Kimber Ultra Carry 2 .45

[Mokumbear]

Anyone care to share their experience with the Kimber Ultra Carry 2 .45?

Is this one of the better 1911 style .45's with a 3" barrel?

Is the "matte black" slide pretty rust resistant?

How would you rate Kimber customer service?

[wuluf]

Thankfully, i have no knowledge of Kimber customer service. I own two, an Ultra Carry II and a Custom II. I carry the UC everyday, and find it reliable and accurate with the right magazines and ammo. If it's new, it might take you a while to break it in, something that seems to drive some people crazy. After 500 or so rounds, i started using the Kim-Pro Tac mags and Blazer 230 FMG for the range and Hornady 200 XTP for defense carry. I'm really happy with both Kimbers...

[doctori]

I have an UC 2 with Meprolights and love it! I did have one before this one but it had issues like double firing. I contacted Kimber and they were eager to get it back and fix it however, it was stolen in transit back to Yonkers. Luckily, it was insured and replaced in kind. I did purchase some Wilson mags to use with the UC 2.

The only slight drawback is the weight but it is tolerable.

[wyohusker]

I have been looking at this gun also. Don't mean to steel your thread. Question though....why on a high end gun do the factory mags not work? I love the feel and look of the kimbers.

[lcpiper]

This might answer your magazine question as well.

I also have a UC2, I suggest if you buy one get one that already has night sights or it'll cost you about $130 more later on to have them installed. Just use that as a price difference figure.

I bought mine, had initial problems with steel cased Russian ammo that was also very dirty to shoot. Switched to some plain old Winchester White Box and Remington UMC and the failures cleared right up. I have about 400 rounds through it so far so it is pretty much "broken in" and I have run an entire mag or two of Federal hollow points through it with no problems.

Now on that magazine question, when I bought mine the grip felt a little short for my hand, like the back of the base of the grip was digging into my palm some. So I bought a beveled mag well attachment which added a little bit of length to the grip and made it a little more comfy, enough so that I am convinced I am happier with it. But that extension means the factory mags are trickier to seat inside that well so I needed new mags with a bumper on the bottom so I could slam those babies in there. So at least in my case, I never even used the factory mags and they were replaced for an entirely different reason then one might expect.


P.S. Now here is the last part, I didn't know this when I bought my Kimber UC2, and I wish I had, but you need a special little tool for disassembly that your average 5" M1911 doesn't need. I wish I didn't need that little tool, actually the tool isn't anything more then a little hardened peice of wire in an "L" shape. But Kimber has a custom redesigned recoil spring tube assembly that is their own special thing. I would have been happier with a more classic design although I have not researched who might make one, perhaps the Colt's do. But either way, this is a small complaint and has nothing to do with confidence in the gun or the quality of Kimber as a company.

As for the Company itself, I have had no need to deal with them directly yet and I seem to have a terrific LGS who loves to excel at customer service, they put the new Kimber night sights on for me just last week for the cost of the sights alone, no labor.

[CDW4ME]

I bought a blued Ultra Carry II with night sights last year, would not feed last round from supplied magazine.
Tripp magazines solved the feeding problem.
I've put about 600 rounds through it, no issues since the Tripp magazines.

[SilentHitz]

Carry a UC II every day, have no experience with customer service, because it has run flawless for 3 years. Only thing I changed on the pistol, was the addition of some grips from Esmerelda...didn't care for the stock ones very much.



http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/SilentHitz/2010_0406pics19110007.jpg

[orionengnr]

I had two Stainless Ultra Carry IIs. Sold one in a moment of financial weakness. Still have the other. Both work fine.

I also have two of the Ultra CDPs, one Series II and one pre-Series II (actually, this one is the wife's). Both work fine.

I have also owned two of the Commander-sized models--one alloy Pro CDP (also sold in a moment of weakness) and an Eclipse Pro II (on my hip as I type this). Both work fine.

Finally, I owned a Government-sized Eclipse (sold, you guessed it) and a Stainless LE pre-Series II (still have it). Both work fine.

Of those eight, each has worked perfectly from day one. Most were bought used. None has ever required attention from Kimber, so I have no idea on their customer service.

Original Kimber mags work fine for me.

In fairness, one of my stainless Ultra Carry IIs had damage to the feed ramp when I bought it--the prior owned had sanded the feed ramp and had removed the anodizing, leaving bare aluminum. I had a stainless steel insert installed--problem solved. That's not a Kimber problem, it's a Bubba problem. :)

[wyohusker]

Still everyone has changed out the factory magazines. I have a RI compact 1911 it came with the factory supplied magazines. I have st least 100 round through each msg and have had problems at all. This gun cost half of what a kimber does. Does kimber make a bad magazine? Maybe I will just get another Rock Island.

[BerettaBuckeye]

I carry an UCII most of the time but mine's stainless. I've had it for years and put maybe only 300 to 400 through it but it's always been reliable. I put some VZ 320's on it, I use factory Kimber mags and carry in in a High Noon Mr. Softy holster. Couldn't be happier with mine and also thankfully I have no experience with kimber service. Great gun

[SilentHitz]

Still everyone has changed out the factory magazines. I have a RI compact 1911 it came with the factory supplied magazines. I have st least 100 round through each msg and have had problems at all. This gun cost half of what a kimber does. Does kimber make a bad magazine? Maybe I will just get another Rock Island. Never changed my Kimber mags, and I also have 2 RIA tactical models, one mag worked fine...had to trash the other. Point is, you can get a bad mag with ANY pistol no matter what price range it's in. Good rule is never scrimp on cheap mags, it's worth the few extra bucks to get good quality mags...especially for a carry gun. :cool:

[Mrgunsngear]

I have one and mine was horribly unreliable with frequent FTFs/FTEs for the first few hundred rounds. I was ready to send the damn thing back but I switched to a chip mccormick mag and haven't had in issue since through a few hundred rounds.

