Kimber's New CDS9 Micro 1911 Pistol

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When engineering its new Covert Double Stack (CDS9) 9mm semiautomatic pistol, Kimber started with the company’s popular single-stack Micro 9, and when they were finished, all that was left was some springs and a few screws. At least that’s according to Kimber Senior Product Design Engineer Aaron Alexander Sr., as reported by my colleague David Faubion, editor of our special publications division, in his recent article for Red Dot (available on newsstands and online at osgnewsstand.com). The new CDS9 may have its roots in the popular Micro 9, but it’s definitely a whole new cat. After spending quite a bit of time handling and shooting our sample, I can say it is a real humdinger.

Details

Perhaps the best way to show and tell readers about the new CDS9 is to compare it with the Micro 9. There are two initial versions of the CDS9 (I’m using the CDS9 OR RL version for this comparison because that’s the review sample we received), and currently there are close to 30 different configurations of the Micro 9, so if I have missed some specific feature or features of the Micro 9, forgive me. Here we go.

The Micro 9 is a single-action, recoil-operated autoloader that is based on Kimber’s .380 ACP Micro semiautomatic pistol that was born in 2013. The Micro 9 came on the scene about 2017, and it comes with a 3.15-inch or 3.65-inch barrel. As its moniker indicates, it’s chambered for 9mm Luger. Overall lengths range from 6.1 inches to 7.09 inches, depending on the configuration. The Micro 9s have aluminum frames, with unloaded weights specced at 15.35 ounces and 15.6 ounces, again depending on the configuration. Micro 9s are 4.07 inches tall. Since the Micro 9 is a single-stack pistol, with a magazine capacity of either six or seven rounds, it is quite thin, measuring either 1.06 or 1.08 inches thick.

The new CDS9 is a single-action, recoil-operated, double-stack pistol, so it is slightly thicker than the Micro 9, yet it is still very comfortable in my hand (I have medium-size hands). The CDS9 is 1.1 inches thick, and its grip circumference is 6.0 inches, according to my measurements. Standard magazine capacity is 13 rounds, but the CDS9 comes with an extra 15-round magazine that utilizes a grip extension. And 10-rounders are available for persons living in areas where magazine capacity is restricted. To finish out the dimensions, the CDS9’s barrel is 3.18 inches long, making the pistol 6.2 inches long overall. It is 5.0 inches tall with the 13-round magazine.

The Micro 9 has been available with various colored slides and frames, everything from all black through two-tone silver and black and two-tone desert tan and black to all silver. There’s even a purple and silver one, a Bel Air blue and silver one, and a sapphire blue and silver one. The new CDS9 is offered with stainless-steel slides finished in KimPro II, in either black or gray colors. And the CDS9’s frame is finished in either gray or black, and it has an integral accessory rail with two cross-slots. Note that our sample’s slide is black, and its frame is gray. The other version of the CDS9, called the CDS9 OR RL TFS, comes with a threaded barrel, and its slide is gray while its frame is black. I’ll draw your attention to the scale-like slide treatments up front and at the rear. They are not just for style; they serve as the grasping grooves for racking the slide and for conducting press checks.

Like the Micro 9, the CDS9’s barrel is stainless steel, and its chamber is fully supported. Kimber says the CDS9’s barrel is match grade with 5R right-hand rifling in a twist rate of one turn in 10 inches (1:10). Because our sample doesn’t have the threaded barrel, its muzzle is flush with the end of the slide, and it is precision crowned.

Both the Micro 9 and the CDS9 are essentially scaled-down Model 1911s; however, they do not use a traditional barrel bushing or a traditional 1911-style grip safety. The CDS9 utilizes dual captive recoil springs, and it has an external extractor. Some versions of the Micro 9s have ambidextrous thumb safeties, and others have a single-side thumb safety. The CDS9 has an ambidextrous thumb safety, and I should mention that the slide stop on the CDS9 also is ambidextrous, and the magazine release can be reversed.

A note about the thumb safeties is necessary. On Micro 9s and the CDS9, the safeties can be engaged with the hammers cocked or uncocked, but if the hammer is down and the safety is “On,” the hammer cannot be fully cocked.

Various sight options have been offered on the Micro 9s, including three white dots, tritium and fiber-optic day/night sights, and plain black sights, whereas the new CDS9 comes with an all-black rear sight and a red Tag Fiber Lock front sight. Also, in accordance with the prevalent trend in personal-protection pistols these days, the CDS9 is optic-ready (RMSc footprint direct mount to the slide), and the rear sight is dovetailed into the optic-cut coverplate.

