Tag Archives: Kimber Rapide (Black Ice)

The ‘Throwback’ Yaqui Slide is Actually Still Relevant

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By the 1970s, the “Yaqui Slide,” essentially the Bikini of the holster world, was often seen in both IPSC circles and in use as a practical carry holster, well-liked by such practitioners of the modern shooting method as Col. Jeff Cooper of Gunsite fame, who reportedly brought the concept back from San Salvador where it had been created by one Edwardo Chanin.

Since the early 1990s, Galco has carried the modern Yaqui Slide in its catalog, and it is still popular today. Part of it is cultural, as on-screen iconic characters such as Tom Selleck’s Jesse Stone – who carried an SW1911SC Gunsite Model – and Tom Cruise’s Vincent in Michael Mann’s Collateral used such gun leather.

Then again, the other part is that it still works.

More in my column at Guns.com.

Black Ice, with a few chips

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For the past several months, one of the handguns I have been testing and evaluating is the Rapide (Black Ice) M1911A1 model from Kimber in 10mm Auto.

Don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful gun– it should be at $1,500 smackers– and it is loaded with standard features that John Browning would have never imagined.

I mean just look at it.

But I did have some issues.

While reliable (I ran over 600 rounds of Sig ammo through it with zero hiccups) Kimber says the gun needs a break-in period of about that much, which I think is a big ask for a pistol that costs this much and is in such a pricy caliber. Also, the super busy G10 grips and finish show a lot more wear after what I consider basic use than a bargain bin polymer-framed striker-fired 9mm that costs 1/5th as much.

Still, it’s pretty, even after some wear and tear.

More in my column at Guns.com.

Traction on Black Ice

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I’ve been tackling Kimber’s latest take on the modern M1911A1, their Rapide (Black Ice) series, in 10mm Auto. Early signs show that it delivers as advertised, at least across the first 500 rounds anyway.

More in my column at Guns.com. 

Getting a feel from some Black Ice

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Since about mid-March, I have been working on a T&E on Kimber’s newest take on the M1911A1 platform– the Rapide (Black Ice). With a name familiar in Europe commonly used for a fast express train– and a popular Aston Martin model– the Rapide is billed by Kimber as a 1911 platform built for speed and is both competition and range ready.

The pistol is feature-rich including stepped cocking serrations, slide lightening cuts, a DLC coated barrel for extreme durability, extended magwell, and new V-Cut match-grade trigger. It also comes with Tru-Glo TFX Pro Day/Night sights and G10 grips. A 70-series gun with a 4.9-pound trigger pull on average, the variant I have been working with is a 10mm Auto, and I have to say, it is fetching.

The folder, btw, is a Case Gunstock in Curly Maple, which I think pairs well with the big Kimber. A blend of old and new.

More in my column at Guns.com.