Let’s get this out of the way right now: the black-and-silver Kimber Solo Carry is one of the prettiest little all-metal 9mm mini-pistols ever made, second only in appearance to the all-stainless Solo Carry STS. Because other pocket nines have polymer frames, there’s not a lot of competition for title of prettiest all-metal mini-9. But still, the Solo Carry is a great looking gun that’s perfectly proportioned and loaded with quality touches. Pictures can’t do it justice. It’s so pretty that I wanted to love it the minute I saw it, which was a complete 180° turn for me. Before I saw it, I wanted to hate it.
There have been adverse reports about this pistol emanating from trustworthy people. Most of them have complained of FTFs, with the intermittent FTE tossed in as a variation on a theme. One word often associated with the Solo in those reports is “unreliable.” Unreliable is a polite descriptor that’s a synonym for “untrustworthy,” and nobody wants to carry an untrustworthy gun.
Suffering an FTF at the range is a drag, sure, but it’s not the end of the world. Wait for the hangfire, tap, roll, rack, assess — we all know the drill. But the Kimber Solo is not a range toy, and despite its runway model good looks it was not intended to be a safe queen. The Solo is designed to be a fighting gun, built to carry concealed and shoot a fairly powerful round when necessary for self defense.
Viewed in that light, an FTF isn’t a mere inconvenience; it’s an invitation to a funeral. An unreliable self defense pistol is a liability of monstrous proportions. Jumpy yet? Making things worse, Kimber inadvertently contributed to the rumor mill by demanding the exclusive use of “premium” ammunition to feed this silvery sweetheart. For the uninitiated, premium means “really effing expensive,” which implies that the Solo is a delicate little pistol that cheap range ammo would somehow damage.
To make matters worse, Kimber strongly encourages replacement of the recoil springs after only a thousand rounds. They gotta be kidding, right? A thousand rounds is nothing. My personal EDC has handled many thousands of rounds, and the recoil spring is still just as fresh as a teenage brat. Twenty boxes of ammo might be two solid range sessions for TTAG gun tests, and perhaps a pleasant hour of shooting for our own Foghorn. While each shooter’s “average” mileage is going to vary, even Kimber should admit that a thousand rounds between changes doesn’t seem like a lot of headroom and does not build confidence in the Solo’s long term reliability or durability.
Against that backdrop, I was suspicious of the Kimber Solo. Yes, it was pretty, but I did not want to be led astray by a pretty face. Not that such a thing has ever happened.
Handling the Solo
When I opened the box, my Solophobia began to moderate. The pistol not only looks very desirable, but the build quality is unmistakable. Despite weighing only 17.2 ounces, the Solo feels hefty, like it was carved from a single block of silver, even though the frame is aluminum. Everything fits together as tight as a gnat’s ass. The stock is well-angled, so the Solo points naturally despite having grasping room for only two fingers. The grip panels are plastic but not plasticky, and nestled in their recesses they look like part of the handle, not just tacked onto it.
The Solo is adorned with sights that actually seem like they might be useful for something other than shredding the lining of one’s pockets.
I was also impressed by the beefy extractor, which is a part that I would expect could be strained on a small gun that fires a powerful round. All in all, this pistol feels like it’s made to be shot. Even the magazine feels stout. To top it off, the lovely presentation purse – excuse me, the handsome soft case accompanying the pistol — would make a nifty stocking stuffer all by itself.
The magazine needed a firm press to snap into its home, which was fine with me. I figured that a tight fit would loosen over time, while a loose fit would only get wobbly. The magazine well iss nicely beveled, which should facilitate rapid magazine changes. Speaking of which, anyone who wants to practice rapid magazine changes will have to shell out for extra magazines, since this pistol comes with only one. Kimber offers additional six-round mags for $27 bucks a pop, or five for $105 should anyone be interested in stocking up for the annual mouse-hunting season.
Slide action was very smooth and positive. Dry firing this pocket piece proved that Kimber’s disclaimer was accurate – the Solo is not a scaled-down, 9mm 1911. It’s a single-action, striker-fired, conventionally recoil-operated baby 9mm and nobody will ever confuse its trigger with that of a well-tuned 1911’s. That’s not to say that the 7 pound trigger of the Solo is heavy or that the pull is as long as a Kevin Costner movie, but it’s not the 4 1/2 pound instant-on giggle switch for which well-made 1911s are justly famous.
Dropping the magazine required very firm pressure on the ambidextrous release button. The button did not loosen up over time, trashing my theory that tight is temporary but loose is forever. Let’s just say that accidentally dropping a magazine isn’t going to happen with the Kimber Solo and let it go at that.
I field stripped the Solo to clean out any excess lube or dirt that might have accumulated in transit. Unlike some pocket nines, the Solo field stripped very easily. I lined up the slide stop lever with the wee disassembly notch, pressed the small nub where the lever penetrates through to the right side of the frame, pinched the lever fully out from the left side and most of the work was done. The manual states that if the lever proves too tight to pinch out with finger pressure, a flat screwdriver could be used to pull the lever from the frame. Releasing the striker from the sear – that means pulling the trigger – enabled the slide assembly to be removed from the frame. There. That was easy.
