Kimber K6S 357 Magnum

INTRODUCTION

I am neither a Kimber hater or a fan-boy, but I have been around long enough to know that they have certainly made some great products over the years. Their 1911 pistols are very well known, as are some of their other pistols like the one we are looking at today; the Kimber K6S 357 Magnum Target pistol.

The K6S is the latest in the line, utilizing the DASA system that uses both a double and single action trigger mechanisms. The result is a fantastic trigger performance and an enhanced experience shooting. The K6S brings several options for those looking for a slick shooting defensive pistol, besides the trigger you have a couple different grip options, as well as barrel lengths. And any caliber you choose as long as it’s .357 Magnum. Let’s get this Kimber out of the box and onto the range.

Unboxing the Kimber K6S

The pistol came in a double-sided soft case in the factory box, simple and useful at the same time. I opened it up to see a beautiful satin stainless finish, and a handsome laminate wood grip. The unique facets of the cylinder immediately caught my eye and got me wondering what else this revolver had in store.

I picked the pistol up to feel the checkered grip in my hand, it looked like it might be a little small to fit my hand but it turned out to be just right. The trigger was a touch close to the grip, which made it feel like my hands were still a touch big for the gun, but certainly close enough to work with.

The cylinder is released with a push-button on the frame, I like this style over the sliding forward button style. It seemed a touch sticky, enough that the cylinder wouldn’t fall open without some pressure pushing it out.

The hammer spur has a nice curl to it that keeps it pretty low profile when it is cocked, and also makes it feel very natural to reach and pull with your thumb. The texturing on the spur is aggressive enough to feel and get good purchase , but not so much as to be abrasive.

On top of the pistol I found the hinged rear-sight, it is fully adjustable and the spring tension keeps it up where it belongs. The rear sight is serrated to avoid reflecting light, the front sight is pinned to the muzzle and features a bright green fiber-optic. Together they make a great tool for aiming the little pistol.

It was time to feel the DASA trigger that I’d read about, so I pulled the hammer back for that satisfying double click. The single action pull of this trigger feels great, very little movement when it breaks. The double action felt much like I am used to feeling, a longer pull followed by a clean snap.

Range Time with the K6S

I rarely use the double action with pistols, I prefer the cleaner single action pull for most shots. The double action would be useful in a situation where you need to shoot a bunch and quickly. Personally I prefer the more accurate and stable shooting of a single shot at a time.

With a few boxes of American Eagle ammunition in hand, I headed to my shooting spot to give the little Kimber a workout. The easy loading of cartridges seems to be like soothing therapy to a gun nut like me. The long and slender 357 cartridges made a tapping sound as the rim hit the cylinder. With a snap the loaded cylinder went into place, and it was time to start making noise.

American Eagle ammunition from **Gun Mag Warehouse**

The 357 is not a huge cartridge, but it does pack a punch for its size. The K6S does a fine job of handling the modest recoil, and making it pleasant to shoot. I shot through several cylinders of cartridges before realizing the smug little smile I was sporting.

The K6S seemed to be just the right size for my taste, smaller 357’s are harder to control with such small grips. And their lighter weight doesn’t hold back as much recoil either. The Kimber felt just right, big enough to be fun and easy to shoot. And it also felt small enough to still be usefully carried for various tasks.

the grip was a litle small for my hands but still gave good purchase

I found the sights to be very easy to pick up, and they made it simple to hit my targets. I shot much better shooting single-action vs. the double-action function. This obviously came as a surprise to no one. As it was, shooting from ten-yards I was able to keep the shots under two inches. Since I’m not pistol match-shooter, I’m not sure if thats good or not. But I felt like it was certainly good enough for my purposes.

Shooting this little Kimber made me feel like I was hooting better. That might seem like a really important endorsement if you hadn’t seen me shoot before. But it certainly made me enjoy shooting it even more.

Just for good measure, I wanted to let a few 38 Special’s run through the pistol as well. My grandfather shot more 38’s and 357’s than anyone else I know. I still am working through coffee cans full of bullets he casted perhaps when I was a child. It feels good to let some of grandpa’s handmade bullets loose every now and then. The K6 was happy to send them on their way too.

The cylinder also has a shoulder around the breach of the chambers, this seems like an additional safety addition. But on top of that it also makes a clean look to the cylinder by covering the rims of the cartridges as well.

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Pros and Cons

If you like revolvers there is a lot to like about the Kimber K6S. The handsome grips are both comfortable and useful for a good grip. The sights are very nice and allow for positive aiming and good accurate shooting. The trigger is fantastic either way you pull it, and the hammer is equally user friendly and easy to manipulate. The handsome brushed stainless finish gives the pistol a refined look and keeps it from shining in the sun or other bright lights.