Kimber Micro Owners, Are they worth premium price?

[ae168504]

I am considering a Kimber Micro Raptor to carry as alternative to my Glock 42 when I want a smaller option with single action performance. Plus they just look awesome. Let me hear some opinions. Thanks

 

[wtburnette]

I've heard older Kimbers used to be very good, but recent ones (in the last couple years or so) are not a good value for the money. Here is a thread on the subject from someone who knows a lot more about the subject than I do:

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/398194-kimber-issues.html

The thread is mostly about stainless models, but I've read about their quality being hit or miss. If you're looking for a good carry .380, try the Sig Sauer P238. There are tons of models and I think they look as good, or better, than the Kimber you're looking at. They are also very reliable, which is something you don't hear much in reference to .380 handguns.

 

[crispy]

Don't laugh, but I think the Bel Air looks good.

 

[JStang314]

I can see why they call it the bel air. I know a guy who has one (the car) in the same color scheme.

 

[Dean C.]

Don't they are just dressed up Sig P238's for the money, my father bought a Bel-Air because it matches the paint scheme on his Indian motorcycle and for $800 the paint is crappy, and it does not even have night sights (which the Sig's come standard). Kimber is the 1911 brand only people who dont know anything about 1911's buy from IMHO.

About the cheapest I could find a Micro for is $550, I found several Sig P238's for around $450. Buy the Sig and send me the $100 you saved as a thank you lol. I may sound like a Kimber basher but between me and my dad we have had around 5 Kimbers and they have all been sold due to well their shoddy craftsmanship for the pricepoint.

 

[looney2ns]

Buy P238 instead and never look back.

 

[KG1]

Don't laugh, but I think the Bel Air looks good.

I'm not laughing. Really I'm not.

 

[Mustang1911]

I guess I'm the oddball of the group so far but I like Kimbers. I only own one for now, but I'm sure I'll buy more eventually. I have one friend who's had 2 for over a decade without any issues, I believe a stainless Raptor and a TLE both full size guns. Another with a 3", 4", and 5" and even the little 3" is surprisingly accurate for such a short sight radius. Don't know of anybody with a Micro, but I'm not a big fan of .380. Just stay away from the Solo from what I've heard.

 

[Tomc1947]

I found a used one at my LGS for a price I couldn't pass up(430 OTD). It's ammo picky, but Kimbers are noted for that. It shoots Hornady's just fine. I still carry a Colt Mustang , but it's nice to have a option.

 

[88E30M50]

I was really enamored with them when they first came out. For some reason, it felt better in my hand than my Sig P238 does. Before I bought one though, I started to add up the costs needed to bring it up to the Sig P238 level and decided that it was not worth trading my Sig at a huge loss to buy the Kimber. In retrospect, I think the thing that appealed to me most about them was the resemblence to a 1911. The Sig is very similar, but with the squared slide and flatter grips, does not come across as much as a mini-1911 than the Kimber does. I also realized that the thing about the Kimber that felt better to me was the fatter grips. Thin works better for me for what I use a pocket pistol for.

I'm sure they can be nice pistols if bought at a good price, but as said above, Kimbers as a whole tend to be over priced for what they deliver. I've owned two and still have one of them and they are reliable and accurate. But, on top of the cost of the pistol itself, I had to spend another $120+ for night sights, $40 for better grips, $35 for a stainless MSH and $10 for front strap texture. My $850 Kimber ended up costing well over a grand before it approached a $900 Sig 1911 in features. I think the Kimber Micro would hold close to that experience if bought new.

 

[ae168504]

Thanks for all the feedback fellas.