Kimber Custom
Encyclopedia
The Kimber Custom is a model 1911 semi-automatic pistol. It is designed, manufactured, and distributed by Kimber Manufacturing, Inc.
in Yonkers, New York
.
. It also has been produced in other caliber
s, including .40 S&W
, 10 mm Auto
, 9 mm Luger, and .38 Super
. The individual gun's caliber is stamped on top of the barrel and is visible with the slide in battery (fully forward).
The Custom is a full-sized model 1911, with a five inch barrel. The frame and slide are made of steel. The Custom utilizes a single full-length guide rod, necessitating the serrations on the front of the slide for press checks. Although the Custom is considered Kimber's base model, it has a number of features that were formerly found only on customized model 1911s, such as a lowered ejection port, custom trigger, beveled magazine well, extended thumb safety
, and beavertail grip safety.
The original Custom model has been superseded by the Custom II. The Custom II has an internal firing pin
safety. This feature is designed to provide additional assurance that the gun will not fire if dropped, as the firing pin is blocked from striking the chambered cartridge
unless the grip safety is depressed.
SWAT
team. Unlike the standard Custom, it comes with tritium
bar-dot night sights and 30 lines per inch frontstrap checkering.
The TLE has been manufactured in the following variations:
The ICQB pistol is fitted with a screw-on Dawson Precision light rail, Novak LoMount tritium night sights, and brown Simonich Gunner grips. The guns were delivered to MARSOC equipped with SureFire integrated military pistol lights, Gemtech TRL tactical retention lanyards, and Wilson Combat 7 or 8 round magazines.
The Warrior and Desert Warrior have a frame-integrated M1913 light rail
, Kimber Meprolight tritium night sights, and Kimber's own special grips that are very similar to the Gunner grips in coyote brown. They are delivered with Kimber factory magazines. They are otherwise the same as the ICQB pistols.
The Warrior has a matte black KimPro finish and a standard Custom trigger. The Desert Warrior comes in a green-tan KimPro finish that would blend in with desert camouflage, and has a solid trigger.
Kimber Manufacturing
Kimber Manufacturing is an American company that designs, manufactures, and distributes small arms such as M1911 pistols, Solo pistols and rifles. The USA Shooting Team, Marines assigned to Special Operations Command, and the LAPD SWAT team use Kimber pistols....
in Yonkers, New York
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
.
Overview
The Custom is made in a variety of styles with different features and finishes. As a model 1911 pistol, it is usually chambered in .45 ACP.45 ACP
The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...
. It also has been produced in other caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
s, including .40 S&W
.40 S&W
The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...
, 10 mm Auto
10 mm Auto
The 10mm Auto is a semi-automatic pistol cartridge developed by Jeff Cooper and introduced in 1983 for the Bren Ten pistol. It was initially produced by ammunitions manufacturer FFV Norma AB of Åmotfors, Sweden.Although it was selected by the F.B.I. for use in the field following the 1986 F.B.I...
, 9 mm Luger, and .38 Super
.38 Super
The .38 Super or .38 Super Automatic is a pistol cartridge that fires a diameter bullet. The Super was introduced in the late 1920s as a higher pressure loading of the .38 ACP or .38 Auto. The old .38 ACP propelled a bullet at . The improved .38 Super Auto pushed the same bullet at...
. The individual gun's caliber is stamped on top of the barrel and is visible with the slide in battery (fully forward).
The Custom is a full-sized model 1911, with a five inch barrel. The frame and slide are made of steel. The Custom utilizes a single full-length guide rod, necessitating the serrations on the front of the slide for press checks. Although the Custom is considered Kimber's base model, it has a number of features that were formerly found only on customized model 1911s, such as a lowered ejection port, custom trigger, beveled magazine well, extended thumb safety
Safety (firearms)
In firearms, a safety or safety catch is a mechanism used to help prevent the accidental discharge of a firearm, helping to ensure safer handling....
, and beavertail grip safety.
