I’m Gunsmith, the shop I work for does a ton of 1911 work including custom 1911 & 2011 builds. That being said, I’m not.a huge fan of Kimber’s. However, thats due more to the amount of MIM parts they use vs cast or machined. Without actually putting my hands on the pistol, I would say that if you brought in to me I would probably end up replacing the slide lock with a cast or machined part, adjust the safety spring which also holds tension on the slide lock & I’d melt the bottom of the safety to match the profile of the upper grip frame. When you picked it up I’d probably show you proper lubrication for a 1911, because that still didn’t look like enough lubrication. When you drop the slide on an empty 1911 & physically see lube fly off, it’s lubed good,especially on a newer one. Good luck man! I love the 1911 platform, I carried one for years before I got to old & it got to heavy. It’s absolutely reliable, but it requires more work & more dedication than striker fire.
My first 1911 was a Kimber Stainless II. At the time, the sights were blacked out and the grips were black rubber. I knew all that was going to change before I even bought it. I sent the slide off to Kimber to install some three-dot night sights. All I really wanted was three-dot sights, but the night sights were just a little more. While I was waiting for the slide to return, I ordered some wood grips from Kimber. All I've done since is shoot it. I like the sights and grips that come on the Stainless II now.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I do enjoy this gun even though I'm having some malfunctions. It is a fun range toy. I do believe I will get the issue fixed, and it will run great.
I just bought my first 1911 a few weeks ago. i was looking at kimber at first but after seeing so much failures on youtube, i went with the Springfield garrison instead. im currently 400 rds deep using wilson combat magazines and i've had no failures so far. I hope you can get the gun working properly, these guns are a blast to shoot.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and I am glad you are liking yours. I can not lie had I know of that springfield garrison before buying this one. I probably would have gone for it. It is currently on my wishlist. Very good-looking 1911 you picked a nice one.
If after 2-300 rounds you can't get it to run reliably with the factory supplied magazine, and I'm assuming you have determined problem is not specific to one magazine. Then I would suggest contacting Kimber and giving them the opportunity to fix the problem under warranty. I think part of the problem with modern 1911s is the fact that Browning designed this gun to be a military service sidearm. He never intended it to be a target pistol. He designed it with generous tolerances so it would function reliably under adverse conditions with round nose jacketed ammunition, and in its original configuration it is reliable as a hammer. Then in the 1920s and 30s folks started to tighten things up so they could compete in NRA Bullseye shooting. And still they were reliable with ball ammunition. Then after WWII gunsmiths started tightening things even more and hand fitting over sized barrels. Now we started seeing reliability issues. And gunsmiths went back to the bench and started tweeking for reliability. Today manufacturers like Kimber are turning out on CNC machines a gun that was designed when factories were powered by water wheels or steam and guns were hand fitted by craftsmen. Shooters today are comparing 100 year old design to Glocks and M&Ps that were designed to be mass produced using manufacturing techniques that weren't even thought of 100 years ago. As I have said before I am an unapologetic 1911 fanboy, and I have been forced to draw a 1911 on another human being twice in the line of duty while serving in the US ARMY. But I don't carry one as part of my EDC. In its original form using the ammunition it was designed for I still believe it is the finest fighting hand gun ever designed, and if called back to duty it would be the gun on my hip if restricted to the rules of land warfare. But I don't trust any pistol to defend myself and my family until I prove it reliable. I do have 1911s in my collection that I trust and I have others that are strictly range toys. Where an occasional malfunction is not a matter of life and death. Even today at 73 years of age I can still shoot a good 1911 better than any of the newer guns. But I understand and except it's limitations. Give Kimber a chance to make this a good one before you sell it on.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and thank you for your service it is greatly appreciated. I will say, after I get this issue fixed I will love this gun. The trigger is outstanding coming over from striker fired guns it is night and day. It is also a super accurate gun. I am sure kimber will fix it.
The loose tolerances in military 1911s are for ease of replacing parts by company grade armorers without having to file or grind parts to fit. Thry can can drop them in with just a little wiggle and send it back into service. If anything, loose fitting parts let in more dirt and mud and does not enhance reliability. Tightly fitted parts require finer fitting and straighter rails. If the rails aren't straight, they rub more, causing more heat, causing metal to expand causing more rubbing. If rails are straight, there is actually less rubbing and less friction. Les Baer 1911 have gone through hundreds of thousands of rounds and still remained as tight as new. Wilson and Ed Brown 1911s are very reliable and tight. They are also fitted precisely with no wiggle or looseness.
@@ms.annthrope415 Everything you stated in your first paragraph is true, but I think you missed the point of the looser tolerances on the military 1911s. It is not the looser tolerances that let in mud and dirt, it is wallowing around in mud and dirt, unfortunately that is where warfighters do much of their work. WWI proved that tighter fitment did not insure reliability. Compare a WWI or WWII Luger to a military 1911 or 1911A1, there is no comparison the Luger is the better fitted gun.. It is also the one that will quit working first in a dirty environment. There is a world of difference between a premium 1911 such as assembled by the likes of Brown, Baer ect and a massed produced Kimber or RIA. But the bottom line is his Kimber should work and Kimber should make it work period.
Hey I have the exact same pistol as yours but in 9mm, and experienced the same exact issue that you faced on my first shots also. So I sent it to Kimber and they swapped out a few parts (which I don't remember what they are) - and since then it runs flawlessly. So you may want to consider that option if your problem persists.
May have been extractor part? People whine about Kimbers but they are better than ever, have great customer service and once broken in if issues persist needs a Kimber company fine tuning is all.
I just got this gun in 9mm and took it out today with stock mag and 2 wilson combat mags shot 200 rounds flawless not a single issue of anykind love this thing and far as cutting the hand I didn't experienced any discomfort at all feels and shoots like a dream that's right out the box no cleaning or oil just as it came from factory
@@ballisticturd yeah me 2 lol for a 900 dollar gun I was expecting good quality and it to run good but sometimes u got issues I've have a few in past with not mentioning and names cz and taurus but I do hope u get it fixed I'd send it off to get looked at by kimber for free
Please don’t let Kimber’s awful QC ruin your view on 1911s, their guns are generally regarded as overpriced these days because of that, probably why people said buy cheaper 1911s. Some of the best kimbers are the 90s made ones, and past that, their quality is questionable at best from what I’ve read and seen myself. My 10mm 1911 from Ruger is fantastic, I only had one issue and it was a bizarre one. The breech face wasn’t hardened somehow and a new slide had to be hand fitted, they did it all for free. I also wanted to add that the mecgar 1911 magazine I have for my 10mm is pure garbage, and it was just giving me constant issues. It never worked well. The only mags I use are the ones made by Ruger and you might want to do the same, only buy Kimber mags for kimbers. Either way, good luck with your Kimber and I hope your experience improves!
I bought a Tisas B45 duty model ($479) a year ago and was very disappointed with it. Constant failure to feed just like you are experiencing and a few failure to extract as well. I also did what you did and bought a variety of mags. I now have 11 mags from Ed Brown, Wilson Combat and Mecgar. What I have found with my 1911 is that as I ran my round count up, the failures became fewer and fewer to the point that now, at 600 rounds I do not experience any failures from any of the mags. The pistol is fun to shoot and has a fantastic trigger when compared to any of my striker fired pistols but boy was it expensive to break in and I don't know if I will ever trust it enough to use as an EDC. Also watch out for limp wristing your grip BC that can cause problems too. Good luck and have faith
I've heard from some folks that there's a 1911 that takes Sig P320 magazines. It's called the Oracle Arms 2311 from what I can remember. I think that would be a huge game changer since having a 2011-style pistol compatible with magazines for other pistols might be something we have yet to see in large numbers. What do you think?
Also I wonder if its the PMC ammo? I recently used my buddys glock 17 Gen 5 and we were pumping pmc 9mm though it and we both had a bunch of failure to feed issues.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have tried pmc bronze, which I have never had failures with in other guns, and I have also used another brand ( I cant remember the name). Both with the same failures. I'm going to go out again here shortly and use only the magazine the gun came with and see if that's the issue.
I also have the exact same pistol as yours. Went to the range yesterday and used the supplied Kimber magazine and the gun ran flawless. I also had a couple of Wilson Combat magazines and my pistol does not like them. But other than that my pistol ran great 👍
My kimber also didn’t like the wilson mags everyone raves about. I found out that you have to tune the mag. Specifically the follower. I bent it at more of an angle and it runs the wilson perfectly now. It took me a while and was frustrated because it had no malfunctions with the oem kimber mag. But its running like a champ now.
My friend bought a new 1911, we shot 4 different mag brands, and his was doing the same thing. Looked close, which I noticed on yours and his… the slide stop was the slightest bit out… popped it back in and had no issues
Thanks for leaving a comment. It has been taken apart and put together 3 times with the same issue. When I get home I will make sure it is installed correctly but I am pretty sure it is.
I have been using kimber's for probably 20-25 years I currently own three of them never had that problem with any of them. I usually average 200 rounds a week with various types of ammunition. I would definitely get ahold of Kimber I'm sure they'll fix it up for you ASAP good shooting
"I just want this gun to work right", dude the stoppages you are experiencing are extremely minor and relatively infrequent by 1911 standards. If you're still having stoppages after 500 or so rounds, them send it vack to kimber to see if they can fix it. I have a Tisas M1911A1 that has similar stoppages as yours (though nowhere near as frequently, i might add), and once it got to the 400 - 500 round point, it stopped having any stoppages whatsoever. Now I'm at 1100 rounds and i havent had a stoppage in quite some time. Its reliable, smooth and accurate now.
BT, I traded one of my older gun for used Kimber in 9mm and the guns great, 100 rds. So I purchased a new Kimber SS Target II in 45acp.Took it to the range and shot 50rd through it and had one failed to feed similar to yours.Push the slide forward and shot the rest with no problems. I would give Kimber a chance to make it right if the problem continues. Good Luck.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am sure kimber will fix it. I probably just was one of the few unlucky ones. I do love the gun so far, which is a very cool piece.
I went down that same road and nothing worked on it. Just got rid of it In the end. Colt is what I hear works best. Might give one a try later down the road.
I had the same problem with a Girsan MC1911what I did is I pulled off the slide lock and cut a small channel for the slide detent to grab and the issue went away.
Your brass is hitting the slide lock as it's going into the chamber if you take the gun down you will see brass on the hook of the slide lock or you may have a dent in the case of the brass if you file some of the material from the slide lock it will fix that I had the same problem it's not the magazines if you don't feel comfortable filing some material then have a gunsmith do it or call kimber to send you a new slide lock!!
