Finding magazines for 1911 Compacts (Ultra) is usually not very convenient. I have a lot of experience with different 1911 magazines from double stacks, anti-nose dive magazines, extended mags, etc.
Price: $25 – $35
Directly from Kimber.
Usually Cheaper on eBay.
One thing to keep in mind is that, in my opinion, the number 1 factor that determines the reliability of a 1911 comes down to the magazine.
Compared to Stock Kimber Magazine
On the left I have the mag that came with my Ultra Carry II, on the right is the KimPro Tac-Mag.
I like the round count next to the holes, it’s a nice touch. I also feel that the finish is more aesthetically pleasing on the KimPro than the stock magazine.
Personally, I have had feed issues with the stock mag that came with the gun. Early on, I had to switch to some 3rd party magazines that I felt were more reliable.
Compared to 3rd Party Magazines
On the left is a 3rd party magazine that came in a pack of 5 for $35. Surprisingly their reliability was pretty good.
On the right, the KimPro. Aesthetically, these two are pretty similar, but again, I feel that the KimPro had more work put into the polish, the finishing details, etc.
I haven’t had any jams with the KimPro so I’m happy about that.
Includes some Accessories
One of the reasons I got the KimPro Tac-Mag was because of the base plate extension which can help you get a better grip on these small mags as well as make the gun look better!
Installing the baseplate is pretty straight forward.
I didn’t even see this kit come with any instructions that’s how easy it is.
You just need to screw those two screws in these holes at the bottom of the base plate.
Feed Ramp
As expected, the feed ramp is exactly the same as it is with the stock Kimber mag that came with my gun.
It does look like the angles and contours on the feed lips are sharper on the KimPro mag. Also the rear cut is deeper.
What does this mean for performance?
The KimPro magazine is easier to load and unload by hand because of the deeper rear cut.
On the 2nd to last round, it still feels like there could be a chance of failure to extract (due to the spring pressure and the last round pushing up.) There may not really be a major performance difference between the stock kimber mag and the KimPro mag since the feed rap is the same but the feed lips seem slightly different.
All I can say is that in my experience, the stock mag that came with the gun was a disappointment and the KimPro has yet to disappoint.
Improve Aesthetics
This is a very small detail, but I feel it greatly improves the visual value of your gun. Some purists might feel that this is unnecessary and if you conceal carry this gun, it does add more length to the back, but I feel this is hardly a noticeable difference in conceal carry conditions.
If you add a magwell to your 1911 (which was the reason I got this), you’ll definitely want to have the extended magazine base plate so you can properly grab and insert magazines.
Price: $25 – $35
Directly from Kimber.
Usually Cheaper on eBay.
Disclaimer: This is entirely my own opinion and based on my experience. This review was not sponsored. Â
