Kimber feed problems - any ideas why it's doing this?

grumpyold said:
Amazing guys ask these question but never reply if any of the posters have solved the problem.
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You will note that I did reply to many of the posters a few days back ...

Then new posts came in and I have not until today had a chance to try some of the suggestions ... I work all week and only have a day on the weekend to do this stuff.

I have tried every load I can get my hands on, factory and reloads ... I thoroughly cleaned the gun and oiled the heck out of it ... and today the problem was even worse ... in fact I did not successfully get thru one mag without the issue.

I have been in contact with the Kimber distributor (Korth in Okotoks AB) ... I sent them pics and even a video ... they are saying I have to send the gun in and they will send it out for inspection and/or repair.
 
graydog said:
The first thing to do is get rid of the handloads for the time being. Buy a box or two of factory ammo and see if the gun works. If it does that will tell what the problem is.

I have the exact same gun and mine works better then my Cold match gun does.

Graydog
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Factory ammo or relaods, does the same thing with the same frequency ...
 
onthehunt said:
had a problem with the same gun. warranty service sent me a new extractor surprise it was wrong too. Kimber assembled these guns with a 40 S&W extractor. You need to bend the extractor and reshape the claw a little. if you need help doing this feel free to PM me
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When you had this problem who were you dealing with? I have been emailing pics and video to Korth in Okotoks Alberta who is apparently the Kimber distributor ... is that who you dealt with? They aren't willing to send me anything, only saying I have to send them the gun, at my expense of course ...
 
95% of all feed-related failures are can be traced straight back to the magazine. The remaining few causes are due to the extractor and/or the ammunition, with only about 1% attributable to the gun.

First picture looks like the main issue is the extractor, and it does not have enough tension. with the barrel removed, see if a spent case clips in from the bottom, does the extractor hold snug of does it fall loose? That would be the cause of the brass not being pulled out of the barrel.

Second picture, the next issue may be with the mags, usually Kimbers are decent, try a Wilson or Tripp one if you can. Here, the cartridge doesn’t get into feeding position in time to meet the slide. The lower edge of the breechface catches the case in the extractor groove. The butt-end of the round is pushed down, and the nose goes up. The case is caught between the slide and the barrel hood…and is standing more or less straight up. This is a magazine spring problem, pure and simple. Often made worse by overspringing the slide. Simple explanation…The slide literally outruns the magazine. More likely to happen near or on the last round when spring load is at a minimum.
 
madcow said:
95% of all feed-related failures are can be traced straight back to the magazine. The remaining few causes are due to the extractor and/or the ammunition, with only about 1% attributable to the gun.

First picture looks like the main issue is the extractor, and it does not have enough tension. with the barrel removed, see if a spent case clips in from the bottom, does the extractor hold snug of does it fall loose? That would be the cause of the brass not being pulled out of the barrel.

Second picture, the next issue may be with the mags, usually Kimbers are decent, try a Wilson or Tripp one if you can. Here, the cartridge doesn’t get into feeding position in time to meet the slide. The lower edge of the breechface catches the case in the extractor groove. The butt-end of the round is pushed down, and the nose goes up. The case is caught between the slide and the barrel hood…and is standing more or less straight up. This is a magazine spring problem, pure and simple. Often made worse by overspringing the slide. Simple explanation…The slide literally outruns the magazine. More likely to happen near or on the last round when spring load is at a minimum.
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I too believe it is a mag problem ... even Kimber (via Korth) apparently believes it's a mag problem ... but they were unwilling to send me another mag ... so I went out and bought one ... problem was I could only find another Kimber branded mag ... which produces the exact same problems.

Love to try a different brand of mag but can't find anything locally ... I am off to Vancouver next week so I will look around there to see if I can find a Wilson, McCormick or Tripp.

As for the extractor ... yes, it will hold a spent case securely ... in fact it will hold a full round securely. Is there such a thing as too much tension?
 
I had some of the same problems when i first started shooting mine, I adjusted my extractor and bought some chip mcCormick mags as well as a couple cobra mags.
I shoot 147grn ammo.
After a bit of a break in period the gun works great!
 
BCeddie said:
I had some of the same problems when i first started shooting mine, I adjusted my extractor and bought some chip mcCormick mags as well as a couple cobra mags.
I shoot 147grn ammo.
After a bit of a break in period the gun works great!
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What adjustments did you make to the extractor?
 
I'd want to check the hook on the extractor, personally, if you're absolutely certain the tension is ok.

But the mag is garbage and I'd scrap it and get some ETMs. Looks like the top round is jumping up and hitting the spent brass and preventing it from extracting.

I wouldn't trust a Kimber mag for .45, let alone 9mm.
 
