Kimber revolver

[phonejack]

I bought one a week ago and finally got to shoot it today. Workmanship is excellent . If you press the trigger very slowly you can make stack. Continuous press its smooth. I used jwords and cast in both 357 and 38'special cases. Shooting was done standing at 10 yards. All 357 loads were very low, like 6". 158'cast and jword in 38 special shot to the sights. So far, very pleased ! (It fits j frame holsters )

[Love Life]

I'm just waiting to see one for sale in person! Soon as I do, and if it passes inspection, I'm buying one!


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[Petrol & Powder]

Thanks for the report phonejack.

It's a very interesting concept. A Stainless Steel, DAO, 6-shot, .357 mag with a very snag resistant design. It has a lot of promise.
I think Kimber may give the S&W 640 some competition.

I wish the price tag wasn't so steep.

What weight bullets were you shooting in .357 mag ?

[NoAngel]

Kinda favors an SP101 a little.

[winelover]

My LGS had one over a year ago. Price wasn't bad, IIC @ $430......passed on it, just too heavy for my use. Prefer my light weight Ruger LCR 357......

Winelover

[Petrol & Powder]

If you saw one for $430 it was stolen

[18Bravo]

To be perfectly honest, I liked the looks and feel of the Kimber when I had a chance to fondled it at Scheels. It reeked of quality. But them again a $700 snubby should. My dilemma is understanding the need versus the want. Just for good measure lets toss in the new Colt Cobra for the fun of it. What exactly do these snubbies bring to the table that isn’t already there? Are they better built? Maybe. Are they more accurate? That depends on the shooter. Are they easier to conceal than other subbies? Probably not. Are they lighter? Not at 23oz for the Kimber and 25oz for the Colt. There also seems to be a limited market for concealable revolvers these days. Small semis seem to dominate that market.

A snubby, at least to me, isn’t going to be a weapon that I shoot loads of ammo through at the range. If I can hit what I’m aiming at out to 15 yards I’m happy. Reliability becomes more of an issue than quality. A Ruger LCR will achieve the same result.

I guess that I really wish Kimber and Colt would have manufactured their new revolvers with hunting and target shooting in mind. Something to give S&W, Dan Wesson and Ruger a run for their money. I don’t know of anyone I shoot with that hasn’t coveted an original snake gun. However, if price isn’t an option, go for the Korth Sky Hawk. At $1700 if makes the Kimber look cheap.

[Petrol & Powder]

Speaking as a snubnose revolver junkie, I'm happy to see Kimber bring something to the table. Yes, it's expensive but the lower end of that market is already full and the upper end is probably the only place they could go.

What does the Kimber bring to the table ?
Well, I agree with 18Bravo, it's not smaller or lighter than the other guns in the class.
It is a 6 shot, .357 magnum with a snag-proof DAO profile. It has nice sights (better than most other internal hammer snubnose revolvers) and appears to be well made.
I would say that it is up against the S&W 640 [stainless steel, internal hammer DAO profile, .357 mag but with a 5 round cylinder]
OR
The Ruger SP101 with the spurless hammer [also a 5 round .357 mag with a slick profile]

I think Kimber was smart in their attempt to hit a price point at the upper end of the scale. It would be difficult to compete with guns like the Ruger LCR in that price range.

All of that being said, I doubt there's a huge market for a $700+ dollar snubnose revolver. If I was looking for a .357 mag snubnose (and I'm not) I would likely select the S&W 640 because that one extra round isn't worth another $300 to me.
I'm glad Kimber offered it. I'm tempted to buy one just to squirrel away in the safe because I don't think they're going to be on the market for long.

[Petrol & Powder]

Which Taurus revolver do you consider to be a clone of a Colt Detective Special?

Most Taurus revolvers are loosely based on S&W designs.

[Guesser]

I have and carry Colt DS and on occasion an original Cobra, all 38 Special and 6 shooters. My #1 alternate is a Taurus and it works very well as a substitute for any one of the Colts. It is a 327B2 in Taurus speak; that is a 6 shot 327 Federal magnum, blue, 2" barrel. A really excellent gun.
I looked at the Kimber, it turned me off..........I looked at the new Cobra....I haven't decided, yet. The Ruger LCR series are a total turn off for me and I don't like any of the small semi autos.