@@ballisticturd Pull the slide off put your slide lock through the hole insert a magazine with a round and push the round up the ramp you'll see where it is hitting it remove a little material at a time and you will fix this problem! Get through the break in period on the pistol and you'll find you have a great pistol! I've got 13 Kimbers and they all run great I'd trust my life on anyone of them hope this helps!🍻
I have a couple of1911s that I built and after having built a couple , my perspective is that I wouldn't be unhappy if I had to do a slight amount of custom tune up work on any out of the box 1911 . The beauty of stainless is that someone can work on it without destroying the finish.
@@ballisticturd I would look at the part of the slide lock / release lever where it contacts the plunger and maybe deepen the groove with a diamond stone. But to do that level of custom hand tuning you need to really focus on what you're doing and be exact with where you put the corner of the stone when you modify the groove, because you can make it worse. The good news is, you can buy a new part and do it over, and it's not expensive . The part about 1911 design that's really tricky is the barrel lugs and link in relation to the vertical impact surface.
Since Kimber changed locations and ownership the quality has not been what it was. However 1911’s do have an extended break in period. I have been told average break in is 600 to 1000 rounds. I purchased an Ultra Carry II recently and really like it. The 3” barrel actually surprised me. The first 75 rounds I fired at 10 yards was in a group the size of a softball. Maybe I got lucky and got a good one. Tisas is Turkish made like the Canik and many people love them.
The only 1911 I ever shot was a 45 Springfield armory and it ran good with everything we put in it. However I didn't really care for it ,it seemed to have a lot of sharp edges that wasn't comfortable to shoot. But then again I'm used to a 9 mm Glock
I have this same Kimber and have had it for years. I screen shot the malfunction where you held the slide stop up to the camera. I can't help but feel its riding up a little higher than it should. I have also shot several thousand rounds through mine over the course of 10 + years. If one would be willing to take emery cloth and give it a couple passes over the top of that stop this might help. Anything more than that then Im sending it back to Kimber for correction.
Send it to Kimber. I hope you already did, i had a similar issue with mine, i sent it to kimber, and they took care of it, and it runs flawlessly, kimber have a lifetime warranty for the first owner, so don't hesitate to contact them, they will stand behind there gun, good luck, its a beautiful 1911.
One of two things causing that slide catch problem: The plunger is not holding the slide catch down. When the plunger tube is staked it can get distorted by getting a little heavy with the staking tool. Take the slide off and reinstall the catch and see if the catch has some resistance to moving up and check that the plunger isn't sticking when depressed / released. Also check the inside area of the catch when the slide is off and put a mag in with rounds to see if the round could be contacting the catch where it touches the follower of the mag. Kimber parts can be kinda hit and miss, I prefer Wilson slide catches myself. Kimber's ambi thumb safety is good once you tighten the slack out of it.
im a glock boy too im used to glock and my personal favorite is my glock 29 gen 3 i just bought this same gun is the kick of 45 close to a 10mm im used to 10mm and the mags what name would you recommend for the mags ? bill willson ?
I'll be honest, I'm not sure. I used wilson combat mags, factory kimber mag, and mecgar, I think. But many people have told me those were bad choices, others said they were good choices. Good luck in your magazine quest. Sorry I couldn't help you more.
I have the same exact gun. Five failure to feeds in the first 300 rounds. After 1000 rounds it has not had a failure to feed since the first 309 rounds.
polish the guide rod and change the mags to wilson combat, if the finish on the guide rod is rough it will cause dragging on the spring, i have the same gun in 10mm and those two things cured all jams and battery issues
Never had any malfunctions with Dan wessson nighthawk Wilson’s and Les Bauer and they are pretty tight I did have some malfunctions with a Springfield but I think two factors played into it 1 didn’t have a throated barrel and 2 mags I didn’t keep it long enough to really find out it was my first 1911 and before I even heard about any of the big 1911 brands.
okay this may sound really stupid, but I cant tell via the video, and it may help with your slide lock issue. From a certain angle it looks as if your slide stop/release pin isn't pushed all the way into the gun. It looks like the detent that goes into that is in the little notch on the pin, and i could be wrong, but you may need to push that in further.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have had someone else mention this. I have taken it apart 3 times all between range days. With that being said I am brand new to the 1911 and I may not have noticed it when I went out. I will for sure check on this
I know you have a lot of folks in the comments section trying to get you to spend a whole paycheck or two on a 1911 ("Ah need muh Dan Wesson", "Getchu a Springfield", etc), but it does not necessarily have to be that way. Those are great brands, but your Kimber stainless can be nice too. Buying a $1500 to $4000 1911 won't guarantee a problem-free experience. It's just the nature of the beast. I have experienced about 22 different 1911's chambered in several cartridges (9mm Luger, 38 Super, 40S&W, 45ACP) over 13 years, but I'm still learning a lot. Some were bone stock. Others were gussied up quite a bit. Some needed help. Others were perfect or at least functional. From the comments written and my own experience, the problem is likely one of a few things that's a bit off. I'll explain it the best I know how. [Some of the info is repeat of other comments that you have received, but that is on purpose. Might as well have it all in one place to look at.] 1) Ammunition in the magazine is pressing up on the slide lock and forcing it to catch the slide as it moves rearward. File the underside of the slide lock (the part that pokes inside the frame) lightly where brass color appears and test for function (filing a little at a time). You'll know you are good when you shoot a few rounds and the brass doesn't rub on the slide lock anymore. Someone had mentioned that the brass rubbing on the slide lock could be the ammunition profile/shape. It is totally possible and something I had not thought of until today. Makes sense.... If you were dedicated to using a certain ammunition, it might make sense to profile the slide lock for that ammunition. Would have to make sure that filing the slide lock to match that ammunition still left enough material for the magazine follower to press up on the slide lock and cause the slide lock to engage the slide. 2) The tiny plunger in the little tube above your left grip is trying to catch the divot on the back of the slide lock, but it can't hold on effectively. There is a little ball dremel tool that you can use to deepen the slide lock detent. You don't want the detent divot too deep or the plunger will hold onto the slide lock a little too well. For your slide lock and your safety, a teardrop shaped divot helps the plunger engage and disengage from the divot smoothly (vs having a flat surface that immediately transitions to a divot). The skinny part of the teardrop points downward toward the ground when you hold the pistol upright and the tail of that teardrop is more shallow than the main part of the divot. Wish I could attach a picture. 3) Somebody already mentioned it, but the little plunger pressing on the slide lock might not have enough help from the spring it is on. Stretching out the spring a bit might give it a little more sticking power when it comes to putting the plunger into the slide lock detent/divot. There was something else I was thinking of, but I'm half-awake and will have to revisit this later. If we lived within a few hours of each other, I'd be happy to drive out to the range with you and put an eyeball to the situation. Hope you find out what you need in order to get this 1911 running. By the looks of it, the fix should be fairly simple.
Hey, so if you have tried makeing sure its oiled, you have tried different ammo, tried different mags, adjusted your grip etc. Its sounding like it needs to go to Kimber for a tune up. I have 2 1911 pistols. One is a colt but the other is cheap $200 ITI and my issues with that had been Mags and Hollow points. But i have found 1911 pistols are more of a labor of love. I love my 1911s but i dont carry them. I would if i had to but not my choice.
I had a kimber pro carry II that jammed a lot, so I sold it. Just recently bought another kimber, and haven't shot it yet. I hope this one is better lol. If not, I'll go to a different brand.
Hi. I have one kimber exactly like yours and I have heard that it breaks about 500 pews kimber make things rails handed fits I have several problems with mine too. I won't carry my new kimber today.
Rest your thumb on the safety lever, no cut on thumb and make safety is completely down. It will need breaking in and/or file some spots on slide where it's rubbing on the frame. Check the bottom of firing pin stop too, if rubbing against the frame. I expected mine to have issues out of the box. Now I have no issues with it, with any mag I have. Good luck.
so you can knock down the sharp edge on the safety using some sandpaper obviously. as for the premature slide lock, get a egw or a wilson combat (less filing) takedown pin/slide stop. much cheaper alternative to getting yet another 1911. if you’re going to get another 1911 then get the basic 70 series Colt or a springfield armory. the magazines you have are fantastic mags and work well usually with most 1911s. good luck.
I have three Kimber 1911 and with the factory mags I don’t have any issues. Your grip does matter so does ammo for the 45. I was told this when I bought my first one.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have tried 3 different brands of magazines, including the one that came with my gun. 2 different brands of ammo. I have tried 3 different grips. I'm still getting malfunctions. In fact, today, I went out with the kimber magazine, and I had more malfunctions than the last two outings. I am very certain something is wrong with my gun. I'm not saying kimbers are bad, but the one I received is not right. I'm sending it back to kimber tomorrow, I am sure they will find the problem and fix it.
The slide lock interphases with the magazine .. I feel the area of contact needs tuning.. I suspect that relationship is not correct, because it does it with every mg, or try a different slide lock all together.. Ill bet that is a MIM part, try a better produced part or see if you can file tune the irregularity. . 1911s are tuner guns but once dialed in they rock..
Thanks for leaving a comment. Thanks to helpful comments, I have figured out the issue. If a round is not 100 percent to the rear in the magazine, the rounds start touching the slide stop. My concern is that the rounds may jar forward slightly due to recoil. I think I may buy another slide stop, then file my original slide stop. This way, if I mess it up, I have a backup.
I’ve heard of guys having issues with Kimber 1911’s; I know Scott from “Kentucky Ballistics” had a kimber 1911 and he had major issues with it and he wasn’t pleased at all considering kimber guns are not cheap. I have two girsan 1911’s and they have been good to me. My one commander size by girsan had some (not always) issues locking back on one surplus magazine I had, but other than that yeah I agree with others on here you might want to have kimber look it over for certain. The other 1911 I had was an Argentine Army issued one from 1944 and it ran like I champ! Again with the slide locking back on semi full mag; the only other time I’ve seen that happen was with a Yugoslav TT33 tokarev clone from the 1950’s where this hand gun locked back now and then on a semi full mag. It was one of my USAF friends in my squadron that bought the gun and she like liked it because it fit her hands well. Accurate gun for certain but yeah it was odd. Over all there is nothing wrong with wanting to expand your knowledge on owning other guns. That’s the fun part about firearms community because there is many different brands, models, and types of firearms where you can learn so much on firearm’s development as a whole. Kudos to you for at least trying something new and having the desire to expand your knowledge as a firearms owner. All I can say is I hope kimber fixes your problems with this really nice piece you have. If they don’t then I can’t say I would fault you with buying a Glock 21. Keep on keepin on.
@@ballisticturd there’s already enough negativity in this world. I appreciate those in this community that willing to give try to something they’ve never done before. That what we need more of in the firearm community. We get divided on dumb stuff all the time; the least we can do is be positive to those who want to keep this awesome community going, and not be “fudds” about trivial stuff.
