Kimber FTF issues. Advice needed

[harold63]

almost always on the last round in the magazine.

Before you take it to a gun smith, I'd clean the gun, well, and lube it according to what Kimber says. Then, shoot some 'ball' ammo (preferably Winchester white box 230 gr round nose) using a firm grip and locked wrist. The gun should cycle. It is very sensitive to grip technique. A 3" 1911 already has a short stroke, so you don't want to help it misfeed or go into battery, fully, by holding it too loosely. 1000 to 1, this is what your problem is. I quoted your 'last round' because this loose hold is amplified as the weight reduces getting down to the last round, and you're concentrating, less, because you're anticipating more at the end of the mag. Yes, it all affects a 3" 1911.

Doing it more with HP's may be indicative of variances in bullet sizes or shapes as the bullet is trying to overcome the tension of the extractor along with the angle of the cartridge as the bullet is sliding across the roof of the chamber. All of this is also indicative of the 'loose grip starting point'.

Absolutely rule out grip technique and ammo (it's why I tell you to use WWB ammo) before you have a gunsmith look at it. A 3", .45 acp 1911 is not a beginner's gun. Have someone else shoot it if you need to to be sure it just will not feed the round all the way to battery. If you have a safe place to do it, you can check it without shooting the gun. Load a mag, fully, and put it in the gun (be sure you're pointing gun in a safe place with trigger finger off the trigger). Pull the slide all the way to the rear and let it go. Do not walk the slide, even a little bit. If it chambers, pull the slide all the way to the rear to eject the round and let it go, again. If it chambers, again, do it to the end of the mag. Do this, of course, with a clean gun, not a dirty one. If all your rounds chamber, you probably have a grip technique issue and this will show up even more as the gun gets dirty or with ammo that has a tendency to hang up, more, such as SD ammo does. It will also be amplified with lower powered ammo.

Low powered ammo, weak grip, dirty gun......not good for 3" 1911.

[Gripsafety]

I had a similar problem with a CDP II. I sent the gun back to Kimber, and they replaced the whole slide and sent it back working perfectly. They included a report of test firing with several manufacturers' JHP rounds. It took about a month, and I wasn't charged a dime. It is now an extremely reliable weapon.

[harold63]

Excellent advise that so many over look because they get caught up on the jump from frame to the barrel ramp and think it needs to be highly polished.

With certain jams, it's always good to rule this out. It's an easy fix that can save a lot of headaches. In the op's case, the slide isn't in battery all the way, so even if the the bullet got past the feed ramp (non ramped barrel according to your descrip) it's hanging somewhere in the chamber, and more than likely, the roof. This is often blamed on a too tight extractor when in fact it can be grip technique or a too weak recoil spring. With what the op's pistol cost, new, I'm putting it on grip technique, first. The OP does mention the cartridge moves around a little when the rim is put up into the extractor/breech face.

I run my extractors snug (not so snug that the round doesn't drop off where it's supposed to) because I want positive extraction/ejection, but I also do not use a loose grip. None of my 1911's will walk a round into the chamber, yet, none of them ever misfeed, and I never run shit ammo in my pistols...not even my Glocks.

[DHR27PA]

To add:

One) I did not buy this pistol new, I made a trade for it.

two) I knew going into the trade that some 3" have feeding issues, so I consciously shot it avoiding any sort of limp wristing or loose grip so I doubt that is the issue here. I shoot with proper grips on the gun and always with two hands. I am not a total n00b, I've been shooting for five years and this is my 3rd 1911 (the other two are full sized).

three) I've run at least 150-200 rounds of white box 230 gr FMJ and was having the same issues.

[Noah_Zark]

To add:

One) I did not buy this pistol new, I made a trade for it.

two) I knew going into the trade that some 3" have feeding issues, so I consciously shot it avoiding any sort of limp wristing or loose grip so I doubt that is the issue here. I shoot with proper grips on the gun and always with two hands. I am not a total n00b, I've been shooting for five years and this is my 3rd 1911 (the other two are full sized).

three) I've run at least 150-200 rounds of white box 230 gr FMJ and was having the same issues.

Given the above, and with all respect to 300WM who brings up very good points, I'd make contact with member "cdi" here to arrange a meet for cdi to inspect, test fire, and correct any issues with the Kimber. He's in Quakertown, not a far drive from Philly, and an experienced 1911 'smith.

Noah

[Hodgie]

Meh, that's what you get for buying a MIMber.


As far as I know, the Colt is not made from MIM. It's also machined with the right tolerances in the right place.


If it were me, I'd sell it and put my own together.

