Kimber double stack 1911 45acp

Ampatriot

Ampatriot

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I just found a gun that I didn't know existed today and I was wondering if anyone else has seen one of them before or has one?

It's a Kimber 1911/2011 double stack mag 45acp with a 14+1 capacity mag and has a stainless steel slide with a polymer frame. I had a couple para ordnance P14 mags that are 20rd capacity extension mags and I was able to drimel a small amount off the mag catch hole and they fit and work perfect in the Kimber.

Here's some pictures of the gun below and I appreciate any info on when it was made and if they are still in production.IMG_20240228_212826127.jpgIMG_20240228_212955023.jpgIMG_20240228_213005505.jpgIMG_20240228_212812035.jpg
 
Cool gun. Don't see those very often!
 
NKD said:
I believe the frames were imported from BUL, if I am not mistaken.
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It also has the Kimber K mark on the grip also. So I don't think they are imported from BUL but I know that some double stack 1911 frames from other manufacturers are leftover Para ordnance P14 frames but I think they were all metal frames and this one is polymer like the STI or Staccato frames. From what I read on other sites they are made completely by Kimber but weren't mass produced and are a low production gun and pretty hard to find.

Possibly due to the capacity of the mags and being made in NY with the anti gun state and high capacity mag's and gun's being illegal there, but that's just my thought on the reason why they stopped making them and probably not the real reason.
 
I'm also trying to figure out what this gun is worth? I found some old prices online from back in 2008 but nothing recent and I know that it's worth more than I paid for it and what it's priced at back in 2008 with inflation and everything but I would like to get a idea of what it's worth for my information but I also have insurance on my guns and stuff and if something ever happens and I have to file a claim I would need to know what it's worth. In 2008 a few used Kimber ten ll guns were sold for $750 and $690 each and they were the blued slide version and not the stainless slide version which is the most sought after edition from what I researched.
 
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Had one in the early 2000’s. @ChickenHawk was with me when I picked it up. Liked it but traded it away for some reason.
If I remember correctly, mine was commander sized.
 
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Ampatriot said:
It also has the Kimber K mark on the grip also. So I don't think they are imported from BUL but I know that some double stack 1911 frames from other manufacturers are leftover Para ordnance P14 frames but I think they were all metal frames and this one is polymer like the STI or Staccato frames. From what I read on other sites they are made completely by Kimber but weren't mass produced and are a low production gun and pretty hard to find.

Possibly due to the capacity of the mags and being made in NY with the anti gun state and high capacity mag's and gun's being illegal there, but that's just my thought on the reason why they stopped making them and probably not the real reason.
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So, they got all the equipment to make 2011 polymer guns, but then only made one and never made another?

Seems like a strange move. They look exactly like BUL frames.
 
NKD said:
So, they got all the equipment to make 2011 polymer guns, but then only made one and never made another?

Seems like a strange move. They look exactly like BUL frames.
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I agree that it's weird lol. I never knew that they made any 2011 style guns before the new Kimber KDS9 in 9mm, let alone a polymer frame 45acp 2011. But it clearly has the Kimber K mark on the frame at the magwell and the Kimber trademark on the frame too.


But I looked up the BUL frames that you mentioned and they are very similar and Kimber could have copied the design of the BUL frames like Springfield did with the prodigy by copying Staccato. I would say how Rock Island and Remington copied Para ordnance P14 frames but they actually used the para ordnance P14 frames if I remember correctly.
 
But the Kimber markings are definitely all over the frame and I'm going to strip it down to see if I can find any other markings on the frame to get more information on it if possible. But I love the sights the gun has too, but I don't know if it came with them from factory or someone put them on?IMG_20240301_111003584.jpgIMG_20240301_111020730.jpgIMG_20240301_111050959.jpgIMG_20240301_111059349.jpgIMG_20240301_111126825.jpg
 
Gotcha.
But if BUL made them they would still be branded Kimber.
BUL is an OEM manufacturer for many gun makers.
Meaning, they make many parts for other people. They will put whatever brand you want on it. Like Charles Daly for example.
 
Looks like they started with BUL and at some point started doing their own, from what I can find.

Pretty interesting. They should redo these with todays doublestack 1911 fad going on.
 
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So these were popular in the early 2000's. I sold quite a few of them when I worked behind the counter.

They had some issues with the first frames that came with them. Kimber then made some changes to try to fix them. The improvement in reliability was marginal and if I recall I had at least two customers that had cracked frames. We sent a few of them back to Kimber that had issues.

Kimber finally quit making them. However, that doesn't mean that every one of them was a bad gun. If it runs reliably then it could be a reasonably priced 2011 equivalent.

They never really flew off the shelves like the small 1911s for concealed carry. We sold lots of the little CDPs and other officers and commander sized frames compared to the double stack.
 
NKD said:
I believe the frames were imported from BUL, if I am not mistaken.
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I was about to post the same. I remember reading about these in the gun rags in the 90s.

I shot with one of their sponsored shooters at SPSA (Perez maybe?) and we had this conversation. The Kimber/Bul relationship definitely existed at some point.
 
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Best info I could find:
Kimber introduced its high-capacity M1911 in 1997 as the Kimber Polymer and, later, the Kimber Ten. Despite the name, the magazines that came with my gun hold 14 rounds of .45 ACP. Also offered in 9 mm Luger, .38 Super and .40 S&W, various models were made with 3"-, 4"- and 5"-barrels. A target version with fully adjustable sights called the Gold Match was also available. It was somewhat of a knock-off of the STI frame, except the steel slide rail assembly and polymer grip were permanently bonded together. The frame was made by the Israeli firm of BUL Transmark and then shipped to Kimber for additional fabrication and fitting of an upper assembly. Though BUL initially made the entire frame, Kimber eventually started machining the rail/dustcover insert from stainless steel and shipping it to Tel Aviv where it was molded into the polymer grip. The Kimber Ten was discontinued around 2002, but the M-5 version manufactured entirely by BUL became available directly through that company’s U.S. distributor. It was also imported for a short time by Charles Daly.
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NKD said:
Best info I could find:
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Awesome, thanks for the info and everything. I guess the other members are right about BUL making the frames. I couldn't find anything on it from my research except for them being a low production and mainly a custom shop order gun or something like that but nothing else was coming up.

But the one I have runs flawless with FMJ ammo and the few critical defense rounds I put through it. I have a see how it runs tomorrow with some cor-bon HP ammo and other HP ammo I have.
 
Ampatriot said:
Awesome, thanks for the info and everything. I guess the other members are right about BUL making the frames. I couldn't find anything on it from my research except for them being a low production and mainly a custom shop order gun or something like that but nothing else was coming up.

But the one I have runs flawless with FMJ ammo and the few critical defense rounds I put through it. I have a see how it runs tomorrow with some cor-bon HP ammo and other HP ammo I have.
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I hope you enjoy it. I think it's pretty neat.

I would be so tempted to have that frame snazzed up. Like undercut trugger guard and whatnot. I have a hard time leaving guns alone!
 
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