Extractor tension could be causing the issues in your 1911. Luckily, you can adjust it yourself pretty simply. Just go onto RUclips and look at the tutorials. Ive had that be the problem on a couple of my 1911’s.
@@ballisticturd Seconding this. Extractor tuning is pretty much a must on any new 1911. Kimber makes a great gun, but of the semi-custom shops, they're the most likely to need the extractor tuned. I had a 10mm Camp Guard that went from "jam-o-matic" to zero malfunctions just from that alone. Pre-polishing.
I have four Kimber 1911 guns. All guns are beautiful , shooting great and pass breaking point without any issues, but i have to admit that Kimber magazines are so far to be as good. What i did. I get rid of all Kimber magazines and use Wilson Combat 8 round magazines only. No problem whatsoever. In my opinion, Wilson Combat is the best magazine on the market, especially for any Kimber 1911.
interesting, I have 8 -1911's, including a 1943 US Military issue, 2 Kimbers, Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Springfield Armory, and a few others. Never, have I had issues with the reliability that you are experiencing. One thing is that I only run mags of the same manufacturer as the gun in any particular firearm.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I will be going out one more time before I send it back to kimber. I will only use the one magazine they sent the gun with during that outing to make sure its not a magazine issue which it may be.
Surprisingly, the Tisas 1911 A1 US Army has a wonderfully reliable reputation with tons of glowing reviews. There has been problems sometimes with certain magazines, but it's the magazine's problem. Otherwise, thousand of rounds by plenty reviewers with zero issues, and incredible accuracy. And...it is SO MUCH cheaper than the Kimber. The price is not low because of low quality, it's low because of the Turkey "dollar" being so terrible in value against the American dollar. Take a look at videos on that gun. I just bought mine on black Friday.
At this point I would recommend sending it to Kimber to have a gunsmith work on it. If it were my pistol I would take the sharp edge off the safety, I would replace the full length guide rod with a standard short government guide rod. Then I would just keep putting rounds through it. If was still malfunctioning after about 500 more FMJ rounds, then I would have 2 choices: sell the gun, or send it to a gunsmith. Good luck 👍🏻 I’ve owned several $500 GI government models 1911 A1s and they’ve ran beautifully. Spending a ton of money on a tricked out tightly fit custom 1911 doesn’t mean it’s gonna be a good pistol. Sometimes it’s best to keep it simple
Should check extractor tension some time ammo or mag problem some times the tolerance is to tight and needs time to were in I have a rock island in 45 and not had a problem
It is the slide stop. It is likely not properly fitted and just dropped in. It could also be a weak plunger spring allowing the slide stop to bounce with recoil. The thumb safety is an easy fix and there are many options out there to replace it. I would give kimber a shot at fixing your issues first. Kimber has been known to have issues in the past but realistically a good 1911 is hand fit by craftsmen who understand how the weapon works and the things that need to be done to be reliable. I have many high end 1911’s (Brown, Baer’s and Wilson) and have never had as many issues as you are having. But then again those aren’t production guns.
i've got 2 kimber 1911s both custom 2 models one standard and one 2 tone. I have never had any of the problems ur having and i even shoot reloads which kimber does not recomend and i have not modified anything but the sights
Thanks for leaving a comment. Kimber said they would fix it. I am going to go out one more time and use only the kimber magazine to make sure it's not a magazine issue.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have had a lot of people tell me what they thought was wrong. A lot of people told me "operator error." I tried everything from limpwristing to death grip. Different mags, different ammo. Kimber told me they do not recommend shooting more than 100 rounds through there gun without cleaning. This could have been the issue as I would get more and more malfunctions the longer I would shoot.
Look to see if theres traces of copper on the inside of the slide release. 45 ammo isn't built the same as it use to be. Different brands have different profiles. I've had ammo brands that actually rubbed the inside the the slide release and caused it to partially engage. Kimbers need work. Don't care what anyone says, a Kimber needs work. Personally I'd have saved up a bit more and gone for Dan Wesson.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm not gonna lie I did very little research on 1911s before buying this one. If I had known what i do now Dan wesson would have been on the list for sure.
@@ballisticturd a 1911 was my first handgun. Was a Springfield loaded model. As soon as I had my first few failures I researched the hell out of them. First thing I did was mirror polish the feed ramp and tune the extractor. That seemed to have fixed my issues. Till I switched ammo and saw it was hitting the slide release. After I filed the slide release a bit, I've had absolutely zero issues since. I've since had a lot of handguns, but the 1911 is still my preferred gun when they run properly. Not many make them run properly though. That's the downside of them. People compare the entire platform to one specific maker of a polymer gun, and then claim the entire platform doesn't work. The Dan Wesson specialist is probably my favorite handgun. There is still a break in period, but they tell you exactly what to do. Follow it exactly and you will likely have zero issues even during the break in. My Springfield trp has also been pretty much flawless. I say "pretty much" cause I haven't put many rounds through it yet, so I don't want to jinx myself too badly lol. I still have my first 1911, and it's really nicely broken In. Cycles super smoothly and the trigger feels great. I'd have no issue carrying it and am confident it'll work when I need it. I've also had good luck with the chip McCormick rpm mags. I like the heavier spring in them and the stronger feeling feed lips. Hopefully Kimber gets your figured out. Don't give up on the platform though. Kimbers are known for their problems, but once worked through seem to be just fine afterwards.
Also with a 1911 you need to adjust your grip a bit. Your grip should let your thumb ride the safty with your offhand thumb underneath. I have several 1911's (.45 and 9mm) and have never been bit like that. The 1911 platform does take a little getting used to.
Thanks for leaving a comment i appreciate the helpful insight. I have tried multiple styles of grips, and I get that cut every time. The safety has a jagged or sharp point on it.
i’d say send it back and have Kimber work on it. I know Kimber as of lately has had more quality control issues in recent years compared to before. If that doesn’t work maybe pickup a springfield garrison as a trade.
Use sig Sauer 230 or 240 grain hollow point black and gold box I have a ruger 1911 comander 45acp very tight when new first shot it got better shot great no issues might what to try it ordered a kimber custom in 9mm when it comes in I will see what it does carried a 1911 in the army the 1911 45acp is my favorite pistol good luck try Remington stay away from cci and other similar ammo had a smith and wesson m&p ez 9mm performance center would not function with brazer brass ammo good luck
Certain 1911s that are tight tolerance like the Kimbers and Dan Wessons do have really big break in periods. You might have to put hundreds of rounds through it before it gets reliable as crazy as it sounds. Shooting really hot ammo, might make the process go faster. Also you may want the safety changed or modified, because I don't remember seeing anyone else have that issue. You might want to borrow someone else's 1911 or rent a better one, if you can. Sorry your experiences haven't been pleasant.
Most likely cause is Kimber's questionable quality control. Some people swear by them, other people swear at them. I have 2 les baers and 1 Ed Brown and I've never had problems with tightly fitted guns. They are not just tightly fitted, they are fitted straight and matched so that it actually generates less friction when slide rails are true and straight. Rails with high spots and low spots when fitted tight will cause friction and heat up causing the metal to swell causing more friction. That is a quality control problem. Try Dan Wesson or Springfield. Kimber is just not consistent across the board.
I have a taurus 1911 I use sellies bellot ammo work better just use lots of different ammo ...and my 1911 don't jam with the original magazine. Don't use cheap mags.. use lotion for your hand
As part of the origiinal tests, 6000 rounds were fired, 1000 at a time, with oil added in between each course of fire. The gun ran these tests sucessfully with no stopping. The design is capable, I don't know what causes modern iterations to have this reputation.
Maybe break in period, also stick w/ Original mags during the break in. I have 2 colt 1911s w/ original mags, Just emptied 4 Colt mags through each one w/ out any issues what so every. Maybe stick w/ the one factory Kimber mag that you have if you have to switch out anything, switch out ammo to see if it has a preference. I've ran 230gr ball not hollow point from day one w/ out any issues...I'm sure hollow point will feed w/ out any issues too I just don't have any........ Kimber, it's Still a beautiful 1911 if I may say so myself, hope you get it tamed. If for some reason it still gives you problems and I hope not, send it back and have them fix their defects, it's giving 1911s a bad rap, after all that gun is the gun that won 2 world wars. If after all that it still won't run, sell it...... Get a Colt, I can vouch for the 2 that I have, they run all day, all night if need w/ a touch of lube, with out getting a scratch between my thumb and pointer :)
Kimber has really been run to the ground. Thats such a shame. I have heard so many people have chronic issues with their handguns. Springfield seems to be good to go as far as entry 1911s.
You have a full-length guide rod. Do you have a shok buff? That stops the slide slightly forward and right where the slide lock notch is located, allowing the slamming of the slide to pop the slide lock up and lock the slide. Remove the shot buff and see if it removes the problem. If you don't have a shok buff, then replace rhe full length guide rod with a regular GI guide rod. That should cure the problem. Full-length guide rods are useless. Trade in the Kimber and get a Springfield Armry. Get the Ronin or Garrison. I have a Ronin and never had a problem.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and I appreciate the helpful advice. The issue I am having is rounds touching the slide lock mid magazine. Either the rounds are not seated rearward enough or there is too much material on the slide lock. I believe I will fix this issue easily, and I believe it will run well afterward.
Thank for leaving a comment. Thanks to the comments I have figured out that rounds are touching the slide stop if the rounds are forward in the magazine at all. I believe this should be an easy fix
Sounds like it. However that failing is the magazine not keeping the lower rounds towards the rear and allowing them to slide too far forward during recoil and the friction of the top round feeding. The flush fitting kimpro 7 rounders don’t do that.
@inlandindieP35 I am having that issue with the kimber mag that came with the gun, Wilson combat 10rnd magazine, and an 8 round mec-gar. I am very confident it's the slide release. I would be very suprised if all three magazines are problematic. I assume this is possible but not likely. I have read others having the same issue.
Your slide release may be a bit too prominent (out of spec) on the inside causing a surface that sticks out a little too far which causes contact by a feeding bullet nose when it should not be happening. Dropping in a new slide stop is a comparatively easy and inexpensive experiment. I would look at Harrison or EGW gun parts for a stainless slide stop. I would also get the kimpro magazines as I don’t think the MecGar and Wilson mags are a perfect match in every 1911.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have had more malfunctions within 400 rounds through my kimber than I have ever had with all of my glocks and other glocks I have shot combined. A sample size of one is not fair to a manufacturer. I'm giving kimber a chance to fix this gun. I'll be sending it off tomorrow.