Pics #1 & #2 could be related (usually weak loads, can't cycle the slide properly and re-chambers the spent brass or fails to clear it and causes what you see.)

Pic #3 I've only seen from one or both of the following:
a) Magazine feed lips being too wide
b) Very hot load... so much recoil impulse that it rips the next round out of the mag and straight up like you see in the pic (out of spec magazine doesn't help if indeed that is a factor here as well.)

GL

I suggest first MARKING your mags and then take/keep notes on which mag was used when the problem happens. You'll quickly find out if it is mag related this way (a first step).
 
Measure the mag lips they should be .325 to .335 and enough. What happens if you but 4-5 rounds in a mag and hand cycle the rounds through with out firing just run them out by snap clambering? It truly appears the pistol is short cycling. When you fire it and it cycles how's the ejection, flipping them out or dropping them at your feet?
Sorry for the poke, lots of people post and never let others know if their issues were resolved.
 
grumpyold said:
Measure the mag lips they should be .325 to .335 and enough. What happens if you but 4-5 rounds in a mag and hand cycle the rounds through with out firing just run them out by snap clambering? It truly appears the pistol is short cycling. When you fire it and it cycles how's the ejection, flipping them out or dropping them at your feet?
Sorry for the poke, lots of people post and never let others know if their issues were resolved.
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Hey, no worries.

Mag lips are .327 ... gun cycles just fine by racking the slide, all bullets eject properly ... when firing the spent cases eject backwards over my right shoulder (firing right handed) maybe 3-4 feet out ... the odd one bonks me in the forehead ...

20160403_124420_HDR_zpsbhhjxzji.jpg
 
I second the recommendation for Wilson ETM magazines. Most manufacturers of mas-produced 1911s generally do not ship their guns with magazines that are suitable for anything beyond filling the slots in the box.

If the extractor is leaving fired cases in the chamber, it is failing. I would just buy a new, name-brand extractor and tension it as required, rather than mess with the Kimber part. Brownells has Nowlin, Ed Brown, and EGW 9mm/.38 Super extractors. Wilson Combat also sells the correct extractor through their website.
 
I've re read all your posts and I'm guessing you got the standard one mag with the pistol (Kimber stop being cheap and include two mags) and don't have another to work with. I have Kimbers and use their mags as well as Wilson and McCormick, never had a problem with Kimbers. It's possible you got a dud and trying a fresh mag would answer the question once and for all. The fact that you state the pistol is ejecting the spent rounds properly still has me wondering if the pistols short cycling for some reason. Not seeing an extractor problem but could be a poorly fittied ejector. The fact you fired factory ammo and it still hung up elimates the light load. Try a new mag and see what happens.
 
Hi all ... to keep you up to date ...

Based on this feedback and internet research I did a few things ... firstly I polished the feed ramp with mag polish, it's amazing how much smoother it is ... second I pulled out the extractor, added a bit of tension and cleaned it and the hole well ... third I disassembled the mag and cleaned and oiled it ... forth I gave the gun a really good cleaning ... and lastly I oiled the he11 out of the whole gun.

Went to the range and put 7 mags thru it with no issues.

I'm crossing my fingers that this wasn't just a fluke and my next range day goes the same.

I am going to get a better quality mag tho, I just do not like the way the bullets sit in the original ... will be interesting to compare it to a Wilson or McCormick (if I could find one).

I'll let you know how it goes on the range next weekend, thanks for all the suggestions here, you all have really helped.
 
grumpyold said:
I've re read all your posts and I'm guessing you got the standard one mag with the pistol (Kimber stop being cheap and include two mags) and don't have another to work with. I have Kimbers and use their mags as well as Wilson and McCormick, never had a problem with Kimbers. It's possible you got a dud and trying a fresh mag would answer the question once and for all. The fact that you state the pistol is ejecting the spent rounds properly still has me wondering if the pistols short cycling for some reason. Not seeing an extractor problem but could be a poorly fittied ejector. The fact you fired factory ammo and it still hung up elimates the light load. Try a new mag and see what happens.
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Just have the one mag ... will be getting a different branded one to try and compare. Yes, pretty cheap of Kimber to only give you one eh ...
 
misanthropist said:
Yeah, I'd guess this is a combination of factors: mediocre Kimber extractor and garbage Kimber mags.

Top bullet is popping loose under recoil and pointing high, knocking brass off sub-par extractor. A better extractor and proper mags will probably fix it.
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Yes, I think the top bullet is not sitting right in the Kimber mag ... it does not seat back against the rear of the mag flat like in other 1911 (ie 45) mags ... sits 4 or 5 mm's too far forward ... just touch it and it will spring out.
 
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