Concealed Carry & Home Defense

Gun Test: Kimber Custom CDP ll

Guns and Gear Contributor
Font Size:

By John Taffin, GUNS Magazine

Fully realizing individual taste in just about everything is quite subjective (I’ve even run into people who like cauliflower and broccoli), there just isn’t any accounting for some people’s choices. We recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of John Browning’s Government Model 1911 and there were actually people who complained about too much coverage given to the number one semi-automatic pistol in the hearts of millions of shooters.

Not liking the 1911 is somewhat like being against apple pie, ribeye steaks and motherhood. It’s almost like being tired of living. The Colt Single Action Revolver Army, the Smith & Wesson double action revolver and the 1911 have not only been built millions upon millions, they are also the basic pattern for millions of other sixguns and semi-automatics.

The 1911 is still number one when it comes to full-sized semi-automatic pistols for civilian use, and the number one supplier of 1911’s today—in a market with over 50 manufacturers of 1911’s—is Kimber. Kimber started out not all that long ago making rimfire rifles, then added centerfire versions, all of which are high quality, and then came the 1911 pistols. In a few short decades Kimber has risen to the top of the list of 1911 manufacturers and has captured over 40 percent of the market. With such a large number of competitors Kimber has to be doing something right, and that right is building excellent 1911’s at reasonable prices.

At my age, firearms purchases serve two purposes. The main purposes are for test review and my own use as well as to add to my accumulation of quality handguns. However, there is a second purpose, which is becoming more and more important. When a new or used firearm is added I immediately think of which of the kids or grandkids this particular firearm will eventually go to. Two years ago Kimber’s Stainless Steel Target Model II really caught my attention. By ordering four of them in different chamberings I could not only write several reviews and do a lot of shooting but also put them back for my son and three grandsons. So to this end I went with four matched Stainless Steel Target Model II’s in 9mm, 10mm, .38 Super and .45 Automatic Colt Pistol. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of these excellent shooting semi-automatics. Now the only problem will be who gets which one. Long before these Kimber’s became part of my accumulation, I had already been shooting a very special Kimber for quite a few years.

Custom ’smithing of the 1911 was really coming into its own in the early 1950’s and it wouldn’t surprise me to find there were gunsmiths who mated up Commander alloy frames with standard Government Model slides and barrels to come up with a custom full-size Lightweight, however Kimber has been cataloging such a .45 semi-automatic for quite some time and I have been shooting their lightweight 1911 for a couple of decades.

KIMBER

Kimber’s alloy-framed full-sized .45 ACP 1911 is their Custom CDP II. This self-defense pistol takes everything right about the 1911 and the Commander and combines them into one .45 ACP, however they don’t stop there but added several features all designed to make this the perfect fighting handgun whether it is for open or concealed carry. The aluminum alloy frame is finished in matte black in what Kimber calls KimPro II while the slide is brushed satin stainless.

The ambidextrous thumb safety, beavertail grip safety, slide stop, magazine release and grip screws, are all stainless steel while the skeletonized trigger, which is serrated and also adjustable, is of aluminum. The blued steel hammer is also skeletonized and the trigger pull is a crisp, creep-free 4 pounds. The flat mainspring housing is also stainless steel and finely checkered for a secure grip. Barrel, chamber and trigger are all match grade.

Factory stocks are double diamond Rosewood, however, I have replaced them with finely checkered Rosewood stocks from Herrett’s just because. Sights are absolutely superb with both the front sight and rear sight sitting low in the slide in dovetails with the rear sight being adjustable for windage and locked in place with a setscrew. The front sight is an easy-to-see post sloping forward while the rear sight has a deep square notch and slopes backwards. These are 3-dot sights and the dots are Meprolight tritium for fast acquisition in low light scenarios.

So far everything mentioned works together for the main purpose of this CDP II, which stands for Custom Defense Package, however the best is yet to come. What makes this .45 ACP stand out as a Custom Defense Package is the fact the entire pistol has been “melted” given what Kimber calls a Carry Melt treatment. There are no sharp edges anywhere to be found. The slide has had all the sharp features removed from both bottom edges and especially in front of the frame and all around the front part of the slide. There is nothing to catch on clothing, holster, or hands and is the ultimate user-friendly 1911.

03-0914-10

Black Hills factory ammunition delivered remarkable groups in the Kimber CDP II.

03-0914-6

As traditional for a Government Model 1911, the
Kimber Custom CDP II has a capacity of 7+1 rounds.

