Kimber customer service

[mbliss57]

I bought a used SOLO last month at a great price $600 OTD with 4 mags and a holster, case , box etc....like new. Well I took it to the range and I could not get any ammo to make it through any mag without jamming...including their 124 and 147g SD ammo. now I was livid. I had heard so much (bad) about Kimber CS I figured I had just ate $600. I won't sell a gun I know is faulty. Anyway, I called Kimber CS and explained the problem..They sent an RMA.. and I returned it 10 days ago. Well today I got a really nice surprise..it was back. And no charge..they changed the barrel, the slide, Solo spring, recoil spring and adjusted the trigger bar.
I am not a big Kimber fan but at least I can say 1st hand their CS is great.

 

[sophie]

Well sounds like they got you fixed up. It is nice to know that every once in a while people do stand behind their products to the point of satisfaction.

 

[GKC]

I'm glad that you had this experience. Mine was completely opposite. I bought three (3) Kimber 1911s, and had problems with them...all I could get from Kimber was "shoot 500 rounds and then call us." I traded them at the gun shop where I bought them (full disclosure, and took a loss on trade) and I will never, ever buy another Kimber product.

 

[Rastoff]

Have you fired the gun yet?

 

[george minze]

I have heard from more than one Kimber owner a new extractor and recoil spring does wonders...The spring seems to be the most critical...This is from guys that have the same type of trouble...Glad thay got you fixed up......They seem like a well finished pistol but the story of the recoil spring has been around for some time....I myself have had no experience with them...Just what friends say....

 

[mbliss57]

Have you fired the gun yet?

NO i will take it out tomorrow or Sunday after church

 

[Calaveras Slim]

ok, keep us posted

 

[Marine Corps Air]

Mike,

All of these posts are certainly of interest to me. A few days ago another forum member sold a used Kimber Stainless Gold Match II. I started to respond, but called Kimber CS first. I believe that their warranty is only extended to the original (first) owner. Insofar as used Kimbers, the rep stated that each would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if it was a defective product or part, or if it was due to owner induced or created problems - "The Bubba Factor".

I am looking at a new Gold Match II, but after reading these posts, especially the one from GKC, I am now of the opinion that this is not the product to buy. I'm not trashing Kimber, but I have have always had great product service for my Winchesters, Springfield Armory, AND Smith & Wesson firearms. The jury is still out for my Colts as I have not had to contact CS on an issue yet.

 

[Grayfox]

The Solo has been known for having problems. I'll guess that they fixed it for free, even when they didn't have to, because of that.
Personally, I think Kimbers are over rated and over priced.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I started using Kimber 1911-style pistols about 15 years ago and have owned 6 different Kimber pistols during that time period. Three were purchased new and three were used. I experienced problems with one of the used pistols, contacted Kimber, sent it in as directed, and 9 days later it was returned to me in perfect condition.

All of the others performed flawlessly under any conditions and with any ammunition (factory or reloads).

My daily carry piece is the Kimber Custom CDP. This is my second, purchased after the first was stolen in a burglary of my home. It has been in use every day for the past 4.5 years. I have fired approx. 5,000 rounds through this pistol including about 4,000 rounds of handloaded cast lead bullets and about 1,000 rounds of factory ball. Never a hiccup. Pistol is field-stripped and cleaned every week and detail stripped for cleaning after each shooting session (usually monthly, sometimes more frequently). As is my practice, I have 4 magazines dedicated to this one, each of which has proven completely reliable with this specific pistol. Each of my magazines is marked to show which pistol it has been tested in and they stay with that gun.

I have zero experience with the Kimber Solo so I can't comment on that. I have nothing but good experience with Kimber pistols and customer service so I will comment on those. I also have 46 years of experience with the 1911-style pistols including combat use in Vietnam and 24 years in law enforcement. I own 29 pistols of the 1911 pattern dating from 1914 to 2009 manufacture from 8 different manufacturers.

Kimber 1911-style pistols are offered with just about all the features that used to be available only from custom shops. Prices are competitive. Customer service is excellent. I won't hesitate to recommend Kimber.

 

[Kanewpadle]

This is the first good comment about Kimber customer service that I've heard in years. It's normally the opposite.

 

[pownal55]

I have owned six Kimber rifles and had issues with two of them. Both times the were fixed, no charge, no questions asked not even if I was the original purchaser. One was a Super America with a slight warp at the forend tip touching the barrel. The new stock was not a cheap fix.

 

[mbliss57]

Have you fired the gun yet?

