Ok How Many Shots Can U Put Through A Kimber 45

pa guns said:
Hi

They don't make gun barrels via the MIM process. The parts they *do* make via MIM have a lot in common with jet engine parts. They are tight tolerance, they require a good finish, and they have to hold up to a lot of abuse. Turbine engines running at 100K RPM fly apart if the components aren't just right.

Bob
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The point of my analogy is to point out that you can't say that Part X of the airplane engine is made out of MIM, therefore Part Y of my 1911 pistol can also be made out of MIM. It doesn't work that way. MIM airplane turbines may be able to withstand a lot of stress, but they do not experience stress in the same manner that a handgun extractor does, for example.
 
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capp325 said:
...... MIM airplane turbines may be able to withstand a lot of stress, but they do not experience stress in the same manner that a handgun extractor does, for example.
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Hi

If we are talking specifically about the 1911 extractor, it's a strange part. It's sort of a spring and sort of a hook. It's unusual compared to just about *anything*. Most 1911's don't use MIM for extractors because of the "spring" part.

Stuff like disconnectors, grip safeties, thumb safeties, slide stops, and MSH's are typically done with MIM. The loads and stresses on these parts are *way* below what an engine part sees.

Bob
 
rollie100 said:
How Many Rounds Can U Put Though A Kimber 45 1911 In Its Liftime, Or Before It Starts To Break Down
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I asked some members on another forum and the consensus is : Kimber alloy frame a minimum of 20,000 rounds with occasional issues here and there with possible frame cracks. Other Kimber steel frame guns 40-60K with no significant issues outside of the occasional "bad apple" as in any other manufacturer. Overall I'd say that unless you are throwing serious quantities downrange (in which case you can likely afford a new gun every few years) you have nothing to worry about.

Here's an excerpt from an article on the alloy framed Kimber Pro-Carry in "The Sight" (M1911 A-1) from a while back:

Kimber aluminum frames are machined from solid blocks of 7075-T7, the hardest and strongest aluminum alloy available. Moreover, these frames are run on the same machines and hold the same tight tolerances as steel frames. Kimber has tested the alloy frames to 20,000 rounds and claims no “meaningful” wear. In discussions of these lightweight, aluminum-framed guns, the issue of frame cracks always arises. As a matter of historical record, there are still quite a few original Commanders built in 1950 that survive to this day without any cracking. It is also a fact that frame cracks have occurred in aluminum alloy pistols. The problem can be exacerbated using weak recoil springs and shooting large quantities of hot loads.
 
Hi

There are a number of people who run steel frame 1911's in heavy duty competition. They normally shoot over a thousand rounds in a week :eek:.

These are the only guys I know who actually will ever see the difference between 60K rounds and 120K rounds on a pistol. Most of them report that they get over 150K rounds on steel frame 1911's regardless of who made it.

Bob
 
pa guns said:
Stuff like disconnectors, grip safeties, thumb safeties, slide stops, and MSH's are typically done with MIM. The loads and stresses on these parts are *way* below what an engine part sees.
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I'd have no problem with MIM grip safety, thumb safety and MSH. Slide stop is a different matter, however. Do a search on the 1911 forum and you will see plenty of pictures of broken Kimber MIM slide stops.
 
capp325 said:
I'd have no problem with MIM grip safety, thumb safety and MSH. Slide stop is a different matter, however. Do a search on the 1911 forum and you will see plenty of pictures of broken Kimber MIM slide stops.
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I have a collection of broken Colt ones too. In my experience here, there is little difference.
 
Redleg's right, slide stops break. EGW, Ed Brown, Para.....Saw all three of them break on three different guns in one night.

1911 reliability is great, buy a good one, and go shoot!
 
capp325 said:
I'd have no problem with MIM grip safety, thumb safety and MSH. Slide stop is a different matter, however. Do a search on the 1911 forum and you will see plenty of pictures of broken Kimber MIM slide stops.
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Hi

I've seen a lot of pictures of broken slide stops from all sorts of manufacturers. Before there was MIM, they broke cast slide stops. Before they could afford to set up the castings they broke milled slide stops.

If the slide stop comes up while the slide is coming back it does exactly what it's supposed to do - break. There are a lot of things that can make it come up to soon ...

Bob
 
D_ said:
How about the STI slides?

D - IPSC :ninja:
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Hi

You can break just about any 1911 slide if you either drop the recoil spring way down, or put way to hot ammo through it. Either way, run enough rounds through and you get little cracks that eventually turn into bigger cracks.

Bob
 
Bob, I was making a wisecrack to TGT40 about his slide breaking/cracking during an IPSC shoot. Not a slight at the company either - those open guns get a beating.

I was sure to get a CZ trigger spring or CZ slide stop reply/comeback (they lasted me about month each for each component).
 
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