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Thread: Kimber's reputation blinding us to an excellent choice?

  1. #111
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    The original questions is "Kimber's reputation blinding us to an excellent choice?"
    My answer based on my experience with my sample of one I purchase on August 7th is "Most likely, yes, as long as you don't dry fire a lot on empty chambers. It is an all around high quality revolver."

    Last Wednesday I completed my 1k round "good to go" evaluation with 370 rounds fired bringing my total to 1050 rounds fired from my K6 DCR. I posted a picture below rather than list out the ammo types from my last range session. Of the 370 rounds fired there were 150 round of 357 magnums. The Remington 125gr JHPs were absolutely horrendous and I had to power my way through the box after my first cylinder full. It wasn't from the recoil impulse but it felt like a flash bang was going off right in front of my face with every trigger pull from the flash and concussion.

    In fatdog's post above he mentions that he is disappointed with the all of grips he has tried because they chew up his hands. I have not experienced that with my evaluation. Maybe it is because the DCR wooden grips with my revolver fit me really well, are abrasive enough for the revolver not to slide in my hand on recoil but not enough to chew my flesh. It might also be that I always use a shooting glove every time I have an extended range session with pretty much anything not rim fired. I wouldn't want to have an extended range session with any of my magnum revolvers shooting full house loads without wearing a glove. My shooting glove is part of my range gear just like eye and ear protection.

    The only failure I experienced was a broken firing pin. Did I mention that I dry fire a lot as part of my training? The Kimber Service response to my failure was excellent. I previously posted a pic of the replacement firing pin from Kimber. I'm hoping other members can post pics of their firing pins. I'm curious to see if Kimber changed the design to address broken firing pins. The replacement firing pin has a considerable radius where the pin meets the body. They quickly turned around my revolver changing the firing pin, spring, retaining pin and the grip screw that had started to rust a little. Living in Central Texas with the humidity I should have paid more attention to the blued grip screw. I also would be pleased if they offered a stainless grip screw.

    Overall my rating for this revolver is a solid A. It would be an A+ if the firing pin had not failed and I wouldn't need snap caps for dry firing. The trigger pull out of the box is excellent and mine is now "most excellent" since it's S&W trigger rebound tune treatment. I polished up the trigger rebound, frame contact areas, reduced the rebound spring by ~.030" diameter and polished it also. It is shaped, corners rounded and intentionally designed for all day CCW "comfiness." The sights my DCR came with are my preferred sight of choice with a bright orange front with a matte black rear. If I decide to change out the sights for some reason they are designed to be easily replaceable. Recoil with 38 Specs, (including +P), are mild and manageable with 357 Magnums. I find this revolver easily "shootable." The over all intended design is size efficiency where it is a 6 round revolver in a near 5 round frame which fits in my J Frame holsters. The weight is ideal for me as it is easy to forget about when carrying but not too light making recoil not so much fun at all.

    My K6 will now rotate into my CCW regime with my PX4 CC replacing my J Frame S&W. I'm getting a revolver with better sights, smoother action, 20% more capacity, easy to carry and easier for me to shoot well. It is also a top notch reliable revolver based on my evaluation. As long as you don't dry fire a lot on empty chambers without using snap caps.
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  2. #112
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    Quote Originally Posted by fatdog View Post
    Back in the early to mid 1980's I used a golf glove (our glove choices were more limited then, the manufacturers sold the exact same glove as a golf glove and a batting glove) with my new S&W 681 because I fed it a steady diet of magnum ammo with those terrible factory stocks. What I decided over time is that if I have to wear some sort of glove to practice or finish range drills, the gun and ammo are not really suitable for a self defense role, of course that is only my personal opinion.

    If it hurts to shoot, you are creating more than a flinch, you are actually changing your grip, trigger management and mechanics to avoid the pain of firing and it all becomes less effective.

    Just my personal paradigm, but if some combination is not a thing I can stand to complete a 100 round practice session with, I am just going to discard it all as a CCW choice since there are so many very good choices I can do that with.

    I abandoned the HK P7 for this reason many years ago. I was adjusting my grip and hand position to avoid the hot as hell dust cover after firing a couple of mags in a range session. I am sure it would not matter in a fight but I was unwilling to keep a bucket of water on the line with me or sit and wait 5 minutes between strings in order to finish some simple drills.

    I am quite certain this could be a good .38 launcher. Just not something I need it for, or that I am willing to consider it for.
    Just to clarify I do shoot it sans glove to get a feel for it. Very respectfully, my thoughts and opinion are different than yours. In any defensive situation where I will need this revolver I will shoot a cylinder or two of ammo not a box or two of ammo. A cylinder or two isn't enough to chew up my hand. Shooting gloves are part of my range PPE just like ear and eye protection. I have no experience with the grips that you mentioned but the wooden grips on my DCR have served me well. Again, that wouldn't be with an extended range session sans glove. In a defensive situation where I would use this revolver I will not have ear protection and maybe not eye protection yet I still shoot and train with ear and eye protection. Everyone's quest for CCW firearm perfection is full of compromises. Every individual's choice is based on what they are willing to compromise.

  3. #113
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    Quick bump for an observation or two. Work ramping up on me has kept the K6 away from the range more than I'd like, so I'm not at my expected 1k yet. Still about 125 more to go. That said, nothing has broken so far. I did manage to get out a while back, and bring along my model 64, customized and tuned by Denny Reichard, which I use as my benchmark for a good "duty" wheelie trigger.

    When I had one of the new Colt Cobras (now owned by a forum buddy here), I observed that the triggers were *very* close. This K6 isn't really in the same ballpark as the Reichard-tuned K. That's by no means saying that it's a bad trigger--I actually like the K6 trigger a lot, but the tuned S&W K-frame is definitely a little nicer, overall.

