Description
The Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP is the current generation of the Custom Defense Package small frame 1911, and the most obvious change from the older version is the color. The aluminum frame now wears charcoal grey KimPro II instead of flat black, paired with a satin silver slide that carries front cocking serrations. Three inch barrel, seven rounds, twenty five ounces empty, and tritium night sights already installed from the custom shop.
Charcoal Grey And Front Serrations
Charcoal grey is a softer contrast against the satin silver slide than black is, and it is more forgiving of the marks a carry gun collects. Scuffs and holster rub show far less on a mid tone grey than they do on a black finish, which keeps the pistol looking presentable years into daily use. KimPro II itself is a thin film coating with a low coefficient of friction, so it does more than change color.
Front cocking serrations are the other visible change on the Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP. On a three inch slide there is very little real estate to grab, and adding serrations at the front gives a second gripping surface for press checks and for clearing malfunctions. Some shooters dislike the look of front serrations on a traditional 1911, so it is worth deciding whether that matters to you.
The rosewood grips on the Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP carry through from the older CDP models. Wood is warmer in the hand than G10 and less abrasive against skin under a shirt, which is exactly what you want on a gun that rides against your body all day.
Carry Features And Handling
Custom shop assembly is what the CDP designation on the Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP means, and the practical result is a list of features already installed that most owners would otherwise pay to add. Tritium three dot night sights, checkering on the front strap and under the trigger guard, and a rounded frame heel that stops the corner from printing through clothing. On a small light pistol that texture is not cosmetic, it is what keeps the gun indexed in the hand under recoil.
Handling is what you would expect from a twenty five ounce 45. Recoil is a firm push and the eighteen pound recoil spring takes real effort to rack, especially for shooters with weaker hands. The Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP rewards a hard grip and punishes a soft one, and anyone buying it should plan on deliberate practice sessions rather than casual high volume range days.
The trigger is a match grade unit at four to five pounds, an appropriate weight for a defensive pistol. The ambidextrous thumb safety and grip safety mean the manual of arms takes practice for anyone used to a striker fired gun. Dry practice on the safety sweep is time well spent, because under stress people default to what they have rehearsed.
Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP Specifications
- Caliber: 45 ACP
- Barrel Length: 3 inches
- Overall Length: 6.8 inches
- Height: 4.75 inches
- Width: 1.28 inches
- Weight: 25 ounces with empty magazine
- Magazine Capacity: 7 rounds
- Frame: Aluminum, charcoal grey KimPro II
- Slide: Stainless steel, satin silver KimPro II with front serrations
- Checkering: Front strap and under trigger guard
- Grips: Rosewood
- Sights: Three dot tritium night sights, fixed
- Sight Radius: 4.8 inches
- Trigger: 4.0 to 5.0 pounds factory setting
- Recoil Spring: 18 pounds
- Manufacturer Item Number: 3000245
- UPC: 669278302454
One seven round magazine ships with the Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP. Compact 1911 magazines have less spring travel than full size units, so factory spares and periodic spring replacement are worth budgeting for on a gun that gets carried every day.
Why Buyers Choose The Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP
The appeal of the Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP is that it arrives ready. Night sights, front strap checkering, a rounded frame heel and front cocking serrations are all things a shooter adds to a carry gun over time, and buying them installed from the custom shop costs less than paying for each one separately. There is no punch list waiting after the purchase.
Size and concealment are the second argument. A three inch single stack is 1.28 inches wide and sits flat against the body, which is why this format has survived decades of newer designs. The Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP hides under a t shirt in a way a full size 1911 never will, and it does it without giving up the trigger quality the platform is known for.
The tradeoffs deserve a straight answer. Seven rounds of 45 ACP is half what a modern double stack holds, recoil in a light aluminum framed gun is sharp, and aluminum frames do have a shorter service life than steel under high round counts. Someone wanting cheap high volume practice or maximum capacity should look at a 9mm or a double stack instead.
Who Should Buy The Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP
The Kimber Ultra CDP 45 ACP is a pistol for the experienced shooter who carries daily and wants a 1911 in a size that genuinely conceals. It suits permit holders, plainclothes professionals and anyone already committed to the 45 ACP cartridge. The narrow grip works well for smaller hands and the charcoal grey finish holds up cosmetically better than black. It is not a good first handgun given the manual of arms and the recoil, and it is not the right tool for someone who wants to shoot several hundred rounds in an afternoon.
Learn more about this pistol from the manufacturer, or see more firearms available at MAG5 Firearms.
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