I Wonder What Has Happened To Kimber?

[Watchdog]

Received the August, 2016 issue of the American Rifleman.

For the first time in months, Kimber doesn't have the back cover. It's gone over to Benelli. It seems strange...like not seeing a roll of toilet paper next to the commode or something.

Matter of fact, unless I've somehow missed it, there isn't even one single ad for Kimber in the entire magazine. Colt, Ruger, S&W, and even Les Baer all have full page ads as usual. Even cheap cigars and bargain basement watches have full pages.

I wonder if Kimber had a contract and it expired? Or...what? Sales haven't justified ad prices? Kimber has a beef with American Rifleman or the NRA? Or vice versa?

I can understand cost cutting, but to not even do a half-page or a quarter-page ad in a mega-circulation firearms-dedicated publication seems counter productive to me.

I don't read gun magazines any more, so haven't noticed if Kimber has dropped out of those.

Anyone else notice this? Just curious.

 

[steamloco76]

Not 100% sure if this is spot on, however the source, a Kimber dealer, is generally very reliable- One of Kimber's major suppliers hasn't delivered a single part to them in months effectively stopping production of many Kimber models. Why continue to spend large amounts of marketing money to build demand for a product that can't be delivered.

 

[Watchdog]

Not 100% sure if this is spot on, however the source, a Kimber dealer, is generally very reliable- One of Kimber's major suppliers hasn't delivered a single part to them in months effectively stopping production of many Kimber models. Why continue to spend large amounts of marketing money to build demand for a product that can't be delivered.

That's interesting, I haven't heard that. But now that I think about it, I was in one of the LGSs I visit on a weekly basis, and there wasn't a Kimber to be found in the whole place. Their space in the display shelves was full of (Gasp!) Colts.

I just did a fast Kimber Google, and almost the whole first page is full of nothing but Kimber production and QC problems. I'm not bad mouthing Kimber...plus I have zero experience with them...never even held one...just always thought they made a quality product.

Starting to wonder what the whole story is for real now.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Aside from their entry level guns, Kimber 1911's are ugly and over priced. Their corporate attitude will be their undoing because more and more gun makers are offering better guns for less money.

Just ask many of the "Master" Kimber dealers that can't get their hands on any guns because Kimber sends them all to big box stores.

 

[Farmer17]

I have a 20 year old Kimber Custom II .45 that is about as accurate as any 1911 I have ever fired including high end Colts and custom jobs. Kimber lost a lot of the 1911 crowd because of the Schwartz grip safety that locks the firing pin but I thought that was a pretty good idea. Springfield and many others use a light weight firing pin and no firing pin safety. I will also say that I bought an American Classic 1911 that was made in the Phillipines that is dang near as good as the Kimber for a whole lot less money.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

I have a 20 year old Kimber Custom II .45 that is about as accurate as any 1911 I have ever fired including high end Colts and custom jobs. Kimber lost a lot of the 1911 crowd because of the Schwartz grip safety that locks the firing pin but I thought that was a pretty good idea. Springfield and many others use a light weight firing pin and no firing pin safety. I will also say that I bought an American Classic 1911 that was made in the Phillipines that is dang near as good as the Kimber for a whole lot less money.

If there's one thing most 1911 fans hate, it's messing with John Browning's original design.

I'm probably one of the few who like Series 80s because I can safely carry them hammer down. I know I'm speaking heresy to those who like to carry cocked and locked, but I don't carry a 1911 for concealed carry. I carry it open in the field when hunting. (It's a stainless Delta Gold Cup 10mm). I'm used to revolvers like single actions and I'm faster cocking the hammer than fumbling with the safety. The point is, unless you are one of the few oddballs like me, there is no need for Series 80 style safeties and many feel the trigger pull is inferior.

 

[MetalMan]

I have owned my Series 1 (Yonkers) Kimber Classic Custom and Ultra Carry since early-2000. Both are basic guns with no adornments and I have fired thousands of rounds through each of them with no problems to speak of. I am comfortable with them and rely on my Kimbers in my EDC rotation.

I have followed the changes made to Kimber models - such as the move to external extractors and the additional firing pin safety - and also read with some concern the issues pertaining to rusting barrels and fit/finish. Thankfully, I have not encountered any of these issues with my examples.

Based on all of this, I, personally, would hesitate to lay out the funds for a new Kimber as I do not feel that they are the "premium" handgun producer they once were.

Very sad.......

 

[inspcalahan]

Just about anything new from Kimber is junk in my opinion. They crank out every color, to include rainbow, they can...when they should focus on making a quality product again. The old Kimbers when they first got up and running were outstanding pistols. I had a few, from the shelf model up to a few from their custom shop. They were outstanding! When they came out with the TL/TLR guns was about the time they started going downhill.

They sent me a few of the TLR guns for testing for use by our team at work. We had already worked a special run deal with custom serial numbers, where I had collected a lot of money up front from the crew. We couldn't get either of the test guns they sent us to run. From ball to duty ammo, a full magazine without a malfunction was a rare occurrence. They swapped pistols out and we had the same result. They refused to work any further, claiming it was our ammo and not their pistols. That same ammo, which we had years of history with, ran fine through every other 1911, Sig, Glock, you name it on our team. Long story short, we cancelled the deal and never looked back.