At 26 ounces, the Colt Commander Lightweight is very easy to pack, however the trade-off is it is also more difficult to shoot and certainly felt recoil is more noticeable. At 31 ounces the CDP is 5 ounces heavier than the Commander and 8 ounces lighter than a full-size steel 1911; so it falls somewhere in between. If you shoot all three pistols side-by-side there will be an obvious difference when comparing felt recoil. However, the more the CDP is fired the less obvious this difference is. Serious practice with 230-grain Hardball and 200-grain hardcast bullets at 1,050 fps will help in lessening any effects of the slightly increased recoil. Self-defense pistols are certainly carried much more than they are shot and the 1/2-pound difference of the CDP compared to a steel 1911 makes a huge difference when carried regularly. So much so the difference in felt recoil is hardly noticeable at all.

 

In addition to the standard-sized, 5-inch-barreled, alloy-frame CDP II Kimber also offers five other versions. The Ultra CDP II has a 3-inch barrel and comes with a short or standard full-length grip as well as a Crimson Trace Lasergrip equipped version. The “Commander-style” Compact CDP II has a 4-inch barrel and can be had with either a short or full-length grip.

Regular readers know well of my affinity for big-bore single-action and double-action sixguns as well as the special part of my sixgunning heart and soul, which totally embraces the 1911. Too many years ago I fashioned the term “Perfect Packin’ Pistol” to define a handgun, preferably with a barrel from 4 inches to 5-1/2 inches in length, capable of handling any situation which could possibly occur, or at least very close to it. When it comes to 1911’s, the Kimber Custom CDP II .45 ACP is way at the top of the list.

03-0914-2A

The Kimber Custom CDP II .45 ACP shot extremely well with John’s
handloaded ammo whether with commercially bought bullets (above),
or home-cast bullets (below).

03-0914-2B 03-0914-3A

The Kimber Custom CDP II .45 ACP performed exceptionally well with
Black Hills Ammunition (above) and did very well with Buffalo Bore
and Remington factory ammo (below).

03-0914-3B

We all know the 1911 was designed by John Browning with the final version coming out in the year it is named for. It goes back even further with John’s first .45 ACP being the 1905, which was improved several times before it became the 1911. Then other improvements led to it becoming the 1911A1 in the early 1920’s. Both the 1911 and 1911A1 served GI’s through both world wars. After WWII the military powers decided it was time to adopt a different sidearm, which would be lighter, smaller and chambered in 9mm to match the sidearms of our NATO allies.

Colt went to work on the Government Model shortening the barrel and slide, replacing the steel frame with an alloy version and chambering it in 9mm. The model was not accepted by the government as the decision was made to stay with the standard .45 ACP. Fortunately, Colt decided to build the new semi-automatic for the civilian market. I was still in grade school when Colt came out with their first Lightweight .45 ACP, cutting the barrel and slide length of the standard Government Model by just under 1 inch and selecting an alloy frame resulting in the birth of the Commander, which at 26 ounces is 2/3 the weight of a standard 1911. Having been in service for 40 years and through two world wars, the Commander’s military name comes from the fact it was originally designed as a possible replacement for the 1911.

I first “discovered” the newer, smaller semi-automatic the summer before I entered high school in 1952. That was the first time I ever saw a Gun Digest and found the 1911 now had a companion known as “The New Lightning Colt—The Zephyr Commander.”

When’s the last time you heard the Commander referred to as a Zephyr? The new Commander was not only offered in the originally designed 9mm and .45 ACP, but also .38 Super as well. Although the military was looking for something smaller and lighter, they did not accept any of the various versions offered.

Custom CDP II
Maker: Kimber
1 Lawton Street, Yonkers, NY 10705
(800) 880-2418
http://gunsmagazine.com/company/kimber/
Action Type: Locked breech, semi-automatic,
Caliber: .45 ACP, Capacity: 7+1
Barrel Length: 5 inches, Overall Length: 8.7 inches
Weight: 31 ounces
Finish: Stainless steel slide; matte black alloy frame
Sights: Fixed combat-style
Grips: Double diamond checkered rosewood
Price: $1,331

 

Barranti Leather Co.
P.O. Box 14062
Pittsburgh, PA 15239
(412) 860-4804
http://gunsmagazine.com/company/barranti-leather/

Herrett’s Stocks
P.O. Box 741
Twin Falls, ID 83303
(208) 733-1498
http://gunsmagazine.com/company/herrett-s-stocks-inc/

Oregon Trail Bullet Company
P.O. Box 529
Baker City, OR 97814
(800) 811-0548
http://gunsmagazine.com/company/oregon-trail-bullet-company/

>> Click Here << To See More Photos And Performance Charts

———-

 

 

Guns and Gear