Beauty + Function = Kimber ...

If you find yourself in the market for a hand cannon (e.g., a .45 ACP) and can manage to scrape together a few extra coins, you should definitely check out a Kimber.  Based upon the century old 1911 auto platform invented by John Browning, Kimber pistols are truly works of art.  I opted for the ultra miniaturized Ultra Custom Defense Pistol II, which combines a very concealable 3" barrel platform with several Kimber custom shop features, such hand checkered grips, night sights and ambidextrous safety.

Kimber Ultra CDP II (.45 ACP)

This tiny little aluminum-framed beast weighs in at 24 ounces unloaded, making it one of the lightest (if not the lightest) .45 ACP 1911 frames on the planet.  That comes in handy when you want to carry something with real kick that won't pull your pants down. [NOTE:  More to come later on concealed carry and permits.] 

Speaking of real kick, any of you that shoot know that recoil is typically a function of three things -- bullet weight, powder load, and gun weight.  I'm not a math guy, so I'm not sure what equation to use to explain this phenomenon.  Instead, I will simply tell you this -- when you pull the trigger on this high caliber, light-ass gun that barely fills your hand, you won't have to wait for your ears to ring to know that you've sent lead downrange. 

What sets this gun apart from the others in my collection, however, goes beyond beauty and concealibility.  This little SOB will flat out shoot.   A couple of weeks ago, I put 28 rounds (4 mags) into the hi visibility portions of these targets from 30 or so feet (ignore the other holes in the Target that Kristen sprayed all over the place.  :-)  ).

10 Meters, No rest, approximately 1 minute

1911's are known for their remarkable accuracy, but most of them are in 5" or 4" barrels.  3" barrels typically are not known as accurate shooting platforms because (1) longer barrels generally equate to greater accuracy, and (2) the distance between the front and rear sights on shorter barrelled firearms makes it harder to shoot accurately.  All of that said, a week after this picture was taken, I placed 4 of 7 rounds on 1" round dot targets from 30 feet.  In sum, this gun's accuracy doesn't seem to be limited much by it's barrel length.  Human-sized targets should easily be struck from distances out to 25 meters.  In fact, my Kimber's only limitation seems to be me.  But hey, I'm getting better!

One more thing on 1911's.  There probably isn't a more beloved pistol platform in the world.  These pistols have served as the primary sidearm through almost every U.S. military conflict since the Civil War.  Only relatively recently have they begun to be replaced by service pistol platforms (such as my M&P 9mm or Glocks) for military and law enforcement use.  Still, they have a remarkable civilian following.  These platforms are the primary choice of nearly all serious competition action pistol shooters.  Out of the box, the action, trigger feel and accuracy are hard to beat.  1911's are hand and custom built by any number of talented gun artisans, and can range in price from $450 (Taurus) to over $10,000 (Volkmann Custom).  I am told by some of acquaintences who share my hobby of gun collecting and shooting that every person should own at least 3 1911's.  [Please don't tell my wife that, though -- she'll only shake her head and mutter "good grief."]