Patrolman and Instructor Greg Walker preferred the Gold Combat II, praising the handling. "It's just a good-feeling gun," said Walker.

Sergeant and Instructor David Barnes concurred, adding that he particularly liked the high grip cut, grip panels, and extended magazine well. He also lauded the precision apparent in the gun's manufacture. "The fit and finish is without equal," said Barnes. "You can't get a production gun this nice without having it tricked out by a gunsmith."

Patrolman and Instructor Mark Bishop opted for the SIS, citing its grips, checkering, comfort, and appearance. Asked to critique the pistol, he said, "It's a Kimber--what can I say?" He added that the department's SWAT Team would do well to use such a gun.

The SIS locks up good and strong, like all Kimbers, but is not bank-vault tight. This is a tactical, hard-use duty pistol and reliability must be at a premium. Nonetheless, accuracy was more than satisfactory for a service gun. The Gold Combat II outshot it, but that is to be expected from such a high-end model. The Gold Combat II, as noted, has a bushingless lockup, while the SIS relies on the more traditional barrel-to-bushing-to-slide system.

We noted that while the SIS felt better when you ran your hand over the slide and frame--owing to the dehorning--the Gold Combat II felt better to most shooters when the gun was settled in the hand in firing position. It is also interesting to note that the Gold Combat II seemed to balance a bit better, despite the added weight of the SIS RL's accessory rail. By the way, a rail-equipped version of the Gold Combat II is available as the Gold Combat RL II.

Which pistol is right for you? Well, we liked the Gold Combat II, but it comes at a premium, though that premium is admittedly lower than what a custom gunsmith would charge. On the other hand, there is a certain undeniable cachet to carrying the same pistol used by one of the top law enforcement units in the country, drawing some to the SIS. Of course, if you're really torn, I'm pretty sure Kimber will sell you one of each.