Review: The Kimber Ultra CDP .45 Caliber Pistol

I have always wanted a Kimber pistol since the day I read a friend's catalog. They are beautiful in every detail, from the elegant hardwood grips to the artfully contrasting metals of the frame and slide. They are very nice.

Recently, I had the opportunity to shoot one of these masterpieces. The Kimber Ultra CDP is a .45 caliber single-action semi-automatic pistol based on the 1911 design. It is designed for easy concealment and lightning-fast draws. This high-class compact pistol is as appealing to the eyes as it is to the hands.

The gunsmiths at Kimber are true artists; the Ultra CDP is a delightful contrast of light and dark, warm and cold, hard and soft. The textured, black aluminum frame sets starkly agains the smooth, silver stainless steel slide, both offset by the warm double-diamond checkered rosewood grips. The company boasts 30 lines per inch checkering on the frame and slide for positive grip under any conditions.

The pistol is compact; less than 5 inches long and about a pound and a half. The rounded corners and smooth, blended edges not only add to the aesthetic appeal of this pistol, but also keep it from snagging on clothing or holsters when drawn. Its diminutive stature restricts its magazine capacity to seven rounds, and the sights are three hi-visibility green dots on top of the slide.

The safety is a combination of a "beavertail" grip and an ambidextrous thumb switch, making this a pistol for both left and right handed shooters. The beavertail grip function prevents the weapon from being discharged unless it is in the shooter's hand, which keeps the Ultra CDP from accidentally firing a round if dropped or jarred.

Shooting this gun is a pleasure; like many small, large-bore pistols, its long-range accuracy is rather limited (which hardly matters when used for the close-range firing in home and personal protection), but is much better than I expected at 25 yards. The barrel is only 3 inches long, but still gets the .45 ACP round twisting like a well-thrown football. The recoil isn't as bad as I thought it'd be, though, but it still a good idea to fire this baby with two hands for accuracy's sake.

Now comes the heartbreaker; the price! This pistol is probably worth more than my car (suggested retail: $1,255.00, according to the Kimber website), but this sidearm definitely ain't no Saturday Night Special! This pistol is made to be fired, but I feel it is more of an heirloom-quality collectible than your standard nightstand or glovebox piece.