Question for Kimber owners.

[rabbitstew]

I just got back from the range. Putting another 150 rounds though the kimber. I had about 15 Failure to feeds on the first round of the magazine. It seemed that if I didnt fill the mag to full capacity (5 rounds) it would usually feed with less problems. Im using 2 different mags: the kimber and a chip hi-cap, the kimber works better. Any Ideas???

[tophatjones]

Are all your jams the same or is there a variety of different failures? When your gun FTFs, can you tap the back of the slide to chamber the round, or do you have to retract the slide a bit and then release?

[rabbitstew]

Are all your jams the same or is there a variety of different failures? When your gun FTFs, can you tap the back of the slide to chamber the round, or do you have to retract the slide a bit and then release?

Yes I am able to tap the slide to chamber the round.

[railroader]

What kind of ammo? Mark

[CSACANNONEER]

With my Ultra CDP carry I had to go with Wilson mags before I was 100% with it.

Funny, I have 3 Kimbers, 2 Custom CDPIIs and a Classic. The only real feeding problem I've had with them was traced to one particular bullet style not feeding right in my Wilson mags. I only use mags with shooting star followers now and I don't have problems anymore.

[glockman19]

The only real feeding problem I've had with them was traced to one particular bullet style not feeding right in my Wilson mags

.

Please share with us the ammo you had both good and bad experiences with.

Thanks.

[elenius]

My Kimber Custom II has always been iffy with my reloads until I got the overall length (i.e. bullet seating depth) just right. Even then, my wilson mag feeds everything. Factory 230gr has always been fine with any mags.

[rabbitstew]

I'v shot about 400 white box winchester and the others reloads. Less problems with the winchester. I'm going to head back to the range today and put some more rounds in her. If I continue to get Ftf's ill send it back to kimber and never by another. I was thinking maybe to put a heaver recoil spring, maybe 18 pound.

[vandal]

Hopefully this gun has an internal extractor?

Make sure there are no burrs on the breechface, extractor, or on the surface across from the extractor hook.

The Chip McCormick mag should be fine if it is a Power Mag. Ditch the factory Kimber mag and get Wilson mags.

Check the extractor tension -- Kimber has never been able to get them predictably tensioned from the factory. Either too loose or too tight! But you can correct it with a little bending on the spot.

"Proper tensioning of the extractor is vital to reliability. Too much tension and chambering will be severely impeded or prevented. Too little tension, and extraction and ejection will be weak or non-existent. An old gunsmith trick to test the tension of the extractor is to remove the slide from the pistol, and push a round of ammo up under the extractor from below. With proper tension, the round should be held in place regardless of how the slide is turned, yet when the round is moved downwards from its center position about 1/10 of an inch, the round should drop off.

Tension is adjusted by removing the extractor, reversing it in the extractor hole in the slide, and pressing sideways one way or the other to increase or decrease tension."

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/tech/reliability_secrets.htm

[Astig Boy]

I have an Eclipse also. I never had the problems the OP is having(and I have an External Extractor). What type of ammo and mag are you using? I like Wilson and Tripp Cobra Mags...never had an issue with them. You may want to send your Kimber in.

The first thing I did after getting my Eclipse Custom II 10mm (after cleaning) was rapidly firing two full mags. I wanted to make sure I didn't get one of those musta-been-made-on-Monday Kimbers. Not a hiccup then, not a hiccup since.

Love it.

Dont you mean "musta-been-made-on-Friday"? Typically stuff made on Fridays are when the quality goes down as the workers tend to be out of it from the long week and want to get out of there.

[renardsubtil]

I call Kimber to order a slide stop when i had read about FTF and FTL problems with mine (500 to 700 rounds of various name brand UMC and FMJ ammo).

I described the situation and they asked what ammo I used and then sent me a free slide stop. I haven't had any FTLs or FTF ever since and I've been feeding it all sorts of cheap stuff heh along with the better known brands of ammo

[leggsman]

All my kimbers (Royal,Gold match,Super match )had no problems. Wilson and Chip mags only

[tophatjones]

Yes I am able to tap the slide to chamber the round.

This is usually due to too much extractor tension. The adjustment should be fairly straight forward. This tutorial is quite helpful: http://www.m1911.org/technic2.htm Btw, this type of jam is easier to fix than the three point jam; which is a hard lockup that requires pulling back the slide to clear.

[NiteQwill]

My Pro CDP II initially had problems with FTRB, FTF, FTE, and premature slide lock on break-in.

So, I called Kimber, they sent me a modified slide-stop. It solved the premature slide lock.

FTE and FTRB was solved with Wolff XP springs, lots of lube on break-in and a VERY VERY VERY SLIGHT bend of the extractor.

800 rounds so far, not a single hiccup or malfunction. Super accurate. Very happy with my Kimber.

[Prowler]

My Kimber Tactical Custom ll works flawlessly and always has. I've put thousands of rounds through it and the only thing that I've changed was the guide rod spring. 80% of the rounds fired were reloads. It's my favorite pistol.