Editorial Speculation: Who will buy the K6s?

I’m not a revolver person, so when the new K6s came out I looked at it and said, “Yay! Another pretty Kimber but this one’s round and jolly!” and then that was about it because I saw the Nighthawk Hi Power and got REALLY distracted.

Then I started thinking: who is going to buy a revolver the size of an SP101 that holds six rounds instead of five? There has been some behind-the-scenes speculation that the near-$1,000 price tag revolver won’t sell. I must respectfully disagree with these speculations. While I don’t foresee the gun flying off the shelves like the Glock 43, there’s a definite niche for the K6s.

Outside of the hardcore revolver guys who are sitting with steepled hands muttering, “Yes! Yes! Six-round j-frame-sized revolver!” I am willing to bet there is a portion of the concealed carry market that is going to be excited about that extra round. I don’t necessarily think these are the most experienced shooters, but there are definitely some enthusiasts who will let that extra round and/or the Kimber name tip their buying hand.Kimber-K6s-revolver

The kind of people who buy Kimbers are totally the kind of people who will spend for a $899-MSRP revolver either for themselves or for their significant others. I can see the scenario in my head of a dedicated Kimber enthusiast taking his wife to the range and pushing the K6s on her for that one extra round and then her wanting it because “it’s so pretty.” (It is very very pretty.) I am also convinced that revolver shoppers with a little larger pockets will be more than willing to pay for that extra round and the sleek design.

Concealed carry is where the market is focused right now, and with polymer-framed single-stacks dominating the semi-automatic market, it actually makes perfect sense that Kimber would tailor its newest carry gun toward the more classically-inclined revolver crowd.

10 Comments

  1. I hope it’s good, and it does well. I don’t really have a need for that gun, but if it’s as nice as it looks, I’d be interested in a 4″ for gaming.

  2. An American company invests the time and money to bring to market a new revolver design, of probable quality, without imposing a silly and obtrusive “internal locking system” on everyone, yeah, I’ll buy one regardless of whether I need it. I want to reward the effort and hope they prove successful enough for them to branch out and build larger revolvers for hunting, home defense, carry, BBQ, etc. Maybe with a little competition S&W will wake up and stop suppressing their own sales numbers by removing or relocating their ILS.

    1. Fact: If they build one of these with a 4 inch barrel and adjustable sights, I will absolutely buy that. Or a 3 inch barrel and fixed sights. Oh man especially a 3 inch barrel and fixed sights.

      1. I’m with you, a 3 inch barrel is still concealable. 2 feet or 200 feet, one wants the bullet to go where one aims…

  3. Having wet my teeth in my teens on 6 guns this is one beautiful gun! The attention to form beveling edges that normally hang, recessing the cylinder release by use of a milled raised dot and the hammerless frame but having a dovetailed rear sight are all details that one could have dreamed off for a carry/back up 40 years ago. Still having wheel guns is a viable option for primary or back up the simplicity in teaching a new body in their use when it matters can’t be overlooked, the gun is beautiful!!

  4. I’d most definitely buy one of these for concealed carry. Considering that my open-carry field gun (when hiking, foraging for berries or mushrooms, etc.) is a 4-inch S&W 329PD with a DeltaPoint, and that I often pocket carry a S&W 640, I’d see this as a great step up for CCW with a wheel gun. And since I often CC my Kimber Pro Elite, it would be keeping it “in the family” as well as an upgrade to go with the new K6s in .357.

  5. I’d put myself down as a potential buyer. Not crazy about the price but that is MSRP, but we all know retail will be less. One of my first carry guns was a Colt Magnum Carry. Swapped that out for a Ruger SP-101 after the Colt became worth more as a collectable. Have always wanted to have another 6 shot .357 for carry purposes. This may be the replacement for that old Colt I’ve been waiting for.

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