The Meprolight rear sight is just right for low-light conditions, and the gun also features today’s de rigeur ambi safety.

The catalog lists the capacity of the Custom at eight rounds, with the Pro at seven. The frames are the same length, as are their magazines. And both guns came with eight-shot Kimber magazines. Once I had puzzled over that minor oddity, I didn't bother keeping the magazines separate, and spent my time shooting. The reliability of the two bigger guns suffered not in the slightest for my unconcern.

The Ultra
The SIS Ultra is a compact little anvil. And I mean that as a compliment: heavy, solid, indestructible, reliable. The slide and barrel are two inches shorter than the full-size SIS, with three inches of barrel to boot .45 bullets up to speed.

The frame has also been trimmed enough so that you lose a round of capacity. You'll have seven shots of .45 ACP medicine in each magazine instead of eight. However, the short size makes it easy to carry in that the ends (muzzle and frame butt) aren't sticking in or out, in places you'd rather they didn't.

Of course, you pay for the convenience. First, there is the decreased sight radius, two inches less than the big gun. A shorter sight radius makes it tougher to aim well. Off the sandbags, the Ultra is quite manageable and accurate. I shot groups almost as small, and in some instances as small, as the bigger guns.

But offhand, the Ultra makes you work for it. In speed drills it takes a lot more effort to handle recoil and wrestle the sights back on the target and keep them there. You also lose velocity. However, as the .45 ACP does its work through bullet mass and frontal area rather than velocity, losing speed is not a problem. If you want to look good shooting at long range with the Ultra, lay off the coffee that morning and focus on a Zen-like follow through. I managed a respectable number of hits at long range, but nothing like the ease of hitting that the bigger guns allowed.

Pick of the Litter
If I had to choose just one of the SIS models for concealed carry, the Ultra would certainly come in for a lot of consideration. I can't say I'd eye it as if it were a sizzling steak, greeting me after exile on a desert island. The Pro model offers too much to let the Ultra steal the limelight. Since they work the same, I'd have to spend time swapping back and forth between the Ultra and Pro; depending on the weather, temperature and what I was wearing, one or the other would get the nod.

For uniform or open carry, the Custom or Custom/RL would be the ones to pack. With no need to conceal them, holster selection would allow for a greater level of comfort.

Which is pretty much the same plan that the detectives of SIS went with. The Kimber SIS models are allowed for carry, but due to budget scheduling and appropriations timing, they had to be personally purchased by the officers. Between the 21 officers, they purchased 125 Kimber SIS pistols. And $15 of each purchase--theirs or yours--goes to the Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation, which provides financial assistance to the families of officers who died in the line of duty.

Yes, these senior detectives probably earn a good salary as a result of their decades of experience. But nearly six guns each, for a total cost of close to $8,000 for tools of the trade, is a lot of money. A vote of confidence you should keep in mind when considering your next 1911 purchase. Or your first.