I can understand your concern because I went through a similair situation recently. My first 1911 was a NIB Kimber Pro Crimson Carry, it runs flawlessly but for my size (5' 10" 160lbs), I think it's just a bit long for me to CC. I had a Glock 19 I was using for CC but the darn thing was sooooo ugly I had to remove it from my premises and I started looking around for a Kimber Ultra CDP. Once the word got out that I was looking around I had a few people contact me with suggestions about guns they had seen. One guy told me about a used Ultra CDP at a gun shop in Georgia, he held it and checked it out pretty closely. He asked the owner of the shop about the history of the gun and was told that the first owner was an attorney in town who never fired the gun that he knew of other than on the day he bought it, maybe 50 rounds. He wanted $900.
This was a tough decision for me, should I trust the guy that told me about it? Yes, he's a good guy and knows 1911's in & out. So I bought it and when it came in I was not disappointed at all. It looked brand new to me.



I think it comes down to a gut decision after you've digested all the info you're able to get about the gun. I trust Kimber 1911's and wouldn't hesitate to buy another, new or used.

Used 1911 pistols (not abused & neglected) are usually a safe purchase. So long as the thumb safety, grip safety, magazine release, slide stop, etc. Are functional, then purchase if you so desire. When you get it home, do the following:

1. Detail strip & clean everything in a pan of "simple-green" & h20 mixed 50/50. Let everything soak for about 10 minutes.
2. Remove parts a few at a time, rinse under hot water & lay parts on clean bath towel to begin air drying.
3. Dry parts hand-held with a hair dryer or clean compressed air with a blowgun & air compressor.
4. Visually exam all parts under strong direct light to look for anything that is obviously in need ot replacement.
5. Install a complete new set of springs for your particular model variation.
6. Lube parts with "break-free clp" and reassemble.
7. Lube slide & frame rails, barrel hood, & bushing if so equipped.
8. Function test all operating controls again. If all is ok, then grap some ammo, safety glasses, & ear protection before heading out to the range.

Good luck & keep them in the 10-ring