Big Punch, Little Footprint: Kimber’s Compact CCW Ultra TLE II .45 ACP—Full Review.

The Kimber Ultra TLE II offers CCW enthusiasts a powerful 1911 in a very compact package.

To learn more, visit https://www.kimberamerica.com/ultra-tle-ii.

To purchase on GunsAmerica.com, click this link: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=Kimber%20Ultra%20TLE%20II.

My very first exposure to Kimber was back in 1999; I had been running the HK USP platform and decided that I wanted to move to a different class in IDPA. I figured I’d take a shot at the CDP class and began shopping around, finally settling on the Kimber Super Match. After campaigning the gun for a while, I also bought one of the very first Kimber Ultra CDP models put out by the custom shop. I’ve gone through a lot of guns over the years, but that little Kimber Ultra CDP has been one that has stayed with me through it all. I have been so impressed with the gun that I bought one for my father for Christmas one year. As you can imagine, when I was asked if I would like to review the Kimber Ultra TLE II I was all in. Seriously, if you are looking for a compact carry 1911 with some really nice bells and whistles as well as top-notch quality, this Kimber is well worth a look.

Despite its compact dimensions, the Ultra TLE proved to be very comfortable in the hand.

SPECS

• Chambering: .45 ACP
• Barrel: 3 inches
• OA Length: 6.8 inches
• Weight: 25 ounces
• Grips: G-10 grips
• Sights: Tritium three-dot
• Action: Single-action
• Finish: Matte black
• Capacity: 7+1
• MSRP: $1,007

Unboxing

The first thing I’ll offer up is that this gun looks larger than it is. There is almost an optical illusion at play. It’s like looking at the miniature version of a dog; it looks larger than it is until you see it next to the full-sized version. This could be because the mini has all the attitude but less size and weight. When you pick up the gun it’s light in the hand, thanks to its aluminum frame. Overall size is trimmed thanks to the attenuated slide and grip. There are some key elements that are not trimmed: the full-sized night sights are easy to pick up without snagging on clothing or gear, and the extended beaver tail keeps your hand from being bit by the Commander-style lightweight hammer. The front strap is checkered at 30 lines-per-inch, matching the flat mainspring housing. The trigger is an aluminum match grade with adjustable over-travel. The 3-inch barrel is stainless steel with a left-hand twist this is mated to a full-length guide rod. The whole gun except for the hammer, trigger and barrel is finished in a very attractive matte black. The green and black G10 checkered grips provide sure traction and look great on the TLE II. The slide is milled to a flat top between the dovetails cut for the sights. This gun does a great job of looking great without being gaudy.

With handsome G10 grip panels and an attractive matte-black finish, the Ultra TLE II is a real eye catcher.

Re-boxing

I wanted something other than the factory plastic box to keep and carry the gun to the range in. To solve this dilemma, I reached out to the fine folks at Negrini and chose their 1911 Handgun Case. This is a double-wall ABS construction with hardened steel combination locks, and it is certified for international air travel. The internal compartments hold both your 1911 style handgun and two single-stack magazines, and they also adapt to different barrel lengths. This case protects your gun no matter where you go.

[one_half]

The 1911 Pistol Case from Negrini is a well made accessory for your pistol. Note the carbon fiber-type texture.

[/one_half]

[one_half_last]

The Negrini case features a secure combination-type lock.

[/one_half_last]

1911 for Carry

“Never” and “always” are two words that get thrown around a lot these days regarding guns. It has been my experience that these words are often the result of blending several things together: anecdotal information, experiences and biases. I have made my living as a full-time trainer since 2010, and in that time, I have formed a few opinions about handguns for defensive use. All handguns can and will eventually fail. The leading causes of malfunctions are user error, magazine issues and ammunition. When I hear phrases like “this caliber will get you killed,” “don’t trust this style of gun with your life,” “it doesn’t matter as long as you get the correct shot placement,” or any other absolutes, I tend to cringe.

[one_half]

The magazine well of the Ultra TLE II is subtly flared to speed reloading.

[/one_half]

[one_half_last]

Note the extended beaver tail grip safety and tritium rear sight unit.

