Kimber / Reload blowup

B

BMWGS80

New member
Saw a Kimber last week that was shot with Alabama Ammo. New Gun New reloads. The case had the bottom portion just in front of the rim blown out where it was unsupported. Pistol held together more or less. The slide was locked back with a break parralell to its axis on the right side. I have to admit I have never been impressed with Kimbers. For the money you spend they should have a better finish than rounded corners and sandblast. Kept my opinions to myself because of the good reports from owners.
Never insult another mans dog, horse, child, knife,wife or gun.
The break/tear in the slide showed the grain structure in the metal. Cast iron was what came to mind. The grain structure was very large and unrrefined. Even though the gun did not completley self distruct it showed more damage than I have seen in the past with similar blowups. It just reinforced my personal opinion of the questionable quality of this brand. I'll stick with my Colts and Springfields.

BTW: The shooter was wearing shooting glasses and hearing protection. Metal fragments still made it to his right eye(fortunatley not blinding him) because he was not wearing the glasses properly. He also got another Kimber to replace the broken one.

Not meant to dis anyone just passing on an observation.

Be smart and be safe,

ts
 
Kimber frames and slides are steel forgings. Kimber also supplies slides and frames to Wilson Combat. No company's slides are made from cast iron, though many manufacturers use investment cast steel.
 
it showed more damage than I have seen in the past with similar blowups. It just reinforced my personal opinion of the questionable quality of this brand. I'll stick with my Colts and Springfields.
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Not to be inflammatory, but the "similar blowups" statement doesn't make a lot of sense. The pressure of any particular round can't be determined by eyeballing the damage to the firearm. For all anyone knows, it was a double load or more.

I've read other accounts of reloads blowing up in Kimbers and no serious damage was done to the guns. It all depends on the load.

As far as other brands (not that I'm particular to any of them), I've seen pics of blown up Colts and a pic of a Springfield on 1911forum.com that just flat out had the slide break in half (no overpressure loads or anything, it just broke). That gun didn't look too pretty either.

It all depends on the pressure of the cartridge.

Shake
 
FEELING THE PRESSURE

Do I sense disfavor with Kimber?

I must admit to handling and firing a lot of different 1911's, but I also admit that Kimbers have been the best STOCK 1911's I've tried.

Most reliable, most accurate, most features.
Your results may vary. My 1911 is a Caspian (you know, with the weak cast frame).
 
Kimber frames and slides are steel forgings. Kimber also supplies slides and frames to Wilson Combat. No company's slides are made from cast iron, though many manufacturers use investment cast steel.
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No, they all come from the same plant (Jericho), Kimber, Wilson, and McCormick frames and slides.
 
I have seen several cases of cartridge failure of that type both in the field and in testing. The escaping gas goes downward. With the pistols involved (all GI except one Norinco), the result is that the magazine spring is collapsed, the magazine expanded and one or both grips cracked or partly blown off. (Other rounds in the magazine were damaged but did not go off.) Neither slide nor frame was damaged. When no magazine was in the gun, damage was nil or limited to the grips. To bulge or break the slide would mean either extremely high pressure and sideways gas movement or a weak or flawed slide.

From what has been said, I suspect a flaw in the slide metal. That can happen with either forging or casting.

I would contact Kimber and ask them what they want to do. They will probably ask you to return the pistol for their analysis. I also would refrain from using any more ammunition from that manufacturer. If you can contact the reloader, request his input also. I would pull down some of the rounds in the same lot and weigh powder charges. A common powder for reloads is Bullseye because it is cheap, but it and similar powders are also easy to double charge.

Jim

P.S. I don't use any reloads other than my own. That way, when something goes wrong, I know the name of the SOB who screwed up.

Jim
 
No, they all come from the same plant (Jericho), Kimber, Wilson, and McCormick frames and slides.
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Yes but, Jericho IS Kimber Manufacturing. Kimber purchased Jericho in 1996.
 
Oh my gosh, a kaboom with something other than a Glock. What is this world coming to?

Only Glocks are supposed to kaboom.

Sounds completely ammo related though the damage concerns me. Many Glocks just blow out the mag and the case lodges in the breech. Punch it out, add new mag, reconnect the trigger connector bar and you're shooting again.

So what are the nicer 1911s for a die hard Glockster entertaining the idea of buying a 1911 for some 200 grain LSWCs burning a hole in his reloading bench?
 
Yes but, Jericho IS Kimber Manufacturing. Kimber purchased Jericho in 1996.
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GeneS (Gene Simmons?:D) - I stand corrected.

Yes Kimber/Jericho supplies frames and slides to Wilson, McCormick, Nowlin, but not all are the same, I believe they build them to spec.
 
Interesting thread. I read in American Handgunner awhile back that kimber's forgings come from Smith & Wesson.

Elrod
 
I believe Elrod is correct that S&W is the vendor for Kimber slide and frame forgings. Wilson and Nowlin pistols should have quite a bit more hand fitting of the internal parts. All are of very high quality steel. As Shake referenced, the amount of damage in the incident in question was almost certainly the fault of the reload.

GeneS :p
 
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