I took it to the range today and I have t say I was a little apprehensive. I shot 2 mags of 124 Gr PMC ball ammo and 2 mags of Federal Hydro Shock 124g. The 1st 2 mags were flawless. Then on the 3rd it jammed. My blood pressure went up.. then I looked at the situation..The mag had dropped down causing it to Fail to load.
I looked at how I was gripping the gun and my thumb was right next to the mag release. I kept the same grip and it happened agin but this time my thumb ended up on the release...now I felt stupid.
I changed my grip slightly and shot 4 more mags of 124g PMD ball ammo without a hitch. All is right in the Solo world today! I really like this little pistol and want to be able to carry it. IT will take several hundred rounds without a malfunction before that happens.

 

[perrazi]

nice that they fixed the gun to work properly. to bad they didn't build it that way in the first place.

 

[Rastoff]

I looked at how I was gripping the gun and my thumb was right next to the mag release. I kept the same grip and it happened agin but this time my thumb ended up on the re;ease...now I felt stupid.

I changed my grip slightly...

First off, don't feel stupid. This happens to all of us.

At this point I would normally go into my "Proper Grip" speech, but I'll save you the pain. If you want to hear it, I'll post it later. I'm just glad you got your gun back and it's working.

I'm with Kanewpadle, this is the first good experience from Kimber customer service I've heard. That doesn't mean there haven't been many. I'm just more used to hearing guys complain about it.

 

[PatAz]

I'm completely happy with mine, works flawlessly so no chance to check customer service.

 

[johngalt]

Mine has been excellent, my only nit was a trigger that wasn't as crisp as I wanted, so I took it to a local smith for a trigger job.

I think they are overpriced considering a lot of the cost goes into expensive gimmick parts that I have no interest in (full length guide rod, ambi safety, mag well, beaver tail, etc).

Never had a reason to contact their customer service.

 

[GKC]

I am looking at a new Gold Match II, but after reading these posts, especially the one from GKC, I am now of the opinion that this is not the product to buy. I'm not trashing Kimber, but I have have always had great product service for my Winchesters, Springfield Armory, AND Smith & Wesson firearms. The jury is still out for my Colts as I have not had to contact CS on an issue yet.

Colt is the icon of 1911s, of course...but they have had their problems too, and some years were on the "don't buy" advisory. Colt's service is notoriously slow...but they eventually will fix the gun. ANY manufacturer can have a problem gun, or even a series of guns, but what is important is how they deal with it when a customer has a problem.

It's pretty uncommon for a manufacturer to extend the warranty to subsequent owners, so in fairness to Kimber, I can't fault them for that. (S&W, for example, only warrants their guns to the original owner...but they don't always ask.) My problem with Kimber was that they had no interest in helping me with three brand new guns...I was the original owner...and these three 1911s weren't my first by a long shot. I've owned 22 1911s of various manufacture, and the only two I've ever had a problem with (other than the Kimbers) was a Taurus PT1911 (ambi safety fell off, a common problem) and a Springfield Range Officer...but that wasn't really a problem with the stock gun: I sent the slide in to Springfield to have the adjustable sights replaced with fixed night sights, and they failed to mill the slide stop plate (which is needed, because the fixed sight presses down on it more than the adjustable sight) and when I assembled the pistol, it bound on the frame and I couldn't get it loose. Springfield promptly sent me a shipping tag, and they fixed it at their own expense...so, I have no complaints about that.

Kimber makes pretty guns, no doubt...but I don't want a gun just to look at....I want one that works. There are much better 1911s on the market, IMO, that cost less and have much better support from the company that makes them.

 

[Rastoff]

It's pretty uncommon for a manufacturer to extend the warranty to subsequent owners,...

It's so uncommon, there's only one gun manufacturer that has a written warranty that covers the gun regardless of the owner; Ed Brown.

Many gun companies might fix their gun if you're not the original owner, but only Brown puts it in writing. If you can afford one, they are awesome guns.

 

[GKC]

It's so uncommon, there's only one gun manufacturer that has a written warranty that covers the gun regardless of the owner; Ed Brown.

Many gun companies might fix their gun if you're not the original owner, but only Brown puts it in writing. If you can afford one, they are awesome guns.

I do want an Ed Brown 1911...or did. At one point, a few years ago, I was ready to order one, but after working through all the specs, I just couldn't bring myself to spend $4,000 on just one gun. I doubt that I'll ever own one now...unless I win the lottery. I sure do like Brown's Kobra series.

There are a few other gun companies who do warrant the gun, rather than the owner...Hi-Point, SCCY and Taurus, for example. There may be others...but there aren't many. Ruger doesn't have a stated warranty, but I've read many accounts of them repairing (at their expense) a gun for a subsequent owner.