[dondavis3]

I just bought a Kimber Polymer Gold Match .45 Cal.

I didn't even know that Kimber made a "Plastic" gun.

Any one own one of these or can anyone give me any information on it?

I'm off to shoot it this afternoon.

 

[guysmith]

As a matter of fact I can fill in some of the information. What you have in the photo is a Kimber BP Ten II, it is a high capacity 14 round double stack 1911. You can get various capacity magazines for the pistol, 14 round mags that stick way to far out of the butt for my liking, a 13 round flush fit, much better, and a 10 round mag, as these pistols were released and produced during the high capacity ban. The frame is made of polymer with steel inserts for the slide to ride on. I have heard that Kimber discontinued the BP Ten II. As for why they discontinued it I don't know. I have also heard a rumor that if the BP Ten IIs are sent in to Kimber for warranty repair, they replace the polymer frame with a single stack frame. I have not been able to verify that rumor. I have a BP Ten II Pro Carry Stainless with an adjustable express sight setup. Not the best choice I have made in sights, but they are better than non adjustables that came on the pistol. Here are a couple of pics of mine with a 13 round flush fit mag.

 

[DeltaKilo]

The OP's gun isn't actually made by kimber. it was imported from a company in Israel and stamped for kimber. it is now being imported by Charles Daly.

they're decent guns. i had one for a while, and I sure do miss it.

 

[asiparks]

it's a Kimber/Bul colaboration, ( the Israeli company mentioned by deltakilo). Bul made the frames and Kimber either supplied the machining specs or the complete uppers to Bul as they are identical in every way, save for th eroll marks. Bul also sold them here as the Bul M5 series. I can't tell if yours is first gen or second gen. The 2nd had the rounded trigger guard like yours, but the beavertail looked like an Ed Brown style with a raised pad, yours looks like the first gen beavertail, though the first generation had a pronounced hooked trigger guard. Charles Daly imported very few before going under.

Guysmiths is a later, all Kimber model, the BP. There was a parallel model, the kimber Ten, which, other than a stainless finished slide (and occassional safety and slide stop), was identical.
I've had four or five of them, still have a Polymer Stainless Pro, it's a very good reliable shooter.
Mec Gar make 14 round mags for them, they run about $30 from Midway.

 

[dondavis3]

Thanks for you information - I've gotten very good input from different gun forums.

I think I've found out that BUL made the frames and Kimber (McCormick) supplied the tops.

I just got back from the range.

It shot like a Kimber - in other words - like a dream.

Absolutely not a failure of any kind in my 1st 100 shots.

I usually do not take pictures of my targets - but here are my 1st ten shots

The reason i do not usually take pictures is that I get worse the longer I shoot. :dope:

I like it.

 

[Jason D]

Judging buy the STI trigger, I would say that's an old gun.
Made pre series II. I would say it was made somewhere around 1998, as they dropped those triggers very early. Kimber should be able to tell you.

I always wanted one of those in Stainless.

 

[dondavis3]

@ Jason D

You mean like this?

I found this picture of another mans gun while doing my research.

I like it so much I may send my slide to CCR http://www.ccrrefinishing.com/

for them to do their magic to it.

I've had several of my slides done by CCR.

 

[dondavis3]

@ Jason

Whats a STI Trigger?

 

[Jason D]

@ Jason D

You mean like this?

I found this picture of another mans gun while doing my research.

I like it so much I may send my slide to CCR http://www.ccrrefinishing.com/

for them to do their magic to it.

I've had several of my slides done by CCR.

Yep.
It even has the target sights I like.

@ Jason

Whats a STI Trigger?

It's a polymer, or what some will say is a carbon fiber trigger that was made by STI. It was used in the very early Kimber guns. You can always tell an old Kimber right of the bat, if it has the black trigger like that in your photo.

That's not to say that you couldn't buy an STI trigger and put in a newer gun. Kimber dropped the triggers pretty quickly. They were only in the production guns for a year or two. Just because Kimber dropped them, doesn't mean it's an inferior part.

My Kimber Target model had one of the best triggers of any gun I own.

Circa late 97, early 98.

 

[dondavis3]

@ Jason

Mine has the target sights also.

It's just very hard to see them because of the angle of the picture.

My trigger is definitely black and I'd guess polymer - I'd have to call Kimber to find out.

Can the trigger be changed in this gun to a metal one, silver or chrome?

 

[guysmith]

Yes the trigger can be changed, but you will need a trigger for a double stack 1911, like a Para or STI.

 

[XKR]

I know this is off topic...I see that your ammo is +P....I was told by Kimber not to use +P because its too hot. Did I misunderstand?

 

[dondavis3]

@ XKR

I was just using the ammo as a prop for the picture.

I don't know about being able to use it in a Kimber.

I don't believe a steady diet of +P is good for any make gun, but I'm surprised Kimber's cant shoot it.

Does anyone know if you can use +P ammo.

 

[Jason D]

Plus 1 on the double stack trigger.

Any full sized 1911 should be able to handle +p ammo just fine.
It wouldn't hurt to install an 18 pound recoil spring for +p ammo though.

 

[dondavis3]

I called Kimber and found out the frame is made by BUL Israel and the rest of the gun by Kimber in house.

In 1994 the did get a lot of design help from Chip McCormick, but did not sub-contract and manufacturing to him.

My gun was made in made 10/24/2001.

They made this gun for about 8 to 9 years.

 

[guysmith]

I would NOT shoot +P ammo out of the BP Ten II of any variation. I have been conversing with somebody who had one and the polymer frame cracked shooting standard velocity ammo. When he sent it in to Kimber they replaced his polymer frame with a single stack steel frame. I had heard a rumor that Kimber was replacing the polymer frames when they came in for repair. But until a few days ago I hadn't been able to verify the rumor, now it has been confirmed by one owner at least. Sooo a word to the informed would be to not shoot +P in a BP Ten II.

 

[dondavis3]

Thanks for the info.

But the Kimber manual and the tech rep I talked to both say that the gun can shoot +P ammo.

Remember it's not a BP10. I don't have any idea if that's the difference.

But it's all kinda academic anyway as I probably will shoot this for fun & competition any way.

I don't shoot +P rounds doing either of those.

Thanks again

 

[guysmith]

News Flash for you dondavis, your pistol is an early version of the BP Ten II. It has a Polymer hi-capacity frame. Your pistol and my BP Ten II frames were made by the same maker(BUL), as well as the Charles Daly polymer pistol and have the same metal rail inserts. The only deference is you have a metal GS and I have a polymer GS and yours is a 5" and I have a 4". I would think that the owners manual was printed before Kimber knew they had a problem with frames cracking, hence them printing that using 45 +P was ok to use. Beside is there really an advantage to shooting 45 +P? All I can think of is disadvantages.

 

[dondavis3]

I think that is what I said in a nice way.


But thanks for the news flash

 

[guysmith]

Sorry didn't mean to come off mean. By the way good luck in finding a holster to fit that polymer frame. Due to the thicker dust cover fitting a hand boned leather holster or a kydex holster fit for a steel frame won't work too well. I use a High Noon "Need for Speed" when I carry mine.