    So there's that.

    But, man, I am liking this 3" Kimber more and more, especially with the VZ grips on it.

    This next statement might sound a bit whack, but, I sort of want a 3" K6s with a rail, so I could put an XC1 or some such on it. Be a fun camping wheelie.

    At any rate, carry on.
    ”But in the end all of these ideas just manufacture new criminals when the problem isn't a lack of criminals.” -JRB

  4. #114
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sidheshooter View Post
    Quick bump for an observation or two. Work ramping up on me has kept the K6 away from the range more than I'd like, so I'm not at my expected 1k yet. Still about 125 more to go. That said, nothing has broken so far. I did manage to get out a while back, and bring along my model 64, customized and tuned by Denny Reichard, which I use as my benchmark for a good "duty" wheelie trigger.

    When I had one of the new Colt Cobras (now owned by a forum buddy here), I observed that the triggers were *very* close. This K6 isn't really in the same ballpark as the Reichard-tuned K. That's by no means saying that it's a bad trigger--I actually like the K6 trigger a lot, but the tuned S&W K-frame is definitely a little nicer, overall.

    So there's that.

    But, man, I am liking this 3" Kimber more and more, especially with the VZ grips on it.

    This next statement might sound a bit whack, but, I sort of want a 3" K6s with a rail, so I could put an XC1 or some such on it. Be a fun camping wheelie.

    At any rate, carry on.
    Sorry about the whole work thing cramping your style. I sure know how that goes!

    The stock trigger on my K6 was head and shoulders over other stock revolvers. Once I applied the standard S&W trigger rebound smooth & tune it now has an amazingly super sweet 7.5lb pull with a strong rebound. It’s out of this world. I buffed the rebound/hammer frame contact areas, the frame contact areas and frame pins. Spun the rebound spring reducing outer diameter ~.030” and buffed the outer diameter.

    When I look at all of the check boxes of CCW compromises this K6 is my “dream boat” and is now my primary. I now need to make the time to get on working drills/times at the range.

    Good luck on getting out and finishing your 1k round count.

  5. #115
    Any larger after-market grips available yet for the smaller Kimber? The lack of grips to me has been a big stumbling point as my hands are large and it just doesn't have quite enough purchase for comfortable shooting.

  6. #116
    Quote Originally Posted by medmo View Post
    Sorry about the whole work thing cramping your style. I sure know how that goes!

    The stock trigger on my K6 was head and shoulders over other stock revolvers. Once I applied the standard S&W trigger rebound smooth & tune it now has an amazingly super sweet 7.5lb pull with a strong rebound. It’s out of this world. I buffed the rebound/hammer frame contact areas, the frame contact areas and frame pins. Spun the rebound spring reducing outer diameter ~.030” and buffed the outer diameter.

    When I look at all of the check boxes of CCW compromises this K6 is my “dream boat” and is now my primary. I now need to make the time to get on working drills/times at the range.

    Good luck on getting out and finishing your 1k round count.
    Is there a detailed point by point of this trigger job? What does "S&W trigger rebound smooth & tune" entail, especially with respect to the springs?

    Any reliability issues with ammo after that?

  7. #117
    Quote Originally Posted by medmo View Post
    As long as you don't dry fire a lot on empty chambers without using snap caps.
    But with snap caps no limit on that dry firing, correct?


    EDIT: three posts in a row. I guess I am interested.
    Last edited by Speederlander; 09-30-2018 at 11:29 AM.

  8. #118
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Speederlander View Post
    Any larger after-market grips available yet for the smaller Kimber? The lack of grips to me has been a big stumbling point as my hands are large and it just doesn't have quite enough purchase for comfortable shooting.
    Aside from VZ, which I’m now using, Altamont has gotten in on the K6;

    https://www.altamontco.com/pistol-grips/kimber/k6
    ”But in the end all of these ideas just manufacture new criminals when the problem isn't a lack of criminals.” -JRB

  9. #119
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    Quote Originally Posted by Speederlander View Post
    Is there a detailed point by point of this trigger job? What does "S&W trigger rebound smooth & tune" entail, especially with respect to the springs?

    Any reliability issues with ammo after that?
    Here is a link that shows the work being done on a S&W revolver:

    https://youtu.be/I4GtXq2XXOI

    Since the Kimber action is basically a S&W action the work is duplicate. Around the 10 minute mark is where the rebound trigger work is being done. The guy in the video uses a stone to smooth. I no longer use a stone and polish/buff the same areas he addresses with a dremel, felt wheel and green compound. Buffing to a mirror like finish. Since there are currently no reduced after market springs available for the rebound I spun the factory spring slightly reducing the diameter. Basically, I put a small flat, (about .030" according to my calipers), on the factory spring with a belt sander then polished it to mirror like finish. You can spin a coil spring by putting a rod through the middle of the spring and spin it up against a belt sander carefully, lightly and uniformly. The Wilson Combat J Frame reduced rebound spring does fit my Kimber and it seems to work but I'm more comfortable using the reduced Kimber factory spring.

    Since this work does not effect the hammer spring it doesn't effect the reliability of the primer ignition at all. The rebound acts a hammer block and resets the trigger.
    Last edited by medmo; 09-30-2018 at 01:49 PM.

  10. #120
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    Quote Originally Posted by Speederlander View Post
    But with snap caps no limit on that dry firing, correct?


    EDIT: three posts in a row. I guess I am interested.
    No problems at all since using snap caps for dry firing. I continue to dry fire the same amount but I just use the snap caps. Every couple of days I try the pencil test just to make sure the firing pin is still good. Insert a pencil down the bbl, through the cylinder, turn the revolver up letting the pencil rest against the firing pin hole and dry fire. Pencil movement and indentation will tell you if your firing pin is functioning.

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