Kimber 2K11 OR Double-Stack 9mm 1911 | Gun Review

Kimber is not a new name in the gun biz for me. I’ve been familiar with their products since they first made a name for themselves a few decades ago with their top-rung .22 rifles. Made in Oregon, those rifles could shoot the wings off a gnat with little effort.

Then, they got into making 1911s. Again, those were top-drawer and were not cheap. I’d shot a few of them and had come away impressed with their overall build quality and attention to detail. I had gotten pretty familiar with their small-frame 1911s as well, and I remember being impressed with how nicely they ran… It’s hard to make the geometry of a full-size 1911 function in a smaller package. So, on the whole, I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Kimber. Are they perfect? Of course not. They have their hiccups like any manufacturer.

That feeling extends to the current review sample before me, a 2K11 O.R. – optics-ready pistol. This pistol is downright handsome, if any inanimate object could be labeled that.

Kimber 2K11 OR 9mm Pistol

Live Inventory Price Checker

	Kimber 2K11 OR .45 ACP 5" 13rds, Black	Palmetto State Armory	$ 2399.99 $ 1999.99
	Kimber 2K11 (OR) .45 ACP, 5" Barrel, High Polish Coyote PVD, Aluminum Grip	Bereli	$ 1849.99
	Kimber 2K11 OR .45 ACP 5" 13rds, Black	Palmetto State Armory	$ 2399.99 $ 1999.99
	Kimber 2K11 (OR) 9mm 5" Barrel, High Polish Coyote PVD, Aluminum Grip	Bereli	$ 1799.99

The GT Match trigger. It was very nice… no take-up or creep, and no overtravel after it broke. It struggled to get to three pounds before it broke… two-and-a-half was common. I guess that’s what a match trigger does, though. This one worked as advertised.

I found an interesting image on the Kimber 2K11 webpage. Sometimes, I’ll do a list of features in addition to the specifications – this image does that in a more visual fashion.

As you can probably surmise by reading through these specifications, there are a few parts that are “imported” by Kimber to make the 2K11 special. The optics adapter plate, the trigger, the front sight… these are custom touches that would add to the cost of a stock 2011. The stainless steel frame and barrel are great for corrosion resistance, and the aluminum grip module should last for years. As for the trigger, they claim 3-4 pounds, but I measured this trigger at not quite two-and-a-half pounds… it was amazing.

Who Is This Gun For?

Kimber is aiming this gun (no pun intended…well, maybe a little) at the competition crowd first and foremost, and then at those shooters who appreciate well-built pistols and have the resources to acquire them. It is not intended to be a daily carry, although it would certainly work in that role.

For competition, the gun would work very well. Even with the magazines that come with it – one seventeen-rounder and two twenties – you would have what is needed to start out. Add a holster and (if so desired), an RMR-footprint red dot, and you’re in bidness, as my beloved uncle George used to say. If you own another red dot, you can purchase adapter plates from Kimber… see below.

Another use that may not spring to mind immediately is as a home defense weapon. With its red dot capability and three-slot dust cover rail, you can have both an illuminated optic and a light on the gun. Add in the very decent magazine capacities you get with the gun, and you should be set. Or, if you’re like me and you live in the boonies, use it as a chicken coop protection device. I just dispatched yet another invasive possum the other day with my Bersa Thunder Plus .380 – it was what I had handy. This Kimber would be excellent in that role. And, no, possums are not easy to deactivate. But we don’t want any more dead chickens.

Enough about this. Suffice it to say the gun has purposes, not all of which you might need.

Range Time

I am blessed to have ammo provided by Black Hills Ammunition in South Dakota, so I grabbed an assortment and headed to my backyard range.

I set a few targets up at 25 yards and proceeded to ventilate the yonder hill with 9mm-diameter holes. Here are some sample targets…

This was their +P load, using a 100-grain “corkscrew”  – my term – bullet. Visit the link above if you’re not familiar with the Honey Badger bullet… It’s a great concept. They also sent some 125-grain subsonic loads. Those would work great with a suppressor. The reloader in me is amazed that they regulated this shown load with its light-for-caliber 100-grain bullet to strike in the center of the target. I’ve always had trouble regulating my loads with light bullets.

One big advantage in using a 100-grain monolithic (machined solid copper) bullet is the lack of recoil. This load, even though it is moving at close to 1600 fps, did not recoil as much as the “regular” 115-grain FMJ load. Of course, that’s subjective, but I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. I really like Black Hill’s Honey Badger load. I have some in all the calibers they make it in, and I will be reviewing them soon.

One Glitch

There is one thing that I will count as a negative when it comes to the Kimber 2K11s. That would be the red dot mounting plate drill. You get one plate with the gun, but if you need a different footprint, you have to buy it from the company. That’s just not right. You have just paid a couple of grand for a pistol, but you still have to shell out more money to use your RMSc, DPP, ACRO, or 509T red dots. I have never agreed with this philosophy and think that it needs to be changed.

The way to solve this situation is for all pistol manufacturers to use the same footprint on all guns.

Summing Up

Have you ever thought about getting into some sort of pistol competition? Ever wanted a high-capacity 1911 in 9mm? Do you like top-end guns? If the answer to any of these is “yes”, then you might want to take a look at a 2K11. There are a few different models to choose from, but I like the one they sent me… It’s optics-ready, with enough bells & whistles to get the job done. It’s not the most expensive pup of the litter, but it will do the job.

Taking into account the match-grade trigger, sights, and construction in general, this gun will do what you need it to do on the range or competition field. There are lesser-expensive 2011s out there, but the old saying still holds sway… You get what you pay for. You might easily spend more than this gun’s MSRP on a custom 2011, but I think this gun’s value is evident. Once they fixed the trigger, the thing ran great, with zero stoppages and really nice accuracy. The slide is a joy to retract – very easy – and the grip makes the gun fit perfectly in my hand. Three high-cap magazines seal the deal.

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About Mike Hardesty

With experience spanning over 45 years, Mike Hardesty has long enjoyed shooting and reloading. An inveterate reloader, he casts bullets and reloads for a diverse array of firearms, each handled with long-practiced precision. Living in rural Indiana, his homestead boasts a personal 100-yard range where he shares his love for guns to his four sons, their wives, and eleven grandchildren. As a recognized author, his writings have been featured in notable platforms like Sniper Country, Bear Creek Arsenal Blog, Pew Pew Tactical, TTAG, Dillon Precision’s Blue Press, and Gun Made, revealing his ongoing passion for firearms at the age of 72.