Springfield or Kimber?

It all depends, bith are great guns. What price range are you looking to spend? what specific models are you looking at? what exactly do you plan on doing with it?

if you are going to the range only to shoot and compete, then I would get the springfield loaded target.

if you want a gun to take camping stuff behind the couch and use strictly for home defense I would think a spriger mil-spec would be a good choice.

do you have other 1911s? if you sre going to carry concealed, kimber has some great options designed just for that.

I have a kimber CDP pro and a pringfield trp, both are sweet, as cool as those are though, my springer GI is the go to for screwing around. FWIW I think its hard to beat the glock 17.

Yeah the Glock 22 beats the Glock 17 though; great all around choice.

Looking for a range toy / camping / home defense gun.

Trying to decide between the parkerized Springfield Loaded and the Kimber Custom II, trying to not go much above $1K.

I don't CCW, but will have my paperwork in and will likely get a dedicated CCW weapon ~ 1 year out.

Glocks are great, but not my cup of tea. Something about the 1911 platform just feels right in my hand.

How's the overall quality with the Springfield and trigger weight out of the box? I've shot Kimbers, have heard good things about Springfields, but only have experience with the M1As, not their handguns... I appreciate the advice.

Kimber Custom II is a great gun. If your're looking for a sweeter trigger, it certainly beats the Springfields. However, they make outstanding 1911's as well. If this is your first handgun, certainly Glock is not the best option for a variety of reasons, most having to do with safety. I'll tell you, I recently shot an FNH 45 and I'm now looking to add one to the collection. Outstanding! For home defense, range, trail, it certainly is one to consider. 15 round capacity of 45acp, decocker, well balanced, with a crisp trigger. Springfield XDM's are also fantastic and available in 45acp, but they're not a 1911 platform. Nighthawk, Les Baer Custom, Colt....so many choices. I guess that's what makes it so fun. One at a time.

Just popped into my head! Go over to Youtube and go to "The Armory Channel". Pete is a hilarious guy, but knows alot about 1911s (guns in general). He has both the Kimber Custom II and the Springfield Mil Spec (a few others as well). It should help to break it down for you besides the entertainment value he provides.

http://www.youtube.com/user/theARMORYchannel#p/search/10/6ivbvqEIezI

http://www.youtube.com/user/theARMORYchannel#p/search/22/WCd_Ox_LBGw

mez wrote:

Just popped into my head!

Not sure this is the best choice of words on this thread.

Nice. Safety first.

Got a BAR 300 Winn Mag on the way. Anyone have experience with these?

Big time ammunition thats for sure.

You can't go wrong with either 1911. Even if you get a lemon (always possible in the factory non-custom 1911 world) either company should make it right.

Consider a Taurus PT1911 and spend the extra $500+ on ammo and range time.

I got a Glock 19 as my first handgun *because* it was a safe gun. Can you expand on your comments about why Glock is not a good choice for an inexperienced shooter? I've always wondered what people perceive to be so unsafe about Glocks. Thanks.

whatever you do, do NOT, I repeat do NOT buy a Taurus, they really suck. Glocks are very safe. I would even go as far as to say safer than other pistols with manual safeties. on a glock, if your finger isnt on the trigger, its safe. If you are an incompitant dumbass, then you should have a gun anyways. glock or otherwise.

Taurus firearms are a TREMENDOUS bargain. Anecdotal evidence is worth what you pay for it but my 3 Taurus pistols (PT 1911SS, PT99AF, and PT 709) have been absolutely flawless in function after thousands of rounds (well, hundreds in the 709) and are more accurate than I am. Not a single FTF, FTE, or failure to lock back on an empty mag. Same reliability as I've found in my "finer" pistols made in Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, and the US of A.

How can you say a Glock is safer than a pistol with a manual safety? Perhaps just as safe, but in no way is it "safer." Which would you rather carry Mexican style or have ripped from your holster by a bad guy-- a Glock or a 1911? If you still say Glock you're a fool. By the way if you handle a firearm in the same manner as you spell or construct a sentence you're up for a Darwin Award sometime soon.

Olfactor wrote:

You can't go wrong with either 1911. Even if you get a lemon (always possible in the factory non-custom 1911 world) either company should make it right.

Consider a Taurus PT1911 and spend the extra $500+ on ammo and range time.

Not that I'm opposed to Taurus (I think they make solid guns), but for 1911s, they're not much cheaper.