Gun owners are like any other group of purchasers out there (think guitarists or beer stein enthusiasts) in that there are a group who are purely about the functionality, and there are others who are prestige collectors, who want their items to be special and collectible in some way.
If you take guitarists, some will buy the $350 model made in Korea that plays well and sounds good. Others want the hand made replica of Jimi Hendrix’s guitar that costs $15,000. Both guitars will work. Both may even do the job well in the hands of a capable player.
In the same way, some people just want their firearms to do the job; others want their firearms to be pretty, too, even if they cost significantly more.
Kimber, on the other hand, wants to bring a collectible-type 1911 pistol more into the price range of your average shooting enthusiast who would like to have a pretty firearm, too, but may not be able to stomach the $4,500 or more price tag that many collectible 1911s have.
At an MSRP of $1,490.00 (which means that the street price is likely to be a few hundred dollars lower), the Kimber Rapide (Black Ice) may be in a price range that you can justify to your significant other as a Christmas present.
The Rapide (Black Ice) comes in two-tone stainless steel and black (see the picture above) and is available chambered in .45 ACP, 9mm, and 10mm which means that you won’t have difficulty finding ammunition for this pistol in a pinch (if you want your collectible to be practical, too).
This pistol weighs 38 ounces with an empty magazine and has a magazine capacity of eight rounds.
Basically, this takes a nice, functional 1911 and makes it something pretty to look at, too.
So, if you’d like to add a collectible fire arm to your personal armory without spending an arm and a leg, the Kimber Rapide may be one to consider.