Anyone remember the ill-fated Kimber Solo?

[Sam Summey]

I had a customer bring in a Kimber Solo that just started to fail to extract. I called Kimber requesting a replacement extractor spring. Guess what, Kimber no longer supports these POS. They will accept a trade based on MSRP of a current model if they have one in stock. The value of your POS Solo is based on the value of your new selection. In this case a RK MACO, now remember when the SOLO was purchased it sold for around $750 (dealer was around $600). Kimber wanted another $475 with the "trade". Kimber knew in 2012 when this firearm came out, that it might not work but with only one brand and weight bullet but they continued to sell the product. Now they no longer support it? I am always amazed that Ruger Firearms always, in some form or other, supports ALL the firearms they have made/sold in the past. My neighbor sent a Mini14 to "Chief Wahoo" for some custom work. "Chief Wahoo" botched the Mini up. Neighbor sent the Mini back to Ruger for a re-barrel. Ruger replaced the Mini at "no charge".

 

[OMCHamlin]

I remember the gun, saw one at a gun show the other day, at a "grail" price. That's generally the only price these guys price stuff at, then they dutifully pack all of them up on Sunday afternoon… I really liked the lines of the gun, but I heard the rumors early on. A no go at any price, from a mediocre company idolized by way too many.

 

[Kevin]

What was wrong with the Solo that they got right in so many other micro and compact 9mm?

I have one of the Kimber EVO pistols. It's a great pistol. All metal with a fairly nice trigger. Has NEVER jammed.

 

[hittman]

Ruger's got a long list of items they no longer support either.

FIREARMS WITH LIMITED PARTS / SERVICE AVAILABLE:
Please contact Customer Service to determine the extent of parts and service that is available for the models below.

• Mark I, Mark II and Standard .22 Caliber Pistol
• Mini-14 Rifle (Serial # Prefixes Below "580-")
• "Old Model" (Three-Screw) Single-Action Revolvers - (Free Factory Safety Offer)
• P85 9MM Pistol and P85 MKII 9MM Pistol
• P89 9MM Pistol

FIREARMS WITH NO PARTS / SERVICE AVAILABLE:

• 10/22 Magnum Rifle
• .357 Maximum Revolver
• .44 Magnum Carbine Rifle (Original Model)
• 96 Series Lever Action Rifle
• 77/50 Blackpowder Rifle
• AC-556 Rifle
• Deerfield Carbine Rifle
• Gold Label Shotgun
• Hawkeye Pistol
• M77 Mark II Express Rifle
• M77 Mark II Rifle in Short Ultra-Mag Calibers
• Mini-14 Rifle (Serial # Beginning with "180-")
• Model 77 Rifle with Tang Safety
• No. 3 Rifle
• Old Army Revolver
• PC4 and PC9 Carbine Rifle
• Red Label Shotgun (Serial # Beginning with "400-" or "410-")
• Red Label Wood Side Shotgun
• Security-Six Revolver
• Single-Six Revolver with .17 Hunter Convertible Mach 2 Cylinders
• Trap Shotgun

Ruger Parts & Service

ruger.com

 

[Cholo]

I remember them; they were plagued from the start. I thought they were very good looking guns, but...

 

[DoorKicker]

I had a Kimber Solo and had to send it back multiple times but they never got it right. I complained about them on the Kimber forums and was told that "You can't afford Kimber, if you have a problem sending your gun back to the factory several times". and "That's just the way it is with Kimber, still the best gun in the world"

Same thing with the Kimber Ultra Ten. Both of my Kimbers never worked properly right out of the box. I have sworn off of Kimber and put them in the same category as KelTec even though 1 out of 3 of my KelTecs actually function properly.

Is it common for a gun manufacturer to just up and refuse to service their own product? Especially when they are so plagued with problems. The Solo and the Ultra Ten have BOTH been dumped by Kimber

 

[Busterswoodshop]

I never owned one , but have shot them , and know a few that have had them. Every one of them ended up getting rid of it.
One of the biggest complaints I have heard from Sig Solo owners is that it was so hard to rack.
I have to agree with that.

