
With some fanfare, American gun manufacturer Kimber has unveiled on its website the 2K11, its first 1911-style double-stack pistol with a polymer frame, chambered in .45 calibre and 9 Luger. The Troy-based Alabama company offers its 2011-style pistol in three versions, Standard OR, Target OR and Target OI.
But let's take a step back: the idea of building a frame for Colt 1911-platform pistols capable of holding two-column magazines is now rather dated and dates back to the 1980s, with Para-Ordnance pioneering several other companies, such as Caspian, who started down this road with its 14-45 pistol. Steel double-stack frames had major weight limitations and in the late 1990s two American engineers, Sandy Strayer and Virgil Tripp, patented a composite double-stack frame with a steel section supporting the slide rails and trigger assembly, and a polymer section forming the grip. What we know as the 2011 frame was born. The partnership between Strayer and Tripp was short-lived, and the two went their separate ways, but the fruit of their ingenuity is now widespread and adopted by several American manufacturers. These new Kimber pistols also adopt a "composite" frame and come to the demanding sporting market with enviable experience in the production of premium quality 1911-style pistols. The Standard model is chambered in 9 Luger or .45 ACP, while the two Target OR (Optics Ready) and Target OI (Optics Installed) versions are chambered in 9 Luger only. Let's look at their main features together.
Kimber pistols in the new 2K11 series

The new model presented by Kimber is called the 2K11 and recalls from its name the direct connection with the 2011 frame. The one used by Kimber, however, does not have a polymer grip section, but an aluminum one. Common to all models is the 5-inch barrel length. The pistol is avowedly built around the refined "GT Match Grade" trigger, which the manufacturer claims is completely creep-free. The flat trigger is machined from solid aluminum billets and has a grub screw on the front face that allows its pre-travel to be adjusted. Release weight is 3.5 pounds, or 1,580 grams. Reset should be clean and very short. The aluminum grip can take two-column magazines with a capacity of 13+1 rounds in .45 ACP or 17+1 rounds in 9 Luger models. The barrel finish is DLC (Diamond Like Coating) and the magazine well is flared to facilitate quick magazine changes. The satin blued slide is made of stainless steel with DLC finish and is ready for the direct mounting of red dot optics with an interface manufactured by the American specialist C&H Precision Optic, with RMR, RMSc, DPP, ACRO and 509T footprint. A Picatinny rail allows any lights or laser pointers to be attached to the dust cover.

The slide cut to accommodate the red dot is covered by a steel plate, which on the Standard model incorporates a fixed low-profile rear sight, while the TAG FiberLok 2 front sight is dovetailed (i.e., side adjustable) and fitted with a fiber optic insert. The Target version of the Kimber 2K11, on the other hand, is equipped with a micrometrically adjustable rear sight, while the third version, called Target OR (Optics Installed) mounts a Trijicon SRO red dot as standard. The front sight in target models is still a Tac FiberLok 2, but with a red insert. The cocking serrations on the slide of the 2k11 have an unusual shape, and are also in the front, as is now common for Optics Ready pistols. On the Target OR and OI models, the slide front has a series of top lightening cuts and the surface finish is bronze-colored. Inside the slide, the patented tool-less guide rod allows the recoil spring assembly to be disassembled without the need for spanners or other tools. The recovery spring is 14 lb. Another special feature exclusive to Target models is the large aluminum magwell designed by Stan Chen Customs. All in all, Kimber remains true to its philosophy of great attention to detail and high-end components. This is another reason why the price of the Kimber 2K11 is not a joke: it starts at $2,125 for the Standard version and goes up to $3,095 for the Target with factory-fitted Trijicon sight.
Video: new Kimber 2K11 pistol
Kimber 2K11 technical specifications and price
Model: | Standard OR | Target OR | Target OI |
Caliber: | .45 ACP/9 Luger | 9 Luger | 9 Luger |
Action: | Single | Single | Single |
Barrel Length: | 127mm/5" | 127mm/5" | 127mm/5" |
Capacity: | 13+1/17 | 17+1 | 17+1 |
Trigger Pull Weight: | 1580 grams | 1580 grams | 1580 grams |
Rear Sight: | Fixed | Adjustable | Adjustable |
Front Sight: | Adjustable | Adjustable | Adjustable |
Optics Ready: | Yes | Yes | Trijicon SRO sight as standard |
Weight: | 1,159 grams (9 Luger) | 1,216 grams | 1,260 grams |
Price (MSRP in the US): | $2,125 | $2,595 | $3,095 |