Talk to me about a Kimber Ultra Carry II

[Protected One]

I have a chance to pick up a Kimber Ultra Carry II from a friend of a friend, for what I think is a very good price.
Though I am familiar with the brand I have never owned one and would love to hear your comments - pro and con.

The gun is all black with a Hogue wrap around grip, night sights, and a Wilson combat chamfered mag well. Come with 2 magazines (1 is Wilson combat), a Kimber OWB belt holster, and case. There is a slight scratch above the mag release but other than that it looks like new. Price:$600 I told him to look for an answer today.

 

[okiegtrider]

Price seems pretty good to me. I own a Kimber, its a nice gun. But I've shot it very little. They make nice stuff. I think you'll find them like just about anything else. Some who will come along to tell you its best thing since sliced bread and some others who'll bash on it. Truth is likely somewhere in the middle. FWIW, I don't think you are hurt on it at 600 if you want one.

 

[Watchdog]

...would love to hear your comments - pro and con.

It's a good little pistol. Feels comfortably wide and stocky in your hand. Very similar in look and feel to the Colt Defender in .45 acp. It's a bit bouncy/flippy to shoot with strong loads, but still manageable...with practice. Like the Defender, it's kinda finicky to disassemble/reassemble (for me, anyway). I'd personally prefer stainless, but for what you'd be getting with the pistol for $600, I'd say you can't lose on the deal. It'd go for $800 easy around here, perhaps a bit more.

 

[Arik]

They make nice stuff but lately it's been cherries or lemons. I wouldn't gamble on buying a new one but if this is your friend's and you know the gun go for it

 

[kozmic]

I have an stainless Ultra Raptor II. It is a great gun and a fine shooter. It's reliable and accurate. It has surprisingly manageable and predictable recoil and an excellent trigger. For me it is very well balanced, comfortable and points very naturally for initial shots and follow ups.

I had a couple of FTE very early on, but since has run flawlessly. I believe Kimber recommends 350 rounds to break it in-so about as one would expect until fully broken in.

There are Kimber haters out there. Many don't like the Ultras or the factory stock mags. Others have horror stories about their customer service. I have no issue what so ever with the Ultra formate or Kimbers in general.

For 600 bucks, that is a great deal. Barring any mechanical issues, I would jump on it NOW! Of course you know the stocks are after market. I don't find the factory wood stocks to be uncomfortable(?)

Note...as a lefty it does occasionally eject brass back at me. Certainly no worse than any other bottom feeder.

 

[getoff]

i work for a local shop that is a Kimber "Master" dealer. their mags suck, so don't rely on them for self defense. they make nice fancy stuff that can be finicky when it comes to ammo. the pro carry i no longer have, wouldn't cycle the critical defense stuff at all. the one major draw back with Kimber, their customer service stinks on ice...

 

[old&slow]

I have a Kimber Tactical Ultra, one of my favorites. When I first got it I had trouble with the last round failing to feed. I figure it was the mag, but it wasn't. I called Kimber they said send it back.. In a few weeks I got it back ,, hasn't missed a lick since..

They replaced the slide , it had the external extractor and when I got it back it had a internal extractor. My 5" Kimber has an internal extractor also ,, and I haven't had any problems with it..

I asked if they were having trouble with the external extractor ?
They said, No.. But wouldn't say why they replaced the slide on my Ultra. But it has worked fine ever since..

 

[ISCS Yoda]

On the assumption that it's a cherry and not a lemon Kimbers are gorgeous, well made handguns. If you must carry a 1911 you can't go wrong with a Kimber. I admit I just don't have a passion for carrying a 1911 of any kind. YMMV

 

[Fishinfool]

I have the same pistol, only with CT Laser grips. About 1200 rounds thru it now, and it has been nothing but reliable with anything I have used in it. I did replace the recoil spring at about 600 rounds, as these short 1911's are hard on them, and its cheap insurance to keep the gun running properly. Mine is very accurate, an added bonus. They have a little flip to em' with full power loads, but no worse than a plastic .40 or .45 of the same size. When I carry, it's either my Kimber, or a Glock 26 that I also have a lot of faith in. $600 is a fair price.

Larry

 

[00 buck]

Mine is nice but shows a preference for certain ammo

Eats Hornady Critical DUTY all day no hicups
Critical Duty.....not critical defense

 

[Frizzman]

I have a Kimber CDP Pro that I bought in 2005. It isn't a II. It has never choked and it has been shot extensively. A blown case head blew one of the stocks off of it and blew the magazine out of it. We never found the magazine spring. One of the lamps on the rear night sight was knocked out. It wasn't the fault of the pistol. It was likely due to an old casing being reloaded one too many times. No injury occurred. The pistol was sent back to the factory. It came back with new Trijicons, new stocks and a note that it was inspected and found to be otherwise undamaged. There was no charge...I have a Super Carry Ultra that I traded for last year. It was unfired when I got it. It's had a couple hundred rounds of ball through it so far without a malfunction. I only use Wilson mags in my 1911's...That seems like a good price for that pistol if you like it.

 

[A10]

I had one of them short Kimbers for a while. Nice little pistol. Mine was the Ultra CDP II. Swapped it for my 629 Classic 5". I can't say no to a nice Nframe!

 

[Protected One]

If you must carry a 1911 you can't go wrong with a Kimber. I admit I just don't have a passion for carrying a 1911 of any kind. YMMV

Did you once "have" a passion for it? and if so....what changed?

 

[TucsonMTB]

Go for it, sir.

That is about the same price we paid many years ago when we bought this one, used. Since Kimber replaced the slide to eliminate the external extractor, it has never missed a beat.

My wife used it to shoot her CCW qualification. Needless to say, it is "her" pistol now.

 

[CaptRon956]

Only one word comes to mind when I think of Kimber.... "expensive". However I believe to a degree that you get what you pay for. I've been eyeballin' this Kimber solo 9mm for some time but that price tho... Is it really worth 3/4 of a grand?

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I've generally heard good things about that model. Seems like a good price.

I've had Kimber Pro Tactical II Special Edition since 2002. No problems. I use Wilson Combat mags and Wilson Combat recoil spring flatwire kit. Mag and spring seem to be the weak points for Kimber 1911.

 

[Elliot45]

That is a very good price for a Kimber. My brother-in-law owns two Kimbers, one is a 3" (w/night sites and Crimson laser) and the other is a 5" version with night sites. Both were over $1,000 but they are top of the line. He also had a 4" model which he sold only because he felt guilty after buying the large Kimber. I've shot all three and love them. I would have bought his 4" Pro Carry but I already had a 5" Colt Gold Cup and a 3" Springfield XDS so I didn't think I needed another .45 at the time. I've since sold my XDS and wish I had bought his. They are sweet shooting guns, have great triggers and are very accurate. The price is right for you and if you don't want it, put me in touch and I'll take it off your friend's hands. Regards, Elliot45

 

[wbraswell]

I buddy has one like that, he loves it. I've shot it, nice pistol. 600 sounds good to me.

 

[ccso7d100]

The only problem I've know the 3" 1911 to have (and that includes all manufactures) is they can be "picky" about what kind of ammo they'll digest. Usually, a polish job on the feed ramp & throat take care of the issue...... Appears to be a good price though.....