[AggieEE]

I was talking to my local pusher... er I mean my supplier of fine firearms and asked him about the Kimber. He said he saw one at the shot show and said the trigger is nice. I asked about the new cobra he also said it felt good. His solution to which one to own was both. I told him to find me a Kimber as a Christmas present to myself so I've got some time to save up. Would I get the cobra further down the line? Maybe.

[snowwolfe]

I am almost afraid to find one locally. Could be damaging to my already low gun fund.

[dubber123]

Which Taurus revolver do you consider to be a clone of a Colt Detective Special?

Most Taurus revolvers are loosely based on S&W designs.

Having seen the insides of a few Taurus revolvers, "loose" is an accurate description.

[opus]

Open up the frame on a Taurus and an S&W side by side and you will see the Taurus is a clone in external appearance only. I won't own a Taurus revolver.

[Petrol & Powder]

Open up the frame on a Taurus and an S&W side by side and you will see the Taurus is a clone in external appearance only. I won't own a Taurus revolver.

Fair enough but the basic design is based on S&W designs. Yes, Taurus finds ways to reduce costs but the basic premise is there. I'm not saying Taurus is equal to a S&W but saying the Taurus designs are based on S&W designs. (and poorly executed at that)

[dubber123]

if the Taurus design is still mostly based on the good days of smith and wesosn design, ie pre 1970 when they had the same owners,,, and smith has changed their lock work slightly since then,,,, well its not important.

The only honest detriment towards Taurus products that actually has merit is their new finishes.

Having a gunsmith for a brother, I get to see the inside of more guns than a lot of shooters. The finish is unfortunately the least of your worries too often with brand "T". Do they make good ones? sure, even owned one once. Do they make ****? Yes indeed, and from what I have personally seen, on a higher rate than any other maker that springs to mind.

[dubber123]

did someone get a smith with a canted barrel for twice the cash?

Most likely they did. It most likely functioned though, something that can't be said for the last 4 that made it to my brothers repair shop made by brand "T".

[Lefty Red]

I had one, bragged about it on here too. Best trigger and a solid action! But kept shooting to the right. Had others shot it, same thing shot to the right. I took the front sight out, figured I might be able to fit a SW front sight on it. Found out the "groove" what milled at a cant! Kimber did fix it, they had to replace the barrel. Fair enough. But when the "new" barrel came back twisted, I was done. Kimber did take it back and replaced the barrel, again. But I was done. Traded it off for what I had in it.

But I really want another! So will give them a couple more years.


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[Texas by God]

I'm not impressed by the Kimber. A well kept 1960s-1970s vintage Colt Detective Special would be my choice. Or the same vintage S&W Cheif's Special. I've owned Charter Arms and Taurus snub noses that were just as dependable; they just weren't as accurate or smooth actioned.

[Petrol & Powder]

Lefty, It's unfortunate that Kimber couldn't get that right. I expect better from them. One of the best 1911's I ever had was a Kimber but that was years ago.

Texas - I hear you and can't disagree. I've owned several Colt Detective Specials, Agents, etc. and they can be decent guns. However they are chambered in 38 Special (All I want in a snubnose BTW) and they don't have internal hammers. I still keep a 3rd generation Detective Special with a bobbed hammer and it's a good snubnosed revolver. That being said, I'll take the S&W or Ruger lockwork over the Colt "D" frame lockwork any day of the week.
About the time Colt finally got their act together in the mid 1990's and made a strong stainless snubnose (The Colt Magnum Carry or SF-VI & DSII models) they were in financial trouble once again. Those models were completely different from the old "D" frame Detective Specials but the production run was fairly brief. The new Colt Cobra (which is pretty close to the DS II in design) looks promising. We'll See. I'd like it more if it didn't have a hammer spur.

I still prefer a S&W J-frame with an internal hammer and 38 Special is fine for me. The Kimber is a 6 shot, .357 mag with an internal hammer; so that sets it apart from a S&W 640 in .357, but not by enough to justify it's high price tag. And I don't need or want a .357mag in a snubnose.
A friend of mine has an original S&W model 40 and that little J-frame is a tack driver ! He will not sell it .

I've played with Taurus revolvers and you either get a good one or a bad one and there's no in between. I am no longer willing to play in the Taurus sandbox. I will say that out of all of the Taurus models ever made, the Model 85 was consistently the best. It's the only Taurus model I would even consider. I've seen many model 85's that were good guns; not so much for the other Taurus models.