I welcomed Kimber's K6s with open arms back in 2017. A solid entry to the revolver market. Bought three of them, a couple 2" and a 3", and shot or carried them regularly. My only complaint, if that's the right word, is that it feels dense. The K6s is a lot if gun packed into a small space. My solution, an alloy frame. Kimber had the same idea in 2020 or so but just got around to shipping it in July 2023. I waited three years. Well, here it is... THE NEW K6XS.

The K6xs is Kimber's new alloy-frame, 6 shot, .38+P, snubbie. It has a stainless barrel and cylinder. The fit and finish it every bit as good as the K6s (excellent). At 15.9 oz., it weighs less than a Colt Cobra (the real alloy Cobra) and only 1 oz. more than a Smith 442/642. I call it "J frame sized," despite it's being slightly larger. The difference is imperceptible.

The K6xs trigger feels just like the K6s. It feels good, smooth, but has its own character. The Kimber cylinder fully indexes halfway through the trigger pull. This allows you to shoot a DAO K6xs like a single action revolver by pulling the trigger halfway and holding or pausing to realign sights. On the other hand, the cylinder's fast and firm indexing might distract as it slams into position. The cylinder's impact against the cylinder stop feels like a hitch in the trigger pull but is, in fact, entirely separate. It is less noticeable when firing quickly and not a big deal either way. It is not a problem, just different.

At $679.00 MSRP, the K6xs is considerably less expensive than the heavier .357 K6s ($1,000 +). It is real competition for Smith & Wesson's J Frame.

It has only been eight hours but I like the K6xs a lot. It should do very well.

I guess you weren’t behind me in line.

I like em both and thanks for taking the time to post the fine pics. Have been considering the S&W myself. Nice guns!

Nice review.

Thanks for posting the review.

It's good to see new revolvers being introduced.

As for the gun itself, it seems a worthy competitor to the J-frame.

I would have liked to see a dovetailed front sight but the integral front sight is not a deal breaker.

Not an attractive revolver, but that could easily be overlooked if it functioned and held up well after a good workout with various ammos including some stout stuff. Good accuracy would be just as important.

I know a light, unloaded weight always looks good in the ads and articles, but by the time you load it, it seems to feel almost as heavy as a steel-framed gun even if it really isn't. At least, such guns feel that way to me and I shoot them regularly.

I would be interested to see how it feels when you shoot it. I have an M&P 340 that I have had for many years. Being as light as it is, it is not all that much fun to shoot with anything in it and when shooting magnums in it, it's a toss up as to which end of the gun I would rather be on! I recently picked up a .38 649-2 and it is very easy to shoot in comparison. I've been wanting a 640 Pro for some time but this might be a better choice with the additional round on tap.

Last year I bought a K6S 3" DAO. It felt fantastic dry firing. Then I went to the range. Halfway through the first six the cylinder locked up. Reloaded and again. Took it home cleaned it well and back to the range, same thing with half a dozen different. 38 loads. No .357's yet.

Sent it back, they replaced the cylinder with no explanation. Had it back in one week. Yes it was fixed but this seemed to be a reoccurring problem with many others.

Kimber too uses customers as QC inspectors. I had an interest in the XS when I first read about them. Now, not so much as I have a very nice 442 no lock. Good luck with yours I will be following future reports over on the Kimber forum

I've got an original. Steel, DA/SA, 2" bbl. No lockup issues with about 100 rounds fired. Cheers.

Great write up and excellent pics showing the differences between the 2! It still looks a bit bulky tho. The Kimber grip actually looks a bit small compared to the Smith which could be a problem for larger hands. But that might just be an illusion. Let us know how it shoots!

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It looks a little “blocky” to me. If they could “sleek” it out a little?
Heck, I may just get one anyway.

How about a Bodyguard version?

Here are a few more photos for size comparison, K6xs versus Model 640-2.






K6xs behind 640-2

Are dealers getting a premium?

GB has multiple sellers sufficiently below MSRP to offset shipping and then some. A Charlotte, NC retailer had them (sold out) for $629.00 ($50.00 below MSRP). My favorite gun shop could not get one until August. So, yesterday, I drove from Charlotte, NC to Wilkesboro, NC and paid MSRP ($679.00). I have not seen anyone asking a premium.

Kimber's poor relationship with North Carolina stocking dealers (many former stocking dealers) might be a long term problem. Many shops said that they will only fill Kimber special orders, if possible. They no longer stock Kimber.

I'll buy a second K6xs when it arrives in August.

I got mine last week for $629.00. I am in CT. The dealer had exactly one, I saw it, and snapped it up.
200 rounds later and I am of the opinion it IS a game changer-at least for folks who pocket carry a revolver (which I do when not a G42).
Its fit and finish are excellent, the trigger can be staged quickly, definitively, and then a crisp let off, (with a little practice you can rip off all 6 pretty fast) the cylinder is recessed, and 6 rounds of plus P is a nice package.
The grips I changed to the black rubber boot grip standard on the K6, just because they conceal a little better than the Hogue mono it cones with. The mono was very comfortable I just pocket carry and they were bigger.
I will post a pick when I can. If revolver pocket carry Is your thing, then the K6xs is for you

Kimber has an interesting aesthetic, but this comparison you posted really puts the size in perspective. When I have seen photos of the K6 alone it looks decidedly larger than any J-frame.