I couldn’t help but notice the odd, spittoon-shaped barrel. The flared muzzle-end probably guarantees a snug and secure fit in the slide, but why the barrel is equipped with its ungainly looking pot belly, only Kimber knows. The bulbous shape looks bizarre and probably adds to the cost of manufacture, but if it works as it’s supposed to work, that’s great.
A few swipes of a clean rag and a minute of reassembly later, the Solo was range-ready.
Shooting the Kimber Solo Carry
I loaded the magazine with five rounds of Remington Golden Saber hollowpoints, which is one of the “premium” brands recommended by Kimber. I hate wimpy magazine springs because they often lead to misfeeds; I also hate very tight springs because they always lead to scarred thumbs. The spring inside the Solo’s magazine had just the right amount of resistance, and the cartridges loaded uneventfully. I did not top off the mag or the pistol because I prefer to shoot five-shot test groups during the first session.
The Solo, being a single action pistol, is outfitted with an ambidextrous thumb safety in the usual position. The safety’s operation was very intuitive as I toggled between no-go to go and back again, each time with a satisfying “snick.” Tactile feedback is critical with any gun, but especially from the safety of a carry piece that is likely to be deployed in a hurry, if at all, and in the dark.
I aimed, I fired, I hit the target. Accuracy was pretty damn good, too. Here are the first five shots I took with the cold, never-ever-before-fired pistol.
It’s not target pistol accuracy, but it’s plenty good enough for alternate dispute resolution.
Kimber claimed that the pistol would need a break-in of 24 rounds, or four full mags, so I was expecting problems right off the bat. Mirabile dictu, I didn’t have any. None. Zero. Zilch. Niente. Mag after mag of premium ammo went through this pistol with nary a hitch. There were no misfires, FTFs, FTEs, light strikes, hiccups, explosive farts, the heartbreak of psoriasis, nothing. You name the problem, and I didn’t have it. Reliability was flawless.
So much for break-in. But that’s not to say that all was perfect.
I’ve fired a bunch of tiny-nineys and they are all just a bit snappy. Naturally, some are snappier than others. The little Solo was quite snappy. Not as snappy as a Louisiana swamp turtle, but snappy nonetheless. Although the gun didn’t try to hop out of my hand as fast as my monthly income, muzzle flip was prodigious and not easily controlled.
The non-1911 trigger was also an issue. While the trigger was classically smooth and light enough for serious shooting, its reset point was somewhere in northern Rhode Island when the rest of the gun was somewhere in southeastern Massachusetts. When a long reset is coupled with vigorous muzzle flip, the result is always rapid-fire inaccuracy. The Solo was not an exception to this immutable law.
Smallish groups could be slow-fired, as one of my fellow instructors demonstrated at a later outing by placing two out of two, touching, in the red, at five yards. That particular minigroup was the best of many, and could be covered by a nickel with change left over. Rapid fire produced wider groups. Keeping five rounds in an eight inch circle proved to be challenging but still possible.
I like to shoot one-handed because I was trained that way and because in a real fight, my other hand might have something else to do. Like gallantly pushing aside a helpless bikini model, or shielding a frightened child, or texting, or zipping my fly. After trying to shoot this gun with one hand, I can state without fear of contradiction that the Kimber Solo is to rapid one-handed shooting what a bowling ball is to water polo.
Not willing to let well enough alone, I decided to test the Solo with the crappiest commercial ball ammo available to me, contrary to Kimber’s demand that I use premium hollowpoints. And just to push the envelope, I crammed six into the magazine, racked the slide to chamber a round, and after flipping the safety to the fully upright and locked position, I topped off the mag. I was hoping to make the gun jam, because a tough gun test is all about being tough on the gun.
I was disappointed in the Solo’s monotonous consistency, as the gun performed flawlessly time after time, no matter what ammo I shoved into it. It devoured gristly Silver Bear like it was prime filet mignon. PPU proved as reliable as the afternoon mail. The Solo also shot 115 grain Fiocchi, which Kimber claims is too light to reliably cycle this pistol. Well, it wasn’t. The pistol cycled perfectly through two boxes of light ball ammo without a flinch. Satisfied with what I’d accomplished on day one, I decided to leave the range and allow my thoughts time to crystallize, intending to return a few days later for some serious torture testing.
Before my second trip to the range to retest the Solo, I ran into trouble. Actually, trouble ran into me. I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle. Many Christmases ago grandma got run over by a reindeer and had a song dedicated to the event. Me? I got run over by a Buick and all I got were these lousy bruises. And lemme tell ya, those cars are very solidly constructed. Fortunately, the bike and I survived with nothing broken, not even a spoke. However, my accuracy suffered as a result, as did most of my body which also turned the color of a freshly picked eggplant.
