Three Foot Johnson Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Three years ago, I bought a Kimber Solo 9mm, brought it home, and discovered it wouldn't make it through a full magazine without a failure of some kind, even shooting the 3 specific ammo's recommended by Kimber. After suffering through 250 rounds or so, I tossed in the safe and bought a Kahr CM9 twelve days later. I can't make the Kahr fail, no matter the ammo. It feeds, fires, and ejects everything from 115 - 147 grainers, including the lacquer coated steel cased Russian stuff, and was almost half the price of the Kimber while being the exact same size, more or less. I came across the Solo recently, so I called Kimber, got an RMA, prepaid shipping label, and sent it in a few days ago. Today I got a call that it has a frame that is "out of spec" and a new frame will be fitted. Then she said as it will have a new serial number, it will have to be returned to me through an FFL holder. I've had two other handguns in *relatively* recent years that needed to be replaced, a Ruger Super Redhawk in 2001 and a S&W X-frame .500 in 2004. Both replacements were sent directly to me, as a non-licensee at the time. So... what's changed that my replacement Solo has to be returned through an FFL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantankerous Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Probably Kimber covering their arse legally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 It’s my undestanding that the manufacturer can return your repaired pistol direct to you but as she said, a new serial numbered gun needs to go through an FFL. I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 The previous two were also replaced with new revolvers with different serial numbers. At the time, I thought it was a bit odd that neither of them had to go through an FFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Whiskers Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 1 hour ago, J Bar Binks, #47015 said: The previous two were also replaced with new revolvers with different serial numbers. At the time, I thought it was a bit odd that neither of them had to go through an FFL. J Bar...look on the 4473, section D. It lists a frame as a firearm. So, I may be misinterpreting the "meaning" of fire arm, but a new frame with a new serial will classify it as a "new" firearm. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me either, but since when has the government ? This may be a newer rule they stuck in there. I looked through my filled out 4473's. The 1st reference of a frame being a firearm is on the 2008 version. Before then there was NO reference of a frame being a firearm on any of the forms. I tossed the old BATFE handbooks when the new ones came out. You have an FFL now don't you?...You're covered. Drive into Helena and ask the folks at the ATF office why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 It’s 2018. You don’t think the laws have changed since 2004? I remember hearing the law changed in this regard a few years ago. I don’t recall when. Good Luck with your “new” new Kimber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 I agree with the others that it may have been an oversite before or possibly the law has changed. Either way when Rossi replaced my wife's 92 with a new one it had to go through an FFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 9 hours ago, Charlie Whiskers said: You have an FFL now don't you?...You're covered. Drive into Helena and ask the folks at the ATF office why. I do, but I was curious just what may have changed that two other relatively recently replaced handguns were shipped directly to me as a non-licensee at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Whiskers Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 1 hour ago, J Bar Binks, #47015 said: I do, but I was curious just what may have changed that two other relatively recently replaced handguns were shipped directly to me as a non-licensee at the time. Time and Pelosi and Feinstein(sp) along with their cronies.. Look what's happened in buying and selling firearms in the last 14 years. Idiots making new laws because 1 other idiot has a problem with a person and shoots up the whole neighborhood. That's the only idea as to why that I have. One other thing that just came to mind. IF someone stole your Kimber and used it in a crime then tossed it and it was found by the Police. The Police will call the Feds and they will call the manufacturer then the distributor with the serial number. The distributor tells them who it was sold to (dealer) and that goes down the road until it comes to the buyer/owner of that firearm. I've had that happen 2 times since I got my FFL. Both times the legal owner had reported it stolen a few days before it was used then tossed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Tho it's been a few years. I had a Glock pistol replaced buy Glock USA, and it was returned to me directly. OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 The first time I shot the new .500 S&W, it locked up solid on the 4th shot. Hammer wouldn't cock, crane wouldn't open, key wouldn't work, so I called S&W and explained the problem. I said it would be no problem to either disassemble it to unload or pull the bullet to make it safe to send in, and they said, "ABSOLUTELY NOT!" The service rep got Herb Belin, the S&W product manager, on the phone and he said he had a field rep in Denver who would come and get it in person. So, within half an hour, the Denver guy calls me and asks if I'll be home the next day. I confirmed I would, and he said, "Great, I'll be there about 4:00 - 4:30. Sure enough, about 4:30 the next day, he drives up my road, gives me a receipt and takes possession of the revolver. Herb Belin emailed me a few days later and claimed it was the first factory documented failure of the new lock system. Who knows... they probably told everybody that. Anyway, ten or eleven days later, FedEx delivered a brand new .500 X-Frame to my front door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Ron Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Howdy, I wanna shoot a 500. Sounds so fun. Best CR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted February 14, 2018 Author Share Posted February 14, 2018 I designed a 700 grain bullet for it and had Dan Lynch of Mountain Molds in Idaho cut a mold for me. Of course, after shooting it in my 8 3/8"er, I had to try it in the 4" version... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Whiskers Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 5 hours ago, J Bar Binks, #47015 said: I designed a 700 grain bullet for it and had Dan Lynch of Mountain Molds in Idaho cut a mold for me. Of course, after shooting it in my 8 3/8"er, I had to try it in the 4" version... That explains the scar on your forehead. You shot it once too many times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted February 15, 2018 Author Share Posted February 15, 2018 That's actually from a bottle in front of me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted February 15, 2018 Author Share Posted February 15, 2018 No, wait... a frontal lobotomy, is what I meant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted April 26, 2018 Author Share Posted April 26, 2018 I finally stepped out the door with the rebuilt Solo. Five magazines/30 rounds, NO hiccups! The first 24 were 124 grain military surplus ball, and the last 6 were 155 grain cast reloads over Blue Dot - a bit out of the envelope for these pistols, but they functioned fine. When I first bought this thing 3 years ago, I (tried to) put ~250 or so rounds through it from ten or so manufacturers, 3 different magazines, and I don't recall it ever making it through one full magazine without a jam of some sort. So far, so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icebox McSnuggles Posted April 27, 2018 Share Posted April 27, 2018 I think that a frame is only considered a "firearm" if it can be can be made into something other than a pistol. The solo carry cannot be made into anything else with any off the shelf parts. SO with it having a new serial number and by definition being a new pistol it was probably a requirement to do another background check. As far as why it wasn't done before I'm not sure but I would guess that it probably should have been. I work at major retailer that sells all types of firearms and I can tell you that at least for us any firearm that leaves or comes into inventory has to be accounted for in very stringent terms. I haven't experienced this but I've been told if a customer were to accidently leave a gun at the store (in the bathroom for instance) we would have to check that firearm into inventory and whenever they came to claim it they would be required to do a background check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 Posted April 27, 2018 Share Posted April 27, 2018 J Bar, be glad you aren't in California. First, you wouldn't have been able to buy a second handgun just 12 days later. Nope... gotta wait a month. This reminds me of the time a bunch of years ago when I had to return Sassparilla Kid's .22 to Henry... they replaced it. Via the FFL where I bought it. But the danged thing was, since it was a different gun we had to do the paperwork and waiting period all over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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