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How reliable is the Kimber Ultra Carry II?????

24K views 23 replies 21 participants last post by  rodc13 
#1 ·
A few shooters at our local range own a Kimber Ultra Carry II -45 caliber and claim its both reliable and easy to handle! Since I am in the market for purchasing a handgun for home defense I thought I would try to get some feedback on shooters opinions that have shot or own this gun on just how reliable is this gun! And how is this pistols handling & recoil! If I just went on looks of this gun I would buy this pistol in a heartbeat but reliaibility is the number one ingredient that is a must for me in selection of a handgun! Many Thanks for your opinions and a late Happy New Year!
 
#2 ·
I own three ultra Kimbers, an Ultra Carry II, Ultra Covert II, and an Ultra Raptor II. The Ultra Raptor and Covert have functioned with no malfunctions through about 500 rounds. For the first 200-300 rounds, my Ultra Carry II would fail to go into full battery about fifty rounds after cleaning. It would function flawlessly for 40-50 rounds after cleaning and would begin to not fully lock up. This cycle repeated itself several times but it has been 100% reliable for the past 300 rounds.
 
#3 ·
Very popular gun, but in Kimbers, I prefer the 4" barrel Pro or Compact. The extra barrel length is of no concern for carry, and I believe the longer, the more reliable. Do a search on 1911.com...you'll get weeks of reading on the subject.
 
#4 ·
The "ULTRA's" have more recoil than the longer barreled versions, but they're manageable, if you're seasoned. My stainless ultra carry doesn't like the corbon 185's, other than that all of my ultras are reliable.

Ecilpse Ultra II(favy)
Stainless Ultra Carry II(CTC)
Black Ultra Carry II
 
#5 ·
I've not yet owned one (though one will probably be my next purchase), but everyone I've talked to has said that the 3" 1911 pistols have a long break-in period, 400+ rounds even.
When I buy a mini-1911, I intend to get 1,000 rounds of cheap ammo along with it, and go burn it all at the range in a few days to break it in.

Just my 0.02 (but I'm telling you, with inflation it should be more...)

Peace,
Pete Zaria.
 
#6 ·
I think it is no surprise that some Kimbers have issues out of the box as do other sub size 1911's. At best they are hit and miss, this can be due to the break in Kimber say's has to happen with them because of the tight tolerences of the gun, the mag's have also been an issue as well. Both of those combined would no doubt have the potential to cause "issues" that will likely work them selves out if there is a problem. The mag issue may stick around as a problem after the initial break in but that is easily resolved with a change to a more reliable magazine.

I have an Ultra CDP in .40 S&W that is a very nice piece. have had my smith work on the gun cause I did have feeding issues and I do not like to have to break one in before it will run right. So he did a reliability tune, cleaned up the trigger a touch, I switched to Wilson mags and now Tripp Cobra mag's and the gun feeds anything anytime and has proven to be a reliable carry gun.

I may not of had to take it to my smith if I'd just gotten through the break in so I don't know for sure or not that it wouldn't have worked out eventually but the fact that it was caughing and spitting and I had just spent a grand on the thing, I didn't like that part so for I think it was $65.00 and new mag's I bought off my pre break in issues with the gun.

Personally, I wouldn't choose an Ultra as my home defense handgun of choice but it is a great concealment handgun for sure as long as you break it in if needed, but I wouldn't carry it until at least 500 rds was through it.
 
#7 · (Edited)
I have carried a Kimber Ultra Carry II with WILSON COMBAT mags for almost 3 years...I have documented over 2000's rounds through the gun I purchased 'gently used'. the ONLY time I had trouble was with some cheap mags I was using...I have planned to change the springs...but so far it has run flawless...
so...my only advice...shoot it often...have fun...and buy quality mags...

WAIT...if you are talking home defense only and sold on a 1911...I would buy a full size 1911...more accurate, longer site picture, and probably slightly more reliable. IF you are purely looking home defense, I would look for something with a larger round capacity...maybe a double stack 1911, or an polymer full size...I use an XD45...nobody has ever said...man I wish I didn't have all this ammo in a gun fight....must my .02
 
#8 ·
I have a Kimber Ultra CDP II in my arsenal and have not experience any failures to date. It is still "tight" but not unreliable. I carry a different weapon depending on circumstances, weather, lighting, etc. The Kimber is mostly used in low light conditions and in less populated confines, ( a store vs a movie theater), and when I want 45 ACP stopping power! If I had to choose only one gun for all situations, it would be a Glock 23, 40 cal with laser sight.
 
#9 ·
I had a Kimber Ultra Carry II in stainless for about 3 years. It was my daily carry gun for about 18 months.

Mine had the external extractor.

