Kimber Ultra + CPD II

[xcrunner88]

Greetings. New to the forum.

I'm looking for a CC handgun and one that I can feel comfortable taking on backpacking trips in mountain lion and bear country. At 5'8" and 155, I like the size of a .380 for cc, but don't feel it has much stopping power for 4 legged problems.

I take my kimber 1911 backpacking, the .45 gives me peace of mind, but it's heavy on the trail and wouldn't consider it really cc for me.

Do any of you have experience with the Ultra+ CPDII. 3 inch barrel, but full size grip. I don't like the two finger grips of many of the smaller guns. It seems like a good middle ground.

Thoughts? Thanks much.

 

[MNCARRY]

I have a Kimber Ultra carry and love it, great and easy to shoot and light weight. Hope this helps

 

[BIGJOHN621]

I know you didn't ask about anything but the Kimber, but try the Glock 29. Compact and lightweight and is a 10MM which is a bit stronger than the 45 for 4 legged problems.

 

[xdm9 shooter]

I love my Kimber Ultra CPD II !! I forget I have it on; and you can get bumper pads to extend the magazine base a little. However, for me, the grip is fine as is.
The new Springfield .45 S looks like it should be great too. The XD's are great guns as well! My buddy LOVES his compact.

 

[Phillip Gain]

If you're hiking in bear and mountain lion country, I STRONGLY recommend something more powerful than a .45 or even a 10mm. Think more like a .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, or .50S&W.

Yes, I know that none of those are good choices for concealed carry. SO WHAT? Use the right tool for the job. Get another, smaller gun for concealed carry.

As to the Kimber Ultra CDP - while I don't have experience with that particular gun, I've shot a fair number of other 1911s in various sizes. A Kimber in a small package will be less accurate and have more felt recoil than the full size Kimber.

 

[xcrunner88]

Thanks all.

Phillip, with the speed and stealth of something like a mountain lion, is accuracy a bit less of a concern? I'm thinking it's going to be feet, not yards. (By the way, Massachusetts born and raised. It seems my old and new state are equally tough with CC permits)

 

[TheDoaner]

I'm a big fan of Kimbers and the ultra sized CDP is a great CCW but I'm not sure it would be my choice for bears and mountain lions. If you were to choose this particular gun, obviously you would want to run several hundred rounds of your selected carry ammo through it because the ultra size is just a bit more prone to hiccups due to the compact design. The slide actually has less time and space to cycle each round. Kimber does a great job of making it work but I'd still want something in a bigger cal. with a longer sight radius for carnivorous animals larger than me. Plus I wouldn't want to beat up a beautiful CDP backpacking. Something like the Glock 20 10mm weighs less than 1 oz more than the CDP II ultra plus when unloaded. It will hold about twice as many rounds (in case you stumble upon 2 mountain lions) and it is better suited for extended time periods in the elements.

 

[Phillip Gain]

Thanks all.

Phillip, with the speed and stealth of something like a mountain lion, is accuracy a bit less of a concern? I'm thinking it's going to be feet, not yards. (By the way, Massachusetts born and raised. It seems my old and new state are equally tough with CC permits)

I actually grew up in WV, but have lived in Mass for the last 12 years.

Think about this. If it's feet, not yards, how many shots do you think you're going to put into the animal? You want a round that has a ***tload of punch, something that's going to expand, transfer a LOT of energy into the animal, and tear up its guts and vital organs. While a .45 does an admirable job with a human being, the anatomy of wild animals can take a hell of a lot more abuse than our comparatively frail bodies can.

Now go forth and buy yourself a big freaking revolver. And some bear spray.

