Hey Freedom Gorillas! In this guide we are going to cover which optics fit the Kimber CDS9.
The CDS9 from Kimber is an amazing every day carry. If you are looking for a double stack, compact, 1911 style optics ready pistol, then this one is likely for you. If you've already purchased one, congratulations! It is an excellent choice.
In this guide we are going to let you know which Holosun Red & Green dot sights will fit on the Kimber CDS9 without the need for any adapter plates or anything like that.
All the optics we cover will be a direct fit. To learn more keep reading!
Which Holosun Optics do we recommend for the Kimber CDS9?
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K Series Footprint Optics - these are smaller optics with smaller windows and less overhang
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Quick Nav
- Pistols this article applies to
- Holosun Optics we recommend for the Kimber CDS9
- Holosun vs other brands
- What Optics Footprint is the Kimber CDS9
- Best Modified RMSc/K Series Holosun Optics for the Kimber CDS9
- How to choose between red or green reticles
- How to choose between open vs closed emitter
- How to decide which reticle style is best for you
- Conclusion
Which Kimber CDS9 models does this apply to?
This guide will apply to all optics ready CDS9 models:
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Why do we recommend Holosun Optics vs other options?
- They are a good combination of high quality and affordability.
- They have the longest battery life and batteries can be changed without removing the optic.
- They come in red & green reticles with different sizes and styles.
- They are strong with 7075 aluminum or titanium housings and glass.
- They have convenient features like Shake Awake, easy to press brightness buttons, and Side Mounted Batteries.
- Some models have Solar Panels which will power the optic if the battery dies.
- They have a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
- They are reliable, water proof, and have a great track record
What optics footprint is the Kimber CDS9?
The Kimber CDS9 comes with a Holosun K Series footprint, also known as a modified RMSc footprint. This means it will fit any optic with a K Series footprint or an RMSc footprint.
We want to congratulate Kimber on using this footprint as we believe its the best one you could put on a compact 1911. The optics will fit directly on the slide once the cover plate is removed, no adapter plates are needed.
Best Modified RMSc/K Series Footprint Holosun Optics for the Kimber CDS9
Below are all the optics that will fit the Kimber CDS9. These optics will be a direct mount to the slide. These are all compact optics so they will have smaller windows and less overhang on the slide.
1. Holosun 407K Green & Red Dot - Best Budget Option
Buy the 407K At The Best Price
This is the most affordable micro optic Holosun makes and is available in a 6 MOA green or red dot.
If you are looking for a single dot optic that is very affordable and great for plinking then this might be the one for you.
The 6 MOA dot is a really nice size. It's big enough to pick up rather easily, but still small enough to be precise with.
It has an aluminum housing, side removable battery, manual brightness controls, shake awake, is IP67 waterproof, and 50,000hrs of battery life.
Read our full 407K Review here.
2. Holosun 507K Green & Red Dot - Best All Around Option
Buy the 507K At The Best Price
The next step up from the 407K is the 507K. This has all the same features like an aluminum housing, side removable battery, manual brightness controls, shake awake, IP67 waterproof, and long battery life but it also has Holosun's Multi Reticle System (MRS).
The MRS Reticle is a 32 MOA Ring with a 2 MOA dot. It's really cool when you look at it.
The other cool thing is you can toggle the reticle holding down the "-" for 3 seconds. So if you wanted to, you could use just the 32 MOA Ring, the 2 MOA Dot only, or both the 32 MOA Ring + the 2 MOA Dot.
Read our full 507K Review here.
3. Holosun 507K ACSS Vulcan Green & Red Dot - Best Speciality Option
Buy the 507K ACSS Vulcan At The Best Price
Next on the list is the 507K ACSS Vulcan. This is exactly like the 507K except is has the ACSS Vulcan reticle. This reticle has a 230 MOA dotted outer ring and a 3 MOA center dot.
The purpose of this reticle is to help you find the center dot quickly if you are off center. To learn more about the ACSS Vulcan reticle check out our article here.
