Kimber’s New Age Pistol

2011s or Double-Stacked 1911s (or now 2K11s because each manufacturer trademarks its naming convention) aren’t new, but they’ve become the rage. While their existence dates back a few decades, it was primarily in competition circles. Here, competitors would fork over $5,000 or more to build the best action pistol. The allure for shooters included low recoil, flat shooting, and higher capacity. Recently, Staccato, the artist formerly known as STI, has transitioned its market focus to the regular pistolero, which uses a handgun for defense, CCW, or duty daily. They’ve had much success, even at prices north of $2,500. So much so that other companies have followed suit. Springfield followed with the Prodigy DS, which hovers at $1350, and now Turkish companies such as SDS and MAC are shilling models for under a grand. With this amount of market attention, it’s no wonder Kimber is throwing their hat in the ring.

2K11

Kimber MFG has been a long-respected manufacturer of 1911s (while their forays into polymer handguns is another story). Their models are timeless and have been popular amongst shooters and collectors for generations. With that, most of their success is built on a century-old design. They needed something new to bring to market. A couple of years back, Kimber did release the KDS9C, a double-stack 1911 sort-of-looking pistol. Its lines were a bit classic, and it appears to have been more of a competitor to Wilson Combat’s EDC X9 series. But it wasn’t a true double-stack 1911. Here’s what Kimber has to say: “The 2K11 is the most capable, out-of-the-box, high-capacity 1911 variant available. From hammer to muzzle, the 2K11 has been built around all the features Kimber enthusiasts requested. An aluminum alloy grip module featuring one-of-a-kind designed Stan Chen Customs Magwell. An enhanced sub-frame shaped for superior magazine fit and control, plus an accessory rail for optional lights and lasers. The slide is made of stainless steel and features an external extractor for relentless reliability. Included: TAG Custom FiberLok 2 front sights and one C&H Precision mounting plate for Trijicon and Holosun optics make the 2K11 a masterpiece of modern firearms design from Kimber.”

That’s bold marketing from Kimber, but honestly, upon first look, I get it. Where Staccato is after the duty/CCW market, Kimber is going after competitive shooters. For looks, I’d say flashy comes to mind. This is on brand for a company that makes the Rapide line of 1911s. The overall ergonomics are good, and the partnership with Stan Chen and C&H gives the pistol additional clout. The main feature that makes this pistol appear to focus on the competitive crowd is its use of an aluminum grip module. Staccato, Springfield, and the Turkish builders use polymer models to lighten the model and cut down on expenses. Kimber chose rigidity and weight instead. I like that. The gun can be had in 9mm and .45 ACP with either 1-17 round and 2-20 round magazines or 3-13 round magazines, respectively. What’s even better is the magazine prices. 9mm ones cost $59.99, while the 45 ACP fetch $10 more. Compare this to Staccato, whose magazines go over $100 a pop.

Final Thoughts

This is an interesting direction for Kimber to go with. Unfortunately, they are using borrowed trust on this. Recent new releases in handguns have been lukewarm at best and disastrous at worst (remember the Solo?), so it’ll be interesting to see how the market responds. Prices are better than expected. The base model with an optic plate costs $1759.99, while the upgraded and flashy target model costs $2229.99.