Description
The Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP is the straightforward all stainless version of the 1911 that built the company reputation. Frame and slide are both stainless steel in a satin silver finish, the five inch barrel is match grade with a stainless match bushing, and the front sight is fiber optic. There is no exotic coating and no complicated feature list here, just a well made full size 1911 that shoots accurately and holds up to weather better than a blued gun.
Why All Stainless Matters On A 45
Corrosion resistance is the obvious benefit. A stainless frame and slide shrug off sweat, humidity and salt air in a way carbon steel simply does not, and that makes the Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP a sensible choice for anyone who carries in a hot climate or lives near the coast. Rust still needs to be watched for on the small carbon steel parts inside, but the two largest surfaces on the gun are protected.
The satin silver finish is worth noting on its own. It is not a mirror polish, so it does not throw glare in the sun and it does not show every fingerprint. Holster wear on satin stainless also blends in rather than standing out as bright silver scratches against black, which keeps the pistol looking presentable over years of use.
Weight is the tradeoff. At thirty eight ounces empty the Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP is a heavy pistol by modern standards. That mass is exactly what makes 45 ACP recoil feel like a push instead of a snap, and it is why full size steel 1911 pistols remain popular with people who shoot a lot. It is also why a good gun belt is not optional if you plan to carry it.
Barrel, Sights And Trigger
The barrel on the Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP is carbon steel, match grade, and fitted with a stainless match grade bushing. Kimber uses a sixteen inch left hand twist rate, and the combination of a tight bushing fit and a full length guide rod is a large part of why these pistols group as well as they do straight from the box. A five inch barrel also gives 45 ACP the full velocity the cartridge was designed around.
Sights are fixed low profile units with a fiber optic front. In daylight that front sight lights up brightly and picks up fast, which is a real advantage on a range gun or a competition gun. It is worth being clear about the limitation though: fiber optic gathers ambient light and gives you nothing in the dark, so a shooter buying this as a nightstand gun should plan on a weapon light or a sight swap to tritium.
The trigger is an aluminum match grade unit set at four to five pounds from the factory. It has the short, clean break that makes people fall in love with the 1911 platform in the first place. Front slide serrations, an extended thumb safety and double diamond checkered black synthetic grips round out the controls on the Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP.
Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP Specifications
- Caliber: 45 ACP
- Barrel Length: 5 inches, match grade carbon steel
- Barrel Bushing: Stainless steel match grade
- Twist Rate: 1 in 16 inches, left hand
- Overall Length: 8.7 inches
- Height: 5.25 inches
- Width: 1.28 inches
- Weight: 38 ounces with empty magazine
- Magazine Capacity: 7 rounds
- Frame: Stainless steel, satin silver
- Slide: Stainless steel, satin silver with front serrations
- Grips: Black synthetic double diamond checkered
- Sights: Fixed low profile with fiber optic front, 6.8 inch radius
- Trigger: Aluminum match grade, 4.0 to 5.0 pounds
- Recoil Spring: 16 pounds with full length guide rod
- Configuration: California compliant
- UPC: 669278920078
This is the California compliant configuration, which means it is built to satisfy the requirements of that market. One seven round magazine ships with the Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP, and buyers should check their own state and local magazine capacity rules before ordering spares.
Why Buyers Choose The Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP
Buyers choose the Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP because it is the honest middle of the Kimber lineup. It is not the entry model and it is not a high dollar custom shop gun. What you get is a match grade barrel and bushing, a real match trigger and an all stainless build at a price that makes sense for a pistol you intend to shoot regularly rather than admire in a safe.
Parts support is the other quiet advantage. The 1911 is the most heavily supported handgun design in existence, so holsters, magazines, grips, sights and springs are available from dozens of makers. A shooter who buys the Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP is not locked into one manufacturer for anything except the frame and slide themselves.
The fair warnings are capacity and maintenance. Seven rounds of 45 ACP is half what a modern double stack carries, and every 1911 wants to run wet and wants good magazines. Cheap aftermarket magazines cause more malfunctions in this platform than anything else. Budget for quality magazines and keep the rails lubricated and the gun will run.
Who Should Buy The Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP
The Kimber Stainless II 45 ACP is a strong fit for the shooter who wants a classic full size 1911 in the cartridge it was designed for. It works well at the range, in single stack competition divisions, as a home defense pistol paired with a light, and as a belt gun for someone willing to carry thirty eight ounces. Anyone in a humid or coastal environment gets extra value from the stainless construction. Shooters who want a night capable sight system out of the box, or who want double digit capacity, should look at a different model in the lineup.
Learn more about this pistol from the manufacturer, or see more firearms available at MAG5 Firearms.
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