1911Forum banner

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

·
Registered
Joined
·
2 Posts
Discussion Starter #1
I'm currently looking to purchase my first 1911 pistol. I own an XD-9 sub-compact (my carry gun) and a Sig P226 9mm.

I've narrowed my choices down to the Springfield Armory Operator 1911 and the Kimber (Desert) Warrior 1911. I'm really interested in having a rail on my 1911, and it will be used as a range and home defense weapon (so holsters aren't an issue).

Both guns are approximately the same price (~$1200) and I've played around with both and find both comfortable. Each have their merits as far as style... so I'm branching out to see if anyone has some first hand experience with a comparison between these two firearms. Also, this specific Kimber model at the store I'm planning on purchasing from DOES NOT have the firing pin safety that the newer models have.

Thanks in advance!
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
3,878 Posts
Operator all the way!

The Kimber is nice but you get that Schwartz safety that is not liked, and you get a 1 year? warranty

The Operator is closest to a 70 series, only non 70 style parts are a titanium firing pin which is no problem and the ILS lock which can be removed if you desire. Plus THE BEST WARRANTY IN THE INDUSTRY! Lifetime!!!!
 

·
Premium Member
Joined
·
851 Posts
Also, this specific Kimber model at the store I'm planning on purchasing from DOES NOT have the firing pin safety that the newer models have.
All of the Kimber Warriors are a Series-I pistol, lacking the Swartz safety FPS.

With that said, I would go with the Operator (MC or LW) as well, as my MC has been an incredible performer in it's short 8 year life. I do like the service melt/dehorn on the Warrior series, but for durability, it's hard to beat the Armory Kote on the Operator (MC).
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
96 Posts
My Operator runs like Rosie O'Donnell after a side of beef:)
 

·
Premium Member
Joined
·
12,286 Posts
I just recently sold an MC operator which I owned for a couple of years and wore out a barrel in. Easily 10-20k rounds down range out of it, and after all that, it was still tight as a drum. Replaced the barrel with a kart, and it kept on ticking.

Springfield's customer service is truly above average, and they do amazing things to make sure their customers are well taken care of. The operators are truly in a class by themselves, making up a niche a step higher than the basic Loadeds, and just a half step below the TRP line, in my opinion.

I have owned a few different kimber pistols, and while I won't say that they're absolute garbage, they all had some issues that needed to be ironed out before the guns ran reliably and smoothly. I can tolerate a rough trigger -- easy enough to get out the trigger job jigs and my stones and smooth off the edges and make sure everything's fit properly. I can even tolerate accuracy issues (shooting a good 5" high at 10 yards? really?). However, a firearm that prematurely goes to slide lock, or fails to go to slide lock, and a company that is downright rude and condescending when asked to address these issues is wholly unacceptable.

Take that for what it's worth, it's just one man's experiences. I now own a full-bore custom 1911, and that thing is beyond anything I've ever experienced. But given it to do over, I would never feel undergunned or wary of carrying a springfield.
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
123 Posts
me i would not own a kimber... :barf: i have met to many kimber owners with their noses up in the air for some reason. i also think the kimber logo brazened along the slide is ugly...

and on the practical side i have read a lot of bad reports about their reliability with parts breaking.....and of course their pathetic warranty...

was i to harsh?:biglaugh:
 

·
Premium Member
Joined
·
2,226 Posts
My Operator runs like Rosie O'Donnell after a side of beef:)
:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

My three Kimbers have been a dream, no problems at all, ever. You won't have an issue with either one of your choices, buy the one that you like the best.

Make sure to post what you buy and post some pics of it. :rock:
 

·
Premium Member
Joined
·
3,371 Posts
I vote SA, though some of the nicest 1911s I've handled recently (that were under $2k) were the Kimbers.

Besides, the OP is one sexy pistola!
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
46 Posts
I don't have any experience with the SA Operator, but I've had a Desert Warrior for 3 years. I have to say it has been flawless and is very accurate if I do my part. I also have a SA Mil spec which is my project/truck/beater gun.
 

·
Premium Member
Joined
·
12,286 Posts
This is Springfield forum so, if you want a Springer, get a railed TRP. My Operator functioned fine w/ machine marks, sights mis aligned, and hammer
pivoting on mis aligned frame holes! Trigger was great, functioned flawlessly.
Springer wouldn't fix it 'cause it wasn't broken! I sold it.
The ONLY SA pistols I would own would be TRP or TRP PRO. I have Desert Warrior, No ILS, No FLGR, No Swartz FPS. Many thousands of rounds. through it. I'd buy the Desert Warrior, esp if you can find one for $1200. BTW get on the phone call around and see what they are willing to pay you for YOUR used Operator, or YOUR used Desert Warrior. Resale on Springfields will not match Kimber. Don't hate me, look in the book. I wonder why?
Sights misaligned -- easily fixed, though why bother if it's zero'd?
Machine marks -- Seen this on Colts and other guns, does it affect performance?
Hammer "pivoting on misaligned frame holes" -- are you sure that it's that and not hammer lean? I had another pistol I thought was misaligned and it turned out with a swap of the hammer it was true straight up and down.

I'm sorry you felt you had a bad experience, although I wouldn't get upset with the pistol until I investigated why it wasn't working the way I wanted...
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
1,083 Posts
I own a LW Champion Operator, it's a commander sized 4.25" bull barrel and has a light rail. It's a real tack driver and retains it's concealed carry aspects. Has been 100% out of the box and was under 1k. It has alot nice options. Only wish it had front strap checkering.
 