I called Kimber to report the bad mag and they said they'd send me a replacement... That was over a year ago and no mag to date. It's a great little gun with the right mag.

[dajowi]

I don't own a Ultra Carry but I do have an Eclipse Ultra II 3". The two mags that came with the gun have never been a problem.

[bikerbill]

Bought one of the black UCII's two summers ago and couldn't be happier ... it's been perfect since new, no failures ever, it's probably the most accurate handgun I own, very tight groups at SD distances out to 15 yds ... eats anything I feed it, tho when I carry it, it's loaded with Hornady Critical Defense rounds ... the finish seems to be holding up, but you can't be too worried about that in a carry gun that gets bumped around and -- if you train properly -- drawn from holster frequently ... never seen a spot of rust ... one of the best gun purchases I've ever made, wouldn't trade it for anything near it in price ... I wasn't happy with the grips so swapped them for VZ grips, which are fantastic ... also replaced the mags with Wilson Combats, I like the bumper for better seating and the mags are smooth as silk ...

[wyohusker]

Thanks for the answer on the mags... The RI 1911 I'D MY first 1911. I just wanted to know if I needed to budget in more money for different mags. When I get mine I will at lest try the factory mags first. Sounds like if you are having problems that should be one of the first things you look at to replace. Would like to hear more comments on the fun though.

[CDW4ME]

More comments on the "fun" ...
I either appendix carry the Ultra in a FIST kydex clip on, or carry in a Smartcarry if wearing gym / sweat shorts.

What velocity might you get from a 3'' barrel?
All 230 gr. bullets, average for 5 shots, all readings taken on the same day.
Remington JHP @ 741 fps
S&B ball @ 746 fps
Winchester ball @ 745 fps
Gold Dot @ 764 fps
Hydra-Shok @ 775 fps
Winchester Ranger T @ 814 fps

Edit (may not qualify as fun): If you buy the Ultra be aware that the barrel is "in the white" and will need to be kept oiled to prevent rust; I bought mine new last summer and they are not stainless barrels, just look stainless, really it's bare metal. I've kept the barrel oiled and do not have any rust, so far.

I liked my first blued Ultra enough to buy a 2nd model in stainless (TLE). The stainless TLE would randomly lock the slide back with ammunition still in the magazine. The problem was the bullet nose making contact with slide stop; Kimber sent a replacement slide stop, free. I decided to see if I could file down the original slide stop and make it work; I was successful and eliminated the random slide lock back. I now have the 2nd slide stop as a spare.

[Carry_24/7]

These are helpful reports. Ihave a Pro CDP (4") that has been flawless, and have been considering/researching a 3" but have not bought yet. Through advise at purchase, I also only use Wilson mags, my Kimber mag is still a virgin.

[Shadi Khalil]

Mine experience was awful. Couldn't get through a whole mag with out some kind of failure. Kimber was no help either... Here is a good rule to go by, when the manufacturer tells you not to use the supplied magazines on your first problem call, you should probably try to avoid those guns.

[zombieslayer]

I had 2 pre-series 2's and they worked very well with any mags. I even used cheapo mags with no failures. That said, mine were very early models and I wouldn't buy a newer one. I'd buy a Colt or SA.

[thinktwice]

I have an Ultra CDP 11, and the only problem was when I first got it (new) it was throwing brass back in my face. Kimber customer service couldn't have been nicer, I sent the pistol back to them (their dime) they tuned the extractor, and re polished the feed ramp, ever since it has worked 100%. However I am using Wilson mags. Never could understand why Kimber sells the "high end" pistols, and ships them with a junk mag. But overall mine is a great little pistol with several hundred flawless rounds through it now. I heard Kimbers quality control wasn't very good a couple of years back, ( can't confirm that, it's just something I heard) but they seem to be producing some pretty trouble free pistols now. I have several friends that I shoot with that have Kimbers, and they all have been trouble free, and seem to love them. I am not trying to sell anyone on Kimber. I also have Colt 1911's as well as Springfield's, and they have also been 100% Maybe I just got lucky, or I better knock on wood.

[frigate88]

Not very good guns for what you pay. I actually just got rid of my Kimber crimson pro carry II 1911 today. Kimber 1911's have a huge issue with chambering hollow points, and with mine was a huge issue. The slide felt very tight when racking with hollow points as to what it felt like with slugs. Alot of people that keep there Kimbers take it a gunsmith or send it back to Kimber and have the feed mechanism worked on or grinded down for easier feeds with the hollow points. The Kimber was an excellent shooting gun to where a I could shoot soda cans at 80yards with out an issue.The slide I had was also blued but did not rust (yet). The barrel on the other hand which is supposedly stainless had a huge issue with rusting no matter how much I cleaned and oiled the gun. But the decision is yours. Other than it being an expensive gun to own, shoot, and any repairs, it is a good gun. I would def try to sell it and get a different model 1911. To me Kimbers just have the most problems. Hope this will help.