Nevertheless, I sucked it up and limped back to the range just a couple of days after being felled like an oak before a bulldozer. Gee whiz, the things I do for you people.
The Solo’s accuracy suffered as much as I did when I shot it with basic range ammo, but not enough to make me want to throw half dollars downrange instead of dimes. I’m not suggesting that you try this at home, but I’m saying I shot a couple more boxes of non-premium, non-recommended rounds through this particular Solo. Kimber recommends 124 grain or heavier hollowpoints. I used 115 grain ball ammo, and once again they worked just fine.
Conclusion
I’m not discounting the early Solo failure reports. In my opinion – and this goes for cars as well as guns – early adopters are unfairly punished for taking a chance on unproven engineering or new production. Teething problems notwithstanding, the Kimber Solo Carry that I tested was as consistent and reliable as precipitation in a rain forest. The Solo proved to me that it’s a sweet little handgun that reliably fired hundreds of 9mm rounds including the most craptastic, both imported and domestic, without any problems. The Solo Carry has killer good looks and fires a killer round, so what’s the issue?
Potential buyers who can get past the reputation may gag at the price. The MSRP for the Solo Carry is $765, and as befitting a small gun from a small-market manufacturer, discounts are also on the small side. Pistols from Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson and other manufacturers that are comparable in weight and firepower to the Solo can be purchased for less, and in some cases a lot less. It’s a very competitive market.
Diehard Kimber fans might not mind paying a few extra hundred for this pistol. If they do, they should be rewarded with a great looking, fine shooting, good handling, accurate, all-metal gun that works like a charm.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Kimber Solo Carry
Caliber: 9 mm
Magazine capacity: 6 rounds
Materials: Aluminum frame, stainless steel slide
Weight empty: 17.2 ounces
Barrel Length: 2.67″
Overall length: 5.5″
Sights: Fixed front and rear, three dot
Action: Striker fired, single action
Finish: Matte black lower; stainless steel upper
Price: $765 MSRP
RATINGS (out of five stars)
Style * * * * *
Step right up and don’t be shy, because you will not believe your eyes. She’s a beauty…one in a million girls. Why would I lie? Why would I lie? It’s not like I own stock in the company.
I added that last part.
Ergonomics (carry) * * * * *
It’s tiny. If it was any more slender that its 1.2 inches, it could slide under a door like a delivery pizza. It’s lightweight and perfectly capable of hitching a ride in almost any pocket or purse. There’s just no reason to leave home without it.
Ergonomics (firing) * * * *
The gun points well. The grip is comfortable but short, so shooters who demand a full grip or the ham-handed will have to purchase the optional eight-round extended magazine. Good luck finding one. The trigger is smooth and reasonably light, but anyone expecting a 1911 trigger will be disappointed. The trigger does not reset quickly. The sights are just fine. One handed shooting is strictly a one-shot-at-a-time affair unless aiming at an airplane in flight.
Reliability * * * *
I was shocked to find that this much maligned pistol showed itself to be completely reliable during our all-too-brief time together. Long term durability is a different issue and would require thousands of rounds for a true test. Based on apparent quality, the overbuilt extractor and following the manufacturers’ ammo and spring replacement policies, it seems that this pistol should last a long time. Still, I consider replacing the springs every thousand rounds an unacceptable inconvenience.
Customize This * * *
Rejoice, Star Trek fans. A nifty laser is available from Crimson Trace in black basic or rosewood. I also expect that, in time, there will be a variety of high-zoot grip panels available in the aftermarket, crafted of exotic woods, mother of pearl, faux elephant ivory and fuscia taffeta, all designed to enhance this pistol’s elegant appearance. But, really, what purpose would be served by gilding the lily?
OVERALL RATING * * * *
Holding up to seven rounds of 9mm ammo, I would be confident carrying this pistol just about anywhere that doesn’t have “stan” in its name.
So, the 8-rounders are hard to find? Pity. I would think that the added grip area would help with the muzzle flip. Not a lot, of course. You’re still shooting 9mm through a gun weighing barely over one pound. Every little bit helps, though.
Glad you’re okay, Ralph. We really need stricter car control.
The girl who ran me over was maybe 25 and cute, too. She was very upset and wanted to drive me to the nearest hospital, which offer I refused.
Before the police and Rescue arrived, I told her that I’d be okay and that she could leave the scene. She protested and asked, “don’t you want my license and phone number?”
I said,”I’d love to have your number, but I’m old enough to be your grandfather.”
I recognize that getting plowed into by two tons of steel might be an extreme way to meet pretty girls, but it’s cheaper than Match.com.
Kimber’s after market service SUCKS! I had to send in my CDP II because it kept jamming they have yet to return it.
Does Kimber have SO MANY problems with their guns that they have a big back log? Or are they too cheap to hire enough people to deal with problems?