They moved the factory location, messed with the design and started mass producing quantity over quality. I sold my old versions out of spite and never looked back. (secretly wish I had kept the one custom shop elite version...some lucky gent in Montana I believe is now the lucky owner)

Not sure any of this applies to this thread about their advertising, but I feel better telling the story again.

The available supply is even shorter yet, after some crooks broke into a local shop yesterday and made off with a shelf full of Kimbers...... hopefully if I come face to face with one during a recovery, it'll be one of the new ones and give me an edge in my favor.

 

[blasterp7]

Never owned one of their handguns. Have several of their rifles and they are top notch!

 

[Grayfox]

Kimbers have always been over-rated and over-priced. I've seen more Kimbers choke that any other 1911.
Now with RIA and Armscor importing pistols that work for far less money, I can see where Kimber could be having problems.

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

Kimbers have always been over-rated and over-priced. I've seen more Kimbers choke that any other 1911.
Now with RIA and Armscor importing pistols that work for far less money, I can see where Kimber could be having problems.

Exactly what he said. Kimbers here are bad JUJU. I have had the opportunity to see a lot of them. One of our shooters paid $1,500+ for a stainless 9mm and we NEVER got it to feed, extract, or eject properly. Got 4 Wilson 10 shot mags that worked in everything on the range but the Kimber.

 

[model70hunter]

I have 2 Kimber rifles, very nice except the ramp had a sharp edge at the top and you had to keep one less round in the magazine or the 2nd round would jam. My dremel tool corrected that.

I have an early Custom Classic. I have not owned any new ones but have read all the bad press by folks who repeat rumors, lovers of other brands and guys who actually have had the problems. For the last reason I probably would not buy a new one.

My old one is super accurate, loads, fires smaller groups than I can hold off hand and ejects. I do love it, everyone who has shot it loves it. In the past several years I bought 2 Colt National match 1911's. a 1959 and a 1966. Using new old Stock Winchester 185 gr match ammo I can not get them to group as well as the Kimber using cheap ball ammo.

I am not a fan of the firing pin lock they went to nor the external ejectors. That and bad experiences by those who used them will prevent me from buying a new pistol.

I had an early Thomson 1911, it was accurate, was reliable and cheap. I traded it in on the 1st National Match. Now I wish i'd kept it. It was the perfect truck and woods walking gun. But I understand Thompson QC went south with later 1911's and they lost their customers. Wise up Kimber.

It has not been that long ago when a few magazine articles mentioned the high quality and accurate Kimbers drove Colt to make better 1911's. I guess Kimber forgot what made them elite.

When I find a little extra cash I want a Colt Competition in 45 and perhaps a 9 mm for fun.

I'll have to ask Arjay if there is a limit on how many 1911's one should own at one time.

 

[rwsmith]

Seems that if you want a Kimber....

Seems that if you want a Kimber, an older one would be a wise choice. Bad management can ruin even a a good product.

 

[Dennis]

I have bought 4 Kimbers since 2012. All brand new. No rust issues. No FTFs. No problems. 1 9mm and the rest in .45 ACP. I like mine.
Oh. I also have new and old Colt's, an RIA, and 2 Dan Wesson's. The only two that have issues are the DWs. And yes, I shoot em.
I know nothing about their advertising issues or parts issues.
ALL my 1911's are more accurate than I can hold.

 

[OLDSTER]

Kimber

I haven't read or heard anything lately of that "goofy" over priced revolver that was supposed to be THE new thing in concealed carry Has that gone the way of the "new" Remington R51 ?

 

[KSDeputy]

The NRA is introducing a new magazine for it's members. That may be where their advertising money is going. I am sticking with the American Rifleman.

 

[BigCityChief]

I have owned several Kimbers. I would not buy any of their pistols with the "Kimpro" finish. It literally flakes off the frame. Their stainless steel finishes and their charcoal blue finish is excellent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Philadelphia Patriot]

There was a Kimber ad on the back of the NRA's Shooting Illustrated magazine cover for August.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I own three Kimber 1911 pistols. Zero problems with any of them, though none are recent purchases or recent production.

 

[hardluk1]

I bought one of Kimbers stainless ultra carry II in 9mm . I did changed grips as I'm not a wood grip fan but other wise its a great pistol for what I thought was a good price . Not many 3" lite weight 1911's to pick from . I could have bought a EMP but for that price not hardly a deal or a colt defender and I not much of a fan of current colts ether .

I think I got a good deal . I paid $729 for my kimber . Its got a tight slide to frame fit with no perceivable wiggle along with barrel to slide fit . Trigger pull is 4lb 6oz average and istsnot ammo picky with carry ammo or reloads I've used in all family 9mms .

It also runs reliably with Wilson 8 , 9 and 10 round emt mags . Only have 600 rounds thru it so far but not a single issue with it.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/...011&1469629581973&1469629582349&1469629590389