Bullet profile, even hardball can touch the slide lock on the way from magazine to chamber causing the slide to lock open. Try several different brands of ammo and see if that’s the problem.
Unfortunately, there is only one thing to say. "It's a Kimber". Dealing with 100's of 1911s over the years, Kimbers have always had the most problems. Kimber's answer was always "send it back and we'll take a look at it." When it comes back, same issues. Ironically, current 1911s with the least problems have been Rock Island Armory Tac series 1911s.
Those slide lock failures are very odd. There should be a detent holding that lever down on firing. I shoot a 1911 with my thumb on the safety out of habit, it's comfortable for me and mitigates any cutting issues from the safety. Nice shooting! Love the videos. Edit* you should be out of the break in period by now, it shouldn't be related to that, plus I think the break in period of mostly an excuse for poor manufacturing.
Thanks for leaving a comment, I appreciate the advice. I too would think that it should be running fine by now. I will probably send it back to kimber to get fixed.
I own and shoot 9 different 1911's (WW1, WW2 to current in .45 Auto, .38 Super and 9mm) and almost never have malfunctions. Most malfunctions not shooter related are usually magazine or ammo related. I can shoot 300-400 rounds per session and still be comfortable. You may need to spent some time with someone who shoots adult guns more often. Also, the 1911 is extremely reliable and is "back-to-back" World War Champion. 100's of thousands of soldiers using the pistol in combat conditions are testament to its effectiveness and reliability. Not understanding why you're having such problems. Try looking at lubrication tips from Colt or Wilson Combat videos.
Honestly I would call Kimber because it could just be a Kimber issue. Personally I don't like Kimber's I've had a few and they didn't do to well had a lot of malfunctions same with colt sadly. However I haven't had any real issues with Springfield armory 1911s or the smith and Wesson e series. Both brands make a good 1911. I like the Springfield emissary and the e series. Also sig Sauer makes a good 1911 the scorpion is awesome.
For all of you that want to make a nice gun beautiful go to Texas grips! I have a set on my 45 with the Army logo and I bought a set for a jar head friend with the Eagle Globe and Anchor. They no longer list them on the website but if you call Henry he will make them for you. Trust me the are beautiful grips. I do not know how to attach a picture but they make a decent looking gun into a master piece.
a good cheap 1911 would be Springfield Garrison or a mil spec. I don't trust anything less. Stick with S&W, Ruger, Colts ect.... I just bought Kimber myself, I just bought my 1st. Kimber today. Let's see what's happens!
If it’s not the mags it most likely needs a extractor adjustment. There’s videos on the this adjustment. Get some Kimber mags as well . Put at least 500 rounds with Kimber stainless mags you shouldn’t have the slide lock issue
@@ballisticturd I had the same problem out of my Kimber LW I learn the extractor was my problem on failure to eject from a gunsmith that I use in Hartsville Tennessee, but he showed me how to take the extractor out and you barely bend it just to take the pressure off of it a little bit it’s probably got too much of a bend in it and a lot of times they’ll come that way or it could just very well be a magazine problem, but most likely is that extractor.
I don’t have a Kimber but owned several M1911A1 of various makes. A 500 rounds break in is not uncommon. Also I learned years ago limp wristing it will cause malfunction.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Thanks to the comments and some testing I have done at home since, rounds in the magazine are touching the slide stop, causing it to lock the slide back
Also, this seems to only happen if the rounds come forward in the magazine at all. I believe recoil is causing the round to move forward slightly, thus causing the contact with the slide release.
@@ballisticturd I hope you can find out whatever is causing the problem. Another thing I experienced was after my Auto-Ord (early 90s pre-Kahr) 1911 was broken in and stop jamming, the slide is no longer as tight as it was. Accuracy did suffered slightly. I haven't buy a new 1911 in years, so I always assumed that manufacturing techniques improved and this is a thing of the past. I guess not.
In your video it shows the slide lock not fully engaging the the slide. That tells me the slide lock and retention pin has a problem and is loose. As for you getting cut there’s a sharp edge in the safety. Kimber makes a nice looking firearm but their quality is not the same ever since they moved. SEND IT BACK - NO BREAK IN PERIOD - if it doesn’t function out of the box you have a lemon.
If you've had good experience with Ruger, maybe one of their 1911's would be worth a try? Not doing the whole "Ohh, you should have done this~!" thing. I've only shot someone's 1911 at a range when I was a kid.
Thanks for leaving a comment. You do have a good point. Going with a ruger 1911 may have been a good option. I do wish I would have done a lot more research before making this purchase.
Don’t know what your problems are however that being said I can say I currently own 2 Kimber’s! My first Kimber I purchased 1995 and the second I bought in 2015! I’ve run several thousand rounds thru both guns without any issues of any kind! No stovepipes, no misfeeds, no failure to feed and no light strikes! Both firearms have been 100% reliable and my EDC is a Kimber ULTRA CDP2 CUSTOM! If you’re having issues with a Kimber then you need to talk with Kimber! Love my Kimber 1911’s accurate as any firearm can be built certainly more accurate than my Glock 19!
Some companies just don't make reliable guns unfortunately. Quality guns don't require a "break in period" and are not ammo dependent. Sell it and get a Bul Armory 1911 for less money. Israeli guns are way underrated, and the best guns dollar for quality. Mec Gar and Wilson Combat mags will work with a quality gun. Kimbers are no good. Don't keep an unreliable gun.
Im very dissapointed in this Kimber 1911. There shouldnt be so much crap going wrong. I would send it back and get a Springfield Armory one instead. Or a Colt Legacy.
@@ballisticturd yes sir! Sorry to hear you are having issues. I am biased towards Dan Wessons cause they are the only 1911s I have, but they are absolutely beautiful and well built. It's all the little details that drives up the price like the front strap checkering, smoothed edges, magwell, no mim parts, silky smooth 3.5-4 lb trigger, and tight fit for accuracy. If you are patient you can find blemished Dan Wessons for about $100 or more cheaper where you can't even find the blemish until you see the piece of paper that shows where it is. If you really like Glocks then the Dan Wesson guardian might be a good choice for you cause it has an aluminum frame weighing similar to a Glock. If you are looking for a badass range gun then can't go wrong with the 5" specialist. Throw a light on it to add some more weight to the muzzle and blow through all your ammo in 20 minutes. If you can't tell I'm a 1911 fanboy :)
I see alot of those Kimber carry it's the compact 1911 i see it on kolin noair channel on u tube I know I am butchering his name lol my bad I would trade that in for the Kimber carry..from John from Maine
I had the slide locking open before the mag was completely empty problem on two Para Ordnance wide body guns. On both I fixed the problem by judiciously filing down the slide locks on the inside. If you look, I think you will see it is possible for a bullet to touch the slide lock as it (the bullet) comes up. On the Paras, it was always the second to last round in the mag. If you file down that part of the slide lock slightly, it should solve the problem. As I mentioned previously, I am very (unpleasantly) surprised by your Kimber. Your gun is simply not good.
@@Jurflip2 Thanks for leaving a comment. I have a new video up where I use the kimber magazine only and still had a bunch of malfunctions, so you are right.
I’m Gunsmith, the shop I work for does a ton of 1911 work including custom 1911 & 2011 builds. That being said, I’m not.a huge fan of Kimber’s. However, thats due more to the amount of MIM parts they use vs cast or machined. Without actually putting my hands on the pistol, I would say that if you brought in to me I would probably end up replacing the slide lock with a cast or machined part, adjust the safety spring which also holds tension on the slide lock & I’d melt the bottom of the safety to match the profile of the upper grip frame. When you picked it up I’d probably show you proper lubrication for a 1911, because that still didn’t look like enough lubrication. When you drop the slide on an empty 1911 & physically see lube fly off, it’s lubed good,especially on a newer one. Good luck man! I love the 1911 platform, I carried one for years before I got to old & it got to heavy. It’s absolutely reliable, but it requires more work & more dedication than striker fire.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful insight.
My first 1911 was a Kimber Stainless II. At the time, the sights were blacked out and the grips were black rubber. I knew all that was going to change before I even bought it. I sent the slide off to Kimber to install some three-dot night sights. All I really wanted was three-dot sights, but the night sights were just a little more. While I was waiting for the slide to return, I ordered some wood grips from Kimber. All I've done since is shoot it. I like the sights and grips that come on the Stainless II now.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I do enjoy this gun even though I'm having some malfunctions. It is a fun range toy. I do believe I will get the issue fixed, and it will run great.
I just bought my first 1911 a few weeks ago. i was looking at kimber at first but after seeing so much failures on youtube, i went with the Springfield garrison instead.
im currently 400 rds deep using wilson combat magazines and i've had no failures so far. I hope you can get the gun working properly, these guns are a blast to shoot.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and I am glad you are liking yours. I can not lie had I know of that springfield garrison before buying this one. I probably would have gone for it. It is currently on my wishlist. Very good-looking 1911 you picked a nice one.
If after 2-300 rounds you can't get it to run reliably with the factory supplied magazine, and I'm assuming you have determined problem is not specific to one magazine. Then I would suggest contacting Kimber and giving them the opportunity to fix the problem under warranty. I think part of the problem with modern 1911s is the fact that Browning designed this gun to be a military service sidearm. He never intended it to be a target pistol. He designed it with generous tolerances so it would function reliably under adverse conditions with round nose jacketed ammunition, and in its original configuration it is reliable as a hammer. Then in the 1920s and 30s folks started to tighten things up so they could compete in NRA Bullseye shooting. And still they were reliable with ball ammunition. Then after WWII gunsmiths started tightening things even more and hand fitting over sized barrels. Now we started seeing reliability issues. And gunsmiths went back to the bench and started tweeking for reliability. Today manufacturers like Kimber are turning out on CNC machines a gun that was designed when factories were powered by water wheels or steam and guns were hand fitted by craftsmen. Shooters today are comparing 100 year old design to Glocks and M&Ps that were designed to be mass produced using manufacturing techniques that weren't even thought of 100 years ago. As I have said before I am an unapologetic 1911 fanboy, and I have been forced to draw a 1911 on another human being twice in the line of duty while serving in the US ARMY. But I don't carry one as part of my EDC. In its original form using the ammunition it was designed for I still believe it is the finest fighting hand gun ever designed, and if called back to duty it would be the gun on my hip if restricted to the rules of land warfare. But I don't trust any pistol to defend myself and my family until I prove it reliable. I do have 1911s in my collection that I trust and I have others that are strictly range toys. Where an occasional malfunction is not a matter of life and death. Even today at 73 years of age I can still shoot a good 1911 better than any of the newer guns. But I understand and except it's limitations. Give Kimber a chance to make this a good one before you sell it on.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and thank you for your service it is greatly appreciated. I will say, after I get this issue fixed I will love this gun. The trigger is outstanding coming over from striker fired guns it is night and day. It is also a super accurate gun. I am sure kimber will fix it.
