New Kimber & Rock Island

[Zhurh]

Finally shot both pistols off my back porch bench. Kimber Pro Carry II with crimson trace light & $400 Rock Island; the Rock Island was a better shooter outta the box, ha.

The Kimber was shooting 2-3 feet low with stk sight & also a foot low with crimson trace at 30 yards off sand bags; also to the right 2 inches but probably me at that.

The Rock Island was on paper every time at 30 yards; pretty much I could hit a moose, no problem with that gun; and I'm gonna try this fall too.

When my boy shot at 10 yards, the Kimber was on paper but low. He hit bullseye with R.I. several times.

So what sights should I look at ordering for both these guns? I could see red light on paper at 30 yards too with Kimber.

We're going to shoot a few more boxes of ammo before doing anything though. Just if the caribou show up, I'll have to shoot 2 foot over their backs to hit them with that $1100 Kimber, the $400 Rock Island is pretty good right now.

What other 1911's are good functional accurate guns in the lower price range; 400-600 bucks?

[Double D]

The STI Spartan is probably the best 1911 in that price range. Isnt it funny how the rock island is performing better than the kimber right out of the box? Well, not really funny when you think of the money difference...I was just bragging on my rock island in another thread too and I have been deliberately trying to make the gun fail and it wont fail. Doesnt matter what ammo I feed it or how I hold it or what magazines I use, it shoots great and straight. Sorry all you haters, maybe you should buy one and find out for yourself....But back to the spartan, shooter45 bought his from me and cleaned and oiled it with silver bullet gun oil right when he got it. He has fired over 6000 rounds out of it without one failure and has never cleaned the gun one time and it refuses to have a hiccup. Their frames are made by armscore and the gun is assembled in texas by an employee owned company. Why are you changing sights?

[Zhurh]

Hearing all the good things about R.I. on here is why I bought one. Local gun shop, 200 miles away told me he sells the crap outta them too. I want to get another, how much is that sparatn and what model should I get, want a longer barrel if possible for hunting.

[Double D]

The basic spartan is just over 600. I dont think they offer a long slide, only 5,4,3" barrels. Did you see this rock island I got called the 2011 tactical?

[WHSmithIV]

Originally Posted by Zhurh

What other 1911's are good functional accurate guns in the lower price range; 400-600 bucks?

I have the full size Citadel 1911 - it's as accurate as your R.I. No surprise though, they are both Armscor 1911's.... You can buy one of the Citadels retail for no more $485 (so far that's the best price I've found on-line). I traded my SKS carbine for my gently used Citadel and I have not been disappointed with the trade at all.

[zkovach]

Originally Posted by Double D

The basic spartan is just over 600. I dont think they offer a long slide, only 5,4,3" barrels. Did you see this rock island I got called the 2011 tactical?

Not hijacking here but dbl D are those stock grips if not where did u get them. They look great!

[Double D]

Originally Posted by zkovach

Not hijacking here but dbl D are those stock grips if not where did u get them. They look great!

Those are stock grips that only come on the 2011 tactical. They are coarse grips and the frame checkering make for a solid gripping gun. I really like it.

[zkovach]

What does that model run? Can u get it in high capacity?

[Double D]

I dont know what it runs because I get dealer prices and I am no longer selling firearms, but I am going to say you should be able to get it for around 550.00. I havent seen a high cap in that model. Check buds or an auction site.

[Zhurh]

Hey D, the boy and me want to shoot that kimber some more, he goes back to school in morning, might as well. I usually shoot off sand bags. Whats the proper way to shoot in that kimber as no adjustment for elevation. Or is it me, reason why kimber is 2 ffot low at 30 yards. The R.I. is much better.

Going to order novak tritiums adjustable sigts; are tey OK?

[Double D]

I like novak sights, wondering if you are shooting low or the gun is. Is the trigger alot different on the kimber than on the RI? If the gun is shooting low you will have to compensate your aim to hit where you want to hit. I cant remember, is the kimber brand new? What ammo are you using? Wow, I just realized you said the kimber is shooting 2-3 FEET low! Wow. Thats alot. Have you taken that gun apart at all? I remember you saying you thought there was a slide latch issue with it...I am now curious if it has been disassembled and reassembled incorrectly somehow? I mean I have never seen that happen or done that but 2-3 feet low isnt normal. If you can take yourself out of the equasion and make sure its not you, then I say something is wrong with that gun.

[dcriner]

Use a bench rest, and squeeze the trigger ever so gradually. Then get back to us.

