Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 38 Super – Superb 20 Round Double Stack 1911

Description

Thirty eight Super has spent most of its life as a competition cartridge, prized for making major power factor with less recoil than a 45. The Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 38 Super puts that cartridge in a modern double stack 1911 and, because the case is slimmer than a 45, gets more rounds into the same frame than any other chambering in the line.

Twenty Rounds In A 1911 Frame

Capacity is what makes this variant interesting. Seventeen and twenty round magazines put the 38 Super Warrior three rounds ahead of the 45 ACP version on the same frame, simply because the case is narrower. For a platform historically limited to seven or eight rounds, that is a transformation.

Thirty eight Super delivers its energy through velocity rather than mass, which means flatter trajectory and noticeably less muzzle rise than a 45 ACP at comparable power. Competitors have used it for decades for exactly that reason, and the 12 pound recoil spring Kimber fits here reflects the softer impulse.

A 5 inch stainless barrel with a bushing and a deep crown handles the higher pressures the cartridge runs. The deep crown protects the rifling at the muzzle, which is where damage does the most harm to accuracy on a gun that will see high round counts.

A Match Trigger And An Optic Ready Slide

The GT Performance Trigger breaks between 4 and 5 pounds with the short reset a 1911 shooter expects. It arrives that way from the factory rather than needing a trigger job, which is unusual at this level and is the feature most owners notice first.

The rear sight sits on a removable TAG cover plate rather than being dovetailed into the slide, so the pistol is optic ready without any milling. Moving to a red dot is a matter of swapping the plate rather than sending the slide out, and a night sight front works with either setup.

A carbon fiber grip module keeps weight down where it does not help, and a Picatinny rail on the dust cover takes a light or laser. Front and rear slide serrations make press checks and malfunction clearing secure with wet or gloved hands.

Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 38 Super Specifications

• Kimber model number 3600301
• Caliber 38 Super
• Capacity 17 and 20 round magazines
• Barrel length 5 inches, stainless steel with a bushing and deep crown
• Overall length 8.7 inches
• Height 5.5 inches
• Width 1.4 inches
• Weight 33 ounces with an empty magazine
• Frame stainless steel sub frame with a KimPro Black finish
• Slide stainless steel, KimPro Black, front and rear serrations
• Picatinny rail integral to the dust cover
• Sights night sight front with a TAG cover plate and fixed rear sight
• Optic ready under the TAG cover plate
• Trigger GT Performance Trigger, 4.0 to 5.0 pounds
• Grip module carbon fiber
• Recoil spring 12 pounds
• Action single action only, double stack 1911 pattern

Ammunition availability is the honest caveat with 38 Super. It is a well supported cartridge among competitive shooters and every major manufacturer loads it, but it does not sit on shelves the way 9mm and 45 ACP do, and prices run higher per round. Buyers who shoot high volume should plan on ordering in quantity or handloading, which many 38 Super owners do anyway since the cartridge responds well to careful load development. In exchange you get flatter trajectory, less muzzle rise and three more rounds than the 45 ACP version.

Why Buyers Choose The Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 38 Super

Competitors and enthusiasts choose the Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 38 Super because it is the highest capacity gun in the family and the softest shooting for its power level. Twenty rounds in a 1911 frame was unthinkable a decade ago.

The GT Performance Trigger is the feature that sells the platform. A clean 4 to 5 pound break with a short reset, fitted at the factory, is what shooters used to pay a gunsmith to achieve.

Being optic ready under the TAG cover plate protects the purchase. Run irons now and move to a red dot later without milling the slide or buying a different pistol.

Thirty eight Super has a genuine following for a reason. Flatter trajectory and less muzzle rise than a 45 at similar power make it easier to shoot fast and accurately, which is exactly what a high capacity 1911 is built for.

Upkeep on the Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 38 Super follows the 1911 field strip most owners already know, with common service parts and magazines available directly from Kimber.

Who Should Buy The Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 38 Super

This pistol suits the experienced 1911 shooter who wants maximum capacity and a flat shooting cartridge, particularly anyone shooting competition where round count and recoil recovery both matter. It also appeals to shooters who already reload, since 38 Super rewards load development. It is less practical as a general purpose defensive pistol simply because ammunition is harder to find locally than 9mm or 45 ACP, and a newer shooter should be comfortable with a single action trigger, a thumb safety and a grip safety before choosing one.

Full manufacturer specifications for the Kimber 1911 DS Warrior 38 Super are published by Kimber on the official product page. Browse more shotguns and clays gear in our shotguns category.