Posted: 2/20/2009 2:44:17 PM EDT
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Just got back from putting round numbers 716-815 through my Kimber CDP Compact. Well...it still sucks and it still pisses me off. I have shot this thing clean, dirty, wet, dry...and everywhere in between. It doesn't like any of them. I have fed it ball ammo and hollowpoints of every type and grade.
One thing happened today, repeatedly, that hasn't happened any other time. I am using Wilson mags and, about 5 times through 100 rounds, the slide would lock back with one round...sitting on top of the magazine? Weird. In all fairness, I didn't have all of the typical jam types I had before. No more high angle fail-to-feeds. I still think the ejector is too tight as I still am getting whapped in the forehead with spent casings. What annoys me most, and is most common, is that the pistol will sometimes just not go into battery. the slide stops about 1/4"-3/8" shy of fully seated forward. Sometimes you don't notice until you squeeze and nothing happens. So...should I send this damn thing back to Kimber or send it to some other smith. I guess my thought is, if Kimber fucked it up in the first place...why should I trust them to fix it...free of charge or not? Also...would a heavier recoil spring help with the slide return problem? Thanks. ETA: Does anybody make a 1911 with a five inch barrel and the shorter grip like on the Compact? |
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That has also happened to me before.
I was using one of the kimber mags that came with my Pro Carry II and if i load 5 rounds in the mag, after shooting 4 the slide would lock and the one round would just be sitting on top of the mag. I don't know why, probably something with the follower, it doesn't happen with 7 rounds, or 6, just 5 rounds. That sucks though, you might just want to send it back to kimber |
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#1- Throw all of your Kimber mags in the shit can. They are crap. Wilson or Chip McCormick only.
#2- Install a Wolff recoil spring rated at 18 lbs. #3- Remove your slide, strip the slide of all but the sights. Re-install slide and as you simulate the slides recoil movement, look through the ejector slot at the rear of the slide. If as you move the slide you see or feel stiffness or contact between the ejector and slide then remove the slide and polish the appropriate area on the ejector until stiffness is gone. Reassemble slide. #4- Lube slide ways, disconnector divot, ejector tunnel, reassemble and go shoot 200 rounds of hardball. Problems should be solved. |
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#1- Throw all of your Kimber mags in the shit can. They are crap. Wilson or Chip McCormick only. Followed by the Kimber itself. #2- Install a Wolff recoil spring rated at 18 lbs. #3- Remove your slide, strip the slide of all but the sights. Re-install slide and as you simulate the slides recoil movement, look through the ejector slot at the rear of the slide. If as you move the slide you see or feel stiffness or contact between the ejector and slide then remove the slide and polish the appropriate area on the ejector until stiffness is gone. Reassemble slide. #4- Lube slide ways, disconnector divot, ejector tunnel, reassemble and go shoot 200 rounds of hardball. Problems should be solved. You shouldn't have to do any of this to a $1000 gun and it's all too common with Kimbers. |
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Premature slide lock is in all likelihood due to feeding bullets hitting the slide stop lobe. Check it for brass marks. This is a common Kimber problem. A few swipes with a file can take care of that, just don't alter the bottom geometry of the lobe.
