Kimber Custom Shop LTP II - Combat Shooting

American Handgunner, Sept-Oct, 2002 by Dave Anderson

The Kimber Custom Shop LTP II is ideal for the USPSA's "Limited Ten" division. It's a single-stack 1911 .45 ACP with a flat-top serrated slide, adjustable rear sight, tungsten guide rod, extended ambidextrous thumb safety, and checkering on the front strap and underneath the trigger guard. The pistol is finished in black KimPro, a tough, rust-resistant, self-lubricating phenolic resin finish. It comes with a ten-round magazine. It's currently a limited production model, and consequently lists at a semi-lofty suggested retail of $2,036.

So far this sounds like just another nice pistol in the extensive and highly respected Kimber line. Yes, and no. Actually, the LTP II has a really unusual feature. It's the first Kimber to use an external extractor. The extractor is similar in appearance and function to those used on autopistols such as the Beretta, Glock and SIG series.

External extractors on most current autopistols are powered by coil springs. The extractor pivots over a wide enough arc of movement that it can always fully engage the extraction groove, even with minor variations in case rim dimensions. It can also easily pivot to snap over the rim of a cartridge dropped into a chamber, without stressing the extractor. Extractors live a hard life and this design helps to give them a break -- so they won't.

At present, Kimber plans to use the new extractor only on competition models from their Custom Shop. Competitive shooters subject their equipment to heavy use and their experience will thoroughly test the new design and provide valuable feedback.