The frontstraps of the Micro 9s receive various treatments, including smooth and dimpled. The new CDS9’s frontstrap has large, blocky “checkering” (Kimber calls it “Frag” checkering) that matches the pattern on the G10 grip panels. And speaking of grips, the Micro 9 has been offered with rosewood, zebrawood, Micarta, rubber, and G10 grip panels and also with lasergrips. The CDS9’s arched backstrap has similar-looking checkering, but it’s narrower than the frontstrap and grip checkering.

The CDS9’s trigger is significantly different than the Micro 9 triggers. This one is flat and smooth, and our sample’s trigger pull weight was 6.0 pounds. Just for comparison’s sake, the Micro 9s that I have personally handled had heavier trigger pulls than that, measuring 7.0 pounds and 8.5 pounds. Our CDS9 is an early pistol, so its pull weight may not be indicative of standard-production CDS9 trigger pulls, but I can report that it was incredibly consistent. I measured it five times consecutively, and each time it registered exactly 6.0 pounds on my RCBS trigger pull gauge. Zero variation means exceptional consistency, and consistency, of course, lends itself to better accuracy.

Rangetime

Speaking of accuracy, the CDS9 averaged 3.36 inches for five-shot groups with eight 9mm factory loads at 25 yards. That’s for three, five-shot groups with each load. Obviously, that’s under the old self-defense standard of 4.25 inches at 25 yards.

The details are listed in the accompanying chart, so I’ll just point out a couple of loads here. The most accurate load for me in the new CDS9 was the Hornady Critical Duty 135-grain FlexLock load, and its three, five-shot groups at 25 yards averaged 2.50 inches. Its best single five-shot group measured just under 2.0 inches. Its velocity averaged 937 fps for five rounds measured 12 feet from the muzzle with a Competition Electronics ProChono Digital chronograph with indoor light setup. The velocity extreme spread was 30 fps, and the standard deviation was 13 fps. The second most accurate loading was the Black Hills 124-grain JHP ammo, and it averaged 2.70 inches at 25 yards. Its velocity averaged 1,095 fps, with an extreme spread of 31 and a standard deviation of 15.

As for shooting comfort, the CDS9 was truly easy to shoot. Its hand-filling grip made it extremely comfortable, even in my arthritic hands. In fact, it was so easy on my hands that after shooting for accuracy and velocity, I polished off almost all of my stock of 9mm ammo shooting offhand at a bouncing ball target and my swinging steel plate target. I usually prefer shooting full-size Model 1911s because I just seem to shoot them really well, but I have to admit that I think I could become just as proficient with this snubby, double-stack hybrid 1911 with more rangetime. I guess I’m going to have to stock up on more 9mm ammo.

Loading the 13-round double-stack magazine was easy without requiring a magazine loader, but as expected, the 15-rounder was a bit more difficult. I accomplished it without a mag loader the first time around, but thereafter I used my trusty Maglula UpLULA loader, and it made the job much easier. And speaking of the magazines, I tested both the 13-rounder and the 15-rounder, and they functioned perfectly. Every round fed smoothly, and the empty cases ejected well clear of the firing line. In fact, the pistol operated perfectly throughout my range session, without a single hiccup, bobble, or malfunction of any kind. Empty magazines ejected quickly and effortlessly every time. And for those who care about such things, the pistol’s slide racked easily, requiring about 19 pounds of force, according to my makeshift gauge.

Kimber describes the new Covert Double Stack 9mm semiautomatic pistol as the “pinnacle of design for the modern everyday concealed carry 1911 handgun owner.” They also say the CDS9 is in a class of its own. I think they might be right. 

CDS9 OR RL SPECS

• MANUFACTURER: Kimber, kimberamerica.com
• TYPE: Recoil-operated autoloader
• CALIBER: 9mm Luger
• MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 10, 13, and 15 rounds
• BARREL: 3.18 in.
• OVERALL LENGTH: 6.2 in.
• WIDTH: 1.1 in.
• HEIGHT: 5.0 in. (with 13-round magazine)
• WEIGHT, EMPTY: 20.8 oz.
• GRIPS: VZ Frag G10
• FINISH: KimPro II
• SIGHTS: Black rear, red Tag Fiber Lock front, RMSc direct mount optic cut
• TRIGGER: 6.0-lb. pull (as tested)
• SAFETY: Ambidextrous thumb safety; beavertail grip safety
• MSRP: $1,075

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