How's your extractor tension? |
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Premature slide lock is in all likelihood due to feeding bullets hitting the slide stop lobe. Check it for brass marks. This is a common Kimber problem. A few swipes with a file can take care of that, just don't alter the bottom geometry of the lobe. How's your extractor tension? How do I check the extractor tension? |
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My brother in law had identical problems with his NIB Springfield GI stainless. He sent it back to them, they turned it around in two weeks and now it is completely flawless. Send it back to Kimber. See what they can do. Ya I'm going to call Kimber on Monday. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Premature slide lock is in all likelihood due to feeding bullets hitting the slide stop lobe. Check it for brass marks. This is a common Kimber problem. A few swipes with a file can take care of that, just don't alter the bottom geometry of the lobe. How's your extractor tension? How do I check the extractor tension? Remove the slide from the frame and slide a loaded round under the extractor, like when a round is chambered. When the slide is held horizontally, like it would be when on the frame, the loaded round should be held in place by the extractor, but not tightly against the breech face. |
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#1- Throw all of your Kimber mags in the shit can. They are crap. Wilson or Chip McCormick only. Followed by the Kimber itself. #2- Install a Wolff recoil spring rated at 18 lbs. #3- Remove your slide, strip the slide of all but the sights. Re-install slide and as you simulate the slides recoil movement, look through the ejector slot at the rear of the slide. If as you move the slide you see or feel stiffness or contact between the ejector and slide then remove the slide and polish the appropriate area on the ejector until stiffness is gone. Reassemble slide. #4- Lube slide ways, disconnector divot, ejector tunnel, reassemble and go shoot 200 rounds of hardball. Problems should be solved. You shouldn't have to do any of this to a $1000 gun and it's all too common with Kimbers. Yep, I know you "shouldn't" have to, but unfortunately sometimes you do. I am a very busy gunsmith here in southern Indiana and 60% of my work is making peoples 1911's run properly. Right now I have 8 1911s on my bench, here is the breakdown by mfr.- 2- Kimbers- 1 full size CDP and 1 SIS 2- Colts- both officers models 1- Wilson (nightmare gun- has been back to Wilson 3 times with no joy. I am it's last hope before the owner smashes it with a sledgehammer) 1- Rock Island .38 Super 1- Franken Gun 1-Para Ordnance P-13 Unfortunately, if is built by human hands it can be flawed. |
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One thing happened today, repeatedly, that hasn't happened any other time. I am using Wilson mags and, about 5 times through 100 rounds, the slide would lock back with one round...sitting on top of the magazine? Weird. Not weird. Kimber's have a know propensity to do just this very thing. The geometry on the slide stop is off. Call Kimber, tell them this is happening and they will send you out a "new and improved" slide stop that has a slightly different geometry. It "should" resolve this problem. As for the rest of your issues, there has been some good suggestions made. Mine would be to make (at least) one effort to send it back to Kimber for repair before completely giving up. Good luck. Fred |
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#1- Throw all of your Kimber mags in the shit can. They are crap. Wilson or Chip McCormick only. Followed by the Kimber itself. #2- Install a Wolff recoil spring rated at 18 lbs. #3- Remove your slide, strip the slide of all but the sights. Re-install slide and as you simulate the slides recoil movement, look through the ejector slot at the rear of the slide. If as you move the slide you see or feel stiffness or contact between the ejector and slide then remove the slide and polish the appropriate area on the ejector until stiffness is gone. Reassemble slide. #4- Lube slide ways, disconnector divot, ejector tunnel, reassemble and go shoot 200 rounds of hardball. Problems should be solved. You shouldn't have to do any of this to a $1000 gun and it's all too common with Kimbers. Yep, I know you "shouldn't" have to, but unfortunately sometimes you do. I am a very busy gunsmith here in southern Indiana and 60% of my work is making peoples 1911's run properly. Right now I have 8 1911s on my bench, here is the breakdown by mfr.- 2- Kimbers- 1 full size CDP and 1 SIS 2- Colts- both officers models 1- Wilson (nightmare gun- has been back to Wilson 3 times with no joy. I am it's last hope before the owner smashes it with a sledgehammer) 1- Rock Island .38 Super 1- Franken Gun 1-Para Ordnance P-13 Unfortunately, if is built by human hands it can be flawed. wow...at least it wasn't three grand I spent on the Kimber to run like shit. |
