K6s Stainless 3" vs. K6s CDP: Comparing the Kimber K6s Revolver Series

Kimber K6s CDP Revolver Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous lead — The K6s CDP comes complete with Kimber’s signature Carry Melt treatment that further rounds edges for snag-free carry, a smooth black DLC finish on the frame and brushed stainless barrel and cylinder and small parts, checkered ergonomic rosewood grips, while boasting a set of low-profile tritium 3-dot night sights.

Kimber K6s Stainless 3” revolver Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous — The K6s Stainless 3″ features a 3-inch barrel, low-glare brushed stainless frame finish, large smooth walnut grips and white 3-dot sights.

Kimber K6s CDP Revolver Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous hand — The K6s CDP maintains the smooth non-stacking trigger to give us superior accuracy in such a small package.

Kimber K6s Revolver CDP revolver Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous author — Author Fred Mastison with the Kimber K6s CDP revolver at the Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Gateway, Colo.

The classic wheel gun is as much a part of American culture as apple pie and cowboys. They were the guns that won the West and were the embodiment of a classic gunfighter. While those may have been in the days of the past, the revolver remains a popular and effective handgun. While there are many on the market, some newer additions seem to have jumped to the front of the line in popularity and performance. The company behind these new blasters is none other than Kimber. The Kimber K6s revolver series may be the best the manufacturer has to offer.

[in_content post=”96927″ alignment=”align-left” /]

Kimber already set the bar high when they entered the revolver market with the K6s. This .357 snub nose revolver quickly became hard to find as sales surged. This year they have added a couple new models for us to enjoy.

“K6s set the bar for quality in production revolvers when we launched the platform last year,” said Winslow Potter, Kimber’s director of product management. “We work hard to ensure that we continue to raise that bar to better meet the specific applications and individual personalities of the American gun owner, and these mid-year K6s models do just that.”

K6s Stainless 3”

One of the most interesting additions has been the new 3-inch model.

The K6s Stainless 3″ features a 3-inch barrel, low-glare brushed stainless frame finish, large smooth walnut grips and white 3-dot sights. The K6s DC wears a beautiful smooth black DLC finish, ergonomic black G10 grips and low-profile tritium 3-dot night sights.

While the classic Kimber K6s revolver has proven itself to be an easy shooting and accurate gun, the additional barrel length with its increased sight radius gives us a small advantage.

K6s CDP (Custom Defense Package)

Another new addition to the Kimber revolver lineup is the K6s CDP (Custom Defense Package).

The K6s CDP comes complete with Kimber’s signature Carry Melt treatment that further rounds edges for snag-free carry, a smooth black DLC finish on the frame and brushed stainless barrel and cylinder and small parts, checkered ergonomic rosewood grips, while boasting a set of low-profile tritium 3-dot night sights.

The gun is the same size as the original K6s, but has been upgraded with features. They have taken the lightest, six-shot .357 Magnum on the market and added a smooth match-grade trigger, as well as a striking matte black diamond-like carbon (DLC) finish on the frame.

Revolver Battle

The challenge you will face is which one do you choose? That is a very hard question to answer to say the least.

[in_content post=”94588″ alignment=”align-right” /]

The benefits of the new K6s Stainless 3″ is increased accuracy and ultimately ballistic performance. The additional inch that we gain in barrel length can be a game changer at distances slightly beyond those of a true snub nose revolver. While it won’t be a go-to gun for 100-yard shots, it will certainly allow you a little more distance capability.

Add to that the fact that Kimber has included real sights on the gun. It has a generally standard front sight and a low-profile rear sight to avoid any snagging. The 3” has the same great trigger as the original Kimber K6s revolver and it is still small enough to be an easy every day carry gun.

On the other hand, we have the beautiful K6s CDP. It maintains the smooth non-stacking trigger to give us superior accuracy in such a small package.

The revolver also boasts superior ergonomics with a serrated backstrap for a positive grip and index control. It comes with dovetail night sights making windage adjustments or customization a breeze. The 23-ounce stainless steel frame will withstand even the harshest elements and the recessed chambers allow the gun to maintain its’ small footprint.

More than anything else it still holds the title of being the lightest, six-shot .357 Magnum on the market.

Final Thoughts

In the end it is a bit like being asked which one of your children you love the most. The best answer is that you love them both the same even though they have differences. You can’t go wrong with either gun, but a little voice inside your head is probably saying that getting both would be the way to go. Nothing says happy family like a couple fantastic .357 revolvers from Kimber.

I fired both at the Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Gateway, Colo., and both live up to Kimber revolver expectations.