·
Premium Member
Joined
·
5,385 Posts
Sights misaligned -- easily fixed, though why bother if it's zero'd?
Machine marks -- Seen this on Colts and other guns, does it affect performance?
Hammer "pivoting on misaligned frame holes" -- are you sure that it's that and not hammer lean? I had another pistol I thought was misaligned and it turned out with a swap of the hammer it was true straight up and down.

I'm sorry you felt you had a bad experience, although I wouldn't get upset with the pistol until I investigated why it wasn't working the way I wanted...
It was very accurate, sights were zero'd, one left one right.
I don't mind machine marks, Some less expensive pistols have lots of them.
No it wasn't hammer lean. I had competent pistolsmiths determine problem.
I didn't feel I had a bad experiance. I've owned and enjoyed SA pistols since.
I don't like shabby in my pistols.
You like SA, I do too, except that I only like the TRP and TRP Pro,, and I also like the Champion, after few hundred $ has been spent to "tune and tweek".
The OP was comparing Operator and Warrior. I feel Warrior is more comparable to TRP. I don't shop or buy "Brand Names". Some specific pistols I like. Some I'm not impressed with.
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
407 Posts
Operator all the way!

The Kimber is nice but you get that Schwartz safety that is not liked, and you get a 1 year? warranty

The Operator is closest to a 70 series, only non 70 style parts are a titanium firing pin which is no problem and the ILS lock which can be removed if you desire. Plus THE BEST WARRANTY IN THE INDUSTRY! Lifetime!!!!
+1`
Couldn't be happier with my Operator.
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
508 Posts
This is Springfield forum so, if you want a Springer, get a railed TRP. My Operator functioned fine w/ machine marks, sights mis aligned, and hammer
pivoting on mis aligned frame holes! Trigger was great, functioned flawlessly.
Springer wouldn't fix it 'cause it wasn't broken! I sold it.
The ONLY SA pistols I would own would be TRP or TRP PRO. I have Desert Warrior, No ILS, No FLGR, No Swartz FPS. Many thousands of rounds. through it. I'd buy the Desert Warrior, esp if you can find one for $1200. BTW get on the phone call around and see what they are willing to pay you for YOUR used Operator, or YOUR used Desert Warrior. Resale on Springfields will not match Kimber. Don't hate me, look in the book. I wonder why?
Kimbers only cost more because the demand is there, and the demand is only there because Kimber pays more money to the magazines to advertise and "test" (aka advertise by pretending to test a gun and say nothing but good things about it) their pistols than Springfield does.

I own 3 Springfield 1911's. Including the MC Operator that the OP is asking about. Right out of the box, it shot accurately and NEVER had a single FTF or FTE or any other malfunction. The finish is excellent, the trigger was good, basically, no complaints what-so-ever. My friend bought a Kimber, not the Warrior, but it cost about $400 more than my MC Operator. My Operator is more accurate, his Kimber jammed many times during its "break-in" period (Just a side note, I also have a SA Custom Shop Operator and it is MUCH tigher and MUCH more accurate than his Kimber and it never required a "break-in" period, it was accurate and reliable with ZERO malfunctions straight out of the box), the grip screw bushings are too big for the grips it came with so even when you tighten the screws the grip panels are rattling loose, I mean, how did that leave the factory like that?? Anyway, basically I spent $400 less on my SA MC Operator and it was better than his Kimber in every way, including the warranty in case anything was wrong with the SA, but nothing was... But it's still nice to have...

Personally, I don't buy into what the magazines tell you is the best, from my experience, you get more for your money with SA's. Just like how if all you know about 1911's is what you read in the mags, then Nighthawk, Wilson, and those custom shops are the best, but I will put my SA Custom Operator up against any of those and I paid probably close to $500 less than I would with one of those other companies. I'll never buy a Kimber, SA all the way.

Notice the ads, you'll see a lot of Kimber ads but not that many Springfield ads. The only Springfield ads I see in magazines are for the XD. You might think the ads don't matter, but the truth of the matter is, the magazines get most of their money from the ads, and if Kimber is paying them $$$ for ad space, you think they will risk saying something negative about their firearms and risk them not paying them for adspace in the future?? That's why Kimbers are in such high demand in my opinion.
 

·
Premium Member
Joined
·
3,294 Posts
Ok, as an owner of both Kimber and SA I will try and be very rational about this. I have asked myself this same question. If they are both available locally hold and compare before you buy.

Kimber Warrior:
1 yr warranty, though Kimber stands behind them much longer.
Very good fitment of parts, yes better than SA until you get to the TRP level.
70 series
Very accurate
Blended edges
Finish softer than AK
Generally more expensive than MC Op
NON-SS Barrel!

MC Operator:
Best warranty you can find...Period.
Fitment will be good, maybe not as good as the Kimbers I have seen lately.
Very Accurate
sharp edges
Armory Koat is superior to Kimpro finish.
70 series
Generally $100-200 cheaper
SS Barrel
Harder to find

I prefer all black. Not a big deal because which ever I buy I will have the SA CS checker the front strap, even the Kimber. Then if I had a Kimber it would be AK'd... The AK is an awesome finish IMO.
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
1,690 Posts
I have a SA Operator and my co-worker have a Kimber Warrior. We went to range together a few time and tried his Kimber in person. Both are excellent pistols. But with life-time warranty, I need to give SA some edge over Kimber.
 

·
Registered
Joined
·
3,878 Posts
All of the Kimber Warriors are a Series-I pistol, lacking the Swartz safety FPS.

With that said, I would go with the Operator (MC or LW) as well, as my MC has been an incredible performer in it's short 8 year life. I do like the service melt/dehorn on the Warrior series, but for durability, it's hard to beat the Armory Kote on the Operator (MC).
Didn't realize that. That would make the choice a little harder but I'd still pick the Springer :cool:
 
1 - 20 of 25 Posts
Top