It's been mentioned before, it will be mentioned again, I'm sure: I'm not made of money. Many of my firearms are purchased from the "Used" rack at the local gun shop, although I do spend a lot of time perusing the "Way Out of My Price Range" rack, dreaming about those beauties under the glass that I will never be able to afford.
Until now.
After looking through the glass on the "New" rack, I noticed that a particular firearm I had been dreaming about had become MIA. I felt a knot in my stomach, knowing that the pistol I had asked to hold no less than a half dozen times in the past would never be mine. I then hear a familiar voice say, "Nick! You've GOT to see this!" I walked over to where my friend was standing, and peer through the glass on the "Used" rack. . . The Kimber was sitting there, in all her glory, peering back at me, this time with a VERY attractive price tag. 
As the title states, the Kimber in question is the Eclipse Target II model. The one in my collection is as it was originally outfitted from Kimber, including the fully adjustable bar-and-dot Meprolight night sights.
Final Word: This is a very nice pistol, although very pricey (Price tags upwards of $1,300 are not unheard of for a new example). Construction is solid, the weapon is very well-equipped, and it bears the "Kimber" name, which is known for producing a quality pistol.
I just bought a used one today. It's my second Kimber and I think it's a beauty.
ReplyDeleteI've told a number of friends looking at 1911's the same thing, with this type of pistol, you really do "get what you pay for." That's not to say that some of the sub-$500 1911's you find aren't great pistols, they very well could be. However, in my experience, not all are created equal, and by moving from a $500 model to a $1000 model, there will be a noticeable difference in the overall quality of the pistol, especially with regard to fit and finish.
DeleteI was able to compare my Kimber Eclipse with a Springfield "Loaded" model 1911, the difference in MSRP between the two being substantial, and the Kimber was no more accurate than the Springfield as far as where the bullet landed in the hands of a skilled shooter, but the trigger pull, and the way the parts interacted was much more "polished" in the Kimber than the Springfield. I've owned both, and loved both, but there is a difference. You really can't go wrong with either one, the 1911 is a tried-and-true design, and an American icon. Best of luck with your Kimber, I hope you get many years of enjoyment out of it!