[James]

My opinion is that Kimber slid these Stainless frames in under the radar and should have done a better job of letting the consumers know that the frames weren't blue. Their chart does have stainless separate from steel and the chart indicates "steel" which would imply carbon steel. Small print about specifications doesn't releive them of their ignorance about hiding a stainless frame with a matte finish especially when matte and black finishes have historically been on carbon steel.

A prime example or where these frames cause undue grief is installing a beavertail safety. If you have a steel frame as opposed to a stainless steel frame, then you can just use cold blue to touch up the tangs. There is little you can do to cover up exposed stainless and refinishing is far too expensive to justify. On top of that, Kimber has cut the tangs in a way that no other high grip safety will just drop in. Kimber doesn't offer another style and many of us don't care for that huge hump.

I don't think Kimber should be applauded here. I would applaud them if they would label each gun as to whether it had a carbon or stainless frame especially if they can't maintain some consistency as to what they are going to use. This issue has generated a lot of problems for customers and smiths alike. A lot of smiths and competitors use Kimber as a base gun and Kimber should know that many of their guns are bought with the intention of being customized. If everybody who unknowingly got a stainless frame were to send it back, maybe they would get their heads out of their behinds. I don't think you are being unreasonable or "abusing" Kimber Denbo. Good luck with getting it resolved.

 

[James]

All that is fine and well Kevin but when most people buy a blued gun, they want a blued steel gun and assume that is what they are getting. It is common knowledge among the 1911 gunmakers (Colt, Springfield, KIMBER) that MANY people who buy blued steel 1911s want them for a variety of reasons including:

1. Customization and the ability to touch up modified areas in lieu of refinishing

2. Carbon steel is softer material and better for slide fitting as it allows tighter tolerance without galling.

3. Refinishing - from matte to polished blue. Most people who dump a lot of money into a custom gun don't want a matte frame and many don't care to go two tone.

Kimber took a shortcut by mixing metals and not properly labeling the product on the website, by not properly updating their literature, and by not informing their dealers (I still run across many dealers who don't know that the frames are stainless). A person buying a pistol shouldn't have to go through a bunch of crap to know what material was used or only find out after he has purchased it.

Now how much effort (and cost - shipping?) has Denbo had to expend to rectify a situation that Kimber could have avoided by properly informing everyone about their products and the shortcuts they were taking so that they could say they sell more 1911s than anybody else. It could have been as simple as putting a sticker on the box. That way, those who didn't care could get either, and those that did would know what they were buying.

This has been going on for some time now and they still haven't dealt with the situation. I don't think they deserve any pats on the back for misinforming people so as not to lose sales.

 

[James]

I like them too. Own several. Own one with a surprise stainless frame (I had actually heard about this before buying so it wasn't really a surprise to ME - it is intended to become a two tone). Might even buy another.

I think you underestimate the size of the custom/after market and the inconvenience this causes.

My main point is that they did a lousy job of informing customers and their dealers. All I am saying is that you should know what you are buying. I bet we wouldn't be having this argument if they were slipping everybody aluminum frames as most would find that unacceptable.

None of the other makers of quality guns have slipped us materials that we didn't expect without telling us. I am NOT saying Colt and SA would rather lose sales. I am just saying that there has never been a question with them as to what material your frame was made with.

I think agreeing to disagree will be a good compromise at this point.