Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Who Knows What Kimber Is Up To?

For the glass half full folks, it's great to see an American company struggling to keep up with demand. I kind of wish we could see more of that.

For all of you who complain, you could spend three times as much on a NULA. Personally, I think the quality and features/characteristics of the Montana 84L will be well worth the wait.

Guys, what was it, seven or eight years ago that Kimber announced their left hand rifle? I'm still waiting to see one.

Savage and Remington ended up with my money.

NULA does nothing for me...

Just to add to that, Kimber actually made a few LH rifles. There is a picture of one in my 4th edition copy of Bolt Action Rifles.

That means they have the CNC code written as well as having the fixturing required to produce them. It seems all they don't have is the production capacity to actually make it happen.
I guess I understand but it still irks me. Especially after seeing that photo of one.

Kimber has largely struggled to keep up with demand during the last 10 years on most models.. Nothing new there. The only way they can produce more rifles is to expand their facilities and workforce- which is easier said than done.

The problem lies in where the business credit markets have been the last 3 years and the overall state of the economy.

Kimber of America is a relatively low margin manufacturing business.. Do you think banks or other sources of capital are JUMPING at the chance to loan them money to expand?..

Even if such credit were cheap and easy to obtain, do you think Kimber's management is going to sign off on such loan commitment with an effective 15%+ unemployment rate in the country? Their 6 month to a year backlog could vanish in a few months if the economy gets any worse..

Part of Kimber's pistol backlog was/is due to the residual effects of Obama's election, which the overall economy is rapidly eating away at..

For their own long terms financial health, I'd say they are right about where they need to be at this time.

To the best of my remembrance, Kimber Of Ameirca never announced a LH rifle and never made any.

Kimber's past Chief Design Engineer is a friend and a Lefty and he never got the go ahead to make any Lefties.

Except for the fact they seem to be misleading their customers and providing marginal customer service. At least that's what I seem to hear, I have no personal experience with them.

I recall reading an announcement that Kimber was going to make a LH version back several years ago.
There is also a picture of one on page 316 of the 4th edition of Bolt Action Rifles by Frank deHaas and Wayne Van Zwoll.

I'd say you're probably correct Jim.

If you mean "misleading" customer's in terms of actual availability of guns- how so?

I do not recall ANY guarantees in ANY Kimber advertisements or announcements guaranteeing availability of any guns at your local dealer's at a set time frame..

I think folks these days (particularity the types that complain on internet forums) have a "drive through window" mentality - they want everything RIGHT NOW..

Kimber's lead times on new guns from the time they are announced is about the same as any other companes.Including Ruger and Winchester..

The flip side of the coin is if the marketplace were awash in Kimber rifles, folks would be whinning about the poor resale value to to the hear number of them on the market.

Also, their dealer's could not make any profit on them ,because every Tom, Dick and Harry FFL holder would have them in there rack for sale..




As to the customer service issues- that is old news.. And it appears to be getting a bit better. Because I think the rifles themselves are gradually getting better in terms of overall QC before they leave the plant..

So, if Red Lobster advertises a special on lobster tails, I go there with the intention of having that for supper, and when I get there they tell me that they have not received them yet and don't know when they will, I shouldn't be displeased,right?

A better analogy would be if you went to the Ferrari dealer looking for a 599 GTO and Ferrari told you it'd be 3 years before you could get one as their entire production had been spoken for.

Unlike a large gunmaking firm, a Restaurant is time sensitive a ON DEMAND service industry. And guess what? even THEY run out of food to serve certain advertised specials from time to time.

I suppose you break down in tears when that happens?

Name ONE large Factory gun maker that GUARANTEES the avialabilyt of ANY of their models of guns at ANY specific dealer or distributor a SPECIFIC TIME FRAME..

They don't.

Even semi custom outfits like Cooper etc don't make dead certain delivery guarantees.. You get it when you get it.

Maybe.

Because guess what? Even companies like Dakota Arms have been known to take advertise and deposits for guns they NEVER MADE and never WILL make... I have seen it happen..

I have not heard of Kimber doing that.. but I am sure some dickweasle will be along shortly to accuse them of it..

Why wait for a Kimber? Plenty of good options out there.

And that is kind of what Kimber is doing through back channels letting folks know their backlog situation..

You know it's funny. Half the folks on this forum seem to think Kimber rifles are a bad joke for a $1,000+ rifle , and the other half is chomping at the bit so hard to buy one they whine about lead times on new models..

I'm chomping at the bit for them to produce a LH Model 84!

Not likely to happen but one can hope.

Well, despite my defense of Kimber's predicament..

I DO SINCERELY wish that EVERYONE get the rifle they want this year..

Even you ,Nsaqam...LOL

Thank you for your thoughtful and courteous reply. In answer to your question, no, I would not break down in tears. I would most probably order something else from their menu that appealed to me. Whether I did further business with them would depend a great deal on how they handled the current situation. An explanation of why they were unable to supply what was advertised along with a sincere apology for being unable to fill my order would be appreciated. If I expressed my disappointment to the manager either at that time or later by phone and was YELLED AT by him or by someone representing the business and was told that I was unreasonable or was called a something along the lines of a dickweasle (sic), I believe that I would seek out another restaurant that, even if they couldn't provide what I requested would at least treat me with respect.

You seem to be a very overly sensitive individual...

Nobody called you a "dickweasle"..

If you go back a READ my post again you can see that was not directed at you specifically.

You know it is a darn shame that Oprah's show is off the air.

Your "victim" mentality would play well there.