Just bought a Kimber TLE Pro the other week I have since put a few hundred rounds down the pipe. Yesterday I went out to the city range and shot 100 rounds of Remington Green and White box 230 grain FMJ. I also tested the following defense loads for function: Remington 230 grain Golden Sabre, Federal 230 grain Hydra Shok, Federal 230 grain Hi-Shok +P, Speer 200 grain Gold Dot, and Winchester 185 grain STHP. All of the defense rounds chambered and functioned flawlessly and I decided to "jungle load" the 185 grain Winchesters with the 230 grain Remingtons for defensive carry. During my range session I had brought some CMC Shooting Star mags which worked well in my other Kimbers as well as some Nighthawk custom mags. The CMCs would hold the slide back after firing with a loaded mag so they are now ditched for the Nighthawk mags which function very well with this model.
The Kimber Pro lineup has a 4 inch bushingless bull barrel and this particular model the TLE is supposedly what L.A. SWAT uses but I could really care less. I picked this model among the other choices for the following reasons: front strap checkering, tritium night sights, lack of front cocking serrations, and steel frame. I have also removed the standard Kimber double diamond rubber grips and installed some custom VZ Gatorback grips.
After putting enough trouble free rounds through this baby and testing defensive loads I am quite comfortable carrying this pistol as my daily conceal carry piece. It carries well IWB by the kidney, the holster is a Galco but it has a sharp edge or corner that pokes me somwhere that I must find and eliminate. The mag holster is a Bianchi product and is somewhat hard to conceal both the mag and the gun IWB.
Here is a size comparison with my Kimber Tactical Custom II
Here is one of my targets from the 10 yard line with an empty Nighthawk mag
The Kimber Pro lineup has a 4 inch bushingless bull barrel and this particular model the TLE is supposedly what L.A. SWAT uses but I could really care less. I picked this model among the other choices for the following reasons: front strap checkering, tritium night sights, lack of front cocking serrations, and steel frame. I have also removed the standard Kimber double diamond rubber grips and installed some custom VZ Gatorback grips.
After putting enough trouble free rounds through this baby and testing defensive loads I am quite comfortable carrying this pistol as my daily conceal carry piece. It carries well IWB by the kidney, the holster is a Galco but it has a sharp edge or corner that pokes me somwhere that I must find and eliminate. The mag holster is a Bianchi product and is somewhat hard to conceal both the mag and the gun IWB.
Here is a size comparison with my Kimber Tactical Custom II
Here is one of my targets from the 10 yard line with an empty Nighthawk mag
Last edited:
