# Kimber Solo Review



## ZmannR2 (Feb 21, 2013)

Got me a Kimber Solo STS last week (finally!!!!) and here's my review!

OK! So I went out and shot roughly 50 rounds thru it....about 30 rounds of 147 gr FMJ and 20 of 115 gr hollow points. And I'm happy to report not a single hiccup! I was afraid the 115's wouldn't feed with all of Kimber's warnings about them but they did great. I even limp wristed with 115's and still fed the next round perfectly.

The one issue I did have was about 2 or 3 times I accidentally hit the mag release button and the mag would partially pull out therefore not feeding the next round. Once I became aware of my thumb hitting it, I never did it again. I may see if a gunsmith could maybe grind down the mag release just a little to possibly help. Otherwise, I just need to train myself to not keep my thumb so high while I shoot. Like I said, once I realized what I was doing, it never happened again.

Accuracy wise, this gun was popping glass bottles on the first shot from a good 7-10 yards away. It's VERY accurate for its size! I'm incredibly impressed!!!

So I don't know if I just got a good model or if it's because it's a newer build (Jan 23, 2013) and Kimber got the bugs out but, so far I'm really impressed by this gun.

It feels great in my front or back pocket, smoothed with no snag points (I just sold my Sig P938 because it wasn't smooth enough for pocket carry). The trigger is SO SMOOTH!!!! The best way to describe it is like a spongey single action. It's not quite double action and not quite a firm single action. It's just a pure blissful spongey single action, lol!

Ummm what else? Obviously it's beautiful as you can tell, it's solid, it's very tight. Umm I will say for someone like a girl, they won't be able to rack the slide. And I can't at all if my hands or the gun is oily from cleaning even in the slightest way. The recoil spring is 2 seperate springs and when that second spring kicks in, it really gets tough. You can forget about putting in a full magazine and then racking the slide, you MUST have the slide racked and locked open THEN you put in the magazine and either depress the slide release or hand rack the slide putting the round into battery.

I got this for a bit over MSRP but I believe it's worth it because it feels like a gun that expensive...and it's the answer I've been looking for after looking at Kahr PM9's, Springfield XDs, and actually buying the LCP (screw that gun, it kicks like a mule and the damn firing pin fell out while firing and hit me in the face!) and the Sig P938 (loved the looks but not the sharp snag points and the jamming which Sig did fix)....the Solo is my answer to my pocket carry situation!


----------



## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Congrats! Very nice looking gun. I've looked at them a few times. Only complaint I have is that the front and backstraps are just TOO smooth. Some serrations on the back would give a little better grip. But, glad ya like it. Awesome looking gun when bought in stainless!


----------



## ZmannR2 (Feb 21, 2013)

Shipwreck said:


> Congrats! Very nice looking gun. I've looked at them a few times. Only complaint I have is that the front and backstraps are just TOO smooth. Some serrations on the back would give a little better grip. But, glad ya like it. Awesome looking gun when bought in stainless!


For 2013 they released two new versions called DC (deep cover). And they have front and back serrations.


----------



## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Interesting. Hadn't seen that before...


----------



## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Nice looking gun(s), and although I'm not a fan of Kimber, I might take a look at one and go from there.

I do like how the frame has been _smoothed_ from the factory. I used to have a S&W 629 with a 2.5" bbl., fixed sights, and it too, had been _smoothed_ from the factory.

I'm not sure if _smoothed_ is even a word. :watching:

*ADDENDUM:* I went and took a look at some of the Kimber Solo prices. Not cheap by any means, but there's something about it that appeals to me.

It may be one of those "I must have" guns. :drooling:


----------



## ZmannR2 (Feb 21, 2013)

Ya I looked at it from this point of view: it's the one gun that has everything I want, striker fired with a smooth single action trigger, a manual safety, slim, lightweight, smooth, reliable, and in a pocket sized 9mm. As far as I know, it's the only one that has all those features. Worth the $$


----------