The loose tolerances in military 1911s are for ease of replacing parts by company grade armorers without having to file or grind parts to fit. Thry can can drop them in with just a little wiggle and send it back into service. If anything, loose fitting parts let in more dirt and mud and does not enhance reliability.
Tightly fitted parts require finer fitting and straighter rails. If the rails aren't straight, they rub more, causing more heat, causing metal to expand causing more rubbing. If rails are straight, there is actually less rubbing and less friction. Les Baer 1911 have gone through hundreds of thousands of rounds and still remained as tight as new. Wilson and Ed Brown 1911s are very reliable and tight. They are also fitted precisely with no wiggle or looseness.
@ms.annthrope415 thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful insight.
@@ms.annthrope415 Everything you stated in your first paragraph is true, but I think you missed the point of the looser tolerances on the military 1911s. It is not the looser tolerances that let in mud and dirt, it is wallowing around in mud and dirt, unfortunately that is where warfighters do much of their work. WWI proved that tighter fitment did not insure reliability. Compare a WWI or WWII Luger to a military 1911 or 1911A1, there is no comparison the Luger is the better fitted gun.. It is also the one that will quit working first in a dirty environment. There is a world of difference between a premium 1911 such as assembled by the likes of Brown, Baer ect and a massed produced Kimber or RIA. But the bottom line is his Kimber should work and Kimber should make it work period.
Hey I have the exact same pistol as yours but in 9mm, and experienced the same exact issue that you faced on my first shots also. So I sent it to Kimber and they swapped out a few parts (which I don't remember what they are) - and since then it runs flawlessly. So you may want to consider that option if your problem persists.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and I appreciate the helpful insight. I am glad to hear you got yours running well.
May have been extractor part? People whine about Kimbers but they are better than ever, have great customer service and once broken in if issues persist needs a Kimber company fine tuning is all.
I just got this gun in 9mm and took it out today with stock mag and 2 wilson combat mags shot 200 rounds flawless not a single issue of anykind love this thing and far as cutting the hand I didn't experienced any discomfort at all feels and shoots like a dream that's right out the box no cleaning or oil just as it came from factory
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am glad to hear that you recieved a good gun!
@@ballisticturd yeah me 2 lol for a 900 dollar gun I was expecting good quality and it to run good but sometimes u got issues I've have a few in past with not mentioning and names cz and taurus but I do hope u get it fixed I'd send it off to get looked at by kimber for free
Please don’t let Kimber’s awful QC ruin your view on 1911s, their guns are generally regarded as overpriced these days because of that, probably why people said buy cheaper 1911s. Some of the best kimbers are the 90s made ones, and past that, their quality is questionable at best from what I’ve read and seen myself. My 10mm 1911 from Ruger is fantastic, I only had one issue and it was a bizarre one. The breech face wasn’t hardened somehow and a new slide had to be hand fitted, they did it all for free.
I also wanted to add that the mecgar 1911 magazine I have for my 10mm is pure garbage, and it was just giving me constant issues. It never worked well. The only mags I use are the ones made by Ruger and you might want to do the same, only buy Kimber mags for kimbers. Either way, good luck with your Kimber and I hope your experience improves!
Thanks for leaving a comment and I appreciate the helpful insight.
I bought a Tisas B45 duty model ($479) a year ago and was very disappointed with it. Constant failure to feed just like you are experiencing and a few failure to extract as well. I also did what you did and bought a variety of mags. I now have 11 mags from Ed Brown, Wilson Combat and Mecgar. What I have found with my 1911 is that as I ran my round count up, the failures became fewer and fewer to the point that now, at 600 rounds I do not experience any failures from any of the mags. The pistol is fun to shoot and has a fantastic trigger when compared to any of my striker fired pistols but boy was it expensive to break in and I don't know if I will ever trust it enough to use as an EDC. Also watch out for limp wristing your grip BC that can cause problems too. Good luck and have faith
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful insight. Tisas has some very nice looking 1911s.
I've heard from some folks that there's a 1911 that takes Sig P320 magazines. It's called the Oracle Arms 2311 from what I can remember. I think that would be a huge game changer since having a 2011-style pistol compatible with magazines for other pistols might be something we have yet to see in large numbers. What do you think?
Thanks for leaving a comment. That firearm sounds very cool for sure.
Also I wonder if its the PMC ammo? I recently used my buddys glock 17 Gen 5 and we were pumping pmc 9mm though it and we both had a bunch of failure to feed issues.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have tried pmc bronze, which I have never had failures with in other guns, and I have also used another brand ( I cant remember the name). Both with the same failures. I'm going to go out again here shortly and use only the magazine the gun came with and see if that's the issue.
I also have the exact same pistol as yours. Went to the range yesterday and used the supplied Kimber magazine and the gun ran flawless. I also had a couple of Wilson Combat magazines and my pistol does not like them. But other than that my pistol ran great 👍
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am glad your kimber runs well.
My kimber also didn’t like the wilson mags everyone raves about. I found out that you have to tune the mag. Specifically the follower. I bent it at more of an angle and it runs the wilson perfectly now. It took me a while and was frustrated because it had no malfunctions with the oem kimber mag. But its running like a champ now.
My friend bought a new 1911, we shot 4 different mag brands, and his was doing the same thing. Looked close, which I noticed on yours and his… the slide stop was the slightest bit out… popped it back in and had no issues
Thanks for leaving a comment. It has been taken apart and put together 3 times with the same issue. When I get home I will make sure it is installed correctly but I am pretty sure it is.
Yea man, it’s just something I thought I saw. Good luck
Also, I really do appreciate the advice because anything that will help me fix the problem I am interested in hearing.
I have been using kimber's for probably 20-25 years I currently own three of them never had that problem with any of them. I usually average 200 rounds a week with various types of ammunition. I would definitely get ahold of Kimber I'm sure they'll fix it up for you ASAP good shooting
Thanks for leaving a comment!
"I just want this gun to work right", dude the stoppages you are experiencing are extremely minor and relatively infrequent by 1911 standards. If you're still having stoppages after 500 or so rounds, them send it vack to kimber to see if they can fix it. I have a Tisas M1911A1 that has similar stoppages as yours (though nowhere near as frequently, i might add), and once it got to the 400 - 500 round point, it stopped having any stoppages whatsoever. Now I'm at 1100 rounds and i havent had a stoppage in quite some time. Its reliable, smooth and accurate now.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am glad that you got your gun working.
BT, I traded one of my older gun for used Kimber in 9mm and the guns great, 100 rds. So I purchased a new Kimber SS Target II in 45acp.Took it to the range and shot 50rd through it and had one failed to feed similar to yours.Push the slide forward and shot the rest with no problems. I would give Kimber a chance to make it right if the problem continues. Good Luck.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am sure kimber will fix it. I probably just was one of the few unlucky ones. I do love the gun so far, which is a very cool piece.
I went down that same road and nothing worked on it. Just got rid of it In the end. Colt is what I hear works best. Might give one a try later down the road.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have heard really good things about colts too. That very well may be the next 1911 I get.
I had the same problem with a Girsan MC1911what I did is I pulled off the slide lock and cut a small channel for the slide detent to grab and the issue went away.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am glad you found a fix for yours.
Your brass is hitting the slide lock as it's going into the chamber if you take the gun down you will see brass on the hook of the slide lock or you may have a dent in the case of the brass if you file some of the material from the slide lock it will fix that I had the same problem it's not the magazines if you don't feel comfortable filing some material then have a gunsmith do it or call kimber to send you a new slide lock!!
Thanks for leaving a comment. I really do appreciate your helpful insight. I will have to take a look at my slide lock.
@@ballisticturd Pull the slide off put your slide lock through the hole insert a magazine with a round and push the round up the ramp you'll see where it is hitting it remove a little material at a time and you will fix this problem! Get through the break in period on the pistol and you'll find you have a great pistol! I've got 13 Kimbers and they all run great I'd trust my life on anyone of them hope this helps!🍻
@jimmyfrazier3761 thanks again. I appreciate the help greatly!
I have a couple of1911s that I built and after having built a couple , my perspective is that I wouldn't be unhappy if I had to do a slight amount of custom tune up work on any out of the box 1911 .
The beauty of stainless is that someone can work on it without destroying the finish.
@@ballisticturd I would look at the part of the slide lock / release lever where it contacts the plunger and maybe deepen the groove with a diamond stone.
But to do that level of custom hand tuning you need to really focus on what you're doing and be exact with where you put the corner of the stone when you modify the groove, because you can make it worse.
The good news is, you can buy a new part and do it over, and it's not expensive .
The part about 1911 design that's really tricky is the barrel lugs and link in relation to the vertical impact surface.
As a 1911 owner, I can testify that MEC GAR mags need a break-in period, but after that they work great.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Since Kimber changed locations and ownership the quality has not been what it was. However 1911’s do have an extended break in period. I have been told average break in is 600 to 1000 rounds. I purchased an Ultra Carry II recently and really like it. The 3” barrel actually surprised me. The first 75 rounds I fired at 10 yards was in a group the size of a softball. Maybe I got lucky and got a good one. Tisas is Turkish made like the Canik and many people love them.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Sounds to me like you picked a very cool 1911!
@@ballisticturd jury is still out but it seems to be going decent. I still carry my Sig most of the time.
The only 1911 I ever shot was a 45 Springfield armory and it ran good with everything we put in it. However I didn't really care for it ,it seemed to have a lot of sharp edges that wasn't comfortable to shoot. But then again I'm used to a 9 mm Glock
Thanks for leaving a comment. I too enjoy shooting glocks.
I have this same Kimber and have had it for years. I screen shot the malfunction where you held the slide stop up to the camera. I can't help but feel its riding up a little higher than it should. I have also shot several thousand rounds through mine over the course of 10 + years. If one would be willing to take emery cloth and give it a couple passes over the top of that stop this might help. Anything more than that then Im sending it back to Kimber for correction.
Thanks for leaving a comment and I will have to look into that.
Send it to Kimber. I hope you already did, i had a similar issue with mine, i sent it to kimber, and they took care of it, and it runs flawlessly, kimber have a lifetime warranty for the first owner, so don't hesitate to contact them, they will stand behind there gun, good luck, its a beautiful 1911.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Honesty is always the best
Thanks for leaving a comment.
One of two things causing that slide catch problem:
The plunger is not holding the slide catch down. When the plunger tube is staked it can get distorted by getting a little heavy with the staking tool. Take the slide off and reinstall the catch and see if the catch has some resistance to moving up and check that the plunger isn't sticking when depressed / released.
