Issue with Kimber 22

Semi automatic and single shot handguns, revolvers and other pistols

Issue with Kimber 22

Post by coroboreeboy » 23 Feb 2017, 7:45 am

Recently I was given a barely used Kimber 1911 target pistol in 22 rimfire. Not a gun I really need but hard to resist a freebie.
At first I was horrified by the 5 1/2 pound trigger pull, but then relieved to read in the manual "dry firing will not damage the gun". So, off I went, adjusting springs to bring the trigger pull down. This involved quite a bit of dry firing but I wasn't worried. After all, "dry firing will not damage the gun".
After about 100 rounds of live firing the gun at the range, the gun started to jam when feeding. I found that the dry firing had peened the top of the breech. There was a small nick and a burr which the projectile was catching on as it fed into the chamber and was causing it to jam.
So much for, "dry firing will not damage the gun".
I fixed the feeding problem by polishing the burr off the breech and the gun operates well at the moment.
My problem is that, as is normal with this model gun, the slide doesn't lock back after the last round has been fired, so unless you carefully count the number of rounds fired, you end up dry firing every time after the last shot. This must cause the same problem in the future.
I have googled this issue, and it seems that some people have the same problem as me, while others claim to have dry fired thousands of times without problem.
Suggested fixes are: carefully remove metal from the top of the breech so that the firing pin no longer hits metal, or: grind several thou off the firing pin for the same result.
Anyone had similar issues? Suggestions?
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by brett1868 » 23 Feb 2017, 8:14 am

I have a 10mm Kimber along with the 22 calibre conversion and the slide doesn't lock open on last round either. This is probably due to the finger on the slide release not being long enough to be engaged by the mag follower. Possibly a slide release with a longer finger can be found?? (I haven't looked). I also found that unless HV ammo was used it wouldn't cycle reliably but it is quite accurate. As a rule I never dry fire any 22 due to the problem you found, even the Ruger Mk3 where you need to dry fire it to strip for cleaning I use either a snap cap or a spent round to cushion the firing pin.
I wouldn't be filing or removing metal when a simple spent round or snap cap can be used.
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by coroboreeboy » 23 Feb 2017, 9:38 am

Thanks Brett
I agree about not dry firing 22, but with the slide not locking back, it's a bit hard to totally avoid.
Apparently, if you're in the US where such things are more easily sourced, a different magazine is the answer. The problem being the follower in the mag, not necessarily the slide release.
I agree that loading a snap cap or spent round as the first round in the mag would work; but seems a bit of a bodgy way of doing things, especially as we are talking high end Kimber pistol.
I cured the HV ammo issue by easing tension on the sear and the disconnector spring. CCI standard velocity is now no problem. I believe putting in a lighter hammerspring also helps, although I have not had to do that.
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by bladeracer » 23 Feb 2017, 11:47 am

A dummy round or snap cap in the bottom of the mag would help with having to dry fire the last shot.
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by brett1868 » 23 Feb 2017, 12:38 pm

bladeracer wrote:A dummy round or snap cap in the bottom of the mag would help with having to dry fire the last shot.


Awesome idea, most matches are 5 rounds so load a snap cap first then 5 on top. If its a 10 round match then have a 2nd mag, chamber a round then swap to the 9+SC for the match so you still have 10 shots.

If I get time tonight I'll pull my Kimber down and get a few pictures on wether or not the slide release engages with the mag. I'm fairly confident the finger on the release isn't long enough to connect with the narrower 22 mag. I base this on the Kimber 1911 being a centre fire with 22lr conversion rather then a purpose built 22Cal 1911.
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by Wylie27 » 23 Feb 2017, 12:54 pm

When boxing my ppq after finishing a match I hold the slide back a bit so it isn't fully in batteryand squeeze the trigger, it clicks and the firing pin doesn't hit anything.
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by coroboreeboy » 24 Feb 2017, 8:02 am

Found the problem: broken firing pin.
The pin has a shoulder on it at the hammer end which limits its forward travel. The pin is broken just forward of this shoulder, thus allowing the gun to fire, but with nothing to stop its travel, the pin just keeps going until it hits something. Either the cartridge rim or the breech.

I also found that to remove the firing pin, one has to unscrew the rear sight, thus losing your elevation settings, and that fixing the firing pin in the slide involves staking the slide with a centre punch! How crude is that!

I have also not been able to find an email address for Kimber. It seems you can only use the phone or snail mail.
I have to say that all this is not what I expected from a product with the name Kimber attached.
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by Hatter » 01 Mar 2017, 1:15 pm

Pin broken from improper dry-firing I wonder?
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by Wylie27 » 01 Mar 2017, 1:39 pm

Glad you got it sorted.

Sorry I laughed a little at hatter...
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by coroboreeboy » 01 Mar 2017, 8:20 pm

Hatter wrote:Pin broken from improper dry-firing I wonder?

Definitely not.
Close inspection showed a fault in the casting where the break occurred.
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Re: Issue with Kimber 22

Post by Boo » 13 Apr 2017, 1:48 pm

coroboreeboy wrote:Found the problem: broken firing pin.
The pin has a shoulder on it at the hammer end which limits its forward travel. The pin is broken just forward of this shoulder, thus allowing the gun to fire, but with nothing to stop its travel, the pin just keeps going until it hits something. Either the cartridge rim or the breech.

I also found that to remove the firing pin, one has to unscrew the rear sight, thus losing your elevation settings, and that fixing the firing pin in the slide involves staking the slide with a centre punch! How crude is that!

I have also not been able to find an email address for Kimber. It seems you can only use the phone or snail mail.
I have to say that all this is not what I expected from a product with the name Kimber attached.


Staking location/pivot pins seems to be fairly common, my Buck Mark has several located like that. Given the size of the pins I've seen it's hard to imagine using any other method although if suitable for a particular pin a medium strength thread locker is a good alternative.
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