I bought a Solo (or three) and proceeded to disassemble it. I was dismayed to take it to the range when I found it would not load any subsequent shell after each initial fire. So the rumors were true? Not so fast. I called Kimber and they quickly pointed out that the typical reason for failure to feed issues are from improper reassembly. Sure enough, the tiny spring that operates the slide catch is easy to overlook since it’s not found on a 1911. You can barely see it poking its nose out from under the grip near the catch cavity. Reassembling so the spring hooks onto the catch caused my Solo to function flawlessly since.
Same problem first time my wife used her gun. Someone at the shop must have played with it before she bought it.
I reassembled it and it works great with any ammo above 124 grain. 115 gr is hit or miss. My glocks are just as picky.
Thanks for the review. Did you buy this pistol or receive it from Kimber as a test gun?
It was a T&E gun. I’d buy it but it’s not Massachusetts legal because it’s not on The List.
“tight as a gnat’s ass” ROTFL. Interesting review Ralph, i am still not crazy about the shape of the barrel (without explanation for the shape of it), but the fact that it ate up silver bear without hiccups says something to me.
The barrel shape makes the Solo reliable. Kimber has a new patent on the barrel shape.
Great report. I’ve been looking at these for some time but lost interest after talking to some dealers. Sounds like Kimber “may” have the kinks worked out. I’m looking to replace my Kahr PM40 (which is a handful to shoot), but watching the video, the Solo looks equally so. So, maybe the P290 then?
On a different note, just curious if your mouse-hunting quip is in reference to yesterday’s news story of the Utah guy who shot his roommate while shooting at a mouse in their kitchen. Good stuff. Hope you’re healing well.
So, maybe the P290 then?
I reviewed the Sig Sauer P290 for TTAG a while back. http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/07/ralph/gun-review-sig-sauer-p290/
I was extremely impressed with that little gun and would have rated it even higher except for the clumsy takedown. It’s a great pocket pistol.
There is no way around the fact that a “tiny-niney” is going to be a handful to shoot. To quote Engineer Montgomery Scott “ya canna argue with the laws of physics”
Great review as always, Ralph.
Glad you are okay and please keep the rubber side down. How did your gun in the Remora fare during your car-bike interaction?
I never gave much thought to the one handed shooting thing, but those are very valid points. I think I will stick with a Glock 26 which handles one handed duties fine. I am curious what the fully loaded weight of the Solo is? I would guess 23 ozish. One oz more (with seven rounds loaded) lets you carry the Glock. Three oz more carries the G26 plus 11 rounds total. The G26 is not a happy pocket gun, however.
How did your gun in the Remora fare during your car-bike interaction?
I was pocket-carrying a S&W 642, which came through the incident in perfect shape. As an aside, I had a nice conversation with the police officer who responded to the accident call (along with a fire engine and an ambulance). I mentioned that I was carrying. He didn’t bat an eyelash and never asked to see my permit.
The police in my town are absolutely NOT afraid to have citizens carrying. If anything, it’s encouraged.
Pick up the Glock in one hand and the Solo in the other. They aren’t even in the same class of guns. The Solo is a true concealed carry pistol. The Glock is small but the Solo is very small.
You have reviewed the LC9 and now the Kimber Solo. How does recoil compare between the two?
I reviewed the Sig P290 and the Solo. The Sig had very little muzzle rise, and facilitated both rapid fire and one-handed shooting. The P290 was the recoil winner, hands down. The Kimber has its own strengths, but recoil isn’t one of them.
I enjoyed the review on the Kimber Solo. To be honest, my all time favorite pistol is the Colt 1903. When I saw a picture of the Solo for the first time the impression I had was that it looked like a modern Colt 1903. That is probably one reason I want one. I carried the Colt 1903 as a CCW even though there are some draw backs to it. An extra mag isn’t only hard to come by but expesive to boot. But one thing I knew about the Colt 1903 is I could hit what I aimed at easily & with confidence. Reading your review & others on the Solo I am not sure I’d be as confident hitting what I aimed at with it but I still want one. I have yet to see one other than in a picture and I suspect you can’t restt three fingers around it but that didn’t keep me from buying a Ruger LCP (two for that matter.
Kimber makes nice 1911′s and from some of what I have seen I like the way they handle. I suspect the Solo would be similar.
Rob Drummond
Hillsboro, NH
it looked like a modern Colt 1903
I had the same thought. The lines and proportions are quite similar.
I bought my first Kimber in 2002, and I’m one of the die hard Kimber fans. I own several custom shop Kimbers, and I just received my Rimfire Super(it took 14 months) which is one of the most accurate pistols I’ve ever shot. I was going to buy the Solo when I first heard about it, but I was turned off by all the bad reviews. I loved your review Ralph, and I’ll consider buying one after I get to sample one at the range.
I’m sorry you weren’t around for the tests. Because you’re a Kimber guy, I would have been very interested in your input. FYI, this pistol has nothing in common with Kimber’s 1911s, except for the name.
Personally, I would wait until mid-2012 to purchase one of these.