The original Custom model has been superseded by the Custom II. The Custom II has an internal firing pin
Firing pin
A firing pin or striker is part of the firing mechanism used in a firearm or explosive device e.g. an M14 landmine or bomb fuze. Firing pins may take many forms, though the types used in landmines, bombs, grenade fuzes or other single-use devices generally have a sharpened point...
safety. This feature is designed to provide additional assurance that the gun will not fire if dropped, as the firing pin is blocked from striking the chambered cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
unless the grip safety is depressed.
Custom TLE II
The Kimber Custom TLE II is a model of Kimber Custom. The designation "TLE" stands for "Tactical Law Enforcement". The TLE is identical, except for the markings, to a special model that was designed for use by the LAPDLos Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
team. Unlike the standard Custom, it comes with tritium
Tritium
Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The nucleus of tritium contains one proton and two neutrons, whereas the nucleus of protium contains one proton and no neutrons...
bar-dot night sights and 30 lines per inch frontstrap checkering.
The TLE has been manufactured in the following variations:
- Custom TLE II, the standard variation and the same as the LAPD SWAT model.
- Custom TLE II (LG), with laser grip sights.
- Custom TLE/RL II, with an accessory mounting rail.
- Stainless TLE II, with a stainless steel finish.
- Stainless TLE/RL II, with a stainless steel finish and an accessory mounting rail.
ICQB, Warrior, and Desert Warrior
The Kimber Warrior and Desert Warrior are models that are based on a special version of the Custom that was built for the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. The MARSOC pistol, known as the Kimber ICQB (Interim Close Quarter Battle) pistol, does not have an internal firing pin block as seen on the rest of the current Kimber Custom models, hence a "II" does not follow the Warrior or Desert Warrior's names. These pistols have an ambidextrous thumb safety, a lanyard loop, an internal extractor, and, in contrast to other Custom models, a standard length recoil spring guide rod to allow easier field stripping without tools.The ICQB pistol is fitted with a screw-on Dawson Precision light rail, Novak LoMount tritium night sights, and brown Simonich Gunner grips. The guns were delivered to MARSOC equipped with SureFire integrated military pistol lights, Gemtech TRL tactical retention lanyards, and Wilson Combat 7 or 8 round magazines.
The Warrior and Desert Warrior have a frame-integrated M1913 light rail
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...
, Kimber Meprolight tritium night sights, and Kimber's own special grips that are very similar to the Gunner grips in coyote brown. They are delivered with Kimber factory magazines. They are otherwise the same as the ICQB pistols.
The Warrior has a matte black KimPro finish and a standard Custom trigger. The Desert Warrior comes in a green-tan KimPro finish that would blend in with desert camouflage, and has a solid trigger.
Other Custom models
Other models of Kimber Custom include the following:- Stainless II, with a frame and slide made of stainless steel, and therefore silver in color instead of matte black.
- Custom Target II, with adjustable target sights.
- Stainless Target II, with adjustable target sights and a stainless steel frame and slide.
- Royal II, with a polished blue finish and rosewood grips.
Related models
Kimber has also produced several higher-end full-sized model 1911 pistols that are closely based on the Custom, but are not considered part of the Custom line due to their additional features and higher price. These include the following:- Eclipse Custom II, with bi-tone stainless and black finish and night sights.
- Tactical Custom II, with gray aluminum frame, black steel slide, night sights, ambidextrous thumb safety, and extended magazine well.
- Custom CDP II, with black aluminum frame, stainless steel slide, night sights, ambidextrous thumb safety, and "carry melt" rounded edges.
- Custom Covert II, with desert camouflage aluminum frame, black steel slide, laser light grips, standard length guide rod, night sights, lanyard loop, and "carry melt" rounded edges.
- SIS Custom, with gray finish, flat top slide, standard length guide rod, night sights with cocking shoulder, ambidextrous thumb safety, and "carry melt" rounded edges, and without a firing pin safety.
- Custom Crimson Carry II, with aluminum frame, matte black steel slide, and rosewood finish laser grips.
- Super Carry Custom, with aluminum frame, matte black steel slide, night sights with cocking shoulder, round heel frame, "carry melt" rounded edges, and without a firing pin safety.