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

Is Kimber making any guns right now?

I have been trying to get my mitts on a .280AI Montana. The lady on the phone at Kimber says that they should "start shipping soon" which is the same answer she gave me in April. I've also been thinking about a Montana in a short action non-WSM chambering and nobody has them in stock locally. Within 40 minutes of my house, there are several small gun shops, a Cabela's, and a Wholesale Sports. No Montanas on the shelves and no idea when standing orders will be filled.

While at Cabela's last week, I was ready to lay down the cabbage for a Solo 9mm (as long as I liked the feel of it, etc.), but, of course, they didn't have any and have no clue when they will be able to get some from Kimber. No other stores have them either. And it's not like they are receiving them and selling them as fast as they come in. Nobody is getting anything from Kimber. Why is that?

I started snooping around online and talked to a couple mega-sellers (i.e. Bud's Gunshop, Impact Guns). They are all willing to take my order, but don't have any idea when I'll get a Kimber product. One guy told me that if he could get a steady supply of Kimbers (1911s, Solos, and rifles), he would have done a year's worth of business by May. But...he's in the same boat as everyone else--he is getting nothing from Kimber.

I recognize I could take my chances on Gunbroker or some other auction site, which I have done for a Rem 700 SPS and the like, but I'd like to at least see a LA Montana and a Solo in real life before making a purchasing decision.

Are any of you gunwriters "in the know" as to what's going on with Kimber?

Thanks!

Wade, Kimber is a little Co. that specializes in pistols but also makes rifles. This is a fairly typical time-line for a Kimber rifle launch.

I've been given a bit of behind the door access to the 84L project over the last 5 years, so if you think you're a bit anxious to get your mitts on one, you can imagine how I feel...

I talked to the Kimber guys at the Safari Club convention. The big problem is that they're way backed-up on orders for handguns, so only make rifles in their spare time. They even dropped the .22 rifle completely, for that very reason.

I would bet you won't see either firearm till next year 2012. Maybe a trickle of rifles at the end of the year.

In the meantime Kimber will market and advertise them to create and maintain a built up demand.

This is normal for them.

I think Kimbers product line is way over their production capacity. They keep adding to the handgun and rifle line with probably little or no additional machining. There were nib Solos selling for over $1K on gun auction sites. List is $600.

I just hope they don't let quality suffer inorder to get product out the door.

look at Perkiomen Gunworks, they have 26 Kimber handguns in stock at my last viewing.

I never really understood why they made so many different models of a 1911. I spoke with a guy last year who works for them and he said they were about 6 months behind filling handgun orders at that time.

To get the Kimber I wanted I just had to tell the guys behind the counter to order it for me. That was a long 7 days, but worth it. But then again, I never expected to see a 338 Fed on the shelves in central Texas.

I gave up waiting on them to come out, ended up going to Weatherby's Ultralight. I like them as well and I have em in my hands. Maybe they will get some out before the end of the year.

Yeah, it bugs me that they advertise a product for 2011 but know before hand that it'll be probably the END of 2011 before they can actually send the product out the door to the dealer. Don't advertise something you don't have...

This isn't something new in the firearms industry--or even any industry. Many companies announce new products and then delay production, even though they've already done the research and development, to see how many orders they get.

It's much more efficient to do it that way rather than to build, say, 20,000 .30-06's when there's only demand for 10,000.

Ruger is famous for releasing new products that you will lucky to see on Dealer shelves a year after release dates.

Just marketing, trying to keep you on a string to reel you in when the product hits the shelf to sway you from buying a competitors product in the meantime.

Ruger was famous for doing that. Hasn't been that way recently. I bought a Ruger SR 1911 within a month of the first time one appeared on the cover of a gun magazine. Likewise with the Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle, just about the time it was on the cover of "Shooting Illustrated" my local shop got one in.

Kimber should take some of that money they spend buying the back cover of every gun magazine, every month, and invest in increased production capacity.

Try Shedhorn Sports, Ennis, Montana. Shedhornsports.com. They have 55 Kimbers rifles and pistols in stock. It seems that Rob, the onwer, can aquire rifles, pistols, primers, powers and ammo when they are not available.

Thanks for the tip, abc!

I called the Shedhorn yesterday and was told, for the third time since the first of year, that they don�t know any more than anyone else about when the 84L Montana will actually be available. CP.

Running at the limit of production.. what a problem for a company to have.

Of course if your waiting on a 84l.. its a problem.

You must remember the XGI.

I stopped in and talked to Rob on Monday... as CP mentioned, they have no idea on delivery.