My Wife fell in love with this gun. So of course I bought it for her. It seems awfully finicky. We have been trying all sorts of manufacturers and weights. Everything from 115 gr plinkers to 147 br plinkers to critical defense, and similar gr's and all the other $20 + a box for 20 rounds. Regardless this gun seems to want to jam. She's got about 200 rounds through it and no real change. The feed ramp seem like it could have more slope or the mags don't release the bullets well. Just love Kimber but.... Well any thoughts?
Kimber solo... Good choice? Bad choice?
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Ranger Roberts
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Try polishing the feed ramp. That did the trick on my wife's Solo.
For my .02 I own several .45's and my Kimber Eclipse Custom 11 is the not only my best .45 but perhaps favorite of my pistol collection. It was also the reason I did not mind paying the - I thought exorbitant - price for the Solo. If your ever around my parts, I'd be glad to let you try your hand on it.
I'd stop trying cartridges with bullets of 123gr or less. Kimber's website states:
This is just me but I would try 147gr Federal HST and 147gr Winchester Ranger "T" Series - RA9T. If either of those rounds work reliably in the Solo, then that's what I'd carry. If neither of those rounds work in the Solo, given all the other ammo you've tried, I'd send it back to Kimber.
Then the issue is finding cheap practice ammo that functions in it. I've found that Lawman TMJ works well in my Rohrbaugh R9 and I think its similar to the RA9T.
If you can't find cheap practice ammo that reliably cycles the Solo, then your cost of ownership for the pistol just went up, because on Kimber's site, they say:
None of that stuff is cheap to practice with.
I have to say this is one of the things I like about the CM9. 147gr Federal HST and 147gr Winchester Ranger "T" Series - RA9T work fine in it, and I can shoot WWB out of it too. Probably the least finicky of the micro-nines. in my experience.
This is just me but I would try 147gr Federal HST and 147gr Winchester Ranger "T" Series - RA9T. If either of those rounds work reliably in the Solo, then that's what I'd carry. If neither of those rounds work in the Solo, given all the other ammo you've tried, I'd send it back to Kimber.
Then the issue is finding cheap practice ammo that functions in it. I've found that Lawman TMJ works well in my Rohrbaugh R9 and I think its similar to the RA9T.
If you can't find cheap practice ammo that reliably cycles the Solo, then your cost of ownership for the pistol just went up, because on Kimber's site, they say:
None of that stuff is cheap to practice with.
I have to say this is one of the things I like about the CM9. 147gr Federal HST and 147gr Winchester Ranger "T" Series - RA9T work fine in it, and I can shoot WWB out of it too. Probably the least finicky of the micro-nines. in my experience.
beag_nut
Member
If one reads the owner's manual, one will find that Kimber ONLY recommends 124 and 147 grain factory loaded rounds. That's one of several reasons why I bought a Ruger LC9s Pro instead, which will "eat" anything. And, my handloading confirms that, having shot light 90 grain to heavy 147 grain, and everything in between without hiccup.
MIL-DOT
member
Before any high-dollar purchase, I would expect anyone might want to do a little research first, especially since the advent of the internet, making it basically free, and instant.
Upon (presumably) doing that, it would've become abundantly clear that Kimbers have long been problematic, and given the fairly wide choice of other quality manufacturers, I don't see why anyone would take the chance, despite their wife's infatuation.
Just ditch the piece-of-junk Kimber and go buy something that you know is likely to function right out of the box, like you should've done in the first place. :banghead:
Upon (presumably) doing that, it would've become abundantly clear that Kimbers have long been problematic, and given the fairly wide choice of other quality manufacturers, I don't see why anyone would take the chance, despite their wife's infatuation.
Just ditch the piece-of-junk Kimber and go buy something that you know is likely to function right out of the box, like you should've done in the first place. :banghead:
I had heard of Kimber's problems before but I decided to try one at the range. I didn't like it for other reasons, mainly I didn't find it that it was that pleasant to shoot. But the considering my rental fed 115's and the OP mentioned that he tried a variety of weights I would either chalk it up to a break in period or if after 200 rounds and some cleaning bring it to kimber's attention
Of course, it's a Kimber, it's probably not going to be reliable and I certainly wouldn't get one for my wife as anything but a just for fun range gun
MICHAEL T
Member
Contact Kimber . They might have you return it . But will likely tell you to shoot it some more . These pistols don't have the best reputation . You spend all that money and my KelTec PF-9 came out of box shooting any weight ball or HP I tried and over 700 rounds later still going strong.
I had a Kimber several years back . Never buy another traded at loss for a good Colt.
I had a Kimber several years back . Never buy another traded at loss for a good Colt.
