Kimber America just released its newest handgun, the CDS9, a compact, very concealable 9mm pistol that’s perfect for everyday carry and available in several models out of the gate.
I had the chance to run the CDS9 this summer at a preview event Kimber held to show off its new firearms for Fall 2024. This smallish 9mm is the real deal. It’s not just compact and easy to hide — it’s also very shootable.
Being shootable is not always the case with these little 9mm guns. On many, a short grip, stubby barrel, and a super-short sight radius can make for difficult and inaccurate shooting. But Kimber built the CDS9 with a stout stainless steel slide and barrel on top of an all-metal frame with aggressive G10 grips that really grabbed my hands.
Kimber’s product managers told me they designed the pistol with a dual recoil spring assembly instead of the traditional guide rods. These springs substantially reduced the felt pulse of recoil and kept me on target even when I fired off magazines fast and furious.
The Kimber CDS9 at a Glance
- Rugged All-Metal Construction: The micro-compact platform features a stout stainless steel slide resting on an all-metal frame paired with aggressive G10 grips.
- High Capacity Magazine Options: Double-stack engineering allows the firearm to ship with high-capacity 13- and 15-round magazines alongside an available 10-round flush variant.
- Advanced Recoil Mitigation: An integrated dual recoil spring assembly substantially reduces the felt snap of rapid fire to keep shooters seamlessly on target.
- Refined Flat-Faced Trigger: The crisp single-action setup delivers a clean-breaking pull that closely mimics a premium traditional 1911 pistol trigger.
- Direct Mount Optics Ready Layout: The slide comes milled to match the popular RMSc footprint to facilitate low-profile red dot mounting without adapters.
Kimber CDS9 Review
The Kimber CDS9 features a flat-faced trigger that feels like a 1911 trigger: crisp and clean breaking. There’s none of that striker-fired mush and “sprong.”
Kimber offers their new CDS9 as an optics-ready model that’s compatible with all RMSc optic footprints with no optic plate required. It sports an accessory rail for lights and laser add-ons, too.
The CDS9 pistol is available as a TFS Model (Threaded For Suppression) with a Black Kimpro II Frame and a Gray Kimpro II Slide, as well as a non-TFS model with a Gray Kimpro II Frame and a Black Kimpro II Slide. Both models have matte stainless steel barrels.
An ambidextrous safety and slide release come standard, along with a reversible magazine release.
Ammunition capacity? Impressive! The pistol is a double-stack, and high capacity comes standard with 13- and 15-round magazines included with each model. A more concealable 10-round flush-fit magazine is also available.
For those who live in parts of the country with ammo capacity restrictions, extended-grip 10-round models will soon be available, too.
While I was shooting the CDS9, I actually saw and placed the sights on my targets, too; again, that is not always the case with small carry guns where front sights are a nub and the rear tends to disappear altogether.
Premium sights come standard with the CDS9s, made by TAG Precision with their trademark locking front fiber optic sight and tactical rear sights.
A full complement of holsters, magazines, additional grip panels, and other accessories for the CDS9 are available at local dealers and on the Kimber website.
We will soon have a more detailed review of the CDS9 here at Hook & Barrel, so please check back.
Check Price at Guns.comKimber CDS9 Pistol Specifications
- CALIBER: 9mm
- ACTION: Semi-Auto
- BARREL: 3.64 inches (TFS), 3.18 inches (Non TFS)
- OVERALL LENGTH: 6.7 inches (TFS), 6.2 inches (Non TFS)
- WEIGHT: 20.8 ounces (empty)
- GRIPS: VZ Grips in a Frag pattern w/G10 grip panels
- SIGHTS: Tag Fiber Lock Front, Tactical Rear
- FINISH: KimPro Gray or Black
- CAPACITY: 10-, 13-, and 15-Round Magazines Available
- MSRP: $1,075.00 – $1,095.00
