Humble Marksman’s Kimber 2K11 vs DS Warrior: Does Eight Ounces Change the Gun?

Is Kimber’s cheaper DS Warrior close enough to a 2K11, or does the extra steel actually show up on the clock? Humble Marksman ran both on USPSA targets with hard cover to find out.

The short version of what he covers: both guns in this video are 9mm. The 2K11 is the bull-barrel, DLC/PVD, toolless-guide-rod gun at just over 40 ounces. The DS Warrior is the price-point gun — bushing barrel, traditional slide, KimPro finish, GI-style guide rod, polymer grip, internal extractor, around 33 ounces. He uses a 2K11 as his main match gun and says he has run one past 5,000 rounds on oil alone. Factory trigger on the 2K11 comes a little lighter; he would not call that a big advantage. On the range he shot 7, 15, and 25 yards, two runs each. At 7 he was more comfortable on the heavier gun. At 15 the Warrior actually outscored on points once. At 25 both threw mics into hard cover; the 2K11 still piled up a better hit factor. He is clear this was a small sample. He would keep picking the ~40-ounce 2K11 for competition. For carry, the Warrior being about 8 ounces lighter is the point, and he does carry one. Scores and “23% better” math are his, not ours.

Here’s our take. If you want a match gun you can oil and keep running, buy the 2K11 family and live with the weight. If you want a double-stack 1911 you might actually wear, the Warrior is the honest one — lighter, cheaper, same accuracy class in his hands. Eight ounces is a lot on a belt and not much if you never leave the bay. Watch the 25-yard hard-cover section before you decide the score gap is the gun and not two runs.

We stock both platforms he is talking about. The DS Warrior on the shelf is the Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 9mm KimPro Black, 5-inch, 33 oz — that matches the lighter gun in the video. The 2K11 we are featuring is the Kimber 2K11 Comp, 9mm, 5-inch, Black DLC. That is a compensated 2K11, not the exact ~40 oz slide he timed, so do not treat the Comp listing as his match gun. Complete firearms. Transfer through your FFL.