# Kimber UC II review



## PhilR.

Hello all,

Below is my latest review, this time for the Kimber Ultra Carry II. Again, my reviews are longer than most you'll find, so only read further if you like a lot of information. Thanks for reading!










This is a review/range report for the .45acp Kimber Ultra Carry II that was purchased earlier this year. This is the basic model, with an all-black finish and black plastic grip panels. The frame is Al, and holds a seven-shot magazine. It has a 3" bull barrel without bushing, and has a full-length guide rod. The plain sights are drift adjustable. It weighs 25.3 ounces with empty magazine in place. Other specs can be found on their website. Below is a pic of the UC II sitting next to a few others from the collection.










Two things that were immediately noticeable - it came in a case decent enough to be useable for a long time, and it only came with only one magazine. I am a bit amazed that a relatively high-profile firearms maker would be so cheesy as to provide only one magazine for an expensive handgun. Heck, even my Taurus 24/7 came with two magazines. Also included, besides a small instruction booklet and the requisite gunlock, is a very small takedown tool which looks like a paperclip that was carefully straightend. I think I will be lucky to still have this tool five years from now.

Takedown is a bit more complicated than most semi-auto's, but once you get the hang of it, it's not hard. You just have to position the takedown tool in just the right place inside the forward end of the guide rod. There is a video on the internet that shows how to remove the guide rod without the use of the takedown tool, but my rod did not replace as easily as the one in the video. Therefore, I will be using the takedown tool to accomplish this, at least until I loose the tiny thing.

The inside of the pistol was mostly clean, with no unusual machining marks. I added a set of Hogue rubber grips, and after a quick spray of the innards with Tetra clean/lube and oiling the parts that rub, it was off to the range.

Even though this manufacturer has a good reputation (not with everyone, I know), I was nonetheless very impressed from the very first magazine. At seven yards, the first seven shots went into one ragged hole, which is something that I've not ever done in the past with a brand new pistol (it usually takes a few magazines to get used to a pistol). Even more surprising was that the hole was exactly where I put the top of the front sight blade. With the Fiocchi FMJ I was using, this is the most "dead-on" out of the box pistol I've ever had. Sights are plain, with no white dots to be seen anywhere.

Shooting between seven and ten yards, I put one box of Fiocchi 230gr FMJ and one box of Blazer though it, with no failures of any kind. Recoil was of no consequence, and accuracy was wonderful. I did notice a lot more flash than usual, which I will estimate is due to the shorter barrel. Low-flash loads would definately be in order if one is going to use these for self-defense. Factory specs for trigger pull weight is 4 to 5 pounds, and the pull weight on this example is 4 lbs. 11 oz.. First-stage pull length was short and light (hey, it's a 1911!), and the second stage pull was fairly crisp, with some overtravel once it breaks. Overall quite adequate for use as a defensive pistol, and I have no plans on changing it, even if it serves only as a range gun. The amount of pressure needed to move the safety lever was just right for my tastes. Mags drop free, as would be expected.

Since the original range session, I have put an additional three-hundred rounds of Fiocchi and Blazer through it without a single hiccup. No other types of ammo has been used, since at this time I do not plan on using this for defense. Of my three 1911's, it has proven to be the most accurate, or at least I should say that I shoot the most accurately with it. It has become one of my most favored pistols. Hmmm -- I'm starting to think that a 9mm version would make a great carry weapon.....


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## dondavis3

Good review - thanks

:smt1099


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