I don't own a Solo, but I have the Ultra Carry II which is also a 9mm with the 3" barrel. It's the most expensive paperweight I've ever purchased. I've returned it to Kimber a number of times to address cycling/jamming issues and it now only jams 3 or 4 times per 50 rounds (147 gr), which is a huge improvement over it's previous performance. I recently bought a SA Range Officer Compact and it has performed flawlessly using multiple types and brands of ammo, so the Kimber will sit in the safe until I decide to trade it in for something more reliable.
WRGADog
Member
My Solo works perfectly. The recoil is very manageable, the gun is easy to conceal, and eats any premium ammo with out a problem.
As a RSO I have seen a lot of Solo's pass through our range. Let it be known, I am a Kimber supporter and own a 3" 1911 that has never missed a beat. Looks wise, the Solo is one sweet firearm. Sadly, the majority of Solo's I have witnessed have had cycling issues. Not only are they ammo sensitive, they require shooters knowledge as to proper handling while firing them.
As with a all small firearms "machining precision" may not be the best method of manufacturing for reliability.
As with a all small firearms "machining precision" may not be the best method of manufacturing for reliability.
Jim Watson
Member
The only Solo I have shot was reliable... but the owner grumbled about the cost of the high end ammo required to make it so. He had settled on 147 gr HS or HS2.
The DAO was scary light, much different from a revolver or other DA autos I have seen.
The DAO was scary light, much different from a revolver or other DA autos I have seen.
sirgilligan
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Did you search THR before buying? I did a poll on it not to long ago.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=792096
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=792096
Hey thanks guys! 340PD you are correct in that my Wife has not shot for a while and after correcting a few basics the jamming got better. Soft grip, light tap & rack and such. But... this thing likes to jam! Not that I've near the accolades as many of you but three decades of shooting, owning and reloading numerous handguns I believe I can unequivocally state that this gun has problems. I fear I own it as my Wife continues to adore it regardless. Having said that, anyone one know if sending a gun into Kimber helps? I've been told that the misery continues. Thoughts?
My FIL had a Kimber that wouldn't reliably feed JHP. He sent it back to Kimber...it still sucked. He sold it and never looked back.
My solo likes the rounds to be on the hot side load wise. I shoot reloads without problem. Lots of folks do not hook the small catch spring up when assembling the pistol. I love the trigger and accuracy of the gun. I do think kimber could have did a better job designing the recoil springs/assembly. It is too finicky compared to many other small pistols. I would not send it to Kimber. I would find out what it needs and correct whatever it is. Kimber will not reproduce your wife shooting style so what is the use. My daughter continually limpwristed a 9mm block but shoots a 9mm sw shield without problem. Go figure.
Olympus
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My experience has been that the gun is very sensitive to limp wristing. I know nobody wants to admit that could be their problem and it's easier to blame the gun. But I have witnessed countless incidents of letting other people shoot my Solo and they will get failures frequently. I can take the gun back and run mag after mag without a problem. The gun has a snappy recoil and you really have to be firm when shooting the gun or you'll get failures...at least that's been my experience.
http://www.kimbershooters.com/how-to-fix-a-kimber-solo-when-slide-locks-open-after-every-shot/
Most problems are related to the Gun not being assembled correctly.
Mine feeds all Quality practice ammo. Academy has 124 grain hollow point practice ammo that is perfect for practice and doesn't kill my wallet.
Most problems are related to the Gun not being assembled correctly.
Mine feeds all Quality practice ammo. Academy has 124 grain hollow point practice ammo that is perfect for practice and doesn't kill my wallet.
The Kimber SOLO is a fine weapon and reliable with good ammo and an understanding of the weapon. That said it is probably not a good choice for most women and a lot of men. It simply won't tolerate less than a firm grip or any limp wristing. It is made very close to the wire to achieve it's small size. For example with an empty mag in the weapon pull the slide back as far as it will go and look at the distance between the breech face and the back of the mag. Practically none. That is why the mag spring is so heavy and they recommend premium ammo. The slide absolutely has to go all the way to the rear and the next round has to be up like right now.
For inexpensive practice ammo Speer's Lawman brand ball ammo in 124 and 147 are loaded to the same pressure and velocity as their premium ammo.
For inexpensive practice ammo Speer's Lawman brand ball ammo in 124 and 147 are loaded to the same pressure and velocity as their premium ammo.
larryh1108
Member
I recently posted this at another forum but it fits here too:
I owned a Solo for over 3 years. I put over 2000 rounds thru it.