[/one_half_last]

I do not recommend a 1911 as a personal defense carry gun for everyone. The 1911 is a more involved gun, and will require a higher level of commitment than other choices. Let’s have an analogy: in every neighborhood, there are two “bookend” types of yard maintenance. There’s one guy who only cuts his grass because he must; this would be your low-involvement homeowner. Down the street is the guy who wins the Yard of the Month award every single month, because he’s into it; this would be your high-involvement homeowner.  Everyone else falls somewhere in between. Some of us don’t care at all what lawn mower we have; we never want to perform maintenance it or change the oil, we just want it to cut the grass. Others of us are more emotionally involved with our lawn, and take the time to learn to use a variety of tools proficiently. Both bookend guys in my neighborhood are great neighbors—I got no beef with either of them. However, there are always those couple of guys talking trash about how they keep their yards… I guess I just don’t get it.

Anyway, the point is that if you’re willing to make the commitment to learn the platform, a 1911 can be an excellent carry gun. Just know that your level of involvement with your tools will be higher than some other choices. I get the opportunity to carry all different kinds and calibers of guns, and there are some guns that I particularly enjoy but others absolutely despise. Well, haters are going to hate; ain’t gonna stop me carrying my 1911 sometimes.

The pistol employs a full-length guide rod with a telescoping recoil spring assembly due to the short length of the slide and barrel. Note the bushingless barrel system in which the barrel mates directly to the slide.

Teaching with the Ultra TLE II

Target and gear used in qualification. The holster is a Concealment Solutions Sidewinder Zero and the F.T.U. Magazine Pouch is from DeSantis.

I often find myself teaching a class while I am reviewing a new gun, which was the case with the Kimber Ultra TLE II. Since this was a group of professional students, we had them shoot the qualification prior to the instruction, which serves as an opportunity to see what their skills are cold. I have observed that most people who are involved in a gunfight were not given a few warm-up shots to blow the cobwebs out prior to the fight starting. I thought that this would be a good opportunity for me to evaluate the Kimber from a cold start as well. Once I had selected the holster and magazine carrier, I loaded the gun up and took my position on the line. I was afforded the opportunity shoot as one of the students, as I had a co-instructor with me and he generously agreed to call the line.

The course of fire was 50 rounds on an IDPA target, from distances starting at 3 yards and progressing backwards to 15 yards. The course of fire involved drawing and firing using both hands, strong hand and then weak hand. There were multiple on-the-clock reloads as well. Each round accounted for 10 points if placed in the center scoring area, 9 points if landing in the next outer scoring area, or 8 points if in the outermost scoring area. 10 points were deducted if the round failed to hit the target entirely.

The author used Sig Sauer Elite FMJ ammo for the qualification course he ran.

I was thankful that we began at 3 yards, as this allowed me the opportunity to get some familiarity with the trigger and sights on the gun with a forgivable margin of error. After we moved back to 7 yards, I managed to place all but three rounds inside the center ring. At the 15-yard line, I had a lapse in concentration… I think I was more interested in scoring my target than firing the final rounds. This resulted in one more round being thrown out of the center scoring area and barely breaking the line to avoid the outer scoring area. When all was said and done, my score was 496 out of a possible 500. I experienced two user-induced issues with the gun. The first was my failure to count correctly, resulting in my starting with an empty chamber. This was quickly remedied with a tap and rack. The second malfunction I induced was by resting my support hand thumb underneath the slide release. This caused the slide to lock back on ejection. I depressed the slide release and was back in action.

I had chosen the Sig Sauer 230 grain full metal jacket ammunition, which this gun ate without complaint. One of the things that I particularly like about Sig Sauer ammunition is that they offer a practice round and a carry round, with the only difference being the projectile. They use the exact same cases, primers, powder charge and weight of bullets for both rounds, allowing you to practice with a less expensive round that duplicates the real deal exactly.

When It’s Worth It

As part of what I said earlier, this gun with the two external safeties and one internal safety might not be for you. Knowing that you may need to clean this gun sometime in the ownership cycle could be a put-off. If you’re allergic to metal guns, this one could cause a nasty skin rash.

Ok, all kidding aside, 1911s are not for everyone, but this one is a great choice if you are a 1911 fellow or lady, or want to be. The Kimber Ultra TLE II is ready to go right out of the box.

To learn more, visit https://www.kimberamerica.com/ultra-tle-ii.

To purchase on GunsAmerica.com, click this link: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=Kimber%20Ultra%20TLE%20II.

The pistol features a flattop slide and factory night sights.