My local firing range, Calibers, in Albuquerque, NM has 1 for rent. It is down for repairs, replacement of springs, pins, etc, roughly 1/2 to 2/3 of the time, according to the gunsmith there. Also, according to the sales staff, they have sold 8 Solos since January, and all 8 have had to be sent back to Kimber to have some malfunction repaired. 3 of those 8 have been sent back at least 2 times. For a $700 gun, that’s unacceptable. The gun’s like a Playboy bunny: looks great, but there’s nothing inside and it doesn’t function.
Personally, I would wait until mid-2012 to purchase one of these.
That would be the prudent thing to do. FYI, Kimber raised the MSRP from $724 to $765. Next year, will it be $800?
I got a P290 a bit ago and carry it as a secondary in my strong side pocket. I’m in love with it. Now…that gun with the six round mag has the trigger guard nicking my finger. Does the Solo do that with you or not?
No, it did not. BTW, the P290 would be my first choice among pistols of this class.
Nothing like Ralph metaphor. Great review!
Ralph, Great Review, I’m a fan of the Solo. Why can’t I find one for sale anywhere? been looking for months.
That’s a good question for which I have no answer, and Kimber won’t tell.
I’ve been meaning to reply to this. I bought a Solo in early November.
I sort of followed Kimber’s break-in advise, starting with 100 rounds of 124gr Federal FMJ. I then put 20 rounds of 134gr Federal Hydra-Shok JHP through it. There were no failures.
After that, I tried to make it fail by going through a box of 115gr Blazer aluminum case and a box of Remington 115gr FMJ. I even alternated the Blazer and Remington in the magazine, and threw a few Hydra-Shoks in at random. I also limp-wristed a few rounds, but no failures. Finally, one of the guys at the range gave me a dozen or so rounds of 147gr lead handloads, which the Kimber sent downrange with no problems.
The only problem I had was with the trigger — it’s very curved and pointed at the end, so my fingertip was pretty sore at the end of the day.
Very nice looking and good handle ability for it’s size. Although, Problems. Sear spring end fell off shelf in rear of frame during fire rendering firearm inoperable, Kimber says they have only had this problem one time. one too many I say. Extractor will not pull spent shells out of chamber consistently causing a jam. I lock open the action, pull the clip and simply tip the gun upward and dump the spent round. (it is not stuck) Expansion pin securing trigger into the frame slowly works itself out during fire.
I am currently sending back to Kimber. Will post results at a later date.
After only a 12 day wait my newly rebuilt Solo was returned from Warrenty with a new slide, barrel, spring assembly, sear and spring assembly. It operates like a totaly different firearm, Flawlessly I might add. 115 Gr Federal FMJ even fires perfectly now. I would have to note that after 50 or so rounds with no jams or problems I took the gun apart for cleaning and noticed that there was no wear at the barrel or slide lock. and I mean no peaning whatsoever. This is great. Kimber would not document the issue of the sear spring falling off but they did repair/replace.
I bought a Solo, and could not get it to cycle without jamming. I sent it back to Kimber and they replaced barrel and slide. After repair it still did not work, they
have now sent me a new gun for replacement and I will soon take it to the range
to test it.
let me know the final results.
Gordon, I am curious to hear more about the results of the second solo that Kimber sent you?? thanks Gene
Have tried the second completely new Solo, and it has the exact same problem the first had that they could not fix. How can this be this is Kimber? It simple will not cycle without jamming. I cannot believe they would send me two guns that will not cycle properly. I hope they have stopped manufacturing them.
Thinking maybe you should look at the operator. It’s not like the pistol is a one of a kind pistol. Sorry to be so blunt about it, but visit the gun forums long enough and you’ll see plenty of hate for every pistol manufacture out there.. Getting one lemon is just bad. Getting two back to back is BS. If you don’t want to follow the manufacture specifications don’t buy the gun.
I truly appreciate this blog post.Really thank you! Will read on…
Any thoughts on how the Solo would compare with the Beretta Nano and is a review of the Nano in the future?
Any word on when the stainless model is being manufactured this year? So far, they have only released the two-toned.
Im looking for small 9mm for my wife, who can shoot my Glock 26 better than I can. Does the Solo have that much recoil to eliminate this gun for her. She really loves the looks of this gun… I have never seen one at the range we shoot at so I m pretty sure we can’t rent one to fire. As someone said earlier, the Glock is not a “happy pocket gun “. Its got to feel good for her to carry… Thanks.
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Great review and comments about “Solo” and potential issues. What are your thoughts about “Solo” compared to the Sig P-238? In-short, looking for a good functional pocket gun with a decent weight, caliber, and of course reliability. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.
Beretta Nano impressed the hell out of us at the SHOT Show range day. Still like the Ruger LC9 as well—save the safety. Otherwise, man-up, get a proper gun and dress around it.
I waited almost a year for a Kimber solo carry stainless,I finally gave up and bought a Kahr MK9 Elite, beautiful little 9 mm and dependable,about same price as a Kimber stainless and shoots just as well.I really wanted a Kimber but factory just couldn’t produce.