Production line 1911's can be problematic regardless of who's name is on the frame. Building one would only lead the OP down a path of more problems with having to fit and adjust everything. The experiance would be bennifical but it can be a major headache espically for someone who just wants too shoot.

[Hodgie]

With certain jams, it's always good to rule this out. It's an easy fix that can save a lot of headaches. In the op's case, the slide isn't in battery all the way, so even if the the bullet got past the feed ramp (non ramped barrel according to your descrip) it's hanging somewhere in the chamber, and more than likely, the roof. This is often blamed on a too tight extractor when in fact it can be grip technique or a too weak recoil spring. With what the op's pistol cost, new, I'm putting it on grip technique, first. The OP does mention the cartridge moves around a little when the rim is put up into the extractor/breech face.

I run my extractors snug (not so snug that the round doesn't drop off where it's supposed to) because I want positive extraction/ejection, but I also do not use a loose grip. None of my 1911's will walk a round into the chamber, yet, none of them ever misfeed, and I never run shit ammo in my pistols...not even my Glocks.

I agree with everything you have said I have just seen to many people fixate on the ramp jumps in the pistol and from the mags espically with hollow point ammunition never thinking that the extractor was the issue.

[harold63]

and with all respect to 300WM who brings up very good points,

As do you, Sir .

No one asked the million dollar question, including myself...how far out of battery is the slide after a shot? Can you see most of the cartridge sitting at an angle or is the barrel hood almost locked into place with only the rim of the cartridge showing? Just the position of the slide out of battery could rule out or include a factor or two.

Op, never be insulted that someone may accuse you of limp wristing. One time out of two, it is actually the problem, but if you've ruled that out, then cool. I'd still try cycling a mag through it without shooting it just to be sure. It's always easier to rule out the obvious or the easy stuff, first.

I shot a Bersa 380 the same way I shot my Astra A-80, back in the day. The Bersa did not function well, at all. Come to find out, I wasn't holding it tight enough, and I had already won a number of competitions at the prison I worked at using our Smith 4" revolver issued. The recoil spring on the Astra was less than strong enough and it was the first semi that I learned what 'frame battering' actually was.

[DHR27PA]

As do you, Sir .

No one asked the million dollar question, including myself...how far out of battery is the slide after a shot? Can you see most of the cartridge sitting at an angle or is the barrel hood almost locked into place with only the rim of the cartridge showing? Just the position of the slide out of battery could rule out or include a factor or two.

Op, never be insulted that someone may accuse you of limp wristing. One time out of two, it is actually the problem, but if you've ruled that out, then cool. I'd still try cycling a mag through it without shooting it just to be sure. It's always easier to rule out the obvious or the easy stuff, first.

I shot a Bersa 380 the same way I shot my Astra A-80, back in the day. The Bersa did not function well, at all. Come to find out, I wasn't holding it tight enough, and I had already won a number of competitions at the prison I worked at using our Smith 4" revolver issued. The recoil spring on the Astra was less than strong enough and it was the first semi that I learned what 'frame battering' actually was.

I'd say the slide goes more than half way into battery when it happens. Always requires just a slight nudge to push it forward. Its not nose-diving or anything, it looks/feels like it just needs a little more energy to push all the way forward.

Something else I remembered:
Occasionally the slide seems to struggle to go into full battery and the motion isn't 100% fluid to re-chamber a round. It ejects the fired round, and takes half a second longer (on occasion) to fully insert the next round into the chamber. Probably a symptom of the same issue here.

[DHR27PA]

As do you, Sir .

No one asked the million dollar question, including myself...how far out of battery is the slide after a shot? Can you see most of the cartridge sitting at an angle or is the barrel hood almost locked into place with only the rim of the cartridge showing? Just the position of the slide out of battery could rule out or include a factor or two.

Op, never be insulted that someone may accuse you of limp wristing. One time out of two, it is actually the problem, but if you've ruled that out, then cool. I'd still try cycling a mag through it without shooting it just to be sure. It's always easier to rule out the obvious or the easy stuff, first.

I shot a Bersa 380 the same way I shot my Astra A-80, back in the day. The Bersa did not function well, at all. Come to find out, I wasn't holding it tight enough, and I had already won a number of competitions at the prison I worked at using our Smith 4" revolver issued. The recoil spring on the Astra was less than strong enough and it was the first semi that I learned what 'frame battering' actually was.

FWIW I ran your test ejecting the rounds manually to try and re-create the cycling problem without firing a round.
I did it five times with a full 7-round magazine (WC) and one in the chamber for a total of 40 rounds.
I was not able to recreate the FTF

So now you've got me all worried that I (despite my conscious best efforts not to) am limp wristing or not gripping properly.


now that^ couple with the extractor fit possibly being too tight has me wondering what really is the issue here.