Kimber is one of the most prolific of American 1911 producers, with at least a dozen different models in the current catalog. Kimber 1911s have been chosen as the primary sidearm for the LAPD SWAT team, for the US Shooting Rapid Fire Pistol Team, for U.S. Marine Special Operations Command and others. They are pistols with a great reputation throughout the industry. But it hasn’t always been so. My own experience with Kimbers through the years I ran a training academy was spotty. So spotty I didn’t particularly want one, but as time went by it became apparent Kimber had overcome most of its issues with reliability and shooters were giving the gun great reviews. So I began to think, “maybe someday, if the price was right and the money was there, I might get a Kimber.”
The Kimber LW Shadow Ghost features an aluminum frame to reduce weight, a blackout finish on the smaller parts such as the magazine release and pins
The Kimber LW Shadow Ghost left the factory with black rubber grips with diamond checkering. The author installed some G10 grips he thought would enhance the gun’s appearance.
When that time came my first Kimber was more of a collector’s item than a shooter. It belonged to a friend who was liquidating his gun collection because he was moving overseas. I helped him with a limited edition custom F22 Fighting Eagles Raptor model built for and exclusively sold to the first group of pilots to fly the F22 Raptor plus some of their support people. The pistol I have is identified as #360 of 413 according to engraving on the slide. It came with its own custom display case. I have tried to find the back story on these 413 Kimbers, but for the most part I’ve come up dry. I tried contacting the person who sold the gun to my friend only to learn he died in 2014. Kimber Customer Service told me the manufacture date on the F22 Raptor 1911 I have is September 2013, and the Kimber database lists it as an F22 Raptor Fighting Eagles Custom edition. They had no other information in their files, and when I asked if there was anyone at Kimber who might remember those guns, I came up empty. A former airman responded to one of my forum queries with the information that they were ordered through an F22 pilot at Elmendorf AFB Alaska. He had responded to the email offer to buy one since he was a member of the support team, but by the time he got his order in, he had missed the deadline.
The Shadow Ghost weighs 31 ounces and has slide serrations front and rear. The low-profile design of the rear sight helps to reduce the overall height of the pistol, which makes it easier to carry and handle.
Kimber has a Raptor II model in their lineup now. This is the gun the F22 custom Kimbers were built upon. The Raptors are made of steel and weigh 40 ounces. Since the Raptor wasn’t going to become a carry gun, I went on the lookout for a Kimber 1911 for everyday use.
The one I found was a LW Shadow Ghost with an MSRP around $840. The LW Shadow Ghost weighs 31 ounces, and the Raptor weighs 40 ounces. Slide serrations, front and rear, on the LW Shadow Ghost are pretty standard. The ones on the Raptor are a totally different pattern, kind of like a heavy wire mesh. The LW Shadow Ghosts sights consist of large white dots at the rear with a red fiber optic sight in front. Sights on the Raptor are all black.
The Shadow Ghost weighs 31 ounces and has slide serrations front and rear. The low-profile design of the rear sight helps to reduce the overall height of the pistol, which makes it easier to carry and handle.
The LW Shadow Ghost features an aluminum frame to reduce weight and a blackout finish on the smaller parts such as the magazine release and pins. The sights consist of a white dot rear sight with a red fiber optic front sight. The LW Shadow Ghost is equipped with a match grade stainless steel barrel and a match grade trigger. It has an 8-round magazine, and it left the factory with black rubber grips with diamond checkering. I had some G10 grips in my grip stash I thought would enhance the gun’s appearance, so I installed those on my gun. I like the 8-round magazines. I’m a fan of flush fitting 8 rounders and have always used Colt magazines in my 1911s for that purpose. It appears these Kimber magazines are every bit as good as the Colts. At least I can say they have worked well for me and appear to be well-built.
The Kimber Custom LW Shadow Ghost is relatively easy to clean. Takedown is standard for a 1911 with a full-length guide rod.
Nowadays there are probably two questions you may be thinking: Is it optics-ready and does it have night sights? The answer to both is no. I’m fine on both accounts because I really like the sights that are on the gun. During my range sessions with the Kimber, the gun hasn’t given me the slightest indication of trouble and is as accurate as I am and probably much more so. On my first range trip, one of the range safety officers noticed the Kimber sitting on the bench while I was loading a magazine and asked if he could look at it. He motioned a couple of other range employees over, and they all seemed to be impressed with it. That particular model Kimber had not yet made it into their store’s inventory.
One thing I was reminded of when shooting the Kimber LW Shadow Ghost is how much more recoil a shooter feels when shooting a lightweight .45 ACP 1911 versus shooting one made of steel. When my first two shots went into essentially the same hole, I was thinking this was going to be one of those outstanding range outings until the third shot hit approximately four inches lower. Why? Because I flinched from recoil anticipation. That’s something to consider when purchasing a gun. Lightweight for carrying is great. Lightweight for shooting, not so great in the larger calibers. I suspect shooting the steel framed Raptor would be easier on the hands and shoulders.
Both of my Kimbers have a manual thumb safety located only on the left side of the pistol. They have the standard beavertail grip safety to prevent the pistol from firing unless the grip safety is fully depressed. On both guns the grip safety is comfortable and shaped to encourage a high grip that assists in the gun’s stability as it is being fired. The white dot fixed rear sight and replaceable fiber optic front sight present an excellent sight picture. I wear progressive trifocals and sometimes have to work at getting a good focus on front sights. The fiber optic front sight stands out and really helps me to get a good sight picture. The low-profile design of the rear sight helps to reduce the overall height of the pistol which makes it easier to carry and handle.
The Kimber Shadow Ghost carries nicely in a DeSantis Mini-Scabbard leather holster.
Trigger pull on both guns is smooth and consistent, breaking at just over four pounds. The trigger is adjustable for overtravel and pre-travel allowing the shooter to customize the trigger to their preferences. The trigger faces are serrated which helps prevent the finger from slipping off the trigger during firing.
The Kimber Custom LW Shadow Ghost is relatively easy to clean. Takedown is standard for a 1911 with a full-length guide rod. Detailed instructions on disassembly, lubrication and reassembly are easy to follow and in the manual. A sheet of paper in the plastic case the gun came in has cleaning and lube instructions, and I can almost guarantee that following those instructions would put to rest the old rumors about it taking 400–500 rounds of break-in before the Kimber would operate reliably. With today’s cost of ammo, that’s a noticeable addition to the cost of a new gun if true. My Kimber, the one I shoot, got a light oiling before I began operating it per the factory’s instructions, and it hasn’t had the first hiccup. I don’t intend to shoot the F22 commemorative Raptor as I’m pretty sure it was in an unfired condition when I got it. And you normally don’t shoot collector guns.
I provided this photo for the cleaning in case the background on the other one is too busy.
With its smooth, crisp 4 pound trigger and high visibility sites, targets like this are typical of what can be done shooting freehand at 7 yards.
The Kimber joins the ranks of several full-size .45 ACP 1911s in my collection. It’s one of two lightweights, the other being a Springfield Operator. I’m much more likely to carry a Commander-sized 1911, and I have two lightweights in that category along with several steel-framed models. I’m now 76 and much of my enjoyment from owning these particular guns is in sharing them with others. In that respect, the Kimber is one I’ll enjoy putting on the shooting bench for some of our family and friends’ shooting outings.
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