 

[Wesco]

definitely pack some bear mace. and as a side note wasp or hornet spray works great as well in place of bear mace or any type of mace really and It gives you 25 feet worth of distance in a very powerful condensed stream instead of a spray so that you can actually get what you're shooting at and hit the eyeballs and sensory glands.

that said the way I see it, you have 2 options... putting myself in your shoes and this is just my honest opinion. budget is a huge factor for me so personally I would go with the kimber ultra carry in the 45 caliber just because it gives me a strong carry weapon I can take out in the woods. are there calibers that would be better suited yes. but if you want a concealed carry weapon that you can also use in the woods and you can't afford to buy 2 different firearms I would definitely go with kimber love it I've used them for years and it's amazing. I know a lot of people say that you lose accuracy with a smaller shorter firearm and wow this is so true but the distance I'm gonna use my firearm for personal protection anywhere from 10 to 50 feet. and within those ranges my kimber performs remarkably accurate.

if you can afford to get two firearms I would definitely get the kimber for concealed carry but I would also use a revolver smith and wesson 357 magnum with a long barrel, or a .50 or 10 mm

 

[NCIC105]

I carry a 44mag when in Bear Country!

 

[Kaymen]

Huge fan of the Kimber Ultra CDP

I've had a Kimber Ulta CDP for about 10 years. The one with the compact grip. It is my main carry gun, the compact grip is very comfortable. I put hogue wrap around grips on it, to make even better. While some will say carry a bigger caliber gun out in the country remember any gun is better than no gun. You are more likely to leave the big gun in camp if the weight gets to you. And you never need a gun until you really need a gun.

 

[eagleeyes]

what about a tranquilizer gun for wild animals i don't know much about them as far as how big they are but if there is one that is small enough to carry and legal to do so i'd rather do that on a wild animal rather than just kill the beast
at least you could tranquil it long enough to move away from it's territory??
just a thought as i wouldn't like to kill a wild animal unless i'm prepared to clean and eat it or had no other choice but to kill it in self defense
best wishes on your mountain trails

 

[NCIC105]

Never will I be "Gun Naked" while in the woods. I don't care if it weighs 50 pounds!

 

[Mosbyranger]

I'm not too sure what type of bears and mountain lions other posters are used to dealing with here. Unless it's a Griz or a Kodiak, the .45 will get the job done. A mountain lion or a black bear will be impervious to the .45 only if it is armor plated, or has the latest Kevlar body armor, usually sold to 4 legged carnivores at the forest pawn shops. If you are really worried about confronting wild raging meat eaters bent on your total destruction I would suggest that you look into a good .30 cal rifle (.308/30-06) or a 12 gauge loaded with buckshot. It is a nice fantasy to think that when you are surprised and confronted by a bear who is blowing snot and popping its teeth and acting aggressively towards you that you will NOT have a massive adrenaline dump, you will calmly pull your mega monster mashing magnum of the month and put 6 into the 10 ring. Or that when you turn around and see a mountain lion 5 feet away that you inner Wyatt Earp/Marshall Dillon will calmly surface allowing you to swiftly draw and dispatch the threat with one shot. If you do not want to get the rifle or shotgun, and you do want a .45 Kimber for CCW, get it. Use it on the trail and the big city. Practice a LOT. Use common sense when hiking, make noise on the trail. Have a canister of act right spray available (just be sure the wind is at your BACK). Do not be misled by internet ninjas, the .45 will do nicely for animal control, the issue will always be your ability to shoot accurately under sudden stress. Go now, get your Kimber, enjoy it and use it for a number of different applications.
MR

 

[Wesco]

what about a tranquilizer gun for wild animals i don't know much about them as far as how big they are but if there is one that is small enough to carry and legal to do so i'd rather do that on a wild animal rather than just kill the beast
at least you could tranquil it long enough to move away from it's territory??
just a thought as i wouldn't like to kill a wild animal unless i'm prepared to clean and eat it or had no other choice but to kill it in self defense
best wishes on your mountain trails

Tranquilizer s dont work like they do in the movies. It takes time for them to work, and while they are effective and relatively quick the amount of time required for full effectiveness is still enough to be mauled by your four legged attacker. And thats assuming you make your mark. You stumble across a bear bent on you for dinner you will be already out of time to consider a tranquilizer.

There is a reason we tranq from elevated platforms safe from any teeth or claws.