Kimber not feeding

G

Gale

Inactive
I have a Kimber polymer with hi-cap mag's. It wants to not feed every few rds. Where should I look for the problem? This is getting to be very annoying,when a mega-star owner never has a misfeed, and my Kimber does it on a regular schedule, HELP and thanks

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You will find MANY references in this forum to Kimbers with indigestion. You didn't say what kind of failure to feed. The following are some of the most common fixes based on type of failure.

Won't strip a round off the mag at all - this is usually a mag problem. Try to determine if it's just one mag or all of them.

Jams before the round completely leaves the mag (at about a 45 degree angle) - could be long mag feed lips, rough breech face, cartridge too long.

Almost goes in but stops just short - Most common feeding failure for Kimbers. Usually fixed by replaceing the factory 16# recoil spring with the preferred 18.5# spring. Sometimes the breech face still needs polishing. This can also indicate a tight chamber, another common malady of Kimbers.

Stovepipe jam with live round - usually rounds too short or mag feed lips too short or spread too wide.

Hope one of these fits (and fixes) your problem.

Mikey
 
You don't have a problem, this is quite normal for Kimber Jamamatics. Don't believe it? Check out all the other posts on Kimbers. Good luck dealing with Kimber's crappy customer service dept. too, by the way.

Sic semper tyrannis

freedomlover
 
Get Rid of the crapy star mags and buy some wilson mags. they can also be loaded for up to 4 day with out any harm to there springs.
Buy four mags and change them every 4 days to keep long life.

I have kept a wilson mag loded for a month and nothing has happend to it.
Great mags and well worth it!
:)
 
House-
I know this is kinda off topic, but you piqued my interest. I'm wondering where you got your info about keeping magazines loaded, specifically the part about 1 month being a long time to keep one charged. I'm under the impression that a quality magazine should be able to go at least 4 months without any measurable deterioration in spring strength. Not that it would be an advisable practice, but I've spoken to a few guys who have let their mags go for years fully loaded (especially single stacks) and have had no feeding problems to relate. I shoot too much to ever let a mag go that long- but I wouldn't think twice about keeping a quality oem factory mag loaded for 6 months. Am I nuts? Don't answer that...Anyway, you got me thinkin'.

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semper ubi sub ubi
 
Yeah, this 1 month life for magazine spring
also puzzles me....I keep one 30 rd. AK magazine completely loaded (just on case)
and usually don't bother to check it out for
a year or so....same goes for 2 Mak magazines
which are ready to go with 7 rounds in each
of them (should be 8, but I like number 7)
I say for good quality magazine spring a couple of years "under stress" shouldn't be a problem...
 
If the EXTRACTOR aint tuned CORRECTLY the cartridge will have feeding & ejection problems. A 1/2lb out is enough to make it chuck a wobbly !
And as mentioned a tight chamber & light recoil spring will cause hang ups. :(
Try looking here http://www.larue-targets.com/part5.html & here http://www.m1911.org/technic.htm
Then if that doesn't help try e-mailing George Stringer at gunsmith@spis.net

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"The Gun from Down Under !"
http://www.para1911fanclub.w3.to/
E-mail hotshot_2000@hotmail.com
Alternate E-mail
HS2000@ausi.com
 
Hi, folks,

Four days!!!??!! A quality magazine should be able to remain loaded for 40 YEARS and still work, and many WWII .45 magazines have done just that.

With today's lack of quality control, I don't expect modern mags to do that, but if mag springs take a set after even a couple of years, the mags are junk and should be scrapped.

Jim
 
The Kimber polymers are in a class of their own. They even have more problems than the regular Kimbers. A local gunshop here that carries the Kimber won't even see them anymore because everyone they sold came back to be repaired. I have doen quite a few, and it needs to have the feedramp and throat recut and calibrated, the chamber reamed, extractor tensioned and such.



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Brian Bilby
Advanced Combat Pistols
www.45acp.com
 
GALE,

I've been there with the Kimber(s). The constructive posts heretofore are possibly valid, but before you find yourself totally confused,out a good bit of money or worse yet filled with distaste for a fine firearm,do yourself a huge favor and try a Wilson mag. I'd be willing to bet a good steak dinner on the "fix"! It has worked on two of mine and at least four others at the range. With so many posts read by so many knowledgeable folks, I can't believe that the word is'nt out on the factory {McC} mags!It {normally} is'nt a problem with the Kimber and before you let someone play with the extractor tension or cut and polish where it is'nt needed, ask yourself why so many function flawlessly and shoot the equal of Bullseye guns costing considerably more... I see it every weekend. Let us know how it works out. GOOD LUCK and ENJOY YOUR KIMBER!

