPPLIED CASE and I find a pistol covered in surface rust.

I called Kimber today.....want to know what they told me??? I stored the pistol in THE FACTORY SUPPLIED CASE and that the foam in the FACTORY SUPPLIED CASE draws the oil away from the metal and this is what caused the rust. So Kimber ships their products in a KNOWN RUST INDUCING FOAM but they BLAME YOU for the rust. KIMBER SUCKS!!!!!! Rust isn't covered under their warrenty so I could pay them $140 to put the same worthless blueing back on my gun. Gee...Thanks...let me go pi$$ up a rope while I'm at it.

I will call them again tomorrow in hopes that I will get an idiot less stupid then the man I spoke to today. If not.....Kimber will lose another costomer.

1911s do not have my support currently...what do they give me over an XD??? Someone please tell me. Don't come at me with that stupid thumb safety thing, bring a reasonable argument.

[NGIB]

I'm real sorry to hear about all the troubles you Kimber owners have had lately. Don't let Kimber's poor finish sour you on the finest platform ever made for the .45 round. I've owned nearly every .45 semi-auto platform in the past few years from a Glock 21, XD .45, Beretta PX4, Baby Eagle, Sig 220, Sig 245, and many others. Not one of these compares to the inherent pointability, accuracy, and just general feel of a 1911. Of the others listed, the only one I kept was an XD .45 Compact (and I have a Sig 220 in .22).

My only Kimber is a 13 year old 1st generation and it does not suffer from the problems you folks have had. For a quality forged-frame 1911, I'd highly recommend either a Colt or a Springfield. The Springer Mil-Spec (not the GI) is a great reasonably priced 1911. I recently picked up an almost new one for $500 - and a box of ammo was included...

[Dillinger]

Well, let's see....

You are completely pissed, you have just had some really bad customer service, and NOW you want us to convince you that a weapon that has been in the hands of professional soldiers for over a hundred years is for you?!?

Spittin - I couldn't convince you to pick up a 1911 over a stick to fight Cerberus himself at this point.

After a few days, let's revisit this conversation....

Good luck, and don't be afraid to go up the chain of command.

Sorry about your luck brother. I am with NGIB, I have the early generation stuff and never had these problems....

JD

[spittinfire]

Originally Posted by Dillinger

Well, let's see....

You are completely pissed, you have just had some really bad customer service, and NOW you want us to convince you that a weapon that has been in the hands of professional soldiers for over a hundred years is for you?!?

Spittin - I couldn't convince you to pick up a 1911 over a stick to fight Cerberus himself at this point.

After a few days, let's revisit this conversation....

Good luck, and don't be afraid to go up the chain of command.

Sorry about your luck brother. I am with NGIB, I have the early generation stuff and never had these problems....

JD

JD, I agree 100%....but the worst part is, I haven't even fired this pistol! I'm planning to call Kimber back tomorrow and see if I can get someone with half a brain on the phone. I'll go from there...I have tomorrow off work so we'll see....

[Dillinger]

Originally Posted by spittinfire

JD, I agree 100%....but the worst part is, I haven't even fired this pistol! I'm planning to call Kimber back tomorrow and see if I can get someone with half a brain on the phone. I'll go from there...I have tomorrow off work so we'll see....

It's possible they are too obsessed with their 'spread the market' philosophy.

A few years ago, to be a Kimber Master dealer, you had to buy a certain number of 1911's a year. That was it.

Then Kimber decided to be Remington and incorporate hunting rifles and other things they were not "known" for...

Now, it would appear, they just aren't concerned with their 1911 market - as evidenced by what I have been hearing from you guys.

I sent them an e-mail asking if they wanted to come here and talk shop - I haven't heard anything..

I am really sorry you got a bad model, and possibly a company that doesn't care about it's customers.

I just hope this doesn't sour you on the 1911 forever....

Good luck man, don't be afraid to get up early and start calling.

JD

[stalkingbear]

It sounds to me like Kimber folks that's doing the bluing is forgetting the salts neutralizing step in the hot blue process. That would explain the unusual tendency for surface rust to form like that.

[Dillinger]

You know, I just read through the manual that came with my Kimber that I bought in 2004.

I can't see ANYWHERE in there that it says that the case they sent it to me in is NOT for long term storage of the weapon.

Now, if yours is the same manual, I would ask the good folks from Yonkers why their policy about the "foam" is not listed in the manual they provided with safety and care instructions....

For what it's worth Spittin'

JD

[Jo da Plumbr]

I hope your doing something to stop further rusting.

[ktmboyz]

wow that really sucks.. I have checked both my kimbers for any signs of rust and there is none!! My ultra carry is stainless so I wouldn't really expect to see any on there, but my TLE II is black. I have had it out shooting in the rain and didn't have time to oil it until the next day and still didn't see anything..

It does sound like they have piss pore customer service though

[M14sRock]

Sounds like a small investment in some Brownells Gunkote bake on finish may be a good idea. Easy to apply, and very durable. Or some Cera Cote.

1911 platform is GTG, but I'm not a Kimber fan either.