Months after leaving a deposit, I finally got my Solo. Rather than the basic model I ordered, I received the CDP with laser grips. After two FTE/FTF events during the break in using recommended ammo, the rest of the first 1000 rounds were flawless.
Compared to the DAO Kahr pistols I have (PM45, PM9 and P380), the Solo’s trigger is close to perfect. I shot accurate groups, and I don’t think the muzzle flip or recoil is bad at all. I rather carry this than wish I had the gun back home in the safe.
Got a Solo after about 6 months of waiting. The mag release empty was stiff but when I got it home and loaded the magazine it was nearly impossible to eject. Sent it back to Kimber for repair but came back with the mechanism replaced with no change. Ended up selling it as it was going to be a carry for my wife.
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Excellent and comprehensive review of the 9mm Solo Carry from Kimber. After almost a full year on a waiting list, I recently received my Solo Carry Stainless and find Ralph’s review spot on! The gun is a pleasure to carry. I like the nearly total ambidextrous nature of the controls and the ergonomics of the gun! The gun is very easy to field strip for cleaning and just as easy to re-assemble. Ralph is totally correct about the magazine release…you won’t accidentally dump a mag when you are in a fight! Besides, shooting 9mm ammo in a 17 ounce gun is going to require some practice, skill, and physical strength…so “Man Up” and CCW this fine firearm! Finally, I strongly recommend the Mitch Rosen holsters and mag pouch sold on Kimber’s website, and do buy extra magazines…all of these items are top quality. All you 1911 lovers out there will have probably now found your new back-up gun (BUG), with the more “proprietary” thumb safety and a safer yet very smooth CCW trigger pull. All y’all stay safe!
Glad to hear the “Solo” is working great. Still waiting to compare the new Sig P938 to the “Solo” before I drop the $$$, as both these firearms are pricey but both appear to be high quality from very good manufactures. Hope to hear/learn more insite as more persons describe their experiences, both positive and negative, with the “Solo.”
I just got my local and State permit today. CT, it was pleasant, from the town up. The State Police person told me where to go buy 2 firearms, and I bought this Kilmer Solo and a .357 Revolver, which I can’t remember the name, and I have loaded this Kilmer solo, I have both a pocket holster and am wearing it on my belt. I have to call my instructor, he’ll be joyous. He carries a little Kahr.
I haven’t taken a shot yet. As a matter of fact, I have never shot a 9 mm anything. I have been practicing on blowback heavy air pistols. Big deal, but I am getting pretty good in my basement.
I probably shouldn’t fire this in my basement. The woods out back are calling for me to come on out with a few shoot ‘n c’s, to shoot dead trees…quiet please. My Kilmer Solo carry is speaking. I bought it because it has a nice safety, and I have a need never to be beaten senseless again. It’s become a pet peeve. Nice small auto. Now to open the Revolver. It’s a 4 inch Ruger GP 100 .357. I bought 38+p and some huge home defense rounds. But that’s for another thread.
Thanks for the review, witty writing. Man, putting 6 bullets in these Kilmer magazines (I bought extra) destroyed my already destroyed fingers. Maybe I can hire a guy… (Gun was 659$ new and in stock, not sure if I’m supposed to say where.)
Peace
The Frettbird. (first comment, I’ll learn to shut up.)
Frettbird, be safe with your new Kimber and practice a lot. Remember to take lessons or guidance from someone with a lot of firearms experienc. You should enjoy your Kimber as they are known to produce outstanding firearms. Also, the GP-100 is an excellent revolver; you did well on your purchases. Best of luck in getting to know each of your firearms; a couple thousand rounds of practice down range and you’ll feel like you’re starting to know your “Solo” and “GP-100.”
I’ve sent my Solo back to Kimber for the second time. The issue is what you and others stated shouldn’t be a problem: Accidental magazine release which then causes fail-to-feed. Mine is a fairly early model, and I wonder, since the magazine release spring in mine isn’t stiff at ALL, if Kimber has changed to a stiffer spring in later models. Since the magazine release is ambidextrous, and the buttons project out on each side quite a bit, and they are square topped, I think what is happening is that on recoil, the mag release button is hitting my thumb and causing release. I thought it was my technique, but I had a local gun guru and a friend who is ex-highway patrol and an excellent shot both fire it, and they both experienced the same issue.
I will say that Kimber product support is easy to contact, and very responsive, and they speak American English, and they are gun people. I am confident the issue will be resolved, and eagerly await its return, because otherwise, it is everything you described.
Thanks so much for the thorough review! I was really considering the Solo, despite the report problems. But… your description of the trigger is enough to turn me off for technical reasons. Thanks for that!
Had a Solo for 2 weeks. Sold it after repeated jams with Gold Dot 124+P and 147, Golden Saber 124+p and 147, DPX, and American Eagle 115, 124, and 147 FMJs. This from 4 different magazines. If it’s THAT picky, it’s not worth carrying.
