doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Kimber Valier Problems(Long Story)

Shotgunjones, I f you want another quote, I saw one on a building materials co. calendar from about 1900. " Nothing's any good if there is something better."

For sheer materialism one can't beat that atitude!!! David

I don't know where Kimber rifles and pistols are made but both shotguns are imported. I know the sxs is a turkish imported Huglu/Hatfield and the O/U is Italian I believe. Local dealers have told me the same thing about problems but I didn't learn this until I had problems.

From their website...."Every Kimber 1911 pistol is proudly made in a state-of-the-art American factory".

Doesn't say if the American factory is actually in America, could be one of those American factories like the one Smith & Wesson built in Turkey.

About the rifles...."Only riflemen can make proper rifles, and most of the good ones are here in America. Kimber is the best of the bunch."

Your call.

They make no claims as to the origins of their shotguns.

I just wanted to leave an update on this issue. I have received the valier back. It is the same gun I purchased. It has had the ejectors timed and based on all tests at this time it is ok and functional. No mention is made on the work order of the issue with the barrel regulation but based on my patterning with American shells it seems to be shooting where it needs to. The Kimber rep and I had discussed the barrel regulation problem possibly being the foreign shells used to test the gun and that was indeed apparently the case. Assuming the gun continues to work I am happy with the gun now. It is a beautiful weapon and points and balances very well. I did not intend this thread to bash either the gun or Kimber but hopefully someone with the companies producing the doubles made today are taking note that customer service and quality control are important to buyers of these guns. I guess we double people can be ornery and demanding cusses when something doesn't work right but when that does happen and it will then a company needs to fix it pronto or replace it. Thats the way I conduct my business and I expect no less of them. I know there are alot of questions regarding these guns on the board and I will continue to post and comment on them. Hopefully all of it will be good from here on out. I appreciate everyones input and the chance to vent.

Great to hear it worked out for you Bulldawg, It's good to know they have someone wrking at the factory that kew how to take care of the ejector problem. They certanly could have been more professional about it but the end result is what matters. Use it well and bring home some birds for your wife, nice gift she gave you.

Does she have a sister?

Regards,
Rob

I would get my money back.....no....(and I don't want to be a prick but) I wouldn't have bought a Turkish gun to begin with. No matter what the cost. But now you are stuck. Don't be surprised if you get the gun back and it is still messed up. Or, maybe you will get the same results another guy on here got when Ruger couldn't fix his Gold Label after several tries- they sent him a Red Label. But if it were me, I would definitely demand my money back.

Good to hear that the gun came back in good shape and shooting well.

A couple of things have been said here that may need clarification.

Kimber has been owned by the same person for 13 years.

The handguns are made in Yonkers. Ditto the rifles. Kimber is the largest maker of 1911 pistols in the world.

I think they have a policy of either not working on, or at least not warrantying, guns made in the 1980s by a previous company with the same name.

I've shot the Valier. Very nice. We had one in Namibia last September.

The issue of Turkish guns is an interesting one, and the comments one hears mirror the comments made about Spanish guns 20 or 30 years ago.

Tom,

Last summer I brought a gun to the Yonkers facility. It was a Kimber Swedish Mauser conversion that they were selling in 1996 and I purchased it directly from Kimber in June, 1996. The gun wouldn't fire, it was leaving shallow hits on the primers.

I waited in their reception area for 20 minutes, a women came down and saw the gun and said they wouldn't touch it, it was made by the former Kimber company and was not their resposibility. I told them I wasn't looking for something for free (warranty work), would the gunsmith just check the headspace so I could determine if it was setback or a firing pin problem? I was told "No' and asked to leave.

The gun was made less than 11 years ago so I think you may have some wrong information. If "Kimber has been owned by the same person for 13 years." then they did refuse to work on one of their own guns.

Either way, their attitude let me know they didn't care about one of their customers and I'll never be one again.

Perhaps there's a good story in there, maybe a radio segment.

Regards,
Rob Di Stasio

Rob:

I'll see what I can find out about that. Thanks for the info.

Tom (still looking for left-handed doubles)

Well, I guess I missed your post saying you had gotten your gun back. Glad to hear it worked out. I'll bet your wife is happy, too. Good luck with your new gun.