I have a Kimber Stainless Target II in 45 and I'm having a few feeding issues. It has around 1500 rounds through it and I always use Canadian BDX Combat Masters or Winchester WB ball ammo. I also use Wilson Combat mags. It started failing to go into battery quite a bit so I polished the feed ramp, throat, and chamber. I also changed the recoil spring to a Wolff 16.5lb variable. It never fails to go into battery now, but it's pushing the bullet back into the casing quite a bit. The barrel also seems to lockup well and the link moves freely. I'm running short of ideas on this one, so I'd appreciate any advice anybody has.
1911 Bullet Setback Issue
- Thread starter dave_dark
- Start date
If bullets are being pushed back onto the cases, this indicates that there is insufficient crimp on the case mouth. BDX crap I could understand, but no so likely with Winchester factory. If you can push the bullets in manually- it will take substantial force, then you have the solution. If not, make sure there is no burr or deformation at the chamber's front edge. If any are being pushed back during recoil, while they are in the mag, that would be really loose crimp!
Dr. Jim
Dr. Jim
All the things written here sound pretty reasonable as explanations. I would suggest trying some other brands of ammunition to see if it happens to everything. I don't shoot any more, so I'm really out of touch with what ammunition is out there, but commercially manufactured cartridges really shouldn't set back that way. When I was shooting, I never had that happen in an autoloader, but occasionally with some revolvers with heavy bullets. If your bullets are 230 grain loadings or lighter, that really shouldn't be happening, and the suggestions that were made about crimp really might be your problem.
Just one thing to add, if the bullets are being pushed back "substantially", don't fire them. Even minor setbacks increase peak pressure very substantially. Push the bullet back substantially and 150 to 200% increase in pressure comes very quickly.
This happens in small capacity, straight walled pistol cartridges, because a small setback changes the remaining volume in the case a lot for every little bit of setback.
BTW as noted above, it sounds like the mag catch has worn down. Kimber uses many mim (metal injection molded) parts, and I believe the mag catches are one of those parts. Replace with a machined steel part.
This happens in small capacity, straight walled pistol cartridges, because a small setback changes the remaining volume in the case a lot for every little bit of setback.
BTW as noted above, it sounds like the mag catch has worn down. Kimber uses many mim (metal injection molded) parts, and I believe the mag catches are one of those parts. Replace with a machined steel part.
