Posted: 5/12/2016 5:47:37 PM EDT
| Still doing my research, mostly because in NJ it can take 3 months for a purchase permit for a handgun. I'm looking at SA, Kimber and Ruger. My upper end probably comes in under $800. One of the things I keep seeing regarding Kimber is rust. What surprised me is stainless parts rust? Barrels and guide rods? I would have thought that stainless generally don't rust. I keep looking at Kimber, seems like a better gun then Ruger and with SA and my price range I would be limited to a Mil Spec. A Kimber Custom 2 seems to outclass a SA Mil Spec? |
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Still doing my research, mostly because in NJ it can take 3 months for a purchase permit for a handgun. I'm looking at SA, Kimber and Ruger. My upper end probably comes in under $800. One of the things I keep seeing regarding Kimber is rust. What surprised me is stainless parts rust? Barrels and guide rods? I would have thought that stainless generally don't rust. I keep looking at Kimber, seems like a better gun then Ruger and with SA and my price range I would be limited to a Mil Spec. A Kimber Custom 2 seems to outclass a SA Mil Spec? FOR SOME REASON, KIMBERS ARE THE ONLY 1911'S THAT HAVE RUST ON THEIR BARRELS STRAIGHT FROM THE FACTORY!! |
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Dont get the sa milspec park'd if you want a durable finish Mine did well for 14 years. Got it reparked last year at the Springfield Armory Custom Shop, looks good as new. I was thinking of getting it melonited. I had a factory melonited Shield that was buried in snow and road salt for a night, rinsed it off with water, re-oiled it, no problem. |
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Truth. Stainless guns will spot and it's hard to get rid of. Quoted:
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If it's made of ferrous metal it certainly can rust. While stainless has more corrosion resistance it is not rust proof. Truth. Stainless guns will spot and it's hard to get rid of. +1 "stains less," but it does rust. |
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What's the average price on SA Loaded? $750 at Bud's (cash price) The milspec is a good gun, too, but I would either fit a beavertail on it or pay someone to do it. You'll need to bob the hammer or get a skeleton one. I prefer the Novak night sights on the Loaded and eventually broke down and got them for my milspec. If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten the Loaded in the first place, then ditched the full length guide rod for a GI one. The milspec is $608 at Bud's (cash price) |
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Kimber barrels are not stainless steel, they are carbon steel "in the white". Kimber has barrels in both stainless and carbon steel. An $800 Kimber will definitely have a CS barrel. It will only rust if it is not taken car of. Properly cleaned and oiled. Some of the best barrels for 1911s are only available in carbon steel, Including Kart. I would be more worried about the other price points like warranty etc.. Unless you are one of those really salty skinned people that rusts everything they touch lol. |
| What about smoke stains? In the right light and at the right angle, I have smoke stains that I have tried to remove without success. The stains are towards the muzzle end. I have used all of the major brands of cleaning products. You can't see the stains without looking for them. Am I being too picky? |
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Already been answered in thread but...
stain-less...not stain-proof. All stainless will rust if not properly protected. The cool factor with SS is that when it is scratched and bare metal is exposed to air the metal reacts against the oxygen and creates a basic protective coat. Kimber barrels are carbon-steel "in-the-white" barrels. They can surface rust if not properly protected. If they do rust then a little rust remover on a rag will take it right off. |
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What about smoke stains? In the right light and at the right angle, I have smoke stains that I have tried to remove without success. The stains are towards the muzzle end. I have used all of the major brands of cleaning products. You can't see the stains without looking for them. Am I being too picky? I use Hoppe's #9 for wiping any areas with powder residue. It's worked for me on blued, parked, and ss (brushed and matte). The only other cleaner I use is G96. Maybe Kroil might loosen things up if the others aren't working. |
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The only way a 1911 is not going to rust is if you get it coated in some way or fashion. Even then, the coating can eventually wear in certain spots and you can end up getting rust in those spots, if you don't properly maintain your firearm.
If you clean and oil regularly, there should be no issues. My most non-rust 1911 I have has been hard-chromed, not just slide and frame, but all the parts too, with the exception of the sights. EDIT: Went back and read again, for your budget, I'd look at SA, or some of the Sig's that are out right now. My 1911's were pretty much exclusively SA Loaded models until about 3 years ago, also had a Kimber in the mix, but then I picked up a Sig 1911 and am loving it. They usually go around or just below your price range used, and have basically all the options you most people look for in a custom gun, checkering, undercut trigger guard, great sights, extended safety, etc. |
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I've owned a number of Colt ,1911's as well as several Kimber 1911's. I liked the Kimbers more so because they came finished out of the box. Unlike the Colts that required finishing like beveling of the magwell, throating of the chamber, addition of night sights, match barrel and match trigger. I don't know which Kimber you are purchasing, but, I have had several Pro Carry models as well as my current Custom TLE/RL II. All of my Kimbers have cost me $1,100.00 (discounted from MSRP by about 15%-20%). They all came standard with match barrel, match trigger, beveled magwell, and night sights. I've never experienced any rust on any of my 1911's whether they be Colt or Kimber. I have, however, experienced rust on my magazines. Currently one of my Tripp Research Cobra stainless magazines has a rust spot on it. I've had this Kimber for about 2 and 1/2 years with no signs of any rust.
