Recently I went into a local gun store and saw a real clean Kimber 22 conversion kit for 1911 frames. It was in the Kimber blue plastic box. Came with the slide, manual, and magazine. It was in great shape. Took it home and could not get it to slide on to any 1911 frame I had. I tried it on 4 full frame Kimbers, 1 Para Ordnance, and a Springfield Armory. I drove to a Kimber authorized dealer close to my house. The manager looked at it. He laid a mat out on the counter. He tried it on 3 Kimbers, a Sig, & Ruger 1911 frames. He told me to send it back to Kimber. I then drove back over to the gunstore just to talk to my buddy in there and show him. We stood there and tried on 4 frames. I then drove home. I sat there in my shop staring at it wondering what was wrong. I then read the manual for the 15th time. I then tried it on 2 Kimber frames off the commander size 1911s. No go. I called Kimber the next day. Someone answered in Troy, Alabama. Before I always talked with someone in New York. Well this young lady gives me an RMA # to return the pistol slide. I box the kit up and send it off. I don't even get it shipped off good and a couple days later I find a message on my phone from a young lady advising they tried it on 5 of their 1911s and it fits great and they are sending it back. I called back the next day and a young man answers and instead of helping me tells me the girl that left the message is off. I call the next day. Another girl answers stating the other girl is on another phone, but she will help. I tell her the issue. She looks up the notes and tells me it fit on 5 of their guns with no issue. I ask her," Ma'am how is it that it will not fit on any 1911s at my house (and I told her of the different brands of 1911s), it would not fit on any Kimber or other makers at the authorized Kimber dealer, & would not fit on any at the place I purchased it, but miraculously when this gun gets to Alabama it just slides right on 5 of your frames? She would not answer me. She then ask," Did you try it on more than one pistol?" I ask her," Have you not listened to a word I have said?" I then repeated myself. She then put me on hold. Came back and repeated herself about it working on their frames. She then says," If you purchased it used it has no warranty." Then she says," It being a conversion kit it is not considered a firearm but an accessory." On and on with her Kimber's excuses why they would not help someone. Folks I say this to say customer service is not what it use to be. I'm an older guy, I have firearms from Kimber from when they were in Oregon. They are not who they once were. Just another sad story of these changing times. I ask her if it were one of my pistols what would they do. She advised they only back their guns for 1 year from date of purchase!!!!! Kimber only backs their firearms for 1 year??? Folks shop around. Can you imagine being a firearm maker asking people to pay easily over a thousand dollars for your 1911s, and their rifles and only caring enough for your supporters to warranty it for 1 year? I'll never buy another Kimber after this week.
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