# Best Kimber for Women



## terese70

I have been looking at getting a new handgun and really like the Kimbers. Any advice on what might work well for women. I have been looking at 3 spefically. The Custom II, the PRO CDP II, and the Pro Crimson Carry II. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks guys.


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## bruce333

http://www.corneredcat.com/FirstGun/which.aspx


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## VAMarine

terese70 said:


> I have been looking at getting a new handgun and really like the Kimbers. Any advice on what might work well for women. I have been looking at 3 spefically. The Custom II, the PRO CDP II, and the Pro Crimson Carry II. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks guys.


It all depends on what you want in the gun, the Custom II is pretty basic, the CDP Pro is loaded all except for the laser grips which you can add later if you like. The Crimson Carry Pro is nice but does not have night sights, but again those can be added later...

Is this to be a carry gun? Competition gun? House gun? If it's not for carry I might suggest the 5" gun but the only way my wife can hide a 5" 1911 is in a small of the back holster. She carries a 4" Bobtailed Wilson behind the hip and manges it well.

My wife still has a CDP Ultra, we also had three other Kimbers, a Ultra Carry and Pro CDP II both in .40 that were nightmares to own and a CDP Compact in .45 that was good to go...I should have kept that one.

Generally I don't recommend Kimber. If that's all you're looking at more power to you, but there are other makers out there that make a good prodcut that are worth looking at.

....ETA I'll ask the wife to chime in on this one...


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## terese70

Thanks for the input. I am looking for both carry and home protection. I like the way the Kimber feels and the sights. I want something reliable and well made.

What would your recomendations be? I currently have a little Smith and Wesson .38 revolver for carry but am looking for something more. 

My husband has a 92 FS Berreta that I really don't care for. Had looked at a Springfield today, but want reliability. Thanks so much for your time.


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## terese70

Thank you Bruce. Good article with lots of good info.


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## VAMarine

terese70 said:


> Thanks for the input. I am looking for both carry and home protection. I like the way the Kimber feels and the sights. I want something reliable and well made.
> 
> What would your recomendations be? I currently have a little Smith and Wesson .38 revolver for carry but am looking for something more.
> 
> My husband has a 92 FS Berreta that I really don't care for. Had looked at a Springfield today, but want reliability. Thanks so much for your time.


Springfields have a good rep, Kimber's QC is kind of spotty, but as I've pointed out in other threads there are more happy Kimber users than there are unhappy ones, but the unhappy Kimber owners should not be discounted.

Are you familiar with the 1911 platform or would this be a first 1911? The main reason that I ask is that going from a gun without a manual safety to a gun WITH a manual safety _can be _prblematic. It's a training issue. You have to instinctively deactivate that safety on the draw. That takes practice and lots of it to commit the manuever to "muscle memory" (Some people don't like that term, call it what you will) so you do it automatically.

.45ACP ammunition is not cheap, especially if you're working hard on getting acquainted with a new gun. Dry fire / drawing exercises are great and all, but there still needs to be a good bit of live fire. Remember / Be advised that Kimber mandates a 400-500 round break in period. Some people need to go through every bit of that break in to get a working gun, others are much more lucky and don't need to. Iif you do decide to go wtih the 1911 picking one in 9mm may not be a bad choice The ammo is cheaper the recoiul more mild. If you're all ready looking at higher end Kimbers, I'd suggest taking a look at the Dan Wesson Guardian, it's a new model coming out this year. It's alloy framed like the CDP and Crimson Carry, but chambered in 9mm for a softer shooting gun which is nice given the lighter weight of the alloy frame. It also has a bobtailed frame which does aide in concealment.

If you're experienced with 1911s, the bobtail will feel a little different in the hand. The one drawback to the DW is that they are not easy to find in stores and it would probably have to be special ordered.

So...if you do decide to go the 9mm route, Kimber does offere several models in 9mm, such as the Tactical Pro and the entire Aegis line as well as some of the 3" Ultra models. Another plus of going with a 9mm is ammo compatibility with your husbands 92FS (don't worry, my wife hated mine too).