Over the last 7 or 8 years I've owned and carried 5 different Kimbers including a Raptor and no rust. Maybe I got lucky and purchased the only 5 Kimbers that just happened to be free of issues. If it's a hot day and I sweat on it, I always wipe it down with oil when getting home. So far so good. |
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Some towns are better the others. The larger more populated towns take a while. After retirement, out of NJ. We even have to pay an exit tax to leave! The other problem with NJ seems to be a mark up on firearms and ammo. Exit tax?? Do tell. Please, of course. |
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If you move out of state before you sell your home there is an additional 2% transfer tax (exit tax) on the sale when the home eventually sells. Forces you to sell before you move out of state if you want to avoid the tax. The thing is you can file for an exemption under certain situations but your forced to file NJ taxes after you move out of state to qualify for the exemption. I'm not a tax expert but it works something like that.
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Still doing my research, mostly because in NJ it can take 3 months for a purchase permit for a handgun. I'm looking at SA, Kimber and Ruger. My upper end probably comes in under $800. One of the things I keep seeing regarding Kimber is rust. What surprised me is stainless parts rust? Barrels and guide rods? I would have thought that stainless generally don't rust. I keep looking at Kimber, seems like a better gun then Ruger and with SA and my price range I would be limited to a Mil Spec. A Kimber Custom 2 seems to outclass a SA Mil Spec? I have 4 Kimbers with SS barrels. They all have rust on the barrel hood. My assumption is that Kimber uses a high sulphur alloy for their barrels. sulphur in SS |
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I have never had a 1911 rust and I have had over a dozen that were carried and shot tons over the years ( mostly Colt but no kimber )
Basic care ( I have never been ocd about cleaning and will often go hundreds of rounds or several weeks to months between cleaning) Even my old school blued revolvers have never rusted. Kimbers rusting is a known issue. But I am not sure if this is not also related to things like how acidic a persons sweat is in addition to the in the white unfinished barrels. I have a friend who's son has such acidic sweat that if he handles a gun and it is not wiped down with an oily rag after will see tust where he touched it within hours |
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I have never had one rust , and I'm in a real humid state, where it will get 100f / 99% humidity, and 75 dewpoint, and not have a cloud in the sky. You basically sweat as soon as you step outside and need gills to breathe.
I have a friend that had one rust, and it was a Kimber. |
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I have never had one rust , and I'm in a real humid state, where it will get 100f / 99% humidity, and 75 dewpoint, and not have a cloud in the sky. You basically sweat as soon as you step outside and need gills to breathe. I have a friend that had one rust, and it was a Kimber. My Pro Carry II has never rusted. Carry in a leather holster in NC. Better believe WE HAVE HUMIDITY here too. I never knew Kimbers had a problem with rust until I saw it here. In fact I never knew people had so many problems with their Kimbers until I read about them here. I changed out the MSH and the slide lever on mine just for personal preference, but it has been a great gun. |
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Keeping an adequate coat of oil on them goes a long way to protecting them.
They do not need to be dripping oil but a daily pass with an oiled rag if they are handled goes a long way. But if it contains iron it rusts. It is stainLESS not stainNONE. The chloride ions in your sweat are hard on stainless steel. Nice white pits. |
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. What surprised me is stainless parts rust? Barrels and guide rods? I would have thought that stainless generally don't rust. Of course stainless rusts. It's called stainLESS not stainPROOF. 
Kimber barrels are not stainless, they are carbon barrels in the white, so the barrels often get a patina on them. I really like my Kimbers, accurate, very reliable, I like the feature set. Probably not for you though. Ruger is probably your best choice of the three. |
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So would I. Quoted:
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I'd get a Springfield Loaded for your budget. So would I. Same here OP. I will only buy a Kimber 1911 "IF" I know the particular guns history and it's known to be a reliable shooter. I've had 50/50 luck when buying new Kimber products. When you get a good one however; by all means keep it though! If the Springer Loaded is out of your price range then save up until it's in your price range OP. You don't want to deal with Kimber's customer service if you get a turd that much I can promise! As for Ruger, I absolutely love their .22 pistols and rifles. They make great single action pistols as well. Anything else... not so much! YMMV. |