Posted on 02/06/2011 9:34:42 AM PST by STONEWALLS
IF I was in a small state agency like the NC ALE I think I would be trying to get a weapon common to other state agencies, like the state police. make it cheaper and have a bigger supply pipeline.
Uh, sure thing.
I own a few Kimbers. They are fantastic weapons and very reliable.
I suspect the department either bought versions that were too accurized or were looking for an excuse to sell them back to their own agents.
Winnah!
This isn’t about reliability, it’s really about a kind taxpayer funded money laundering.
All this means is that these pistols will end up in the private collections of the officers, and ALE will purchase another nice sidearm, use it for a few years and declare it worn out or not good enough, and so on and so on.
Somebody with some oversight ought to launch an investigation. The service life of a issue sidearm shouldn’t be a few years. Imagine if they were buying luxury cars for official use, then declaring them surplus and selling them on the cheap to agency workers every few months. This isn’t any different. It’s a racket, and not even a very discreet one.
In a perfect world, the next gun they’d get would be a S&W Model 10 M&P with one bullet kept in the shirt pocket.
They were probably purchased through Kimber’s custom shop.
The custom guns are manufactured with much tighter tolerances, and not as reliable if the gun is dirty.
Never owned a Kimber either. ALE is not exactly SWAT, though. I expect the guns probably sat around, got dirty, and failed to function- a common failing in semi-auto pistols, especially ones manufactured to close tolerances, as Kimbers are reputed to be. Perhaps they needed something a little more their speed...a 4” .38 revolver.....
I've pretty much owned them all in multiple numbers and calibers, and I still have them all. Colt, Glock, HK, SW.. even Para, Kimber,Springfield and countless others.
I have a real soft spot for my Colt combat, it's not really that anymore.. wilson barrel, custom trigger/slide.. you name it. I love the thing. It's the only one I want to shoot when I go out plinking.
However, when it comes right down to it and my demand is ultra-reliability and handling, I'll reach for a Sig every single time and bet my life on it. In particular, my P229.
My second choice is the HK USP. Both have proven rock solid reliability with any mixture of junk or common ammunition I have ever fed to them in any state of filth. I can't say that about any other handgun I have including the Glocks.
I'd take one of their "old worn out" sig's over a box full of anything else when it comes down to reliability, any day, any time.
A Taurus .38 6 shot is cheap, reliable, and and easy carry. Leave the expensive guns to the citizens.
If you ever get this answer from a manufacturer, go get your money back.
A properly built firearm does not require a 1500 round breaking in period in order to function correctly.
You should be able to clean the packing grease out of it, re-assemble and use reliably.
If the machine is built THAT tight with THAT many burrs and sharp edges, it is not finished and should be considered flawed.
Yes, they should get smoother over time as with anything else mechanical, but the minimum requirement is that it function properly when new.
I got this answer from ArmaLite once and they promptly got their weapon back in return for my money.
Did the A.L.E. look the Kimbers up in “Gun Test” first?
And How many life and death situations does the A.L.E. find itself in on a yearly basis?
What a sweet scam for ripping off the taxpayer. Buy a top-of-the-line firearm, carry it for a few years, and then bad-mouth it with some total BS. Then have the same moron (who probably considers himself an expert) pick some other expensive toy, and everybody gets the discount purchase of as many of the older pieces as they want. And instantly collectible with custom engraving.
And except for target rifle barrels, I consider every one of my weapons "broken in" at 100 rounds. If there's still some problem left, I'll at least know what it will take to fix it.
Ditto Springfield XD. And Taurus makes a sweet 1911 for about $500. But then, that’s spending my own money, not the taxpayers’.
“This is the criteria that the old military used in selecting a model to best protect their commanders. They chose the Colt model 1911 hands down.”
What were the other choices 100 years ago? Specifically regarding semi-auto pistols?
For the past 3 decades just about every military and law enforcement agency in the world has chosen some other pistol than the 1911 and some other caliber than .45 ACP.
I have the custom shop Ultra CDP II in .45 and would bet my life on it’s reliability.
Somethings fishy here.
Yes, those morons probably don’t know how to shoot straight or clean their weapons, I’m guessing. The Kimber is a little difficult to break down and clean
Agreed, although I think the .45ACP is still an excellent choice for a defensive handgun. I love the 1911 but there isn’t a model built by anyone today that could stand up to the abuse that a Glock will take.
“For the past 3 decades just about every military and law enforcement agency in the world has chosen some other pistol than the 1911 and some other caliber than .45 ACP.”
The 9mm came into use because of the Europeans in NATO.
I will only carry a 1911.It has stood the test of time.
I had a POS Kimber Ultra Carry II. Kimber seems to have very inconsistent quality control for the inflated prices.
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