I put over 1200 rounds of 230 grain thru it. About 1000 of those were FMJs, either Winchester White Box or Remington UMC. The 200 or so HPs were Winchester Ranger-T +Ps.

I had one Failure to Extract due to limp-wristing the first time I fired it one-handed with my weak hand. I had one double-feed when I used a non-Kimber magazine.

I didn't clean it much. Maybe every 200 rounds or so.

That's it. Utterly reliable.

As a carry gun, I think the Kimber Ultra Carry is great. If you need a house gun, I'd go with a full-size steel model. Easier to shoot, more muzzle velocity, perhaps a wee bit more reliable.

YMMV one hell of a lot,
Bill
 
#10 ·
I have a ultra CDP and had have no real problems. I carry it every day and it has been the most comfortable gun I have every carried. It shoots well but does have some recoil but nothing unmanageable. I love this Kimber and would recomend it to anybody for a carry weapon. I think that if had my choice I would recomend a 4 or 5 inch pistol or a shotgun for home defence.
 
#11 ·
Another Kimber Ultra CDP II owner here...it's been my EDC for almost two years...never a problem...I love the gun.:king:
 
#12 ·
The ultra is not the best choice for home defense! Its a fine gun, but meant as a carry gun! No 3" 1911 is going to be as reliable as a 4" or 5" as thats the way they are designed! I strongly suggest you go with the pro or full size over the ultra!
With that said, if I were going to buy a 3" 1911, it would be a Kimber Ultra!


!! ;)
 
#13 ·
Why not large gun for home defense?

A few shooters at our local range own a Kimber Ultra Carry II -45 caliber and claim its both reliable and easy to handle! Since I am in the market for purchasing a handgun for home defense I thought I would try to get some feedback on shooters opinions.
The Kimber Ultra guns are small and compact, evidently designed for concealed carry. For a home defense application (you didn't mention concealed carry), why not buy a full size gun with significant ammo capacity? The larger gun is easier to shoot well, lends itself to lots of shooting at the range, and won't run out of ammo as quickly as the small Kimber.

For home defense I tend to prefer Glocks, Sigs or H&K USPs in .40 or .45 caliber with capacity in the 13 to 15 round range.
 
#14 ·
Thank-You to all shooters who have posted on this thread and given me opinions concerning reliability of the Kimber Ultra Carry II!

New Marine Motto---Take That Coffee Pot And Leave No Coffee Behind!
 
#16 ·
I lost track of the round count on my stainless ultra carry II, I’m probably at or slightly over the 500 mark, but so far it hasn’t missed a lick (now that I said that next time out it will screw up). Additionally, I purposely haven’t cleaned it, I just lightly oiled the rails every so often.

My son and I took it and my G19 out this weekend to shoot and since I’d been mostly shooting the 19 during the past couple months I’d forgotten how much fun the Ultra is too shoot. It does have a bit more recoil, after shooting it and then going to the 19 it feels like you are shooting a 22, but it is amazingly accurate.

I agree with what others have said here, I bought the Ultra and the G19 to be carry guns when I get the permit, if I was looking for something strictly for home defense I’d either use my full size 1911 or more likely my 16”AR15.

See if you can find someone near you who has an UCII and will let you shoot it.
 
#19 ·
I have an Ultra Carry II and after the break in, it has been a perfect gun. It is one of my two carry guns, the other being a Bobtailed Smith & Wesson Scandium Commander.
 
#20 ·
Mine has been 100% reliable - 1500 rounds through it so far. Zero malfunctions of any sort. I clean and oil it whenever I shoot it - usually 50 rounds.
 
#21 ·
A Kimber Ultra CDP II is my EDC. It's been altogether reliable, as well as quite accurate and comfortable to shoot. For me, it's the ideal CCW. My primary home defense handgun is also a 1911, a Kimber Desert Warrior with an Insight Technologies M3X mounted on the rail. I use only Wilson Combat mags.

 
#22 ·
I have the Ultra Carry I. I noticed when I first got it, that it had a FTF problem, but heard the early model had some mag problems. So I left the range, went into the gun shop and bought a Wilson mag. Went back to the range (same building), and haven't had a problem since.

Also got a new Tripp mag that I haven't got a chance to use yet. Looks nice, and the lack of a bottom bumper would save more room for carry. That's the only thing I don't like about Wilson mags in the big piece of plastic on the bottom.
 
#24 ·
. . . the only thing I don't like about Wilson mags in the big piece of plastic on the bottom.
You can get the slim baseplate for the Wilson mags, too. Either with the mag or as a replacement. Here's the profile of my CDP II with the thinline Alumagrips and the thin baseplate. Still sticks out a little bit, but not as much. That's the 7-round 47OX mag.

 
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