There really isn’t a lot of information about this gun, when I saw it listed for sale at a local gun shop, I knew I had to get my hands on it!
A polymer frame 1911 isn’t really anything new, but Kimber’s polymer, double stack 1911 is definitely not something you see everyday or expect from that company.
Not to be Confused with the Kimber BP 10 II
The gun we are reviewing is not the Kimber “BP 10 II” which is seen (above) , the gun we have looks to resemble a  BUL M-5 Government with the words “Kimber Polymer Custom” on the slide.
The trigger guard is shaped differently (I like better than the BP 10), it uses a carbon fiber trigger, the texture on the grip is different, and the beaver tail is silver.
So what is this gun anyways?
With the limited information available for this gun, as we understand it was developed by Kimber with the Israeli BUL polymer lowers.
Kimber no longer makes this gun, so it’s very difficult to get answers about it.
How Does it Perform?
We bought this gun used, it was absolutely filthy! Seeing as this gun is over 15 years old, we needed to clean it up.
Huge shout out to OC Custom Coating for giving the feed ramp and barrel a nice polish! The gun feeds flawlessly and feels great.
We were able to get consistent groupings at our local range. I don’t think this is race gun material, but it’s definitely a good, full size 1911.
Double Stack Magazines
If you’re in California, double stack means you can have 10 rounds in your 1911, for those outside of California, you’re looking at 14rd mags and further options.
Normally, this would be a 14rd magazine that sits flush with the lower. On a single stack 1911, you can get 10rd magazine that protrude out the bottom of the gun a little bit.
Depending on the brand, you may also experience feeding issues, so you have to choose your magazines wisely! Most 1911 feeding malfunctions happen because of the magazine!
Since Kimber no longer makes this gun, you won’t be able to purchase mags from their website, however Mec-Gar does sell magazines for this gun!
The magazine that came with this gun is shiny, the Mec-Gar magazines are more of a matte finish. I had experienced issues with the Mec-Gar magazine not ejecting out of the gun when empty, so after lubricating the mag well, the magazines were ejecting properly!
Aesthetics
To be honest, I am not a huge fan of this “plum” colored slide. Maybe that was trendy at the time? In the dark lighting of a shooting range it almost looks black, but in our photo studio it basically matches the color of leather.
I am also not a fan of plain black sights, it makes sight acquisition a little slower, especially when shooting in the dark or at a black target. Though these sights are pretty much dead on, I will probably replace them with tritium sights when I get the chance!
Function
It’s a very smooth shooting gun. Compared to my Kimber Ultra Carry II, I would say that the trigger on the Ultra Carry II is a little smoother and lighter. However, the Ultra Carry II is a short gun so the recoil is a lot more snappy! Looks like Kimber has improved their triggers since the past 12 years.
If this gun had the trigger of the Ultra Carry II (or any modern Kimber), it would be amazing!
I also absolutely love the flat trigger guard. Traditional 1911’s (and the BP 10 II) have a rounded trigger guard. I like to place my finger in front of the trigger guard for superior control of the gun, it would have been nice if they textured the front of the trigger guard like on a Glock or STI 2011.
This does mean that you are limited on holder options, it does not fit in any of my regular 1911 holsters.
It should fit an STI 2011 holster though!
We also added a custom guide rod, it doesn’t really have any affect on the performance of the gun, but it makes take down a lot easier. This is the first bushing barrel 1911 I’ve ever owned and it is definitely a pain in the butt! If I had a choice, I would always take the bull barrel over a bushing barrel.
That being said, Dawson Precision offers a “tool-less” guide rod for $70. The lines you see in the guide rod are the perimeter for a button that, when pressed, captures the recoil spring and allows for easy take down, no tools, paperclips, or other items required!
About Magazines
The very first time shooting this gun at the range (bearing in mind that it is used), I had a few failure to feed malfunctions. There was three things I did to mitigate this problem.
1. When 1911’s have issues, it’s usually the magazine that’s the culprit.Â
I purchased a few 10rd double stack magazines to test out, both the Remington R1 and Rock Island double stack magazines look nearly identical to the Kimber Bp 10 or Polymer Custom magazines, however neither of them fit.
After doing some research online, I found a $92 magazine release that some people on forums said would allow the magazines to work. The cost of the two magazines I ordered aren’t even $92, and there’s no guarantee that this will even work. There is such little information on the internet about this gun!
Upon closer inspection, measurements being identical, it seems that the Rock Island and Remington R1 magazine release slots are slightly lower on the magazines.
It might be interesting to experiment with filing the holes and seeing if this could work, the bottom lip of the magazine touches the bottom of the mag well, so I’m not concerned about over insertion with the bottom of the magazine slot filed out on the mag. If I try this and get good results, I can post it here!
2. I replaced the extractor with a brand new one from Kimber
3. I replaced the recoil spring with a Wolff 14lb recoil spring and firing pin spring (Do this at your own risk.)
4. I tuned the Mec-Gar magazines by making the top of the magazine opening smaller by compressing the metal inwards.
I know it sounds like a lot of work, but I don’t know who owned this previously or what this gun actually went through in the past. If it really is from 2004, then that means this gun is over 10 years old, who knows how many thousands of rounds this thing has been through without proper care and maintenance! This thing was filthy when I bought it.
I figured I could bring it to as close to factory as possible as well as modify magazines which are replaceable vs. modifying the gun.
Conclusion
I bought this used for $1000. I’m sure outside of California it sells for much cheaper (due to the California approved handgun roster).
A polymer double stack by Kimber? I think it’s a great way to get into the double stack 1911 world without blowing a fortune on a custom STI race gun.
In California, Rock Island Armory sells a double stack 1911 as well, but the lower is not polymer and it weights a ton!
While this gun may be rare, it’s certainly a nice glimpse into Kimber’s past, seeing something new and revolutionary at the time which I really think Kimber should return to.
I’m sick of seeing so many different Kimber 1911’s that look, feel, and function practically the same. Though Kimber did make a really good choice with their K6S revolver, there may be hope for the future of Kimber.
