Rate the Maker: What do you think of these manufacturers??

[Redcoat3340]

I'd like to rate the maker. (No, not THE MAKER, He [She?] gets an hour or two every Sunday and far be it from me to suggest we grade his/her performance.)

No I mean a bunch of pistol and revolver makers who I've heard of and seen lots of their products on auction sites and in stores, but never have even considered for purchase.

And I'm wondering if I'm missing something or if my bias towards S&W, Sig, Walther, Beretta, Ruger, Colt, Browning, etc. is limiting my choices.

Here's my list and maybe they can be rated on a scale of 1 - 10? (with comments?)

Bersa (I know they make nominally sound weapons, but I figured I'd throw them in anyway.

HiPoint
Jimenez
Kahr
KelTec
Kimber
Zastava

and any others anyone wants to include.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I agree with sjbrdn. That list is strange to me. I certainly would not put Kimber on a list with known or strongly suspected second-stringers.

 

[LVSteve]

I would give Kahr an 8 based on the single example I own.

Somebody not on your list that I rate as a 10 are Grand Power, the masters of the rotating barrel.

 

[LVSteve]

I agree with sjbrdn. That list is strange to me. I certainly would not put Kimber on a list with known or strongly suspected second-stringers.

I'm not so sure. Kimber may be doing OK these days, but 10-15 years ago I seem to recall they weren't so hot.

 

[Redcoat3340]

I put Kimber on the list as it is pretty much an unknown to me. I've heard mixed reviews but as I never seriously considered one I never did much research on it. And it never hurts to ask.

 

[1sailor]

I didn't even know that Zastava made pistols. I had to look it up. It seems that they do make an assortment of AK type pistols. My only hands on experience with Zastava was a little bolt action in .22 Hornet owned by a friend some time ago. I really liked it. Maybe not as nice as some CZ's but it shot well and was a handy little rifle.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Only brand I've actually had experience with is Kahr.
I've had my 9mm for several years and it's performed near perfect.

 

[sheepdawg]

My Kahr CW40 is a jamomatic with everything but Winchester Ranger 165 gr. JHP. Even FMJ. Shame too it's a dandy little carry.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

My two Kimber .45's are top notch..........The others on your list could be trot line weights when they break.

 

[BSA1]

Hi-Point deserve a high ranking based on their reliability.

A not so-bright co-worker decided to take his 9mm pistol apart and I helped him reassemble it. It is a interesting collection of parts to put back together. Anyway in spite of his efforts to keep monkeying with the action it kept working. I finally told him I wasn't going to put it back together the next time he took it apart and to send it back to the factory.

Ugly yes. Plastic trigger yes. The dang thing works and has excellent manufacturer support. I would buy the 9mm if the price was right.

 

[oink]

My experience with both Kimber and KelTec has been good. Kimber 1911 X 2. KelTec P3AT and PF9. Supposedly some people had problems with KelTec but mine are/were 100%. Admittedly the appearance of the KelTecs is of a less expensive gun but they've always worked for me. Whether you always like the stuff they come up they are certainly innovative.

You left off RIA which tends to be very affordable. My only experience with them (officers model 1911) has been very good. 100% reliability.

Taurus - They do and have made some great guns, especially at their price point. However they've managed to produce some garbage at times too.

Bersa - I had one for a short time. I kinda liked it but the brand was not authorized for back-up or off duty so I traded it off.

 

[C Islander]

I own both Kahrs and Kimbers. They are both outstanding handguns. The Kahr K9 is a work of are and an extremely accurate and reliable firearm. I've owned Kimbers for 20 years and have never had a problem with any of them and I carry one everyday.

 

[robvious]

HiPoint - ugly, cheap and totally reliable, had a friend put 5K rounds thru his.. never a hiccup
Jimenez - N/A
Kahr - have my father's early K9 model along with a more modern PM9.. never an issue.. dad carried his, I carry mine.
KelTec - N/A
Kimber - have a first gen stainless target 45.. exceptional pistol - use it as my base for Marvel 22 target conversion
Zastava - N/A

 

[Waxster60]

I'm with the OP one this one- no interest in any of those listed. Hard pass. To each his/her own.

 

[Rudi]

I too have no knowledge or interest in these guns. A friend has 2 Kimber .45s and loves them. I have never shot them.

 

[CajunBass]

Bersa (I know they make nominally sound weapons, but I figured I'd throw them in anyway.

HiPoint
Jimenez
Kahr
KelTec
Kimber
Zastava

and any others anyone wants to include.

The only Bersa I've got any experience with was a 22 "Thunder" I think it was called. Sort of a PPK clone. That little thing was great. It did pretty much require Mini-Mag ammo to function 100%, but so does the Walther PPK/S 22 I've got now. Spare mags were expensive, but again, so too are Walther mags.

I had a High Point C-9 (9mm) some years ago. That goofy thing just plain worked. I did about 2500 rounds through it before I got bored with it and sold it for more than I paid for it. About the only bad thing I can say is the safety felt sort "insecure" shall we say. If I had ever tried to carry it, it would have been with an empty chamber.

Jiminez...never even seen one I don't think.

Kahr...I had a Kahr 45 at some point, but don't remember anything about it. I may not have ever fired it before it went on down the road. I don't remember anything really bad about it is the best I can say.