Recoil spring replacement after only 1000 rounds, no way !
I own 2 of these and I have had no problems with either factory ammo or my reloads. The only issue I have had is when I reassemble it my 52 year old eyes sometimes misses the small wire that the magazine lock needs to catch. The gun is very accurate for its size and is very easy to carry! My wife loves her’s!
I’m glad you didn’t have any issues; I bought this for my wife to be a little more firepower than her Sig 238. and it has been nothing but trouble. 115 gr. Federal American Eagle jammed/FTE’d every time. Clear the shell, cycle the slide, aim, bang, jam again. We upgraded to 147 grain Federal AE flat-head (we were told they were equal enough to the recommended “premuim” rounds) … two rounds in, the dots in the rear sight disappeared…mailed off to Kimber, replaced the rear sight, back out to the range with the 147 gr, still FTE, incomplete cycling of the slide, and then a couple of FTF’s as well. We could not even get through a whole magazine. As the author said, unreliable means untrustworthy, and I won’t let my wife carry an untrustworthy gun. Back to her 238, and we’re going to return or sell the Solo and replace it with a Sig 938 or the new XDS.
Sorry to report but my solo is up for sale. Two jams. Not the kind you would expect but following a soft strike and failure to fire
I could not retract the slide more than an 1/8 inch. Took a gunsmith to free it up. Sent to factory.. nothing.
Second jam when trying to unload it.. the slide stuck again. Since the round was still live I fired it. Back to the factory..nothing found.
Regrets Gun go uy buy
You people that are selling your solo that you are unhappy with. Are you telling the prospective buyers about all the problems it has? If so I would think you would have to sell it for a huge discount. I wouldn’t buy one unless it was almost give away price. I see them on Gunbroker for 800 and up. One was used for 805.
I agree, I’ve been looking for a CCW 9mm. I decided on a solo. Gunbroker has them used, I tried to buy one and luckily (after reading these reviews) I didn’t meet the reserve. However, I did purchase a new one on Gunbroker for $640! I couldn’t believe I won. If I would have got a used solo that was malfunctioning, and it came “as is”, I would have been pissed. At least mine is new and I can deal with Kimber with a warranty if it malfunctions.
Thank you for this great review, I can’t wait to get my solo in about 5 days!
I have a test Solo and plan to write an article about it. I have shot it less than 30 rounds so far, only one failure to lock on last round with PMC 115gr ball. Remington GS 124 +P worked, as did S&B 124gr ball. No, it isn’t a 1911 at all (not even close). I guess the thing to remember is that being as small and light as it is, recoil is going to be brisk, but not as outright punishing as a .38 snub wheelie with +P ammo in it. What rounds I have fired were shot a 25 yds from a bench. Feed reliability appears good, and the mag catch spring has been substantially beefed up since the earliest guns.
Just remember when you are dealing with a light slide, fast cycle time, and a fair bit of recoil, you are going to need heavy magazine springs to keep up with that slide, and that slide is also going to need a heavy spring to reduce slide velocity down to safely unlock when pressure has dissipated.
It does disappear into ordinary jeans or khakis pockets readily and while I agree with many of the posters here about having to replace a recoil spring (or the entire buffer assembly – $35!, gulp) every 1,000 shots, if that is what it takes to maintain reliability, then consider it preventative maintenance just as you would any other fine instrument, automobile, or motorcycle.
These days of $940 S&W Scandium M340s also don’t make me cringe quite as much as the Solo’s MSRP, which is substantially less on the street but still not exactly “cheap.”
Let me preface this post with this: I live on a ranch in Wyoming, we are avid hunters and own numerous guns.
My husband took me to town for our anniversary and gave me the choice of a ring or a gun. Of course I chose the gun. I fell in love with the Kimber Solo the moment I saw it. It is absolutely beautiful and fit my hand perfectly. It was also the most expensive in its class, but I had heard great things about Kinder so I had no problem spending the extra.
WHAT A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT!!! BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY EVER!!!
The first time I fired it, it jammed. And then it jammed again. And again. Turns out I was not using the correct grain (the salesman told me it didn’t matter what ammo I used- hah!). So after reading the owner’s manual and some reviews online, I drove the 100 miles to town to purchase the correct ammo. The gun jammed again. And again. This time it took a lot to dislodge the cartridge. I was pissed (and a little scared). But I was sure that Kimber would stand behind their product.
I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!
They basically told me that it was because I’m a woman. Fortunately for him, he was in NY and I was in WY. After 2 phone calls I was told to send the gun in, even though they’re sure there is nothing wrong with it.
I bought the gun August 3. Three months later I still have no gun. They have had the gun in their hands for 10 weeks with not even a phone call. When I called today, they said there is nothing wrong with the gun and when the storm is over they will ship it back. And for the third time, the customer service rep hung up on me.
DO NOT PURCHASE A KINDER FIREARM!!!
