Of the seven striker-fired pistols, only one did not have a polymer frame, and that was the new Kimber EVO SP, which has an aluminum alloy frame. One of the purported advantages of polymer is lighter weight, but the Kimber EVO SP weighs only 1 ounce more than a similarly sized Glock 43—which holds one fewer round.
We received the Custom Shop (CS) version, which includes Stiplex-inspired slide serrations and a similar treatment on the frontstrap and G10 grip panels. The slide has attractive machine cuts on the top and sides to add to the pistol’s appeal. Additionally, the barrel has a deep crown. The frame wears a charcoal gray KimPro finish, and the slide has a ferritic nitrocarburizing (FNC) treatment for corrosion resistance. The CS version also sports upgraded Tritium Pro night sights from TruGlo. The pistol ships with two 7-round magazines with extended baseplates.
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The EVO SP (CS) was exceptionally accurate. Terrill loved its feel and handling on the range, though he lamented the lack of a safety. He was just drilling out a single hole during his range time, and it shot just as well for me. While being slower and more precise with my shots, I was able to put a magazine’s worth into a group measuring 1 inch using Sig Sauer’s V-Crown JHPs.
The pistol had a few quirks, however. First, there was a bit of slide bite for me—not enough that I would discount the EVO SP (CS), but it was there. Also, when I was doing fast reloads, the skin of my palm would sometimes get pinched between the mag baseplate and backstrap. The other thing I noticed was that the reset did not seem to be super-positive, and it was just a hair on the long side as well.
Terrill and I both preferred the overall feel and aesthetics of the aluminum frame versus a polymer one. It just felt more organic and seemed to offer a little more character, though we’re both old-fashioned sticks in the mud. The EVO SP (CS) was one of the most attractive pistols in the bunch, but with all the custom touches it was also the most expensive, with an MSRP of $1,047.
