Kimber problem

[flagflyfish]

I have a Kimber Ultra Carry II, I have been having problems with the slide locking back under normal firing conditions. I switched to Wilson Combat mags and the problem seemed to go away for a while, but has returned. Any Ideas?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[sisco]

If no one here comes up with a fix you might search the forums at
http://forums.1911forum.com/

[limatunes]

Check your slide stop. Most of the time I would say mags (after all, it's the mags that engage the stop to begin with).

I had the same problem with my Kimber. Tripp Research Mags not only cured the problem it over-did it. The slide was locking back after almost every shot. A new slide stop with the new mags fixed everything related to the slide either staying open or not.

Good luck!

[retsupt99]

Take your 'friend' to a 'smith...

ret

[pogo2]

I have seen this before on a 1911. I think you have addressed the most obvious cause, which is the magazine. But you say that switching magazines didn't solve the problem.

The second thing you might try is a different slide stop. Wilson makes a very good machined slide stop called the "bulletproof slide stop" which you can buy from Brownell's, Wilson, or on Ebay for about $30, I believe. That might solve the problem.

A second solution is to replace the little spring in the plunger tube with a new or stiffer one. The plunger tube spring has a little metal piece on each end. One end presses against a little hole in the thumb safety and tends to keep that safety from being turned "off" without a firm force from your thumb. The other end of the plunger tube spring presses against the slide stop and serves a similar purpose, although there is no hole or detent in the slide stop. One can drill a small hole in the slide stop to slightly engage the plunger tube spring end, and that will tend to keep the slide stop in the down position until the magazine is really empty and you want the slide to lock back. I have seen a gunsmith do this to solve the premature slide lock problem, and it worked.

[ks1911]

Had the same problem last month on a new Kimper Tactical Pro II - pistol would lock back on an empthy magazine when cycled by hand, but not on an empty mag at the range. My problem was consistent across several brands of magazines. Contacted Kimber and was sent a new slide stop which fixed the problem.

[pogo2]

Had the same problem last month on a new Kimper Tactical Pro II - pistol would lock back on an empthy magazine when cycled by hand, but not on an empty mag at the range.

I believe your problem was different than the poster's problem. His Kimber would lock back prematurely, during firing, when there were still rounds in the magazine.

Your problem was that the slide would not lock back on an empty magazine. His slide stop is too eager to lock back the slide, while yours was not eager enough.

[Bud White]

check the slide stop for copper marks if there are you will know where the bullet is hitting the slide stop and causing it to lock prematurly

file the stop in that part if you find it is rubbing

also as said above dimple the slide stop and that will help a lot

[flagflyfish]

check the slide stop for copper marks if there are you will know where the bullet is hitting the slide stop and causing it to lock prematurly

file the stop in that part if you find it is rubbing

also as said above dimple the slide stop and that will help a lot

Bingo! there is definitly a copper mark on the slide stop, I will stone it down a little and try it again! Thanks all!

I will say that I'm a little disappointed though. A gun as expensive as this shouldn't have such blatent flaws. I'm about 250 rds into break-in, looks like I better reset the counter to zero before I trust me and mine's lives on it's functioning Rex

[Bud White]

The slide stop thing is pretty common sometimes switching ammo will fix it

So the way to do it is stone it some and then with the slide off put a loaded mag ina and slide stop in and see if its still touching

If it looks good go shoot it but take your stones with ya incase it acts up you can stone it on the fly

[Cupcake]

A bunch of years ago I was shooting with a friend and his rental gun kept locking open for him but not me. After a while I noticed that his thumb was pushing up on the slide lock lever while he was shooting.

[Bud White]

A bunch of years ago I was shooting with a friend and his rental gun kept locking open for him but not me. After a while I noticed that his thumb was pushing up on the slide lock lever while he was shooting.

That is one reason people recommend you dimple the slide stop

Most likely it wouldnt have happened if it was dimpled as it only takes a little pressure to bounce it up

one reason also a lot of smiths recommend it for the 10mm also

[Tumbleweed]

Thanks Fish for asking this...and for all the good replies. I too recently bought an Ultra Carry II. Having the same prob. I called Kimber and they promply sent me another slide lock. But a trip to the range the other day showed the problem was still there, just not as frequent. But once is one too many for something you have to trust your life to. I really like the feel of this gun and really enjoy shooting it. I'm sure one of the fixes in this thread will bring this gun up to 100%...which is where Kimber should have it at in the first place.
Thanks folks.

[Team American]

"If you begin thinkin' you are a person of some influence...try orderin' someone else's dog around."

I'm sorry, but that is just Laugh-Out-Loud funny right there...and Oh, so true...

[QKShooter]

You have to be really careful when you dimple the slide stop. It's EASY to go too far. It really is more like a shallow smoothed depression and not the full diameter of the plunger.
You do not want the plunger to sit in a hole - you only want to give it a slight spot to "key" into.