Alabama-based Kimber on Friday debuted the Next Generation 1911 series in both 9mm and .45 ACP, and we have one on hand for a closer look.
While in the 1911 biz for generations – my first "nice" 1911 was a Grand Raptor more than 25 years ago – Kimber has made a serious effort to update the design in the past couple of years. We've already covered the excellent Kimber 2K11 double stack from the company, and many of the features from that design are appearing in the more traditional Next Gen series. We'll get into that below.
At launch, the company plans to offer these pistols in four models, all with full-length (Government) sized slides and 5-inch flush-fit deep-crowned stainless steel barrels. They also sport a nice GT match-grade trigger, black walnut grips with a G10 inlay for added texture, and a rounded fastback-style heel. External extractors are the norm, as are front and rear slide serrations, ambi safeties, a round commander-style hammer spur, and an optics cut.
Where the differences between the four models lie is in caliber (9mm or .45 ACP, shipping with two stainless 9+1 or 7+1 round mags each) and in the finish, with an option for either a two-tone with a Matte KimPro II black slide over a stainless frame, or all-stainless.
Best yet, the MSRP is $999 across the board, allowing for a classic American-made (in a pro-2A state) 1911-series pistol with a much more modern feature set.
The Kimber Next Generation 1911 stainless model in .45 ACP. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
The overall length of our review pistol is a very 1911-standard 8.6 inches from the flush-fit muzzle crown to the extended beavertail sweep.
Kimber uses forged slides, frames, and barrels with these guns, which give a standard weight of 36.2 ounces, unloaded.
Taking a look on the inside, the Kimber Next Generation 1911 field strips like standard models, using a GI-style recoil assembly. It was very tight, and Kimber includes a bushing wrench, but we didn't have to use it. Splitting the difference between the 17-pound recoil spring weight (for more reliability) and the 15-pound weight for smooth shooting/easy recoil, Kimber went with a 16 on the .45 ACP. Of note, the 9mm variant uses a 12-pound spring.
Check out the polishing on the feed ramp and the barrel fitment. We found the barrel to have a rock-hard lock-up when in battery, with no wiggle or rattle.
External extractors significantly up the reliability of a pistol without the same iffy tensioning problem that internal extractors have. Staccato's revised C and HD series have external extractors, as does Kimber's 2K11. Also, note the greatly lowered and flared ejection port in the image below.
Kimber's GT match trigger is advertised as having a break between 4 and 5 pounds. We found our test gun to break right at 4 pounds.
Check out the trigger pull and also note the sloped disconnector ramp, which makes the slide smoother across its travel on the frame. Also, check out that hard lock-up on the barrel:
When it comes to sights, Kimber uses a drift-adjustable steel front sight with a red insert. The all-black fixed serrated rear sight is on an aluminum C&H cover plate. The pistol ships with an RMR/SRO pattern optics plate. Note the flat top down the length of the slide.
The sights and slide pattern emulate Kimber's successful and dependable 2K11. Also, note the same style of external extractor.
Speaking to ergos, the hybrid wood/G10 grips preserve the esthetics of a classic 1911 while offering a bit more texture.
The front of the grip has well-imparted 32 LPI checkering. It is tough to find this kind of attention to detail on a $999 pistol.
The aluminum mainspring housing on the rear of the grip ends in a bobbed fastback-style rounded heel on the frame, eliminating a hot spot.
The manual safety is ambi and easy to operate. For those who are curious, this is not an 80-series gun.
The brushed stainless matte finish is very even and produces an understated elegance that Kimber doesn't foul up with a lot of roll marks. The overall effect is a clean gun.
Kimber ships the pistol in a decent range bag with lots of pockets and elastic slots for extra mags. Standard accessories include two stainless steel mags and a polymer bushing wrench.
How does it shoot? We've put just over 300 rounds through the Kimber 1911 Next Gen without a hiccup. Stay tuned as we toss a red dot on and up the round count in long-term accuracy and reliability testing for a final review.
We're going to love stretching the legs on this guy.