Also check the inside area of the catch when the slide is off and put a mag in with rounds to see if the round could be contacting the catch where it touches the follower of the mag.
Kimber parts can be kinda hit and miss, I prefer Wilson slide catches myself. Kimber's ambi thumb safety is good once you tighten the slack out of it.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful insight. I just installed a wilson combat slide stop. Time will tell if this fixes the problem
im a glock boy too im used to glock and my personal favorite is my glock 29 gen 3 i just bought this same gun is the kick of 45 close to a 10mm im used to 10mm and the mags what name would you recommend for the mags ? bill willson ?
I'll be honest, I'm not sure. I used wilson combat mags, factory kimber mag, and mecgar, I think. But many people have told me those were bad choices, others said they were good choices. Good luck in your magazine quest. Sorry I couldn't help you more.
@@ballisticturd thank you for your time no problem you have a good day !
I have the same exact gun. Five failure to feeds in the first 300 rounds. After 1000 rounds it has not had a failure to feed since the first 309 rounds.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
polish the guide rod and change the mags to wilson combat, if the finish on the guide rod is rough it will cause dragging on the spring, i have the same gun in 10mm and those two things cured all jams and battery issues
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Never had any malfunctions with Dan wessson nighthawk Wilson’s and Les Bauer and they are pretty tight I did have some malfunctions with a Springfield but I think two factors played into it 1 didn’t have a throated barrel and 2 mags I didn’t keep it long enough to really find out it was my first 1911 and before I even heard about any of the big 1911 brands.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
okay this may sound really stupid, but I cant tell via the video, and it may help with your slide lock issue. From a certain angle it looks as if your slide stop/release pin isn't pushed all the way into the gun. It looks like the detent that goes into that is in the little notch on the pin, and i could be wrong, but you may need to push that in further.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have had someone else mention this. I have taken it apart 3 times all between range days. With that being said I am brand new to the 1911 and I may not have noticed it when I went out. I will for sure check on this
My 1911’s ran well for the most part. But, now I’m a Glock “fan boy” so I don’t read up on trouble shooting anymore.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
I know you have a lot of folks in the comments section trying to get you to spend a whole paycheck or two on a 1911 ("Ah need muh Dan Wesson", "Getchu a Springfield", etc), but it does not necessarily have to be that way. Those are great brands, but your Kimber stainless can be nice too. Buying a $1500 to $4000 1911 won't guarantee a problem-free experience. It's just the nature of the beast.
I have experienced about 22 different 1911's chambered in several cartridges (9mm Luger, 38 Super, 40S&W, 45ACP) over 13 years, but I'm still learning a lot. Some were bone stock. Others were gussied up quite a bit. Some needed help. Others were perfect or at least functional.
From the comments written and my own experience, the problem is likely one of a few things that's a bit off. I'll explain it the best I know how. [Some of the info is repeat of other comments that you have received, but that is on purpose. Might as well have it all in one place to look at.]
1) Ammunition in the magazine is pressing up on the slide lock and forcing it to catch the slide as it moves rearward. File the underside of the slide lock (the part that pokes inside the frame) lightly where brass color appears and test for function (filing a little at a time). You'll know you are good when you shoot a few rounds and the brass doesn't rub on the slide lock anymore.
Someone had mentioned that the brass rubbing on the slide lock could be the ammunition profile/shape. It is totally possible and something I had not thought of until today. Makes sense.... If you were dedicated to using a certain ammunition, it might make sense to profile the slide lock for that ammunition. Would have to make sure that filing the slide lock to match that ammunition still left enough material for the magazine follower to press up on the slide lock and cause the slide lock to engage the slide.
2) The tiny plunger in the little tube above your left grip is trying to catch the divot on the back of the slide lock, but it can't hold on effectively. There is a little ball dremel tool that you can use to deepen the slide lock detent. You don't want the detent divot too deep or the plunger will hold onto the slide lock a little too well. For your slide lock and your safety, a teardrop shaped divot helps the plunger engage and disengage from the divot smoothly (vs having a flat surface that immediately transitions to a divot). The skinny part of the teardrop points downward toward the ground when you hold the pistol upright and the tail of that teardrop is more shallow than the main part of the divot. Wish I could attach a picture.
3) Somebody already mentioned it, but the little plunger pressing on the slide lock might not have enough help from the spring it is on. Stretching out the spring a bit might give it a little more sticking power when it comes to putting the plunger into the slide lock detent/divot.
There was something else I was thinking of, but I'm half-awake and will have to revisit this later. If we lived within a few hours of each other, I'd be happy to drive out to the range with you and put an eyeball to the situation.
Hope you find out what you need in order to get this 1911 running. By the looks of it, the fix should be fairly simple.
Thanks for leaving a comment and I appreciate all the helpful advice.
Hey, so if you have tried makeing sure its oiled, you have tried different ammo, tried different mags, adjusted your grip etc. Its sounding like it needs to go to Kimber for a tune up. I have 2 1911 pistols. One is a colt but the other is cheap $200 ITI and my issues with that had been Mags and Hollow points. But i have found 1911 pistols are more of a labor of love. I love my 1911s but i dont carry them. I would if i had to but not my choice.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I tend to agree with your stance on the platform.
I had a kimber pro carry II that jammed a lot, so I sold it. Just recently bought another kimber, and haven't shot it yet. I hope this one is better lol. If not, I'll go to a different brand.
Thanks for leaving a comment and good luck! I hope you have yourself a nice one
I've owned 4 kimbers - 2 desert warriors, one ultra carry and one TLE II. All have been great.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am glad to hear yours have been good.
Hi. I have one kimber exactly like yours and I have heard that it breaks about 500 pews kimber make things rails handed fits I have several problems with mine too. I won't carry my new kimber today.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Rest your thumb on the safety lever, no cut on thumb and make safety is completely down. It will need breaking in and/or file some spots on slide where it's rubbing on the frame. Check the bottom of firing pin stop too, if rubbing against the frame. I expected mine to have issues out of the box. Now I have no issues with it, with any mag I have. Good luck.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
so you can knock down the sharp edge on the safety using some sandpaper obviously.
as for the premature slide lock, get a egw or a wilson combat (less filing) takedown pin/slide stop. much cheaper alternative to getting yet another 1911.
if you’re going to get another 1911 then get the basic 70 series Colt or a springfield armory.
the magazines you have are fantastic mags and work well usually with most 1911s. good luck.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and I appreciate the advice.
Use a steel gun brush and shine & polish your feed ramp. Should fix the issue.
I have three Kimber 1911 and with the factory mags I don’t have any issues. Your grip does matter so does ammo for the 45. I was told this when I bought my first one.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have tried 3 different brands of magazines, including the one that came with my gun. 2 different brands of ammo. I have tried 3 different grips. I'm still getting malfunctions. In fact, today, I went out with the kimber magazine, and I had more malfunctions than the last two outings. I am very certain something is wrong with my gun. I'm not saying kimbers are bad, but the one I received is not right. I'm sending it back to kimber tomorrow, I am sure they will find the problem and fix it.
bro try chipmccormick mags and oem kimbers. mine failed with mec gar Act mags and Wilson combat mags but took OEM and chip Mccormick perfectly.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Mine malfunctions with factory mags, metgar, and wilson combat.
My Colt Combat Comander has never had a single malfunction. No failures to load, no failures to eject, no slide lock up when it should not.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
The slide lock interphases with the magazine .. I feel the area of contact needs tuning.. I suspect that relationship is not correct, because it does it with every mg, or try a different slide lock all together.. Ill bet that is a MIM part, try a better produced part or see if you can file tune the irregularity. . 1911s are tuner guns but once dialed in they rock..
Thanks for leaving a comment. Thanks to helpful comments, I have figured out the issue. If a round is not 100 percent to the rear in the magazine, the rounds start touching the slide stop. My concern is that the rounds may jar forward slightly due to recoil. I think I may buy another slide stop, then file my original slide stop. This way, if I mess it up, I have a backup.
I’ve heard of guys having issues with Kimber 1911’s; I know Scott from “Kentucky Ballistics” had a kimber 1911 and he had major issues with it and he wasn’t pleased at all considering kimber guns are not cheap. I have two girsan 1911’s and they have been good to me. My one commander size by girsan had some (not always) issues locking back on one surplus magazine I had, but other than that yeah I agree with others on here you might want to have kimber look it over for certain. The other 1911 I had was an Argentine Army issued one from 1944 and it ran like I champ!
Again with the slide locking back on semi full mag; the only other time I’ve seen that happen was with a Yugoslav TT33 tokarev clone from the 1950’s where this hand gun locked back now and then on a semi full mag. It was one of my USAF friends in my squadron that bought the gun and she like liked it because it fit her hands well. Accurate gun for certain but yeah it was odd.
Over all there is nothing wrong with wanting to expand your knowledge on owning other guns. That’s the fun part about firearms community because there is many different brands, models, and types of firearms where you can learn so much on firearm’s development as a whole. Kudos to you for at least trying something new and having the desire to expand your knowledge as a firearms owner. All I can say is I hope kimber fixes your problems with this really nice piece you have. If they don’t then I can’t say I would fault you with buying a Glock 21. Keep on keepin on.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Kimber did say they could take a look at it. I appreciate the positivity.
@@ballisticturd there’s already enough negativity in this world. I appreciate those in this community that willing to give try to something they’ve never done before. That what we need more of in the firearm community. We get divided on dumb stuff all the time; the least we can do is be positive to those who want to keep this awesome community going, and not be “fudds” about trivial stuff.
Extractor tension could be causing the issues in your 1911. Luckily, you can adjust it yourself pretty simply. Just go onto RUclips and look at the tutorials. Ive had that be the problem on a couple of my 1911’s.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful advice.
@@ballisticturd Seconding this. Extractor tuning is pretty much a must on any new 1911. Kimber makes a great gun, but of the semi-custom shops, they're the most likely to need the extractor tuned. I had a 10mm Camp Guard that went from "jam-o-matic" to zero malfunctions just from that alone. Pre-polishing.
@@F6LabsVideo thanks for leaving a comment. I will look into this tonight.
I highly recommend Chip McCormick magazines (8 or 10 rounds)and ball ammunition, also polish the feed ramp
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful information.
I have four Kimber 1911 guns. All guns are beautiful , shooting great and pass breaking point without any issues, but i have to admit that Kimber magazines are so far to be as good. What i did. I get rid of all Kimber magazines and use Wilson Combat 8 round magazines only. No problem whatsoever. In my opinion, Wilson Combat is the best magazine on the market, especially for any Kimber 1911.