The dotted outer ring can be turned off by holding down the "-" button for 3 seconds.
The main advantage of the ACSS Vulcan reticle is to be able to find the center dot quickly when drawing the pistol.
All the features are the same as the 507K except for the reticle, and this is available in both red & green.
Read our full 507K ACSS Vulcan Review here.
4. Holosun EPS Carry - Best Compact Enclosed Emitter Option
Buy the EPS Carry At The Best Price
The EPS Carry is very similar to the 407K and 507K except it has one major difference, it is an enclosed emitter optic. This means the laser emitter is protected by a hood. So dirt, mud, or debris will never get in the way of the emitter to distort the reticle. It also has the highest waterproof rating at IPX8.
There are 3 versions of the EPS Carry. The 2MOA, 6MOA, and MRS Versions
The MRS version has a solar panel on it which acts as a solar fail safe to power the reticle of the battery dies. It also gives you an extra auto brightness feature which can be toggled on or off.
Read our full EPS Carry Review here.
5. Holosun SCS Carry Green Dot - Best Solar Recharging Compact Closed Emitter Option
Buy the SCS Carry At The Best Price
The SCS Carry is similar to the EPS Carry in that it is an enclosed emitter, except it features Holosun's latest "Solar Recharging Technology".
It has an internal rechargeable battery with theoretical unlimited battery life. The battery has a 20K hour power reserve which is constantly being recharged. The optic charges the battery faster than it consumes. It has the MRS (multi reticle system) and is available in green dot only. You can use the 2 MOA dot, 2 MOA Dot + 32 MOA Circle, or 32 MOA Circle only.
This model doesn't have Shake Awake like the others, but recommend from Holosun, you just leave it on and it will stay on. It is constantly recharging from natural and artificial light sources. It does have a power off button if you wanted to turn it off.
This optic is a great option if you are looking for something super sleek, and where you never have to worry about batteries. Just turn it on and keep it on!
Choosing between Red or Green Reticles
You may be wondering if you should get a red or green dot reticle. We get this question a lot so I am going to list a few bullet points for you to consider.
- Green reticles are less straining for the eye to see.
- Green reticles can help with astigmatism. If you have astigmatism you will see a blurry dot, we have been told by a few customers that Green dots help with their astigmatism, making the dot look more crisp than the red version.
- Green will not washout on backdrops like green grass, foliage, or green colors.
- In theory Green dots can have a longer battery life because Green is brighter, so for example a green dot on brightness setting 6 may be the same brightness as a red dot on setting 7 - which would save battery life.
If you want to learn more check out our full article about Red vs Green Dot Pros & Cons here.
Choosing between Open vs Closed Emitters
The simplest way we can break down open vs closed emitters is to look at how you plan on carrying the pistol. If you plan on being outdoors in the elements with rain, snow, sleet, then a closed emitter will be beneficial.
If you plan on carrying OWB most of the time and plan on being outside then closed emitter would be beneficial.
If you plan on carrying IWB or don't plan on being outside using your red dot in the pouring rain or heavy snow then an open reflex is fine.
Open reflexes will still work in the rain or snow but the closed emitter will give you extra peace of mind.
An open reflex can collect dust and debris on the inside of the reticle over time, so you'll want to clean it out from time to time. An enclosed emitter is easier to clean in this aspect.
To learn more about Open vs Closed emitters you can check out our Open vs Closed Emitter Guide here.
How to decide which reticle style is best for you
In this guide we covered a few different reticle options. If you need some help deciding which is best for you here are some of our thoughts on each.
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Conclusion
As you can see there are quite a lot of Holosun Red and Green Dot sights for the Kimber CDS9.
We hope this guide was able to narrow it down and help you figure out which may be the best for you.
We really believe there is no "best" one. They are all great and all serve a specific purpose. We recommend choosing one that fits your needs and budget.
If you still need any help please contact our support and we would be happy to do so!
Thanks for reading!