I'm putting this one on the shopping list - only bought Colts and Rugers lately as they are lock-free.

Noticed the Troy Alabama address -did Kimber move or is it only revolver production?

Thanks for the excellent review and great comparison pics.

Great commentary and picture comparison/s. Thanks for posting it.

Thanks for sharing, it’s nice to see new revolvers hitting the street. Never been a fan of the Kimber revolvers’s aesthetics; however, they’re starting to grow on me. I have several lightweight revolvers, including a recently acquired Colt Cobra, so I am not currently in the market. However,…

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I like that the yoke crane retaining screw is an allen head.

I was working at the gun shop today (NO longer is it a Kimber Dealer…) and checked our expansive list of distributors for this gun (actually any Kimber revolver). Availability was a big ZERO across the board.

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Troy, Alabama is where the Kimber revolvers are manufactured.

A face only a mother could love. I like Kimber's 1911s, but their revolvers are just too industrial for me. There's more to revolvers than simply how strong they might be - just ask Ruger, and now Kimber. Meanwhile S&W got the "look" right a long time ago and has been smart enough not to deviate.

The two things that strike me about this new offering are
1) it doesn't have that unique flat-sided hexagonal cylinder of the original K6. It has a more traditional fluted cylinder, and
2) the cylinder appears quite a bit wider (larger diameter) than the J-frames it is photographed with in the side-by-side comparison shots.
Neither of those are deal breakers, but they both detract from the unique concept behind the original K6 IMO.
To me this seems more like a modern rendition of the Colt Detective than anything else.
My $0.02 for what that's worth.

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...at least not until the addition of the IL required that they change the graceful curve between the rear sight and the top of the grip backstrap...
For my money that change really messed up the overall profile and shape of S&W revolvers.
That's the main thing I don't really like about S&W's with the IL.
Just my opinion.

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And that paint drip on the left side of the frame.

The cylinder is fluted to reduce weight, as less material is required for a .38+P cylinder. That said, I also like the hexagonal cylinder. Looked sharp on the K6s

I tried to measure the J Frame and K6xs cylinders myself but could not do so reliably with a tape measure. American Rifleman Magazine and Kimber measured the Kimber K6xs CYLINDER at 1.4" wide. Smith J Frame CYLINDERS are 1.3" according to Smith website. I think that is rounded down for Smith. A set of calipers would be helpful.

In my opinion, the difference is difficult to appreciate side-by-side and so small as to be immaterial for any practical purpose other than, maybe, holster compatibility (in rigid material like Kydex).

Yeah the difference in frame width is minimal. The difference in cylinder diameter is more significant to me.

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The integrated frame lug doesn't bug me so much. Other than it being non-replaceable if it gets worn.
The profile difference is what wrecks them for me. The proportions just look wrong to me.
Like what my wife always said about the rear view of a Porsche 928...
"Reminds me of a woman whose hips and butt are too wide" - her words not mine!

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I mistyped. I meant to say "cylinder." Those are frame measurements. I am going to edit my post above to clearly state "cylinder."

BC38: re: the "...rear view of a Porsche 928"...

That's probably the aspect MOST have ever seen UNLESS they just happened to be looking in their rear-view mirror as they were rapidly overtaken...?

Cheers!

P.S. And I am certainly no Porsche fan-boy: more an SC400 type...

P.P.S. The lighter Kinmber is nice... But, is it worth twice the price (or, is it really twice as nice?) of my Model 642 "sans lock"...?

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So they are saying the cylinder is only 0.10" wider?
Because it sure looks like more than that to me in the pictures you posted.
The frame looks like it is about 0.10" wider, but the difference in cylinder diameter sure looks like it would be more than that to me.
Either my eye is more precise than I ever realized or the pictures are somehow giving a bad perspective or there is some incorect info published - or something. Because that cylinder sure looks like it is more than 0.10" larger diameter in the photos.
Of course I could be totally wrong - it wouldn't be the first time (not by a LONG shot!)

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I hear you. Porsche built some seriously fast cars back in the day. I owned one once. It would blow the doors off the hottest offerings out of Japan - even ones that were 10 years newer!

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The Smith 642 MSRP is $539.00, according to Smith website. (Selling locally for $500-519)

The Kimber K6xs MSRP is $679.00. (Selling locally for $620.00, less on GB)

Real world price difference will probably shake out to $100.00-$125.00. It is not twice the price.

I think that the Smith J and Kimber K6xs cylinder measurements of 1.3" and 1.4", respectively, are probably accurate based on my observation and half-hearted effort to measure with a tape measure.

Thanks for taking and posting the photos sir - it looks pretty nice. It’s extra nice to see some quality competition for the 442/642. Not a big deal, but I couldn’t tell from your photo, did Kimber use a steel bolster for the cylinder pin to lock into in the recoil shield? Bolster may not be the correct term, I am a geezer, and cannot remember the correct technical term . Both of my 360’s have that steel reinforcement and I think it’s a nice touch although probably really not needed given the low mileage on both of mine.

