Before I relate my recent experience about the conversion kit, here are a couple gems from a well-known pistol smith:
A customer brought in a custom shop Super Match II with the complaint that he had tried several factory loads and none of them would chamber. Upon inspection the smith found that the chamber had only been rough reamed. It’s no wonder a round wouldn’t chamber. How does a piece leave their custom shop then get through final inspection. Clearly the piece was never test fired.
A Pro CDP was brought in by a customer who is a very proficient handgun shooter indicating that he couldn’t get the piece to shoot reasonable groups and wanted it re-barreled. The smith inspected the piece and found that the barrel crown looked as if it had been cut with a dull or broken cutter then someone tried to use a hand file to straighten out the crown. Again, how does a piece like that pass final inspection and test firing?
Now, my Kimber fiasco - I purchased a Kimber 1911 .22 conversion kit. As with all firearms, that I buy, I always completely clean, lube and bore scope the chamber and barrel before range testing. The Kimber conversion kits are advertised as having a “match grade barrel and bushing.” When the barrel was bore scoped, I found that it was littered with pits like you would see in a very old barrel that had rust pits (see photo). I contacted Kimber who requested that the kit be sent in. Along with the kit I included bore scope photos and a note that read: “Since the pits are just too deep to be polished or lapped out without changing the bore diameter, I am requesting that you please replace the barrel at your earliest possible convenience.” I received the kit back with the following repair slip notations: “Adjusted extractor, refinished barrel, reamed and polished chamber.” Perfect! The extractor did not need adjustment. The chamber did not need reaming or polishing when previously viewed with my bore scope and I specifically stated that the barrel pits could not be corrected with lapping or polishing. So, I again bore scope the barrel and low and behold it is still littered with pits (see photo). Kimber is again contacted and sent bore scope photos and again the kit is shipped back to them. Now I am told that they do not have any kits in stock and do not have any parts for them. Two months go by and not a word from Kimber so I send them notice that per the Magnuson Moss act that governs warranties I would like a refund. Crickets! A week later, after another note to Kimber, I receive a call from them indicating that they now have some barrels. It must have been a miracle! Again, the kit is shipped to them. I receive the kit back with the following repair slip notes: “Polished firing pin housing, replaced and polished barrel, test fired, inspected, cleaned and oiled.” Got out the bore scope again and wow! The new barrel has broach cutter chatter marks and gouges the likes that I have never seen before (see photo). Chatter marks on the lands and grooves, especially if they are perpendicular to the bore, unquestionably result in immediate bore fouling and loss of accuracy. I contact Kimber yet again, send bore scope photos yet again. Kimber asks if I test fired the piece. At this point, based on the condition of the barrel, test firing would be pointless but I agreed to take it to the range. 40 rounds fired and at 25 rounds groups were 7 ½” at 10 yards. I re-bore scope the barrel and found it heavily lead fouled, gee what a surprise! (see photo). After sending bore scope photos again to Kimber I have another conversation with them that ends with: “We don’t believe we can meet your expectations.” In other words, we advertise the kit as having a match grade barrel but we just don’t have the capability to make one!! How can a barrel that is advertised as being match grade but actually looks like a corrugated sewer pipe be inspected and sent out to a customer? A few days later I receive a call from a customer service manager who says: “We’ll refund your purchase price but you have to sign our release and return the kit to us first. It will take over two weeks, after we receive the kit, to issue you a check. If you don’t agree then we understand and wish you well.” Included in the release was a clause that stated that I had to remove any unfavorable internet posts that I created within 48 hours. Being that I have absolutely no trust in their ability to handle anything or honor what they promise I suggested that the check be issued first -or- that the two weeks to issue a check be reduced to the legal standard of 5 days. Kimber would not agree to either of the modified terms. Since I found Kimber to be untrustworthy and their agreement terms to be unreasonable and unacceptable coupled with their refusal to negotiate in good faith I refuse to be subjected to their treatment.
Shooting sports are supposed to be fun. A customer should not have to put up with substandard manufacturing, failed repairs and inept customer service.
I wouldn’t own another Kimber if someone gave me one for free. At Kimber quality control is completely nonexistent and they absolutely don’t have the desire or ability to meet reasonable customer requests and expectations. Hell, they can’t even manufacturer products that meets their own advertised standards. Kimber needs to change their company logo to: “We manufacture garbage and hope to sell it to misinformed idiots.”