Non 1911 options are many. If I may ask, what are some of the things attracting you to the 1911? Also, how do you plan to carry? On body or off body?


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## terese70

The manual safety "issue" is the main reason that I went with the Smith and Wesson for my first handgun. I know that it will take a lot of practice to get the "muscle memory" of the manual safety down. That is a very good point. 

It is funny that would would bring up the cost of the ammo. I was just going over that with my husband. A 9mm whould be more cost effective that way.

I have no experience with the 1911 so it would be a new world with the Kimber. What is attracting me to the Kimber is simpley how it fits/feels in my hand and the sights. We go out browsing and I handle different handguns and alway come back to the Kimber.

My husband is looking at the Glock 19 for his next handgun. And while I like it OK I always come back to the Kimber. 

What is are your thoughts on the sig sauer P239? I would like to carry on body if I can. I am not a big gal 5'4", 117 lbs. Thanks again for your response.


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## YFZsandrider

Given your body frame... thinner is going to be more concealable. The 239 is fairly thin, but an officer sized(3") 1911 would propably be even easier.

If you're leaning toward a 9mm, I would seriously look at a Springfield EMP. Its a 1911 that is designed around the smaller calibers of 9mm and 40 cal. Shoots extremely well, is small, thin, and lightweight:smt023


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## VAMarine

terese70 said:


> The manual safety "issue" is the main reason that I went with the Smith and Wesson for my first handgun. I know that it will take a lot of practice to get the "muscle memory" of the manual safety down. That is a very good point.
> 
> It is funny that would would bring up the cost of the ammo. I was just going over that with my husband. A 9mm whould be more cost effective that way.
> 
> I have no experience with the 1911 so it would be a new world with the Kimber. What is attracting me to the Kimber is simpley how it fits/feels in my hand and the sights. We go out browsing and I handle different handguns and alway come back to the Kimber.
> 
> My husband is looking at the Glock 19 for his next handgun. And while I like it OK I always come back to the Kimber.
> 
> What is are your thoughts on the sig sauer P239? I would like to carry on body if I can. I am not a big gal 5'4", 117 lbs. Thanks again for your response.


Also my wife has several videos on YouTube that show exactly what she carries despite being 5'4" and 106lbs.

Holster Talk Part 1

Holster Talk Part 2

Holster Talk Part 3

Holster Talk Part 4

If you want to go the 9mm route in a 1911, the EMP mentioned above would be my second choice behind the Dan Wesson I mentioned earlier simply because I do not favor a 3" 1911. the P239 is a nice gun, it's been a possibility on our list for a long time but we're both primarily 1911 shooters so it never really happened. My wife plans on the Gen 4 Glock 19 being her next gun to compliment her two 1911s and varous other carry guns (pocket .380s and a J-Frame .357Mag). The 239 is a little thicker in the slide than the 1911 if I am not mistaken as well as the overall grip. If the Glock deosn't work out for her, a 239 with a short trigger will probably be in order.

My wife's main problem with the Glock is that she can't get good trigger finger placement due to the overall shape of the grip. As stated earlier my wife's primary carry is a 4.1" 1911 with the bobtailed frame, she carries or (or rather carried, we still haven't applied for our Iowa permits yet, long story) mainly IWB in the warmer months and OWB in the cooler months where she can use a sweater as better cover garment.

As you're new to the 1911, I would suggest browsing over this thread: So you want to buy a 1911? *(Long) *

I added emphasis to the LONG portion, it's not a short read but if you're new to the platform there is probably a lot of information that is new to you.

Edited to add: Here's a range report my wife did of the 9mm EMP on _one of her sites: _6/26/07 Springfield EMP Range Report.

My wife has several blogs, one old (where the EMP report is), one current and one new one that's in progress.


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## terese70

Loved your wife's blog and the youtube info. You guys are doing a great service here. I have been out looking again today and can't find a local shop that has a Springfield EMP in. Did find a Springfield XD sub compact that felt really nice.

I am going to keep researching. Thanks to both you and your wife.


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