I am glad you posted this up. I have been looking at these since I found out about them a couple weeks ago. I had 2 K6s's in the past and really really liked them but sold them for other things. I am now in the market for another j frame or now this (since I found out about them).

I am looking forward to your shooting experience details when you have time to take it to the range. My only question was if the XS would take the same after market grips that the S does and I think it does as stated above. I really don't like the rubbers grips, not my cup of tea.
Looking forward to hearing more about this neat new Kimber. Keep us posted please....

Out and about today, I hope to run into one.

I’ve never been a big fan of enclosed hammer revolvers. It’s partly a matter of looks. It’s also partly a matter of never having any issues with a hammer snagging as I don’t pocket carry. Also it’s partly my affection for shooting snubby revolvers at longer ranges (25-50 yards) just to demonstrate you can do so accurately. But with the much more critical sight alignment required a single action trigger helps.

I’ve also never been a fan of lightweight alloy frame revolvers, especially in .357 Mag, although .38 +P is tolerable.


Consequently I don’t see my self adding this new version to my stainless DA/SA K6S.

With the hammer it looks a bit less industrial but it definitely doesn’t have the classic lines of a S&W, or S&W based Rossi, and it even makes the Ruger SP101 look traditional.




The Kimber grips are too short and too thin for my tastes particularly with full power .357 Magnum loads, even in the heavier stainless steel frame. A rubber grip that adds a bit more volume, absorbs recoil and has something over the back strap to add some padding and trigger reach helps a lot. These Hogues are also long enough to let you get another half a finger width on the grip, which makes a huge difference in controllability.

I saw one yesterday at the Dixie show in Raleigh.
Couldn’t believe how light it was. It looked and felt, to me, to be a bit larger than a J frame? Fit and finish was excellent. I like the look of the shorter barrel.
They had $649 on it. I didn’t buy it, for now, as I have many small carry guns.

I chuckle a little when people mention the "looks" of the Kimbers - intimating it's a deal breaker for owning one. Why would that matter? Will the bad guys laugh at you when you pull it to defend yourself?

I admit to being just as guilty though - would never give that Rhino revolver a second glance - just too ugly.

Love the Kimbers but every time I pick one up, I am reminded tat I have a perfectly good Ruger SP101, a S&W 337 and a S&W 638-2 and I really can't justify the purchase.

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I picked up a Kimber K6xs. I've shot it a couple times now, 200 rounds in total.

It shoots a lot like a Smith J-frame 642.

Sights are better on the Kimber which is a nice plus.

No sharp edges or obvious manufacturering defects that I've noticed.

The supplied grips are comfortable but squishy; not ideal for concealment. This is an area where the J-frame shines. It's been around for so long there are literally one billion different grip options to accommodate the shooter's preference.

Trigger pull is smooth but heavy.

I wish the trigger were a pound or two lighter but it's adequate as it sits.

I didn't try to shoot it past thirty feet but hits were not hard out to that distance.

Overall I like it. It has potential.

That didn't stop you from buying the 337 or 638-2. Is that where you draw the line? At the 638-2. C'mon man, this isn't about economics or common sense. We're talking about guns. Geez.

You have a point. How many is not too many?

I'll let you know when I hit "too many."

Don’t look like that pipeline is getting clogged anytime soon.

Yes, but surprisingly close in size, in any case.

But, superb in function, LOL. I burned myself TWICE at the barrel-cylinder gap, so 'nuff for me to re-home it.

I think one of the shorts on YouBoob mentioned a current spring kit that made a good deal of difference. I am anxiously awaiting one to show-up at my LUGS.

TkCustom has a spring kit for the K6 series.

I am tempted.

Absolutely! I'll take function over form any day. When it comes time to defend me and mine, I couldn't care less how "pretty" the tool is - I just want it to work and be the right tool for the job.
I love the classic lines of S&W revolvers as much as anyone, but for an SD gun, how it works trumps how it looks every time.
Everything I have seen and read about the K6 leads me to believe it is a serious piece of SD hardware first and foremost.
I just wish they were a little more affordable, so I could justify adding one to my own stable.

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Hit the 500 round mark with mine. So far so good. Trigger is very manageable with a little practice.. As i said in an earlier post, if you stage the trigger its really a smooth pull with a very distinct, crisp let off once you hit the release point. The revolver is very accurate, and at a couple more ounces than the air weight, (of which i have had many and loved all of them), its way easier to shoot in terms of recoil. I have carried it out several times in a soft Uncle Mike's #4 pocket holster in my front shorts pocket. Its light, although in shorts you do know its there. Where its really going to shine is October thru March in a jacket pocket.
I just love the idea of 6 shots over 5, +P .38 over .380 (which mainly for convenience sake was my go to in the Glock 42), in a package i know will work when the trigger is pulled.
The die hard semi auto concealed carry folks don't get much out of this package but i have always had a pocket revolver of some type for carry and this one really works well in that role.

I bought a second gun safe when the first wax over full. The second isn't full yet so I think I am not there yet.

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balin
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