Why do Kimber 1911s have such a bad reputation?

[Cerberus Group]

To accurately diagnose a jam, one needs to know exactly the position of the round when the jam occurs.

I've seen quite a few posts about jams on multiple type of guns, I always ask...next time it happens, post a pic so we can see at what point of the cycle it is happening.

 

[HA556]

I needed some time out of the house today so, headed to the range. I wanted to try out some new carry ammo that was 150gr JHP. They are made by Dynamic Research Technologies. I usually like my .45KED a little heavier but, these seemed to do well. I used my Ultra Carry II named "Rocket" because...well, you know...KIMBER! Also shot some 230gr FMJ and put about 225 down the pipe today without a sigle hiccup. Also shot the daily carry G43 just to stay on my game and those were on a different target.

@24ft according to my range finder.





First 7 using the self defense ammo. 6 in orange and I pulled the last one.



Drawing from the holster

 

[Knobgoblin]

View attachment 1817110

 

[64MercurysRule]

LONESTAR !! Dark Helmet

 

[sikhed]

LONESTAR !! Dark Helmet

Rick Moranis reference

 

[Slice]

Okay, back on topic guys....I decided in January 2011 that every man needed a "1911". I'd never handled or shot one until we went into some shops to get info and some experience with that platform. I didn't dink around for more than a couple weeks and ended up with a generic, nothing fancy, Kimber Stainless II. I probably have somewhere around 8-9 hundred flawless rounds through that gun, and don't recall ever having an issue. That's the first gun I started loading for. IF, I were on my game at the range (Johnson Creek GC) I could get groups just under 2 inches at 50'. To me, that means someone with better stance, grip, trigger control would be able to do that good or better.
And something else? We decided to get a 1911 in 9mm for us to share. Got a Springfield Ronin. Total crap trigger compared to the Kimber.

I went to Johnson Creek for years!

 

[Slice]

I LOL now that dealers assume the Kimbers will jam and even the factory will tell you the same before they'll let you send it back on their dime.

The dealers and Kimber tell you that it jams up?

 

[Slice]

View attachment 1817110

It's been a while now but the first and all the rest of the jams went something like this: I'm on range. Two loaded clips. I begin to fire. 3-4 shots, then jam. The jam was the bullet did not go into the chamber and the slide was open b/c the bullet didn't load. Never happened to me before with any other gun I have. So I carefully brought the slide back being very careful to point the gun downrange and dislodged the live round. After everything was safe, I pulled the clip and looked to see if somehow I didn't load correctly. Compared to all of you here I am not and was not as knowledgeable as all of you. But, it seemed that everything was in line and firmly in place. I can't remember if the first box of 50 went through okay. It certainly was very accurate. And it has the red laser in the handle and I liked that because the sites, front or rear have no white dots or anything. But I haven't fired it in many years and don't feel confident to carry it until it's looked at. If Kimber doesn't stand behind their guns I'm amazed. This was my first .45

 

[Slice]

Get it to me and I'll look it over, no charge.

Thank you for that incredible offer!

 

[orygun]

It's been a while now but the first and all the rest of the jams went something like this: I'm on range. Two loaded clips. I begin to fire. 3-4 shots, then jam. The jam was the bullet did not go into the chamber and the slide was open b/c the bullet didn't load. Never happened to me before with any other gun I have. So I carefully brought the slide back being very careful to point the gun downrange and dislodged the live round. After everything was safe, I pulled the clip and looked to see if somehow I didn't load correctly. Compared to all of you here I am not and was not as knowledgeable as all of you. But, it seemed that everything was in line and firmly in place. I can't remember if the first box of 50 went through okay. It certainly was very accurate. And it has the red laser in the handle and I liked that because the sites, front or rear have no white dots or anything. But I haven't fired it in many years and don't feel confident to carry it until it's looked at. If Kimber doesn't stand behind their guns I'm amazed. This was my first .45

That really does sound like a mag problem, like the round "nose dived".

 

[Slice]

That really does sound like a mag problem, like the round "nose dived".

The round was on an angle with the back of the round higher than the nose. Both were the new mags that came with the gun. So I'll go to the gun shop in Sandy and see if they have mags for a Kimber .45 I've never been in that gun shop before so I don't know what they carry. If that doesn't solve the issue then I'll have it looked at. Or do I just contact Kimber and get two new mags? Although it hasn't been fired since 2013 it was a brand new gun purchase! Thank you for your input.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

The round was on an angle with the back of the round higher than the nose. Both were the new mags that came with the gun. So I'll go to the gun shop in Sandy and see if they have mags for a Kimber .45 I've never been in that gun shop before so I don't know what they carry. If that doesn't solve the issue then I'll have it looked at. Or do I just contact Kimber and get two new mags? Although it hasn't been fired since 2013 it was a brand new gun purchase! Thank you for your input.

Make sure it's clean and well lubed.
A buddy of mine had a mag that did what (I think) you're describing. He opened up the front of the feed lips just a couple thousandths and it ran a lot better after that.

 

[orygun]

The round was on an angle with the back of the round higher than the nose. Both were the new mags that came with the gun. So I'll go to the gun shop in Sandy and see if they have mags for a Kimber .45 I've never been in that gun shop before so I don't know what they carry. If that doesn't solve the issue then I'll have it looked at. Or do I just contact Kimber and get two new mags? Although it hasn't been fired since 2013 it was a brand new gun purchase! Thank you for your input.

Sir, that is the description of a "nose dive". Almost always (almost) that's a magazine caused issue. Issues like what @NeoBlackdog described above.

 

[Tlock]

I see old Assault Rifle only lasted 5 days....you guys spooked him off

 

[sikhed]

I see old Assault Rifle only lasted 5 days....you guys spooked him off

You think he'd be proud:
19 pages and counting!
But not the reaction from us that he was hoping for.

 

[HA556]

I see old Assault Rifle only lasted 5 days....you guys spooked him off

Nah, he accomplished what he was after! The sad thing is, he underestimated @solv3nt !

 

[solv3nt]

Nah, he accomplished what he was after! The sad thing is, he underestimated @solv3nt !

 

[lucusloc]

Nah, he accomplished what he was after! The sad thing is, he underestimated @solv3nt !

Lets not forget that this was the guy posting other's photos as his own in the "show your guns" thread. Such a wonderful character.

 

[Nosferatu]

His mom took his phone away.

Probably needed to pawn it to make her boyfriends Trans-Am payment.

 

[Tlock]

His mom took his phone away.

Probably needed to pawn it to make her boyfriends Trans-Am payment.

Trans what payment? Maybe the trans am blew a tranny?