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Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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I've always wanted a Kimber, so a year ago I sold my S&W 645 for exactly what I paid for it 25 years ago and bought a Kimber SS Raptor II for the big bucks that Kimber gets for them. This is a custom shop gun. I was convinced that Kimber was the best production 1911 available.
I found the gun a little difficult to handle. When cocking the slide I was constantly nicking my fingers on the ambi-safety. The spring is very stiff and disassembly is very difficult too. It's really hard to press the slide lock out as well. Now, I'm not a 98 lb. weakling. I have no trouble cocking my DE .44 magnum and they are known for their difficulty.
Then I took it to the range and after a few rounds it started stove-piping about once every other magazine. I was told that it needed a couple hundred rounds to break it in. It now has had about 500-600 rounds through it and hasn't done it in several hundred rounds.
My wife doesn't like the .45 so I bought her a Team Match II in 9mm. This is also a custom shop gun. It's coming up on 200 rounds and toward the end of a session, it will not eject a cartridge (or 2) from each magazine.
To shorten this a bit, My wife decided we should be shooting DW's just like our revolvers, so we bought me a Razorback RZ-45 Heritage and ordered a Pointman Nine for her.
To be honest, I was not impressed with the appearance of the RZ-45. Kimber is masterful in their styling. I was not pleased that there is no ambi-safety, and those cheap Hogue rubber grips are awful. Then I racked the slide; now that's the way a slide should move, smooth as glass. Then I squeezed the trigger, OMG, here's my credit card.
We picked it up on Tuesday and went right to the range with the 2 Kimbers as well. Camparison, you know.
The Raptor functioned flawlessly; I put about 20 rounds through it. My wife put about 60 rounds through the TM II. After about 45 rounds, it started not ejecting the spent cartridges again, 1 or 2 per magazine.
We put about 150 rounds through the RZ-45 without a single malfunction. I love this gun. It also seems to be easier to shoot than the Kimber.
I do have one reservation. When we were through, the front 1/2 inch of the slide, and the top of the receiver were coated with GSR. This doesn't happen to the Kimber's. So I'm wondering if there is something wrong with my new DW; something not fitted correctly?
Any opinions are welcome. Now that my grips from Esmeralda are here, pics will show up in the calander thread in a couple of days.
-Mike
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Range Officer
Range Officers
May 2, 2009
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I haven't shot the RZ-10 yet, but it has a trigger in ounces, and once I lubed it up the slide moves easily also (even with 23lb recoil spring)...
My Patriot 45 also gets GSR on the front of the slide/frame.
SHOOT
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Thanks Mike. I'm glad to hear that. Apparently then it is nothing to be concerned with.
I love shooting this gun.
-Mike
January 22, 2008
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I've got to start saving for a DW 1911!
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
Moderators
November 17, 2008
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Nothing says fun like a dirty gun!! Can't wait to see the pics!
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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SHOOTIST357 said:
I haven't shot the RZ-10 yet, but it has a trigger in ounces, and once I lubed it up the slide moves easily also (even with 23lb recoil spring)...
My Patriot 45 also gets GSR on the front of the slide/frame.
SHOOT
Ditto for my PM1-S. My son has (had) a Kimber that I had custody of while he was overseas. I shot it a few times and thought it was a piece of crap, I much preferred shooting his PT 1911. He has since dumped the Kimber, I believe.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 9, 2009
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Mike,
My first 1911 was also a Kimber custom shop CDPII in 45 ACP and I sent it back to Kimber three times until they replaced the gun as a Lemon because it would not shoot anywhere near where it was supposed to, it was a fixed sight gun. Well I still have the Kimber only because I have not taken the time to list it on GB. I never shoot it, don't much care too. I bought a used PM DW in 45ACP this year for less money than the Kimber and love it. I would say that there seems to be a trend here...
A man cannot have too many SuperMags
May 17, 2010
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I only put 100 rounds through my PM7 never had it jam though. I have only shot one other .45 1911, a sure 'nuf Colt that had been coated in something (it was green). I thought they were very comparable.
I will say I just got bit by a Glock in 9mm, still have the scab.. not my cup of tea! Though the Berretta in 9mm was pretty fun.
Still... just let me poke along with my M15-2... and I am just happy!
Soap Box, Ballot Box, Ammo Box
in that order.
4 Monson Model 15's
1 Palmer FB 15
1 Rossi 357 Model 92 (lever)
1 CZ 75B
June 24, 2011
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Thousands of rounds through my CBOB, not one malfunction... ever. Took all the advice from DW and cleaned, lubed and racked it like crazy before I ever took the first shot.
Same story on my RZ-10 Sportman, the only malfunctions were due to crimping on some handloads, other than that, perfection.
For the record I'm right handed and don't care for ambi-safeties and my gun gets plenty dirty, maybe because it always works 
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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box up them kimbers and send them over here!!! Got an art project coming up and need some fillers! Still waiting for the Dan 1911! Have a glock 30 (will stove pipe on occasion) and a ruger p90 (likes ruger mags), though would much rather have the ruger with me in case of!!!! Gotta save up for Dan!
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Thanks guys.
My wife, who hasn't liked .45ACP up to this point, actually enjoyed shooting the RZ-45. She still prefers 9mm though.
Now she's getting very anxious about the wait for the PM Nine. CZ says that it will not go back into production until February or March. So now she knows what her anniversary present will be next May. Better than more jewelery any day.
Supermagfan said:
Mike,
My first 1911 was also a Kimber custom shop CDPII in 45 ACP and I sent it back to Kimber three times until they replaced the gun as a Lemon because it would not shoot anywhere near where it was supposed to, it was a fixed sight gun. Well I still have the Kimber only because I have not taken the time to list it on GB. I never shoot it, don't much care too. I bought a used PM DW in 45ACP this year for less money than the Kimber and love it. I would say that there seems to be a trend here...
Yeah, Phil. That's another thing I noticed; the DW RZ-45 seems to be more accurate than the Kimber. We'll probably keep the Kimber's around for HP duty, and use the Dan's for fun.
-Mike
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