BILL
 
Maybe someone here would be interested in asking the Administrator to start a kimber-jam-o-matic forum right under the hanguns and pistolcraft forum and save some space for guns that dont have problems with every other one sold.

sorry but any company that sells guns for top price and then leaves you studdering on an answering machine begging for support is no friend of mine.

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TIM : )
 
OK, my turn. I also recently purchased a Kimber Polymer (BUL M-5) pistol and have had the same feeding problems discussed above. I share in the frustration and agree that this "expensive" 45 should be RELIABLE. On the other hand, it's the most accurate 45 I've ever handled out-of-the-box (I would have dumped it by now if it weren't for this). The feeding problems I'm experiencing have to do with the high capacity magazine for the most part. Initially, I had problems with a misfeed every 10 rounds or so with either the high-cap or 10 round mag, but a call to Kimber improved this. Apparently the prior owner placed a shock buffer. The Custom Shop at Kimber advised removing this which I did with much improvement. The second problem had to do with the slide stop which they replaced with no questions asked. I also asked them to replace the magazine catch (made from the same polymer as the frame) as it looked "chewed-up" to me, and check-out the high-cap magazine. The magazine was returned with a new spring and follower. The mag catch was replaced "no questions asked". At this point, the slide stop problem was resolved, but I continued to have problems with the high-cap mag. Currently, this mag is being replaced for a new one at Kimber. With these mags going or $115 a piece, I'm not willing to just buy extras. All-in-all, I have had a GOOD experience with customer service at Kimber (talk to George), and I'm sure they know about the problems with the Polymer. Thus far, they have been working to make things right at no cost to me and I have yet to send them the gun. I've been trying the simple fixes first. If the problems continue, the whole gun goes back for repair. I won't even get into the technical details regarding why I think these problems occur as I am not a gunsmith. I certainly have some ideas if you want to email me. In summary, the Polymer has problems, Kimber has been diligent about resolving the problems, and I haven't lost faith in the company yet. If they ultimately screw me, you'll hear about on every message board on the net!!
P.S. As far as I know, Wilson doesn't make double-stack mags that will fit the Polymer model as suggested above.
 
ch,

Good post! You are correct with regard to the double-stack mags and your rec. to give George a call. My earlier response pertains to the traditonal single-stack models and was posted for general info {read background}. I have seen a significant number of "gun" problems, (both single-stack and double-stack),resolve with the use of a decent mag.,(as well as reasonable treatment and care of same after aqistion). While not a cure-all, it is invariably a good place to start when encountering feeding or slide stop related problems with decent ammunition and a lack of other indicators. As you mentioned, keep the troubleshooting simple yet logical. A call to George in the Kimber Custom Shop is a good starting point...he knows the product and is not afraid to do a little work.
 
To all who gave suggestions on how to fix the Kimber feeding problem, I say thank you, To (house) where did you get the idea that I had star mags? This gun is a polymer SS 14 rd. capacity and I am certain Wilson does not make mag,s for it. The mag,s are made by McCormick and work fine if you only put 12 rds. in them. And I did not ask anything about the length of time to keep a magazine loaded so I would appreciate if we could keep on the failure to feed subject. An to wcc I have talked to George and there solution was to remove the shock buffer (it made no difference). I think part of my problem was long rds. that I missed while loading. I use a case gauge on every one,but when to long I calibrate the length and if under 1.270 I use them. Now I find that my gun will not feed them. I checked every one again before last weekend's shoots and found if I keep them under 1.265 they load just fine. And last to jerky, I have seen all makes of guns at ranges not feed so maybe that site should be for jams in .45's period. As the Kimber is the most accurate out of the box I will stay with the best. Thank You and carry on!!!!!!
 
Gale...good restraint, I hope you enjoy your Kimber as much as the 10s of thousands of other owners of this beautiful piece. Somewhere I read that Kimber is fond of 1.260, I personally never load over that figure and I never have problems with either of my Classic Customs. I can't speak for the polymers. perhaps some other reloaders can give advice on this. Lighter bullets such as 185 gr. pose more of a problem because they are so short. The folks using those rounds may wish to respond.
 
Why don't you talk to Rikwriter, he seems to know everything about Kimbers... he'll reassure you that all the malfunctions are figments of your imagination... ;)

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Be mentally deliberate but muscularly fast. Aim for just above the belt buckle Wyatt Earp
45 ACP: Give 'em a new navel! BigG
"It is error alone that needs government support; truth can stand by itself." Tom Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1785
 
Naw, Big G, unlike the Kimber-bashers here, I don't CLAIM to know everything...just know about my Kimbers, and those of my friends and acquaintances, and those sold by the half dozen Kimber Master Dealers I know personally now. Aside from that, I don't claim to know anything.
 
Big George, my owners manuel says at least 1.260 and someone at Dillon said 1.265 should work fine. Are you telling me that there are actual Kimber basher's out there that could say bad things about the most perfect handgun in the universe? I just can't believe it!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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