 

[3manfan]

Sweet to look at, a nightmare to shoot. My next door neighbor bought a new one about a year after they debuted, very pricey at over $700.
It wouldn't chamber any of the 4 different brands of ammo that we took on its first range trip with a fully loaded mag from slide lock using the slide release lever. All nose dived using all 3 mags he got with it. It would only chamber if the slide was sling shot from the closed position & then only FMJ ball would chamber 100%. We gave up trying to get the Hydra-Shoks, Ranger T-Series & HST's we brought to feed. It also had the worst trigger slap any of us 3 had ever felt on a handgun & we'd all been shooters since childhood. The only worse trigger slap I'd ever experienced was on a stock Saiga .308 rifle. He tried for over 2 weeks & 5 range trips to get it to settle in & function correctly but it never would. He sent it to Kimber, they returned it stating that they couldn't find any issue(s) with it. He took it for one more range trip when he got it back & there was no improvement so he sold it back to the gun store he bought it at a $350 loss. What a pig that thing was. It sure looked nice though

 

[the_leper_colony]

...I have sworn off of Kimber and put them in the same category as KelTec even though 1 out of 3 of my KelTecs actually function properly...

I think both of those companies produced good, reliable products early on; more recent products are reportedly more problematic and/or less reliable. Hopefully Ruger won't follow that path.

 

[Wvfarrier]

Lets not forget Sig Sauer and the Sp2022. They made a huge deal about marketing these to LEO and then offered zilch in product support

 

[Sam Summey]

What was wrong with the Solo that they got right in so many other micro and compact 9mm?

I have one of the Kimber EVO pistols. It's a great pistol. All metal with a fairly nice trigger. Has NEVER jammed.

Evidently they no longer make that model too. I advise purchasing a replacement extractor and spring before they "run out".

I remember the gun, saw one at a gun show the other day, at a "grail" price. That's generally the only price these guys price stuff at, then they dutifully pack all of them up on Sunday afternoon… I really liked the lines of the gun, but I heard the rumors early on. A no go at any price, from a mediocre company idolized by way too many.

They are on Gun Broker at ridiculous prices...

 

[vito]

I am not familiar with a model called the Solo, but years ago I bought a Kimber Ultra II. Beautiful looking gun and at the time the most expensive handgun that I had ever purchased. Seemed to be very accurate, but I could not get through a magazine without a failure to feed or failure to extract problem. The gun shop where I bought the Kimber sent it back to Kimber twice but the problems persisted. Finally they refunded my money as credit toward other purchases, which was fine with me. I was told that the problem was likely the 3 inch barrel and that the larger Kimbers with 4 inch or larger barrels cycled properly, but I never bought another Kimber. I have been happy with my Rugers and my Glocks and can live just fine without a Kimber.

 

[miniman]

i have a solo its a good shooter kimber just gets a bad rap by most everyone who NEVER owned one.

 

[davevabch]

i have a solo its a good shooter kimber just gets a bad rap by most everyone who NEVER owned one.

Very common on the internet to see the snow balling effect of some negative reviews. One bad review can quickly snowball to a thousand. And from internet viewers that have never even owned one. The post make them feel knowledgeable when in fact they have no clue one way or the other.
You see this a lot on Pocket guns, and small Micro 9mm's. Usually the real cause of failure is limp wristing. This is why some manufactures will post to use 124gr ammo. Some firearms because of the tight tolerances will say to use a break in period. Most people do not understand this and you get all kinds of internet backlash. In reality a break in of a measly 200 rds is nothing. I shoot at least that on every range session and weekly.
I have been a RO at my club for decades. I Use to see quite a few of the Solo's back in the day. Almost all complaints were from Shooters that would limp wrist the gun. I know this for a fact as I would shoot the same gun and it would NOT have the issue they complained about. I never owned a Solo, but would say in my opinion they were excellent, very nice quality firearms.

 

[bookemdano]

I have one that still works but I don't trust it and don't carry it for that reason.
To carry as a 1911 style is to be carried, cocked and locked, I found to many
times when it was no longer locked. A real shame to cause it shoots great.
Dano

 

[Sam Summey]

i have a solo its a good shooter kimber just gets a bad rap by most everyone who NEVER owned one.

Evidently there are two kinds of Solos, those that work and those that don't. The owner of the one with problems said he had two of them, the other is still working.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I looked at them early on, but delayed buying one. Guess that was a good call on my part. I was interested in a small 9mm for my wife; ended up with a S&W Shield which has been totally reliable and satisfactory.

 

[Randyzzz]

Lets not forget Sig Sauer and the Sp2022. They made a huge deal about marketing these to LEO and then offered zilch in product support

I bought into the SP2022. Purchased a 9mm and a .40. Had to find older SigPro grip modules for my big hands, and then had to stipple them for traction. Then I couldn't find holsters or any accessories. They shot well but I was done. I got lucky, bought low and traded out high. Used the .40 as a partial trade for my Scrambler. Sold the stippled grip modules for about $100 each. So I did good.