Since the Kimber Rapide Black Ice was introduced on November 13, 2019, the quick succession of follow-on models demonstrated the brand’s relentless creativity and public interest. Launched as a .45 ACP, the Rapide is now also offered in 9mm or 10mm, with or without an accessory rail or threaded barrel. Aesthetically, Rapide models share distinctive appearance details that distinguish them from other Model 1911 pistols: Stainless-steel construction; slide lightening cuts; stepped cocking serrations; Stiplex-textured frontstrap; and G10 grip panels and a flat mainspring housing with texturing that incorporates the style of the Rapide’s slide cuts and serrations.

Underneath the aesthetics and treatments, the Rapide line shares the same qualities as other Kimber 1911s in the most important ways. Despite the color combinations, stocks and submodel naming convention, the Rapide series all have ambidextrous thumb safety levers, flat-profile mainspring housing, a modest magazine-funnel extension, pronounced magazine release button, and V-cut aluminum triggers set to between 4 and 5 pounds. Internally, the slide reciprocates on hand-fit rails and is powered by a 12-pound recoil spring supported by a standard-length guiderod.

Rapide models are often finished in one of the KimPro II finishes. The 5-inch stainless-steel barrels can be ordered with either a black diamond-like coating (DLC), stainless or gold-colored titanium-nitride (TiN) appearance. The slide cuts at the sides and on top of the slide give Rapides a distinct appearance, allowing barrels of a contrasting color to be visible.

At the back of the barrel, the slide features a lowered and scalloped ejection port to ensure cases clear the action without interruption. The scalloped flare also helps to prevent cases from being damaged on exit.

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Each slide is complete with either a standard sight configuration involving either Tru-Glo TFX Day/Night sights with the signature orange front ring, or a suppressor-height, three-white-dot sights for use with a mounted optic. Of course, an optic is not included so these pistols feature an optic-cut slide and coverplate. The cut is well executed with the optic and steel adapter plate dropping a sight nearly a quarter inch deep to maximize use of the front and rear sights in the lower third of an optic’s window. Given that the slide and frame were designed from the Series 70-type firing pin-sear-disconnector arrangement, the engineer didn’t have to design the optic cut higher to accommodate a firing-pin safety plunger. (Consequently, not having the plunger also means that the trigger experience is better.)

Factory Tour & Build

To understand how Kimber builds its 1911s, I visited the company’s expansive operations in Troy, Alabama. Pedi Gega, director of assembly and product finishing for 18 years, was my guide. He is one of the many employees who moved from Kimber’s former facility in Yonkers, New York, and has worked to serve Kimber enthusiasts his entire career. Half-jokingly, I broke the ice by relating my previous experience as a 1911 pistolsmith, which resulted in this opportunity to experience Kimber’s manufacturing processes, while fitting and assembling a Rapide 1911 of my own configuration — just as Kimber does it.

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Starting with a multi-axis CNC machine that bored and cut bricks of stainless steel into slides and frames, I selected components to build a two-tone Rapide with an optic-ready slide and a Rose Copper-colored barrel. I chose a 9mm barrel for its popularity; Kimber reports that 9mm 1911s outsells the .45 by a ratio of seven to three.

As we worked through the making of each part — some 54 parts by my count — I noted that Kimber possesses remarkable production capabilities, and a hand-fit quality that I rarely see with other brands. It’s also a company that has moved past concerns about quality issues. Every pistol is now backed by a new Limited Lifetime Warranty; Kimber has a 72-hour turnaround should someone ever have a concern.

Kimber firearms are ready to go, right out of the box. There should be no hesitation to buying a Kimber if you want one. While there are many versions of John Moses Browning’s Model 1911 available, this one is built with 100-percent American pride.

It was a privilege to build a Rapide 1911 alongside — and sometimes guided by — Kimber employees. I’ve been servicing and building these guns for 25 years, and I could see that no detail was overlooked. Also impressive, most of its employees use and carry Kimber firearms beyond the job. That alone shows the pride Kimber’s workforce has in the company and its products.

Once each part was collected from around the factory, we stopped at the prepping, polishing, and finishing stations to apply my choice of KimPro II finish to the stainless-steel components. I went with a KimPro Black for the slide and controls, and KimPro Stainless for the frame. The stainless surfaces of Kimber 1911s are polished and brushed, which help produce that high-quality sheen that is unique to Kimber firearms. I believe prep-work is one of Kimber’s secret ingredients. With the parts hung on hangars, they go through a series of cleansing treatments and are finished in an electrolysis-based dip for a few minutes before slowly being conveyed and cured through an oven at some 300 degrees for 15 minutes. There were no short-cuts.

