north country gal

First, a little about my expectations for the K6s.


I specifically wanted this gun for shooting 357s, not for shooting 38s, hence the need for a steel frame. This Kimber K6s will see mostly duty as a woods carry gun for 4 legged predators. For this work, it will replace my Ruger SP101 4.2" 357 mag, which I fitted with Hogue finger grips for better control with 357 hunting and bear loads. Figured the Kimber would be less pleasant to shoot, but by going with the Kimber, I drop six plus ounces in weight and lose about three inches in length compared to the Ruger. The Kimber is definitely the easier gun to pack, doable in an IWB holster, whereas the Ruger was not.

Nor was I expecting to be as accurate with the Kimber, given that it's a smaller gun, with a shorter barrel and no option for shooting in single action. Hopefully, though, it would be good enough at that ten to sixteen yard self-defense distance.

So how did the Kimber do?

I loaded the Kimber up with standard 158 grain JSPs, right away. If the gun was going to be a stinger and a knuckle buster, I need to know, right away. Well, it was anything but that. I've shot Airweight 38 +P Smiths that were more unpleasant. I read that Kimber intentionally engineered the grip to handle 357s. They got it right. Very easy to do follow up shots with 357s. Recoil with standard 357s was not a factor. Just that simple.

Accuracy was another bonus. So was the way the sights were regulated for standard 357s. At ten and sixteen yards, standard 158 grain 357s were dead on, no holdover or hold under needed. 38s, including some +P Hornady loads all shot about an inch and a half to two inches low at 10 yards.

Here's my first target after seeing where the gun would print.


Moved out to16 with the same 357 PMC ammo.


The real question, at this point, was how the K6s would do with the heavy stuff. Here, again, I was astounded at how easily the gun managed the HSM 180 grain bear loads. For sure, I could feel a bit of sting in the backstrap, but baby stuff compared to what I'm used to in other guns. I was even able to shoot the bear loads, effectively with one hand. Best of all, the Kimber loved the bear loads, actually shooting them on par with the Ruger for accuracy. This I did not expect. Also, compared to standard 357 158s, the bear loads printed a couple inches higher. That I did expect. Before I know it, I had breezed though 30 some rounds of the bear loads and would have kept on going, but ran out of ammo.


Extraction will all loads was effortless, which also did not surprise me.

Finished the session with a little work with the Sig P938. By this time my hands were pretty cold and given the lighter SA trigger on the 938, I was touching off some shots before I was quite ready. May be something to be said for carrying a revolver for cold weather work, rather than a single action only auto with a nice trigger. Hmmm!

Got the Kimber home and cleaned it. No signs of leading and pretty amazing how easily the gun cleaned up with all those polished surfaces.

I feel a LOT better, now, about spending the money on this one. Crazy as it sounds, it's actually a fun gun to shoot with 357s. Can't say that about most small frame 357 snubbies. Very sweet shooter.

RetiredSeabee

I was wondering when one of these would find it's way to you. I like the way it looks and your evaluation of performance carries a lot of weight. I may have to start saving up for one.
Thanks again for sharing your beauties with us.

Terry_P

Two excellent reports NCG. Seems like that one is a keeper. I presumed it locked up tight without end shake. It certainly is a nice looking snubby.

bearcatter

You like the Kimber so much you posted the first review twice....

Nice detailed review, as usual; confirming that the shooting matches the looks. I know that if I had $800 "play money" that day, I just might have bought the one I saw.

Only that I'm set up for LCRs, having two calibers, several holsters, and some spare parts. No Kimber ,22 snub for practice, either.

We'll have to see how tempting the Colt Cobra will be.

north country gal

Thanks, guys.

Terry, very little discernible end play - you have to really work to find any at all - and locks up solid or I wouldn't have brought it home, of course. I suspect Kimber went into this knowing full well they would have their hands full convincing shooters to try a Kimber revolver, not to mention surviving all the Kimber hating trolls out there.

BC, yeah, if I already had a nice 357 snubbie, I might have passed on the Kimber, too. Also debated about going with another SP-101 in a 2", but then I almost certainly would have had to do do a complete take down and polish job and still not have the quality of the Kimber. Been down that road with the Ruger SP too many times and, frankly, I'm getting tired of it.

The new Colt is one I'll look at for sure, but given my hit and miss track record with new Colts that also mirrors the experience of several local shooters with current production Colts, I'll definitely take a more wait and see attitude. Despite all the Kimber bashing you sometimes see on the net, my track record with the four Kimber I've had has been 100%.

bearcatter

Both of my LCRs have .007 endshake, but Ruger says most are .006-.007 and as much as .010 is okay (?). The LCR is a long way from "nice". Makes the Kimber look like a real Rolls-Royce. At least they shoot well, and I only paid $ 450 for each (the 357 was on sale, plus had a rebate).

deputy125

nice report.......and i do appreciate the position/location of the kimber rear dove tail sight compared to the Ruger SP101 WC.....Ruger cut the dove tail into the top strap while kimber made the cut well behind the strap/cylinder window.....