Beretta Nano vs Kimber Solo

Compare the Beretta Nano to the Kimber Solo. I own the Solo. It is a beautiful little pistol but Kimber released it before it was ready for prime time. If the Beretta Nano performs as well and is as reliable as the Beretta Storm series of pistols then I will probably buy one. Although it isn’t fair to compare a subcompact to a larger size pistol because it is more difficult to design and get the smaller pistol to operate properly. I am seriously thinking about trying to return the Solo or trade it. Maybe even trade it for a Beretta Nano.

The Kimber Solo price runs $650.00 on the low side to a typical Kimber Solo price of $699.00. The Beretta Nano price is expected to be $475.00. Find the Beretta Nano for sale online for $399.99. The Beretta Nano is available now.

Beretta Nano vs Kimber Solo
Beretta Nano vs Kimber Solo

The Beretta Nano has no external safety, the Solo has a very easy to use ambidextrous external safety that is easy to operate, flip on and off using the thumb. I like the Kimber Solo external safety. The Beretta Nano has no external slide release/slide lock. The Solo has a slide release/slide lock. Size and weight are very close between the two subcompacts. The Kimber has the shortest barrel length of any 9mm pistol at 2.7″ barrel length. Capacity is the same between the two and the Kimber Solo has an optional 8 round magazine available at additional cost.

The Kimber Solo is designed to use 124 gr and 147 gr premium grade ammunition. My Solo has been back to the factory twice. It still doesn’t operate as dependably now as when it was new. Now every once in a while the first round doesn’t seat properly causing a light strike and failure to fire. Once in a while the slide doesn’t lock back after the last round is fired. As with all small subcompact 9mm pistols a good grip and firing position is critical to get the pistol to cycle properly.

Below are Beretta Nano Specs compared to Kimber Solo Specs:

                        Beretta Nano     Kimber Solo

Caliber                  9x19mm           9x19mm
OA Length          5.63″                 5.5″
OA height           4.17″                 3.9″
Barrel                    3.07″                 2.7″
Width                   .90″                   .995″
Sight Radius     4.92″                 4.40″
Weight               17.67 oz.           17 oz.
Capacity            6 + 1                 6 + 1
Trigger              Striker               Striker

10 thoughts on “Beretta Nano vs Kimber Solo”

  1. Thanks for your comment. Some great information. The Nano is my favorite carry gun. I trust it and appreciate its reliability and small size.

  2. i get heads up commentary from other blogs – from time to time – people experiencing various issues with the NANO, some have arthritis in the hands, others have difficulty gripping the short grip – that’s why Beretta now has 8 round mags – very easy to grip.

    I think most, maybe all of the complaints are insipid. Among the new gen small pistols the NANO is the best of. Design, materials, workmanship and reliability. I also have a new Stainless Steel S&W 357 640 Pro – a relatively customized 5 shot revolver from Smith’s custom shop. It’s almost twice as expensive as the NANO, a very beautiful J-frame with fluted barrel, trijicon sights, moon clip fast reloads, and the most ergonomic handling of anything out there – by a long shot. Is it worth it? If you’re a practical person, no. The NANO is all you’ll need for concealed carry. If you like Rolex-like and fine industrial age-like workmanship in a weapon, yes, but then the NANO is still the better carry. More or less the same weight as the J-Frame, carries 9 (1 in the chamber) rounds, faster reloads, etc. These options are a matter of choice and one’s desires in a handgun. From what I can see, the NANO works just like a revolver, a long trigger pull (not nearly as smooth and solid as the S&W) followed by a boom. Simple, and that is what makes this semiauto special.

  3. I look at the Nano and see it as being very Glock like. The Nano and Glock are both elegant in their simplicity.

  4. T’was fascinating to read the remarks since I had posted mine a half year ago. So far no problems with mine. Noted is the November 2012 COMBAT HANDGUNS review of the NANO:

    The reviewer on P95 said: ” it is cutting-edge technology, not just for Beretta, but for semi-auto pistol engineering as a whole” and “…compared to their (other pistols) design and construction, the NANO is light years ahead.”

    I happen to agree with that assessment as well as one philosopher’s observation that “G-d is in the details.” The NANO is the epitome of thinking outside the box.

    From a practical standpoint, any pistol that is small and reliable should do the job. Any hammer will too, but we all know that amongst tools there are those that stand out and those that don’t. Beretta’s if forward thinking, not just the rehashing of what others have done first. The rest can now play catch up. Good luck, Beretta probably has patents on their inventions.

  5. The Nano is a great little pistol. I love mine and so far it is my favorite to carry. I prefer the six round magazine. Haven’t noticed it being overly loose.

  6. I just bought a NANO and they have started including two magazines, standard. You get the 6-round low profile mag and an 8-round extended mag, which offers a little better grip for larger hands. My only gripe so far is that the magazines feel a bit loose, but this is more of a problem of me being picky, and does not seem to effect performance in any way.

  7. Your review is absolutely correct. Kimber has been slow in shipping the SOLO because almost every one they had shipped has been returned. The engineering error is a permanent one, the recoil springs need to be changed periodically, the striker is weak, there are numerous FTF and other issues. It’ll be a while, if ever, that they can correct a fundamentally flawed design. Moreover, the Solos shows nothing for the higher price, not qualitative advantages at all. In fact the Nano seems easily to surpass the Solo in quality. I’ve even installed the new Beretta Trijicons, no gunsmith needed. The Nano sights need three screws to install, no tools needed. Took five minutes to do my own gun smithing. Very nice too, very low profile and bright.

    The NANO, despite reports from a few sour grapes who purchased Kimbers,or enjoy spreading false rumors, is absolutely reliable in my experience. 180 rounds of 115 gr. aluminum casing ammo functioned flawlessly out of the box. A box of DPX from corbon did likewise. The pistol is easy to use and clean. Of course, being so small, one needs to get adjusted to the three finger grip. Beretta will soon release 8 rd magazines for the pistol. However, it is designed for concealment, not capacity. In its 6 round variant it is very pocketable.

    Lastly, it is the first mini 9 that I feel confident with other than the Walther PPS (which is a little larger, needing a holster.) Or my other pistol, and HK P2000sk, a subcompact. Next to that though, the Nano almost disappears sizewise!

    Even though I also own a S&W 380 Bodyguard, and excellent little pistol, and of course, slimmer and lighter, a true pocket pistol, I am comfortable and significantly more confident with the 9mm Nano loaded with DPX 115 grain pushing 1200 ft/sec and 400 ft/lbs.

  8. I have a Beretta Nano that has been fired close to five hundred times. Several types of ammo has been used. It has been perfect! The heft of the slide makes shooting it feel like
    A 32. The accuracy is un real also for a pistol this size. I don’t work for or have any affiliation with Beretta other than I own one of their AWESOME pistols. The question you have to ask yourself and be brutally honest with the answer is can I put my life on the line with this one? The answer is yes to my little Beretta. It’s just cool as hell!!

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