Kimber Solo Carry....Range report

[dec41971]

Just brought the Kimber Solo back from the range. Did the recommended break in and ran 24 rds of Hornady TAP JHP through it. Actually they recommend either the Hornady, Federal Hydra Shok JHP or Remington Golden Saber HPJ.

I then ran 29 Federal Hydra Shok JHP through it.



What a great experience over the last pocket carry that I functioned tested. The Sig P238 would FTE till I changed out the recoil spring. The Solo bad boy had zero FTE, zero FTF, zero problems. I also did double taps after running the 24 breakin rds through. It was a pleasure to fire. As for accuracy...more than I am...I don't have targets to post...I was shooting CD disk and some paste on targets, but will tell you this....I have some age on me and my hands are not as stable as they once were, but with a good shooter, you could hold the groups in a fifty cent piece at 10 yards easily.

Bottom line...I will carry this over my Robrbaugh R9, Kahr PM9, or Sig P238...the others are in no way slouches, however, this is a shootin machine. Try it....you'll love it. I am truly excited about this gun, as you can tell. One other thing, I found out that to load with 6+1 you need to let the slide go home by releasing the slide release as opposed to sling shoting it home. It's like the Kahr PM9 in that respect, but that's not a problem for me.

I also cranked off a mag in my Kimber 1911 3" that is suppose to be problem prone....it never got that memo.

I have that same Kimber .45 and mine has never had a failure in the two years since I bought it. Actually had me wondering what all the hoopla was all about since mine is 100% reliable. In fact, I would love to add a Solo, but I have an LCP for that role where the small 1911 or my Walther PPS is too much.

 

[matty-vb]

I appreciate the feedback! She is due in 3 weeks and I think it would be a great maternity gift (and I kinda like it too). It looks like such a classy mommy gun and would slip nicely into a diaper bag, don't you think?

 

[galena]

Dagnabit, IMTHDUKE, now I've got to have one!!!!! I have been interested since first hearing about the Solo and after your report I know what I need next. I'm sure my Better Half doesn't thank you as much as I do. Keep shootin'

 

[IMTHDUKE]

I don't want to over state the matter....but I am more pleased with this gun than I have been with one in a long time. I think you will be too.

As for the better half, just tell her it's for the welfare of the family.

 

[StrikeFire83]

OK...here is the deal on the rubbing on the dust cover by the guide rod. I called Kimber and they are sending me a return label to return the gun and let the techs check it.....if it's just the finish on the inside...that's not a deal for me, however, if it is goin rub the Alum. ....that's a problem that needs addressing.

So what's going on with this? Have you shipped the gun back to Kimber yet? Any info? Thanks for the review and thanks in advance for the answer.

 

[IMTHDUKE]

I did return the gun to Kimber to check the finish rub marks on the inside of dust cover. I may be too picky about this, but want Kimber to check it. I did not take pictures of it, but it rubbed the finish in two places, but did not rub the medal itself. After I noticed it, I fired another 50 rds without a problem and without any additional marking to the inside dust cover. I really thought about not sending it back, but they paid both ways so I want them to check it.

This still has not affected my love for this gun. It's going to be my solo carry

One additional thing. First time to use Kimber CS and I was impressed. The guy listen to what I had to say....told me that he would send a return ups label and would send it to the techs and return it with explanation of repair.

 

[StrikeFire83]

^ Great! I'll look forward to hearing what they say! Thanks for the ongoing info.

 

[Petros]

Just a FYI for anyone that may have a tough time with the new Solo. One of my best buds got one of these about a week and a half or so ago and the thing would continuously jam. Being that ole Petros has the mini machine shop in the basement he brought it over. What I found was the roll pin going through the slide verticaly (maybe firing pin retainer?) was pushed in about a 1/16 of an inch below the hole on the bottom of the slide. This was catching the rims of the shells and jamming the gun. So I give him the punch to wreck his own gun of course and tapped the roll pin flush with the hole. We polished it a bit and it is now working great. It will even fire 115 grain PMC w/o a hitch. Seems to be a very nice pistol and handling it feels like a used bar of soap. (no snags) I personaly did not think the recoil was baad in the least either. Petros