There are some guns that just feel absolutely perfect from the second you pick it up. The weight, the balance, the grip, everything about it just feels like it was made for you. This is how I felt when I first held the Kimber Warrior.

I had been looking for a reputable 1911 for some time, and Kimber was always on the top of my list. You can only imagine my surprise when while planning our wedding, my at the time Fiancé tells me to pick out what I want and that will be my wedding present from her. She was already the greatest woman in the world, but that definitely made her that much more special. As soon as she said this to me, my brain immediately went to the Kimber Warrior. I was drawn to this gun from the first time I saw it. From everything about the finish to the features and smallest details, everything about this gun screamed “buy me”.

In my search for the perfect 1911, I had read and even experienced some of the issues that are common with 1911s. The biggest of these issues is failure to feed and failure to extract ammo. These issues varied depending on gun make, type of ammo, and factory magazines or after market. The easiest fixes were to find an ammo that worked and to buy aftermarket magazines with stronger springs. Kimber, however, decided that that quality just wasn’t good enough for a gun being used in combat. The Kimber Warrior was initially devolved for the elite Marine Detachment assigned to the U.S. Special Operations Command. The Kimber Warrior comes off the shelf ready for action.

To alleviate these issues, Kimber polished the breech face for flawless feeding and extraction. They also lowered the ejection port to allow unobstructed ejection and reliability. The finish is beautiful, and appears that it will last a long time. Kimber also claims that the KimPro II finish is self-lubricating, although I am still meticulous about cleaning and lubing it just as I am will all my firearms. It came with factory night sights that are bright for easy sight acquisition in low light situations. It uses the 3 dot system, 2 on the rear dove tail sight and a single dot on the font post. The dots are big enough to see quickly but still small enough to maintain precision. The match grade barrel, chamber, trigger, and barrel bushing help make it one of the most accurate pistols I have had the pleasure of shooting. The ambidextrous thumb safety is a great feature to give you that little extra piece of mind when walking around with a loaded firearm. The mag release is easily accessible, and is able to be switched for either left or right handed shooters. The beavertail safety has a grooved finish for added feel and helps maintain grip alignment. Mine has Kimber G10 tactical grips, which in my opinion might be my only complaint of the Warrior. While they are grooved for that extra grip, my hands overlap the bottom of the grip and the rough texture starts to rub a blister after several magazines. I see a different set of grips in the future, possibly something from Hogue.

Unlike older traditional 1911 magazines that are fit flush with the mag well, the Kimber Warrior has a bumper extension on the bottom plate to ensure positive fast reloads and to reduce the chance of pinching yourself with it. While I have had no failures with my factory magazine, I have also purchased several Wilson Combat XP magazines, as well as Chip McCormick power magazines. Both of these came in 8 round magazines which is one of the primary reasons I went with them. I have no issues with either of these as well. While my round count through this beautiful piece is only around 500 rds, I have not had a single failure with it. It has functioned flawlessly in every way.

Shooting this gun is as smooth as the lines of the gun. The trigger is set from factory at 4-5 lbs. While it does have a slight creep to it, it still feels crisp and has a very short reset. This trigger is one of the better factory triggers I have seen, but I still would prefer something in the 2-3 lb range. Due to the gun being full size, it is on the heavy side (as you would expect from an all metal frame firearm), I believe this helps reduce some of the recoil which allows you to stay on target for quicker follow ups. This weight is also perfectly balanced in your hand. As I said previously, this is one of the most accurate guns I have shot. You can easily maintain a 2 inch group at 15yrds with factory ammo.

Overall this has been my favorite firearm to own. I am overly impressed with the quality and time that Kimber has put into this gun. It is clear that they have listened to customer feedback. From the finish to the basic mechanics, it is a top notch piece, and can easily perform just as well as 1911s that cost twice as much. There isn’t much I would change about this gun, might do some work on the trigger and change a few of the springs out, keep an eye out for a follow up when all is done. If you are in the market for a 1911, I highly recommend the Kimber Warrior.  This is definitely a purchase you won’t regret.

Kimber Warrior Side

Kimber Warrior Side

Kimber Warrior Beaver Grip

Kimber Warrior Magazine

Kimber Warrior

Kimber Warrior Grouping

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Beau Durham

I grew up learning to shoot at an early age, and my love for the sport has grown exponentially with me. Currently I am a Paramedic for large and very busy City. My down time affords me the opportunity to pursue my passion of guns.

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