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interesting, I have 8 -1911's, including a 1943 US Military issue, 2 Kimbers, Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Springfield Armory, and a few others. Never, have I had issues with the reliability that you are experiencing. One thing is that I only run mags of the same manufacturer as the gun in any particular firearm.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I will be going out one more time before I send it back to kimber. I will only use the one magazine they sent the gun with during that outing to make sure its not a magazine issue which it may be.
Surprisingly, the Tisas 1911 A1 US Army has a wonderfully reliable reputation with tons of glowing reviews. There has been problems sometimes with certain magazines, but it's the magazine's problem. Otherwise, thousand of rounds by plenty reviewers with zero issues, and incredible accuracy. And...it is SO MUCH cheaper than the Kimber. The price is not low because of low quality, it's low because of the Turkey "dollar" being so terrible in value against the American dollar. Take a look at videos on that gun. I just bought mine on black Friday.
At this point I would recommend sending it to Kimber to have a gunsmith work on it. If it were my pistol I would take the sharp edge off the safety, I would replace the full length guide rod with a standard short government guide rod. Then I would just keep putting rounds through it. If was still malfunctioning after about 500 more FMJ rounds, then I would have 2 choices: sell the gun, or send it to a gunsmith. Good luck 👍🏻 I’ve owned several $500 GI government models 1911 A1s and they’ve ran beautifully. Spending a ton of money on a tricked out tightly fit custom 1911 doesn’t mean it’s gonna be a good pistol. Sometimes it’s best to keep it simple
Thanks for leaving a comment. Kimber has began the rma process. I'm going to go out one more time before I send it.
Should check extractor tension some time ammo or mag problem some times the tolerance is to tight and needs time to were in I have a rock island in 45 and not had a problem
Thanks for leaving a comment.
It is the slide stop. It is likely not properly fitted and just dropped in. It could also be a weak plunger spring allowing the slide stop to bounce with recoil. The thumb safety is an easy fix and there are many options out there to replace it. I would give kimber a shot at fixing your issues first. Kimber has been known to have issues in the past but realistically a good 1911 is hand fit by craftsmen who understand how the weapon works and the things that need to be done to be reliable. I have many high end 1911’s (Brown, Baer’s and Wilson) and have never had as many issues as you are having. But then again those aren’t production guns.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful insight.
Sounds like you have a slide lock issue, I would replace that before buying magazines.
Thanks for leaving a comment I will look into this.
i've got 2 kimber 1911s both custom 2 models one standard and one 2 tone. I have never had any of the problems ur having and i even shoot reloads which kimber does not recomend and i have not modified anything but the sights
Thanks for leaving a comment. Kimber said they would fix it. I am going to go out one more time and use only the kimber magazine to make sure it's not a magazine issue.
Love my Pro Carry, solid and reliable.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am glad to hear you have a reliable gun.
I've never had my kimber to cut me and never had it not run perfectly
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have had a lot of people tell me what they thought was wrong. A lot of people told me "operator error." I tried everything from limpwristing to death grip. Different mags, different ammo. Kimber told me they do not recommend shooting more than 100 rounds through there gun without cleaning. This could have been the issue as I would get more and more malfunctions the longer I would shoot.
Should try chip McCormick power ten mags they are really good in 1911s my sig never skips a beat with those mags it might be the mags in your case
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have tried 3 different brands of magazines at this point.
Look to see if theres traces of copper on the inside of the slide release. 45 ammo isn't built the same as it use to be. Different brands have different profiles. I've had ammo brands that actually rubbed the inside the the slide release and caused it to partially engage. Kimbers need work. Don't care what anyone says, a Kimber needs work. Personally I'd have saved up a bit more and gone for Dan Wesson.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm not gonna lie I did very little research on 1911s before buying this one. If I had known what i do now Dan wesson would have been on the list for sure.
@@ballisticturd a 1911 was my first handgun. Was a Springfield loaded model. As soon as I had my first few failures I researched the hell out of them. First thing I did was mirror polish the feed ramp and tune the extractor. That seemed to have fixed my issues. Till I switched ammo and saw it was hitting the slide release. After I filed the slide release a bit, I've had absolutely zero issues since. I've since had a lot of handguns, but the 1911 is still my preferred gun when they run properly. Not many make them run properly though. That's the downside of them. People compare the entire platform to one specific maker of a polymer gun, and then claim the entire platform doesn't work. The Dan Wesson specialist is probably my favorite handgun. There is still a break in period, but they tell you exactly what to do. Follow it exactly and you will likely have zero issues even during the break in. My Springfield trp has also been pretty much flawless. I say "pretty much" cause I haven't put many rounds through it yet, so I don't want to jinx myself too badly lol. I still have my first 1911, and it's really nicely broken In. Cycles super smoothly and the trigger feels great. I'd have no issue carrying it and am confident it'll work when I need it. I've also had good luck with the chip McCormick rpm mags. I like the heavier spring in them and the stronger feeling feed lips. Hopefully Kimber gets your figured out. Don't give up on the platform though. Kimbers are known for their problems, but once worked through seem to be just fine afterwards.
Interesting.. my Kimber stainless runs flawlessly and has over 1500 rounds through it 🤔
Also with a 1911 you need to adjust your grip a bit. Your grip should let your thumb ride the safty with your offhand thumb underneath. I have several 1911's (.45 and 9mm) and have never been bit like that. The 1911 platform does take a little getting used to.
Thanks for leaving a comment i appreciate the helpful insight. I have tried multiple styles of grips, and I get that cut every time. The safety has a jagged or sharp point on it.
i’d say send it back and have Kimber work on it. I know Kimber as of lately has had more quality control issues in recent years compared to before. If that doesn’t work maybe pickup a springfield garrison as a trade.
Thanks for leaving a comment and I appreciate your advice.
Use sig Sauer 230 or 240 grain hollow point black and gold box I have a ruger 1911 comander 45acp very tight when new first shot it got better shot great no issues might what to try it ordered a kimber custom in 9mm when it comes in I will see what it does carried a 1911 in the army the 1911 45acp is my favorite pistol good luck try Remington stay away from cci and other similar ammo had a smith and wesson m&p ez 9mm performance center would not function with brazer brass ammo good luck
Thanks for leaving a comment and I appreciate all of your insight!
Kimber is infamous for malfunctions, I'd send it back and make them fix it. I've had way cheaper 1911s that's never had issues, like Taurus.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I sent an email today.
Certain 1911s that are tight tolerance like the Kimbers and Dan Wessons do have really big break in periods. You might have to put hundreds of rounds through it before it gets reliable as crazy as it sounds. Shooting really hot ammo, might make the process go faster. Also you may want the safety changed or modified, because I don't remember seeing anyone else have that issue. You might want to borrow someone else's 1911 or rent a better one, if you can. Sorry your experiences haven't been pleasant.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am confident this gun will run great eventually. We just gotta keep on working her. I appreciate your positivity.
Most likely cause is Kimber's questionable quality control. Some people swear by them, other people swear at them. I have 2 les baers and 1 Ed Brown and I've never had problems with tightly fitted guns. They are not just tightly fitted, they are fitted straight and matched so that it actually generates less friction when slide rails are true and straight. Rails with high spots and low spots when fitted tight will cause friction and heat up causing the metal to swell causing more friction. That is a quality control problem.
Try Dan Wesson or Springfield. Kimber is just not consistent across the board.
@@ms.annthrope415 thanks for leaving a comment. I will have to check into those brands.
I recommend a rock island for a budget friendly gun and great warranty from my personal experience
Thanks for leaving a comment. I think my next 1911 will most likely be rock island.
I have a taurus 1911 I use sellies bellot ammo work better just use lots of different ammo ...and my 1911 don't jam with the original magazine. Don't use cheap mags.. use lotion for your hand
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful insight.
I heard kimbers have problems. That’s so weird that it cut you never seen that before.
Thanks for leaving a comment. One commenter mentioned the rounds in the magazine may be pressing the slide lock. This very well could be the case.
A 1911 will hone your tap-rack and rip-work skills to a razors edge, so there’s that…
Thanks for leaving a comment. This, for sure, seems to be very true, lol.
As part of the origiinal tests, 6000 rounds were fired, 1000 at a time, with oil added in between each course of fire. The gun ran these tests sucessfully with no stopping. The design is capable, I don't know what causes modern iterations to have this reputation.
Maybe break in period, also stick w/ Original mags during the break in. I have 2 colt 1911s w/ original mags, Just emptied 4 Colt mags through each one w/ out any issues what so every. Maybe stick w/ the one factory Kimber mag that you have if you have to switch out anything, switch out ammo to see if it has a preference. I've ran 230gr ball not hollow point from day one w/ out any issues...I'm sure hollow point will feed w/ out any issues too I just don't have any........ Kimber, it's Still a beautiful 1911 if I may say so myself, hope you get it tamed. If for some reason it still gives you problems and I hope not, send it back and have them fix their defects, it's giving 1911s a bad rap, after all that gun is the gun that won 2 world wars. If after all that it still won't run, sell it...... Get a Colt, I can vouch for the 2 that I have, they run all day, all night if need w/ a touch of lube, with out getting a scratch between my thumb and pointer :)
Thanks for leaving a comment. Colt has some really beautiful 1911s. Sounds to me like you have some nice ones!
Kimber has really been run to the ground. Thats such a shame. I have heard so many people have chronic issues with their handguns. Springfield seems to be good to go as far as entry 1911s.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate it greatly. I am currently looking at some springfield guns.
You have a full-length guide rod. Do you have a shok buff? That stops the slide slightly forward and right where the slide lock notch is located, allowing the slamming of the slide to pop the slide lock up and lock the slide. Remove the shot buff and see if it removes the problem. If you don't have a shok buff, then replace rhe full length guide rod with a regular GI guide rod. That should cure the problem. Full-length guide rods are useless.
Trade in the Kimber and get a Springfield Armry. Get the Ronin or Garrison. I have a Ronin and never had a problem.
Thanks for leaving a comment, and I appreciate the helpful advice. The issue I am having is rounds touching the slide lock mid magazine. Either the rounds are not seated rearward enough or there is too much material on the slide lock. I believe I will fix this issue easily, and I believe it will run well afterward.
Get Kimpro 7 shot magazines. See if the pre mature slide lock malfunction continues.
Thank for leaving a comment. Thanks to the comments I have figured out that rounds are touching the slide stop if the rounds are forward in the magazine at all. I believe this should be an easy fix
Sounds like it. However that failing is the magazine not keeping the lower rounds towards the rear and allowing them to slide too far forward during recoil and the friction of the top round feeding. The flush fitting kimpro 7 rounders don’t do that.
@inlandindieP35 I am having that issue with the kimber mag that came with the gun, Wilson combat 10rnd magazine, and an 8 round mec-gar. I am very confident it's the slide release. I would be very suprised if all three magazines are problematic. I assume this is possible but not likely. I have read others having the same issue.
