[jcdean]

If you have issues with the new guys first post asking for help, then be warned that is what I am doing.

I have a Series 70 (K014XXX) Custom Royal that was my daily carry until yesterday. While shooting a qualification course this weekend I started having more and more failure to feeds. The round is not coming up the feed ramp and the is not going under the extractor. Some times a mag tap fixes it, other times I have to rack and tap, and other times I have to drop the mag entirely. By the end of the course I was the god of malfunction clearance.

I took the gun home the first night and totally stripped it. Feed ramp looks great, the extractor was radiused and held a round properly, and the gun had absolutely no indication of any problem. It is un modified and had been totally dependable until now.

Details:

Blazer Brass 230 gr ball
Chip McCormic Power Mags
80% failure on initial load from mags
No stovepipes or double feeds
Random fails during live fire
Colt, Kimber, and Pachmayer mags produced the same issue
All original parts and springs

 

[Nellybelle]

How many rounds did you put thru it while on the range. Could it be it just got extremely dirty during the practice? If you get the same results with all those other mags, then I would think it is a problem with the extractor.
How many total rounds fired?

 

[v35b]

not a expert on 1911 but I would wonder about the round count on the recoil spring on my Kimber they say to replace it every 800 rounds, which I can go through in a couple of range sessions

 

[jcdean]

The gun was clean going into the session and stripped and cleaned again that night. 250 rounds the first day. Gun was field stripped and cleaned that day, due to the malfunctions, after the first 150 rds. Gun was totally torn down that night, extractor was checked for function, and lubed and assembled. Failure to feed on the first loading the next day.

 

[Chuck43]

How many rounds do you have on your recoil spring?

 

[jcdean]

@ Chuck

A lot. My next thing to try.

 

[sbubrick]

Welcome from Las Vegas! I would go with Chuck's suggestion, replace the spring! Then try a new magazine. If that don't do it send it back to Kimber.

 

[Gmountain]

Definitely try some different magazines. Different brands too.


Have you noticed any differences in the ejection patterns- how far the brass flew, etc?

 

[jcdean]

@gmountain

I was last lane and empties were just being slung into the wall.

I have a new recoil and firing pin spring inbound. Will take it out this week as soon as parts arrive and try again. I have plenty of mags to try as well.

 

[sbubrick]

If that does not work Give Kimber customer service a call @ 888-243-4522. Good, knowledgeable, and helpful. If they can't give you the proper advise they will have you send it back. If you send it in make sure it's in orignal factory condition (no non Kimber parts).

 

[bigdog10]

Did you try changing ammo?

 

[jcdean]

@bigdog

No, same ammo through out. I had to have 500 rounds of factory ammo for the course and the Blazer was what I could find at the time. I have a couple of thousand reloads that I know it likes. As soon as the news recoil spring hits the door I'll run a couple of hundred through it and see what happens.

I did call Kimber this morning and I am way past the 1500 round recoil spring replacement recommendation. The Kimber tech feels this will be the cure.

 

[jcdean]

New recoil spring was the fix. Only fired 100 rds through it with the new spring, but 100% feed as of now. Old spring was 3/4" shorter than the new one and slide feel is now significantly firmer. I need a couple of hundred more rounds, but feeling positive so far.

 

[Islander]

I like happy endings!!

 

[Chuck43]

Next time any of you need a new recoil spring I'd like to suggest you give a Wilson Combat flat wire spring a try. In addition to a much longer spring life I don't need a paper clip or any other tool to break my Pro model down.

 

[Dude22]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but, does Wilson make a flat wire sprint for the 3" 9mm Kimbers?

 

[Chuck43]

I don't mean to hijack the thread but, does Wilson make a flat wire sprint for the 3" 9mm Kimbers?

Not that I know of, they are not listed on Wilsons page. You can try giving them a call and asking.

Wilson Combat: Order Toll Free: 1-800-955-4856
Technical Questions: 1-870-545-3618
Fax: 1-870-545-3310

Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 AM to 5:30 PM CST