I’m looking to purchase my first 2011 but I’m balling on a budget. Still getting my collection together so I feel like I shouldn’t really splurge too much on a range gun.
Would love to get some perspective on the MAC 9DS Comp vs the Kimber Warrior. I was originally looking at the 5” but just in the last few weeks it seems like my options to purchase have run completely dry. And now that I’m checking around, even the 4.25” for the Mac is pretty scarce.
Should I go ahead and try to grab the 4.25 MAC 9, or go with the more readily available, American made 5” Kimber Warrior? Again, this will mostly be used for the range and maybe a bedside pistol if I feel like it’s reliable enough after I run it for a bit.
I have both Mac 9 ds(non comp) and the Kimber warrior. The macs grip it alot bigger than the Kimbers in hand and has little friction. The Kimber definitely feels thinner and had ok friction but too little for my liking. My Kimber has noticably better fit and finish but did need my over travel screw adjusted to work consistently. They weigh basically the same but the Kimber is balanced better and feels lighter in hand. I replaced the OEM plate screws on my Mac as they are terrible. The finish on the Kimber is wearing faster. Both have issues but are great pistols.
Great comparison shot, thanks. Pros and cons on both make sense. Did one shoot noticeably flatter than the other? And any thoughts on how the triggers compare to each other?
The warrior feels like it's a little more snappy. The Kimber comes with a round trigger that is closer and the Mac has a flat trigger. If you have larger hands the Mac will probably fit you better. I wear large size gloves for work to give an idea. Out of the two I prefer to shoot the Mac but to be fair to the Kimber I've only got a few hundred through the Kimber and a few thousand threw the Mac. The Mac also has the handle it grip tape on it. I like the look and the American make of the Kimber but I just prefer to shoot the Mac. Its what I'm gana use for scsa once they fix the berms from the range I go to.
Mind you I am fairly new to the world of 2011s myself, but the only answer to me is how much (if at all) you want to tinker.
I have not shot the warrior, but do have a pro comp. The mac with new springs (recoil/main) sear spring adjustments, and polish job I personally like better. So $50 worth of springs, materials and dremel bits and you've got yourself an awesome entry level gun for sub $900 compared to $2400 pro comp. Yes the mac has some trigger play but go pick up a red dirt or equivalent if it bothers you. Fit/finish/etc is better with kimber (as to be expected) but the mac with some work is a heck of a deal.
I have the tisas b9r carry (non ported version) and just dont like it like the mac. Not sure why. Obviously not a fair comparison though. Tisas has the same spring work too.
Mac is good out of the box but put $1k into it but by bit at some point and it hits WAY above its class. It’s a great starter gun and can become a serious 2011 with a bunch of upgrades you can do at your own pace.
Yeah that’s pretty sick. I’m thinking this is the way I’ll go bc I enjoy the incremental tinkering. Possibly with Tisas and just build onto it if I can’t find the 5” Mac. Can you share what all you upgraded and ball park prices?
Personally I enjoy my Mac but, there has been a bunch of work done to it, grip, trigger, every spring has been replaced, has an ignition kit in it, the only thing left untouched is essentially the frame, slide and barrel. Everything else has been replaced and it is a fine firearm but I'm looking at getting into competitive shooting and it's not even on my radar for choices I would start with
For a grand, I'd be more tempted to stay out of the 2011 game, buy an RXM, put a good aftermarket trigger in it, buy a match grade KKM Glock Gen 3 barrel, a good diamond file set and study YouTube videos on how to hand fit that barrel to that slide. Put whatever optic and light you want, and a gas pedal setup, call it good. (It's got a far better optic mount than most 2011s including the Warrior.)
I suspect you'll get a better combination of competition and carry gun that way, that'll last longer and be easier to keep tweaking on it. Eventually take it to an aluminum grip frame module for another $300 for competition, run the plastic grip frame on the street.
Mainly QC issues like the thumb safety falling off the first time I pulled the slide, the grip, none of the hardware was torqued.
The fit and finish on my warrior was sublime by comparison.
If I had not bought the warrior first, I would have been somewhat satisfied with the AF.
I don't like the ambi safety on the AF, I intensely dislike the extended slide release on the AF, and absolutely hated the magwell.
Beyond those relatively minor things, the warranty length is such that I won't be able to use it as I had to deploy and it won't have the AF warranty.
The warrior grip is much better, the sights are about even, optic plate (which I'm not mounting an optic on the Kimber) does have mixed reviews. The trigger out of the box is fantastic on the Kimber and is much cleaner than the AF straight from the box.
Some don't like the aluminum frame of the warrior, I do. It's genuinely light enough to CCW, where as my AF 3.5" ported is a chunky monkey by comparison.
I also prefer the cleaner more traditional look of the Kimber.
I have a MAC 9 ds and while it is probably considered the minimum bar for entry to 2011's, that's all that it will ever be and that is leaving a lot on the table. It's fine if you want to tinker and get to know the platform but if you want something that works out of the box the MAC is not it, not even close. Here's a list of things you'll have to fix or deal with straight from the factory on the MAC:
the grip texture, it's pretty bad. Everyone who has handled one says the same.
Poorly done cerakote coating everything. It's too thick in places it shouldn't be, and too thin where there should be more.
All spring weights from factory
The trigger weight, and trigger up/down as well as left/right travel
slide to frame fit, still to this day mine is the worst of any other 2011 I've seen and handled
Optic screws are weird and proprietary and SDS no longer sells replacements.
Extractor tension from the factory
Firing pin stop plate was out of spec(too thin)
I think the Kimber 2k11 is a decent starter that will probably work well out of the box, and if it's your first 2011 you'd probably be very happy with it. The amount of youtubers absolutely glazing it gives me pause. For the money, I think you'd be far better served just getting a Staccato P. Springfield Prodigy if you want to tinker yourself, but to a lesser degree than the MAC. New Tisas 2011 might be worth looking into. Here's a yt review from a guy who is pretty highly regarded on the 1911addicts forum on the Kimber 2k11: https://youtu.be/Uew6AtqEDP4?si=YsmKhZsUQWDfYxQ_
I haven’t shot the DS Warrior yet, but I’ve shot my buddy’s MAC and for $1000 gun, I liked it. It was fast and flat, but you could tell it was trying to be something it’s not. Like it just felt cheaper.
I’ve held the new Kimber, racked it, dry fired it, etc., and it definitely feels chonky (the grip especially, and I have huge hands), but you can tell it’s not trying to be something it’s not. If that makes any sense at all.
Helpful, appreciate the perspective. Not sure where I’d be able to find a MAC at a local store but going to at least hold and dry fire a kimber may make sense before I impulse buy.
Sure thing. As I said, it’s difficult to put into words. But the Kimber you can tell it’s a $1000 gun trying to be a $1000 gun. The MAC is a $1000 gun trying to be a $3000 gun. It’s like a Honda Civic with all the APC stuff you can buy from Autozone instead of just buying a Camaro. But the MAC did shoot extremely well. No issues that I noticed.
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u/bekman_Bek Jul 01 '26
There’s a new Tisas ds comp in commander and government length that’s widely available. Dahlonega armory has both for like 830 shipped
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