[Zhurh]

Just read the post, the boy and me are going out to shoot the Kimber right now, after reading the post. Have cheap PMC 230 fmj for practice. I'm havin the boy shoot it and just read the post, will get back in a few. Might be a rebuilt gun, but doesn't jam.

[Zhurh]

30 yards off bench with X bag turned side ways for rest:
1. 6 inches right 8 inches down
2. 2 inches right 3 inches up
3. 6 inches left 8 inches down
4. 2 inches left 21 inches down
5. 2 inches left 8 inches down

So he did better this time than last, maybe just more practice needed. Funny thing is the Rock Island shot pretty close straight away outta the box. First time the boy shot the Kimber earlier today, it was 2-3 feet low every time. Thanks all for the help.

[Double D]

Maybe you guys are not use to a single action trigger. I dont know. Move closer to your target, maybe 20 ft until you get better. When you are pulling the trigger, it should be done with part of the finger in between the tip and the first joint and pull straight back in a fluid motion and the bang should come as a surprise. You need to be concentrating on your sight picture and your breathing at the same time. When that all comes together, the shot should hit the target. Since you didnt shoot 2-3 feet low this time, its most likely you or him. Not really sure why you can shoot the RI so much better, maybe the trigger is better suited for you.

[rogertc1]

A short barreled 1911 with shoot and handle differently from a full length 1911. Sorry.

[Double D]

Originally Posted by rogertc1

A short barreled 1911 with shoot and handle differently from a full length 1911. Sorry.

I can shoot my commanders and my officers pretty close to the same as my full size at 35 ft. It certainly would not make that much difference. You werent really saying that one inch of barrel would cause you to shoot 2 feet low were you?

[rogertc1]

Mine have different charteristic due to how you hold the gun, the recoil, shorter sight radius, and the ammo used. My AMT long slide shoots different than my Detonics, my Kimber Poly Pro, SAM Blue thunder, Taurus ALR, Kimber CDP 2, or even my GI Remington 1911.

[RunningOnMT]

Zhurh if you're still following this thread I have a question. When your Kimber is shooting low, is that "sighting" by using the Crimson Trace grips? If so, try it using your sights instead of the dot. My thought is that there is no way Kimber would build a pistol that's sights were that far off. You may need to adjust that laser however,. They are probably slapped on after the piece is test fired at the factory.

[Double D]

I just took my colt defender and my american tactical, both 3" barrels out today and ran 200 rounds thru them. At 35 ft I can make ragged holes in my targets so I dont have any issues shooting my officers verses my full size 1911s. I guess it has alot to do with experience.

[Zhurh]

Sorry, Haven't been on computer, been huntin, first day moose, saw several cows; early subsistence season, moose don't move much until September. Jumped out with AR 10 after blk bear running up the road, but he dived off the road and couldn't see him in the brush, completely forgot about the kimber on the trk dash, nutty. Caribou that are usually here in the thousands are about 100 miles North of us this year, but they will more than likely move down this way in a week or two. I'm going back out behind house right before dark for this bull I have seen out and about, maybe get lucky.

Anyway, I appreciate all the help with these 1911's. With the Kimber the light is low also with the fixed sight but it can be adjusted. I'm ordering a Novak for Kimber.

The Rock Island is an inch longer that Kimber, might have something to do with it also.

More than anything, might be operator error along with more needed practice.

Thanks again to everybody, got to kill a moose one of these nx few times out.

[ozo]

Z
I believe you will get the Kimber on target if you just keep shooting her.
Mine ain't so sweet as many of my lower cost ones either....I'm not a
huge Kimber fan, but it will shoot.
You are a big revolver guy, and the 1911's do not hold the same as
what you are used to. Some say it doesn't matter.....if you know how
to shoot.....I say it does matter.
Try some other ammo also.....Magtech maybe.
The Novak's are great, and one of my favorites.
For you, I know it's not the barrel length....you shoot your 2.5"
in a much larger caliber......but in a revolver.

[rogertc1]

I agree with OZO...

[Martimus]

Hi all!

Another thing to consider is that the Crimson Trace lasers are usually set at the factory to a POI of 50 feet. If the OP is sighting using the Crimson Trace at 30 yards then it's possible that the POI will be somewhat off and in need of adjustment... I can't imagine, however, it being that far off unless someone has been tweaking the adjustment screws on the laser.

[Ironvarmint]

Originally Posted by zkovach

Not hijacking here but dbl D are those stock grips if not where did u get them. They look great!

Those grips are made by VZ Grips http://vzgrips.com/ I have the same RI