Your slide release may be a bit too prominent (out of spec) on the inside causing a surface that sticks out a little too far which causes contact by a feeding bullet nose when it should not be happening. Dropping in a new slide stop is a comparatively easy and inexpensive experiment. I would look at Harrison or EGW gun parts for a stainless slide stop. I would also get the kimpro magazines as I don’t think the MecGar and Wilson mags are a perfect match in every 1911.
@@inlandindieP35 thanks for the helpful advice. I will order a release and mag to see if it helps. I am sure it will
I have 1 glock 10mm and 1 kimber 1911 also in 10mm. The Kimber is by far a better gun. The only failures I have ever experienced were with the glock
Thanks for leaving a comment. I have had more malfunctions within 400 rounds through my kimber than I have ever had with all of my glocks and other glocks I have shot combined. A sample size of one is not fair to a manufacturer. I'm giving kimber a chance to fix this gun. I'll be sending it off tomorrow.
Bullet profile, even hardball can touch the slide lock on the way from magazine to chamber causing the slide to lock open. Try several different brands of ammo and see if that’s the problem.
Unfortunately, there is only one thing to say. "It's a Kimber". Dealing with 100's of 1911s over the years, Kimbers have always had the most problems. Kimber's answer was always "send it back and we'll take a look at it." When it comes back, same issues. Ironically, current 1911s with the least problems have been Rock Island Armory Tac series 1911s.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the helpful insight.
Nice gun
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Those slide lock failures are very odd. There should be a detent holding that lever down on firing.
I shoot a 1911 with my thumb on the safety out of habit, it's comfortable for me and mitigates any cutting issues from the safety.
Nice shooting! Love the videos.
Edit* you should be out of the break in period by now, it shouldn't be related to that, plus I think the break in period of mostly an excuse for poor manufacturing.
Thanks for leaving a comment, I appreciate the advice. I too would think that it should be running fine by now. I will probably send it back to kimber to get fixed.
I own and shoot 9 different 1911's (WW1, WW2 to current in .45 Auto, .38 Super and 9mm) and almost never have malfunctions. Most malfunctions not shooter related are usually magazine or ammo related. I can shoot 300-400 rounds per session and still be comfortable. You may need to spent some time with someone who shoots adult guns more often. Also, the 1911 is extremely reliable and is "back-to-back" World War Champion. 100's of thousands of soldiers using the pistol in combat conditions are testament to its effectiveness and reliability. Not understanding why you're having such problems. Try looking at lubrication tips from Colt or Wilson Combat videos.
I am not sure what you mean by " you may need to spent some time with someone who shoots adult guns more often" but thanks for leaving a comment.
@@ballisticturd Just having fun banging on Glock. Wasn't being personal.
Honestly I would call Kimber because it could just be a Kimber issue. Personally I don't like Kimber's I've had a few and they didn't do to well had a lot of malfunctions same with colt sadly. However I haven't had any real issues with Springfield armory 1911s or the smith and Wesson e series. Both brands make a good 1911. I like the Springfield emissary and the e series. Also sig Sauer makes a good 1911 the scorpion is awesome.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Sorry to hear you have had issues. Sounds like you have had some very nice guns.
Sad your 1911 has issues, I've put 1000s of rounds through my rock island 1911 without an issue
Thanks for leaving a comment. It is unfortunate. I am glad your ria 1911 is running good.
For all of you that want to make a nice gun beautiful go to Texas grips! I have a set on my 45 with the Army logo and I bought a set for a jar head friend with the Eagle Globe and Anchor. They no longer list them on the website but if you call Henry he will make them for you. Trust me the are beautiful grips. I do not know how to attach a picture but they make a decent looking gun into a master piece.
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a good cheap 1911 would be Springfield Garrison or a mil spec. I don't trust anything less. Stick with S&W, Ruger, Colts ect.... I just bought Kimber myself, I just bought my 1st. Kimber today. Let's see what's happens!
Thanks for leaving a comment and good luck! Some people have told me they love theirs and have had no issues.
@@ballisticturd 50rds through my LW Custom and it runs great. No issues so far.
If it’s not the mags it most likely needs a extractor adjustment. There’s videos on the this adjustment. Get some Kimber mags as well . Put at least 500 rounds with Kimber stainless mags you shouldn’t have the slide lock issue
Thanks for leaving a comment.
@@ballisticturd I had the same problem out of my Kimber LW I learn the extractor was my problem on failure to eject from a gunsmith that I use in Hartsville Tennessee, but he showed me how to take the extractor out and you barely bend it just to take the pressure off of it a little bit it’s probably got too much of a bend in it and a lot of times they’ll come that way or it could just very well be a magazine problem, but most likely is that extractor.
I cut myself on a Glock trigger. It was a glock 19 gen 5 with a custom slide. Everything else was default.
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Wet?? Not mine, just a LIGHT film of oil is all that's needed.
I'm not a Kimberly fan. They are known to have malfunctions. My colt has been fantastic
Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm glad to hear your colt runs well.
Try out or trade it for a different brand 1911s
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@@ballisticturd your welcome
I don’t have a Kimber but owned several M1911A1 of various makes. A 500 rounds break in is not uncommon. Also I learned years ago limp wristing it will cause malfunction.
Thanks for leaving a comment. Thanks to the comments and some testing I have done at home since, rounds in the magazine are touching the slide stop, causing it to lock the slide back
Also, this seems to only happen if the rounds come forward in the magazine at all. I believe recoil is causing the round to move forward slightly, thus causing the contact with the slide release.
@@ballisticturd I hope you can find out whatever is causing the problem. Another thing I experienced was after my Auto-Ord (early 90s pre-Kahr) 1911 was broken in and stop jamming, the slide is no longer as tight as it was. Accuracy did suffered slightly. I haven't buy a new 1911 in years, so I always assumed that manufacturing techniques improved and this is a thing of the past. I guess not.
@peterchen9763 thanks again for the insight. Knowing what I know now I would have bought a used one probably.
No gun should run that bad peroid. Your mags are fine. It's the machining of the parts. Buy a Colt and you'll thank yourself
In your video it shows the slide lock not fully engaging the the slide. That tells me the slide lock and retention pin has a problem and is loose. As for you getting cut there’s a sharp edge in the safety. Kimber makes a nice looking firearm but their quality is not the same ever since they moved. SEND IT BACK - NO BREAK IN PERIOD - if it doesn’t function out of the box you have a lemon.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I agree with everything you said.
Or, you could send it back to Kimber to get this corrected. Of course there are plenty of Blocks…er Glocks on the shelf waiting for buyers.
If you've had good experience with Ruger, maybe one of their 1911's would be worth a try?
Not doing the whole "Ohh, you should have done this~!" thing.
I've only shot someone's 1911 at a range when I was a kid.
Thanks for leaving a comment. You do have a good point. Going with a ruger 1911 may have been a good option. I do wish I would have done a lot more research before making this purchase.
Don’t know what your problems are however that being said I can say I currently own 2 Kimber’s! My first Kimber I purchased 1995 and the second I bought in 2015!
I’ve run several thousand rounds thru both guns without any issues of any kind! No stovepipes, no misfeeds, no failure to feed and no light strikes! Both firearms have been 100% reliable and my EDC is a Kimber ULTRA CDP2
CUSTOM! If you’re having issues with a Kimber then you need to talk with Kimber! Love my Kimber 1911’s accurate as any firearm can be built certainly more accurate than my Glock 19!
Thanks for leaving a comment.
Some companies just don't make reliable guns unfortunately. Quality guns don't require a "break in period" and are not ammo dependent. Sell it and get a Bul Armory 1911 for less money. Israeli guns are way underrated, and the best guns dollar for quality. Mec Gar and Wilson Combat mags will work with a quality gun. Kimbers are no good. Don't keep an unreliable gun.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I for sure am not a fan of having unreliable guns.
GLOCK ALL THE WAY I HAVE A GLOCK 41 45ACP AND I LOVE IT NO PROBLEMS AT ALL I WANTED A 1911 BUT I DON'T LIKE THE UNRELIABILITY SO I WENT WITH THE GLOCK
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Trade it for a Glock! Or get a rock island
Thanks for leaving a comment. Thanks to comments I figured out the issue. I think I can fix it pretty easily now. I will pick up a ria at some point
Im very dissapointed in this Kimber 1911. There shouldnt be so much crap going wrong. I would send it back and get a Springfield Armory one instead. Or a Colt Legacy.
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i have the exact one also 700 rounds in no issues..i just might be lucky..
Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm glad you have a good running gun.
Get yourself a Dan Wesson 😈
Thanks for leaving a comment and good idea!
@@ballisticturd yes sir! Sorry to hear you are having issues. I am biased towards Dan Wessons cause they are the only 1911s I have, but they are absolutely beautiful and well built. It's all the little details that drives up the price like the front strap checkering, smoothed edges, magwell, no mim parts, silky smooth 3.5-4 lb trigger, and tight fit for accuracy.
If you are patient you can find blemished Dan Wessons for about $100 or more cheaper where you can't even find the blemish until you see the piece of paper that shows where it is.
If you really like Glocks then the Dan Wesson guardian might be a good choice for you cause it has an aluminum frame weighing similar to a Glock.
If you are looking for a badass range gun then can't go wrong with the 5" specialist. Throw a light on it to add some more weight to the muzzle and blow through all your ammo in 20 minutes.
If you can't tell I'm a 1911 fanboy :)
@timpac17 thanks for the helpful information. I can for sure see why people like the 1911. When/if I get a reliable one, I am sure I will be happy.
Polish the slide lock
Try Colt Legacy, Springfield Armory, or Ruger
I see alot of those Kimber carry it's the compact 1911 i see it on kolin noair channel on u tube I know I am butchering his name lol my bad I would trade that in for the Kimber carry..from John from Maine
Thanks for leaving a comment. I appreciate the advice.
I had the slide locking open before the mag was completely empty problem on two Para Ordnance wide body guns. On both I fixed the problem by judiciously filing down the slide locks on the inside. If you look, I think you will see it is possible for a bullet to touch the slide lock as it (the bullet) comes up. On the Paras, it was always the second to last round in the mag. If you file down that part of the slide lock slightly, it should solve the problem.
As I mentioned previously, I am very (unpleasantly) surprised by your Kimber. Your gun is simply not good.
Thanks for leaving a comment. I am debating on filing it.
@@ballisticturd You have good mags. I very much doubt whether changing mags will improve matters.
@@Jurflip2 Thanks for leaving a comment. I have a new video up where I use the kimber magazine only and still had a bunch of malfunctions, so you are right.