I would have been better off purchasing a lame horse.
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As the owner of 4 Kimbers I must say. I like Kimbers because they put all of the bullets in the same hole. They take some break in, throw the factory mags away and spend a couple of hundred on a sear, disconnect, hammer and springs. Then you have a handgun that IMHO is as accurate and reliable as any production or custom gun. I decided to purchase a Solo for my wife. With her not being a hammer cocking person and after watching her put 2 boxes of ammo through a friends Solo with no problems. I chose the Solo over the Sig 938. Contrary to what I have read on the net, this thing eats any type ammo that I have thrown at it. However, during the second trip to the range, I got a failure to fire. No feed or eject problems just no bang. Upon removal of the slide it was easy to see that the sear spring tail had slipped from its home position to a recess in the frame. I could see where the spring tail had “walked off the ledge into the frame recess”. It was a simple thing to move the spring back to it home position. But after a few rounds, same thing. NO BANG. Disturbing… not because of a broken part but because there is no way that the spring tail can possibly remain on that little ledge. There is no groove for the spring to sit in nor is there a pin to keep the spring from sliding off. We took the slide off of my friends Solo and the sear spring is the same way. It just sits on that small ledge. His Solo has not had the spring to fall into the hole, so to speak.
This issue is something that any designer should have avoided. After calling Kimber, they sent a mailing label for return shipment. They would not discuss the obvious problem. They only said that “there have been no occurrences of this before”. I know this not to be true because someone on the net described the exact problem. Now my Solo is at Kimber for a repair, or redesign, that will take 4 to 6 weeks. Just to replace a spring? I know that Kimber’s QC has gone downhill, but so have most other manufacturers. But just DANG. Has anyone else had this problem?
BTW. The new unfired round in the chamber had a dimple in the primer, I assume from the sear not catching the striker. That could have been interesting..
Thanks,
Bill
I’ve had my Kimber Solo for 13 months now and I’ve fired about 400 rounds. I’ve never had a FTF or FTE but this past week I had a failure to fire. The rear tail of the sear spring slipped off its shelf rendering the sear, hence the weapon, inoperative. This has seriously affected my confidence in this pistol’s reliability. There is no groove or indentation in which the tail of the spring can rest thereby preventing it from slipping off the shelf. Thus, I can only assume this will happen again until the design is improved. Since Mr. Murphy is lurking everywhere, the next time this malfunction occurs will be when I really need the pistol to function properly. Kimber — are you listening? This is serious!
Steve,
Have you discussed your spring issue with Kimber? Just curious as to what they told you and their attitude about the whole thing. Mine has been at Kimber since January 8, 2013. I have not heard from them. I am almost afraid to ruffle their feathers because they may “Back Burn” me.
Thanks,
Bill
I bought a solo 2 months ago. Shoot about 150 rounds no problems with function.
But my ambidextrous safety selector has play when pushed on from side it pops back and forth threw the frame about a 1/16 of an inch. When pushed tight to frame from side with slide release it will click in up and down position. When pushed tight on other side it does not click in down position and feels odd. If anyone else has a solo and could see if theirs has play in it and let me know I would appreciate it. Thanks
Kimber Solo returned last week after 6+ weeks at Kimber repair center for the “Sear Spring” issue. It appears that they replaced the sear spring with one that appears to have more of a bend in the tail. This new shaped spring tail sits much further to the left side of the frame. I would think that this design should keep the spring from falling off the ledge into the frame recess. It ran through 50 rounds of Winchester white box and 25 rounds of various defense ammo with no failures of any kind. I also received 3 magazines that were back-ordered for 2 months. 2 of the three NEW mags will not engage the slide stop on the last round… Hey…I guess I should be happy the the gun operates….
Bill,
Just got mine back from the Kimber factory yesterday. They simply installed a new sear and said nothing about addressing the real problem which is where the sear spring rests. I gave them a very detailed description of the problem and shipped that letter with the gun. I’m very disappointed that they choose to ignore such a fatal flaw. I’m going to try a phone call to see if I can find out why they won’t deal with this issue. I’m not counting on a satisfactory result. This almost great little pistol will probably work great…with the always nagging thought of when will the sear spring slip off and render the weapon useless? Guess it’s back to my Glock 19.
Steve
I purchased my Solo in March 2012. I am left handed and liked the ambidextrous safety. I’ve fired 500 rnds (200 white box and the rest Golden Sabres) with not a single FTF, FTE or jam. The only flaws were operator error, it took me a moment to adjust to the trigger reset and if the slide lock is not properly reinstalled so that it catches the spring on the frame, a malfunction will occur. I installed a Hogue JR grip sleeve and greatly improved the recoil control. Since the initial break in period, I’ve carried it daily inside the waistband. pocket and on the belt. After reading the most recent posts, I checked my sear spring position. I found it to be positioned well to the left side of the frame and I am confident in the Solo’s operation. I like the solid feel and appealing looks of my Solo.