Kel-Tec...I had a Kel-Tec P-11 back in the day. Decent gun. I did a minor "fluff and buff" when I got it. I recall that it did malfunction a couple of times but don't recall the why's or what's. At 7-15 yards, I could keep inside a paper plate. The trigger was long and heavy, and it kicked like a mule. More than 50 rounds in a session and my elbow would ache for a couple of days.

Kimber...I've had three Kimbers. A 380, a 9mm, and a 45. They all worked and shot well, and looked great. The 9mm (micro) also had a pretty snappy recoil, but that's to be expected with a small 9mm I suppose. I liked them all, but let them all go on down the road when some other bright shiny thing caught my eye.

Zastava...never even heard of that one.

I guess I've had good luck with "off brand" guns. I've owned a bunch of Taurus revolvers and liked them all. I admit that I didn't shoot them enough to really say but they seemed to work well. A couple of them would rival S&W for fit and finish. They were all from the 80's-90's time period. The only Taurus auto I ever owned was a little 380. That thing jammed every other shot, but I only tried one type of ammo. It might had done better with something else.

I've got three Turkish guns now that seem to work well. A Girsan Hi-Power 9mm, a Canik TP-9 SC, 9mm, and a Tisas Fatih 13, 380.

 

[sheppard]

I'll only comment on the two I've had experience with:

Kahr CM9, great pocket pistol and 100% reliable. Trigger very much like a DA revolver.

Keltec P-32, another great pocket pistol that has been 100% reliable. Shoot only with higher velocity European ammo.

 

[Valmet]

Outside of Zastava's AKs (real ones, not US made receiver guns), I don't have much use for any of them. YMMV.

 

[diyj98]

I didn't even know that Zastava made pistols. I had to look it up. It seems that they do make an assortment of AK type pistols. My only hands on experience with Zastava was a little bolt action in .22 Hornet owned by a friend some time ago. I really liked it. Maybe not as nice as some CZ's but it shot well and was a handy little rifle.

Zastava has been around since the 1800's. They make far more handguns than AK types Handguns – Zastava Arms USA
I'be never owned any of their newer handguns, but have had several of thei older surplus handguns and they were decently made and reliable.

 

[lrb1200]

OP

You need to ask about
HiPoint
Jimenez
KelTec
Zastava
?????????

You really need to make some time,
and do your homework.

 

[otis24]

Kahr makes a great pistol. They kind of started the single stack 9 revolution with the K9. However, the pendulum is swinging back the other way to higher capacity subcompacts with the single/double mags.

Another great pistol that I recently purchased after having previously ignored is the 75D PCR. As someone else stated in another thread, it's hard to find a competition shooter who doesn't have a CZ. I'm waiting for my CZ holster to arrive to see how well my CZ carries and conceals. It may replace my Kahr K9.

 

[H Richard]

My ratings are "
1 Aastava; 2 Kahr ; 3 Kimber; 4 KelTec: 5 Hi Point; 6 Jimenez.
I have no desire to buy any 4, 5, or 6.

 

[.38SuperMan]

I put Kimber on the list as it is pretty much an unknown to me. I've heard mixed reviews but as I never seriously considered one I never did much research on it. And it never hurts to ask.

For some reason there are a bunch of Kimber haters out there that have no experience with their product but repeat trash they read on a few forums. Their comments always start with " I don't own one but a friend who shot one once *** " . They have no personal experience but have plenty of opinion. Same goes for Colt haters. I guess in todays world it's cool to be a hater of something.

Anyway I have plenty of experience with Kimber. I think I've owned about 7 of their 1911's and own 5 now. Never any problem other than a magazine that came with my Eclipse Target 38 super. One call to Kimber and they replaced it with no questions.

Every single Kimber I've owned has functioned 100% after a thorough cleaning and lube before shooting the first time. I'd rank Kimber a solid 10%.

Edit:

"I've never owned one but two friends of mine " were showing me their Kel-Tec sub2000's yesterday and said how pleased they are with them. One is a 9mm and the other a 40 cal. The both agreed they get the ugly award but both are great shooters and well designed and built.

My brother has a Kel-Tec pistol he loves and has had no issues with it.

 

[mtgianni]

I have owned a Kimber Target for over 25 years. It is a great gun and better than the Colt 80 series I owned, IMO. I have a Kahr CM 40. It eats anything jacketed or cast as long as I size to 0.401". My other 40 and 10mm like 0.402" so it gets fed a steady diet of 150 gr practice ammo and 165 carry. I am shocked at those who object to the recoil of a Kahr 9mm as this is easily handled. It is not a gun for a 250 round range session but 100 rounds will not bruise or batter you in any way.
I don't see either a Kimber or a Kahr having a lot of collector value. They are a shooting tool not an investment.

 

[sotexas]

For me my favorites are
1911's
Springfield Armory including their Custom shop and my local gunsmiths custom guns

Plastic Guns
Walther PPS/PDP/Q5
H&K VP/HK/P30 series
S&W Your Choice

 

[Laketime]

I think you very cleverly added Kimber to the list of low end arms to make some type of statement.

 

[44wheelman]

I've had both Kimbers and keltecs, both brands about half needed slight "massaging" to get to run 100%.

Polishing a feed ramp, stone the rough machining on breechface, small burr on trigger parts….just something that needed one little kiss of love.

Complete confidence in them now, but could imagine some people would throw fits over such issues. I'd rate them a 7 and 6 respectively.

At some point you must realize you get what you pay for.