Anyone seen this malfunction in a 1911 before?

Actually, I have a Wilson Combat KZ45 with external extractor that has never failed me in 12 years of ownership so it isn't the external extractor idea that is the problem. Kimber did something wrong with their design or execution.
 
bdmicarta said:
My guess is too much recoil spring and/or not enough grip on the gun. It looks like the slide is not going fully to the rear.

Does it have a recoil buffer in it? Those things can get chewed up and cause problems with slide travel too.
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Agree, I would go back to the factory spring to see if it works better.

n2s
 
jbmonkey said:
The problem is its a kimber.;) as said its the external extractor. Kimber scrapped the idea after failures flooded them. Ironically s&w took up the external ext on their 1911. Seems they figured it out, since they still use the setup. Best fix is buy an ed brown and call it a day.
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The second photo shows a failure to feed. At least that problem has little to do with the extractor.

n2s
 
CWL said:
Actually, I have a Wilson Combat KZ45 with external extractor that has never failed me in 12 years of ownership so it isn't the external extractor idea that is the problem. Kimber did something wrong with their design or execution.
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Considering every Glock ever made has an external extractor, I'd say the theory is pretty sound. What I see in those pictures has nothing to do with the extractor and everything to do with slide velocity.
 
yablanowitz said:
Considering every Glock ever made has an external extractor, I'd say the theory is pretty sound. What I see in those pictures has nothing to do with the extractor and everything to do with slide velocity.
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Yep, like I said, it is the Kimber design or execution that is the issue.

When Kimber is willing to replace every external extractor slide that they ever made at no cost to the owner, it shows acknowledgment of a failure in design.
 
Kimber's extractor design aside, the general issue is pretty common. I had an old colt officer's model that crunched cases at the mouth. Turned out it was a very weak mainspring (the one in the handle), that caused the recoil spring to seem too strong. Replacing the mainspring with a new one ended the crunched brass.
 
BTW, this is probably just a silly question, but when was the last time that you cleaned that gun?

n2s
 
not2sharp said:
BTW, this is probably just a silly question, but when was the last time that you cleaned that gun?

n2s
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Very valid question, it was detail stripped cleaned degreased new springs installed lubed and then reassembled and shot, the pinkish stuff you see is gun butter that I put on the lugs, I took these pictures right after the first malfunctions, I then cleared the malfunctions and wiped off excess lube and kept trying but it kept malfunctioning.

Also it was malfunctioning like this with factory weight springs before the switch to stiffer springs.
 
if you are convinced that it is a recoil spring problem... get a calibration pack of recoil springs...select an appropriate spring (I'd start with the 16#)... load only one cartridge in the magazine, limp wrist and shoot with the weak hand... empty brass should exit at least 6inches from ejection port, and slide should lock open (if that is something you want)... does the pistol have an extended ejector that protrudes part way into the magazine well? place the muzzle of the UNLOADED pistol against a solid object, push forward with the pistol while working the slide rearward... it should release from the barrel locking lugs and work smoothly without drag

you might try a Weigand brass extractor tension gauge... should release the gauge with between 16 and 24oz of pull for an INTERNAL extractor
 
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jbmonkey said:
The problem is its a kimber.;) as said its the external extractor. Kimber scrapped the idea after failures flooded them. Ironically s&w took up the external ext on their 1911. Seems they figured it out, since they still use the setup. Best fix is buy an ed brown and call it a day.
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ed brown guns sure are pricey. good gosh
 
Yes, they are. But you get a gun that works first time, every time for the next 30 years. Sometimes it's worth it to pay more.
 
Samael said:
Yes, they are. But you get a gun that works first time, every time for the next 30 years. Sometimes it's worth it to pay more.
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I agree. If you average a good firearm's purchase price over 20-30 years of ownership, it isn't that bad. Like knives, the good ones get kept and the "so-so" ones get sold or traded. The best guns are the ones your heirs fight over!
 
My Colt Chip McCormick Commander is still going strong more than 30 years after I bought it. At the time I paid $750 for it, which was an outrageous amount of money to spend on a gun. Heh. Worth every penny.
 
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