Yes, it did everything the OP said. I sent it back to Kimber who returned it and said it worked fine. It was the same as when I sent it in. They said it requires the premium ammo to function properly. I didn't accept that. Since I reload, I tried, probably, 20 different recipes to get it to function properly. I was frustrated. I got close to where it would only misfeed once or twice a mag (which was much better).
I then found a finger extension (which I like on all my subcompacts because I have XL hands) and picked one up. The instant I put the extension on my mag the issue went away. I got 100% in the mag with the extension and the usual 1 or 2 misfeeds with the rest of the mags in the same shooting session with the same ammo.
I further analyzed what was happening. I only got 2 fingers on the grip with no extension and 2.5 fingers with the extended mag. That 3rd finger allowed the gun to remain level during recoil and when I had no extension, the muzzle flipped up and some of the recoil was lost to the flip instead of cycling the slide. Yes, weak wristing or a form of it. With the extension, the gun recoiled into my palm and cycled the slide, no extension and the muzzle flipped up instead of back and it short cycled. I've been shooting pistols a long time and never thought I was limp-wristing anything.
So, knowing this I really concentrated on keeping my wrist locked while firing the Solo with no mag extension. I did get where I could run 2 or 3 mags before it misfed but that was the answer. I was able to run the cheapo 115gr ammo as well as everything in between when I used the finger extension. It was also close to 100% with no extension but close didn't cut it for me. Each extension was about $30 so it's not a cheap fix but it did fix the issue. No matter how strong you are or how manly you are, you can limp-wrist some sub-compact handguns.
If you don't find a cure then you cannot depend on it to perform 100% in a life-or-death situation. I was comfortable with it with the extension but never carried it because I was not 100% confident all the time knowing it was prone to failure if you didn't grip it 100% correctly.
I've read that many people have had no issues with the Solo at all. They probably got a gun that was tuned perfectly or just know how to hold the sub-compact models properly. I am envious of them because the Solo was and is a great gun. I've owned the LCP since the week they came out and have over 3000 rounds thru it without a single hiccup so not all small handguns run the same.
link for the extension:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kimber-Solo-...0AAOSw3xJVbyVi
I owned a Solo for over 3 years. I put over 2000 rounds thru it.
Yes, it did everything the OP said. I sent it back to Kimber who returned it and said it worked fine. It was the same as when I sent it in. They said it requires the premium ammo to function properly. I didn't accept that. Since I reload, I tried, probably, 20 different recipes to get it to function properly. I was frustrated. I got close to where it would only misfeed once or twice a mag (which was much better).
I then found a finger extension (which I like on all my subcompacts because I have XL hands) and picked one up. The instant I put the extension on my mag the issue went away. I got 100% in the mag with the extension and the usual 1 or 2 misfeeds with the rest of the mags in the same shooting session with the same ammo.
I further analyzed what was happening. I only got 2 fingers on the grip with no extension and 2.5 fingers with the extended mag. That 3rd finger allowed the gun to remain level during recoil and when I had no extension, the muzzle flipped up and some of the recoil was lost to the flip instead of cycling the slide. Yes, weak wristing or a form of it. With the extension, the gun recoiled into my palm and cycled the slide, no extension and the muzzle flipped up instead of back and it short cycled. I've been shooting pistols a long time and never thought I was limp-wristing anything.
So, knowing this I really concentrated on keeping my wrist locked while firing the Solo with no mag extension. I did get where I could run 2 or 3 mags before it misfed but that was the answer. I was able to run the cheapo 115gr ammo as well as everything in between when I used the finger extension. It was also close to 100% with no extension but close didn't cut it for me. Each extension was about $30 so it's not a cheap fix but it did fix the issue. No matter how strong you are or how manly you are, you can limp-wrist some sub-compact handguns.
If you don't find a cure then you cannot depend on it to perform 100% in a life-or-death situation. I was comfortable with it with the extension but never carried it because I was not 100% confident all the time knowing it was prone to failure if you didn't grip it 100% correctly.
I've read that many people have had no issues with the Solo at all. They probably got a gun that was tuned perfectly or just know how to hold the sub-compact models properly. I am envious of them because the Solo was and is a great gun. I've owned the LCP since the week they came out and have over 3000 rounds thru it without a single hiccup so not all small handguns run the same.
link for the extension:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kimber-Solo-...0AAOSw3xJVbyVi
giggitygiggity
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That's pretty silly that the Solo is only designed to shoot two weights of bullets. It's one thing if it's a competition pistol or something that is super fine-tuned, but for a defensive handgun, I want something that can eat anything and ask for seconds. The Shield that I paid $299 for can digest all kinds of ammo. Might not be as pretty as the Solo, but I'm interested in throwing lead, not admiring a piece of art.
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