Witnessing the tight-tolerance machining throughout the Kimber factory had me believing that final assembly would simply be a matter of installing parts before a test fire, but I was wrong. There were several quality inspection processes along the way. Of course, I had no issues assembling the Rapide 1911, but Kimber’s slide and barrel fitting was more intensive than I expected. Effort was made not to remove too much material so that tolerances were kept as close as possible. These guns are not built to a time clock, instead work on fitment continues until each part fits to a match quality — and I don’t use the term “match” carelessly. Pedi and I hand-filed the barrel’s locking lugs and links; the sear spring; tuned the hammer-to-sear-to-disconnector-to-safety-to-trigger engagement; hand-polished the supported feed ramp; and test-fit the two magazines for reliability. How do they achieve such tight slide-to-frame fit? Using various supportive wedges inside the slide, the rails are slightly pinched, tested, and refit rather than by the handfiling method using oversized parts. Kimber’s CNC machines are exacting, so there is very little slide-to-frame manipulation necessary.

Less work was required, but Pedi finally supervised my blending of the contours for the thumb- and grip-safety levers to the frame using a high-speed drill and polishing wheel. While I was surrounded by employees who could expertly perform these steps in minutes, my effort was slower and tedious, probably consuming as much as an hour. Since I designed this Rapide 1911 with an optic-ready slide, I finished the build by mounting a Holosun HE507C-GR X2 with green-dot reticle between the proprietary Kimber suppressor-height sights. Unique to the mounting interface of Kimber’s optic-ready 1911s is a steel adapter plate with a boss system that adds to its durability. (Adapter plates are also available for Trijicon and Vortex optics.) When it was time to enter Kimber’s test range for proof firing, function and accuracy testing, most of the employees had left for the day.

Range Time

Wearing the mandated protective equipment, which included a face shield and soft body armor, my Kimber Rapide 1911 was proofed with a high-pressure round for safety, function tested for safety, then fired for reliability with several magazines. Then it was test-fired for accuracy. I insisted on performing Guns & Ammo’s 25-yard protocol, which the rangemaster allowed, but I embarrassed myself attempting it while wearing the shield and armor. In a Ransom Rest, Kimber 1911 Rapide pistols possess the potential to shoot 1½-inch groups or better at 25 yards. On this day, I could only manage 2 inches at best once the green-dot sight was zeroed. Adding insult to my pride, the rangemaster checked the accuracy and bested my effort. At least the gun proved its mettle, and the Kimber team proved their acumen for accuracy.

Boot Campaign

As it turns out, Kimber won’t sell a pistol to the public that’s not built by one of its trained staff, particularly one that is not configured as an existing model. However, impressed by the result, Chris Klope, Kimber’s chief operating officer, asked for my opinion concerning what we should do with it. Though tempted to keep it for myself, my thoughts turned back to the conversation with Pedi and the stories of veterans helped by Kimber through the Boot Campaign, and I wanted to be a part of that. As a Marine veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I remember that Kimber used to support returning veterans and units with special editions that commemorated a deployment. Today, Kimber offers its Hero Custom model featuring Kryptek Highlander grips and a two-tone black/tan KimPro II finish. Proceeds from the sales of the Hero Custom ($1,124, kimberamerica.com) support the Boot Campaign.

The one-of-a-kind Kimber Rapide 1911— serial number KF164315 — the same pistol I configured and built during the tour will be sold at auction through Gunbroker.com with No Reserve to the highest bidder. Laser engraved to the left-side dustcover is the “Guns & Ammo” logo and American flag. On the right side of the frame, above the trigger, is the Boot Campaign logo. Included with the sale of the pistol is the Holosun 507K green-dot sight and two magazines. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be provided to the Boot Campaign to further its mission to support veterans. Learn more at bootcampaign.org.

“We’ve had a long and close relationship with the Boot Campaign,” said Everett Deger, Kimber’s marketing director. “We are nothing but impressed regarding the financially transparent support for returning and disabled veterans, and their families. Boot Campaign is something we consider highly valuable and a terrific fit for the brand” Klope added.

Soon after I met and had dinner with retired U.S. Marine Sgt. Johnny Joey Jones, whose wife, Meg, also works for Boot Campaign as a program director. Staff Sergeant Jones served as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician in Iraq and Afghanistan and separated from the Marines in 2011. He has since found success as a military analyst cross all Fox News media platforms, and often serves as a fill-in host for several shows. “The goal then and now was not only about helping families, but encouraging patriotism,” SSgt. Jones told Boot Campaign CEO Shelly Kirkland. “When I first got involved, Boot Campaign gave me a platform to say thank you to patriotic Americans who had helped me recover from my injuries.”

To every fellow veteran, you are not forgotten. Thank you for your service.

Kimber Rapide 1911 (Custom)

• Type: Recoil operated, semiautomatic
• Cartridge: 9mm
• Barrel: 5 in., 1:16-in. twist, stainless steel
• Overall Length: 8.7 in.
• Height: 5.25 in. 
• Width: 1.28 in.
• Weight: 2 lbs., 8 oz. 
• Finish: KimPro II (stainless steel)
• Grip: Kimber Stiplex texture, G10 stocks
• Sights: TruGlo TFX Pro
• Safety: Manual thumb lever, grip lever
• Manufacturer: Kimber Mfg. Inc., 888-243-4522, kimberamerica.com