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#1- Throw all of your Kimber mags in the shit can. They are crap. Wilson or Chip McCormick only. Followed by the Kimber itself. #2- Install a Wolff recoil spring rated at 18 lbs. #3- Remove your slide, strip the slide of all but the sights. Re-install slide and as you simulate the slides recoil movement, look through the ejector slot at the rear of the slide. If as you move the slide you see or feel stiffness or contact between the ejector and slide then remove the slide and polish the appropriate area on the ejector until stiffness is gone. Reassemble slide. #4- Lube slide ways, disconnector divot, ejector tunnel, reassemble and go shoot 200 rounds of hardball. Problems should be solved. You shouldn't have to do any of this to a $1000 gun and it's all too common with Kimbers. Yep, I know you "shouldn't" have to, but unfortunately sometimes you do. I am a very busy gunsmith here in southern Indiana and 60% of my work is making peoples 1911's run properly. Right now I have 8 1911s on my bench, here is the breakdown by mfr.- 2- Kimbers- 1 full size CDP and 1 SIS 2- Colts- both officers models 1- Wilson (nightmare gun- has been back to Wilson 3 times with no joy. I am it's last hope before the owner smashes it with a sledgehammer) 1- Rock Island .38 Super 1- Franken Gun 1-Para Ordnance P-13 Unfortunately, if is built by human hands it can be flawed. wow...at least it wasn't three grand I spent on the Kimber to run like shit. Oh man, you aint joking! I'd be freaking furious over that Wilson. If it was mine and did not run right after three trips back to the factory I'd be real tempted to scrape the serial numbers off, tape it to a brick and sail it through the biggest of Wilson's windows... |
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#1- Throw all of your Kimber mags in the shit can. They are crap. Wilson or Chip McCormick only. #2- Install a Wolff recoil spring rated at 18 lbs. #3- Remove your slide, strip the slide of all but the sights. Re-install slide and as you simulate the slides recoil movement, look through the ejector slot at the rear of the slide. If as you move the slide you see or feel stiffness or contact between the ejector and slide then remove the slide and polish the appropriate area on the ejector until stiffness is gone. Reassemble slide. #4- Lube slide ways, disconnector divot, ejector tunnel, reassemble and go shoot 200 rounds of hardball. Problems should be solved. Sell it...Buy a Glock....Lube the Glock and go shooting |
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Time for a new motivational poster... picture of a lovely kimber sitting on the fire place mantle.... the caption reads "Kimber... They sure look nice"
my springfield armory loaded runs wonderfuly. I would return your kimber and buy 2 springfields with the money |
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#1- Throw all of your Kimber mags in the shit can. They are crap. Wilson or Chip McCormick only. #2- Install a Wolff recoil spring rated at 18 lbs. #3- Remove your slide, strip the slide of all but the sights. Re-install slide and as you simulate the slides recoil movement, look through the ejector slot at the rear of the slide. If as you move the slide you see or feel stiffness or contact between the ejector and slide then remove the slide and polish the appropriate area on the ejector until stiffness is gone. Reassemble slide. #4- Lube slide ways, disconnector divot, ejector tunnel, reassemble and go shoot 200 rounds of hardball. Problems should be solved. Sell it...Buy a Glock....Lube the Glock and go shooting must....resist....tupperware on my guns! 
Actually, I love my HK USP Compact...I just prefer the feel of the 1911. I'm determined to make this thing work. I am sending it to Kimber this week. |
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Just got back from putting round numbers 716-815 through my Kimber CDP Compact. Well...it still sucks and it still pisses me off. I have shot this thing clean, dirty, wet, dry...and everywhere in between. It doesn't like any of them. I have fed it ball ammo and hollowpoints of every type and grade. One thing happened today, repeatedly, that hasn't happened any other time. I am using Wilson mags and, about 5 times through 100 rounds, the slide would lock back with one round...sitting on top of the magazine? Weird. In all fairness, I didn't have all of the typical jam types I had before. No more high angle fail-to-feeds. I still think the ejector is too tight as I still am getting whapped in the forehead with spent casings. What annoys me most, and is most common, is that the pistol will sometimes just not go into battery. the slide stops about 1/4"-3/8" shy of fully seated forward. Sometimes you don't notice until you squeeze and nothing happens. So...should I send this damn thing back to Kimber or send it to some other smith. I guess my thought is, if Kimber fucked it up in the first place...why should I trust them to fix it...free of charge or not? Also...would a heavier recoil spring help with the slide return problem? Thanks. ETA: Does anybody make a 1911 with a five inch barrel and the shorter grip like on the Compact? Man that sucks. I recommend you give Kimber a call. I never did like Kimber even from the moment they started making 1911's. I have one of the first S&W 1911 from 2003 a fellow officer sold it to me for $300  . My only complaint is that the trigger feels a little hard. I am planning on giving it a trigger job. I have shot some Kimbers with no problems, but I just do not like them.
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Kimber Compact CDP owner here... bought mine NIB February 01 (just found the receipt this afternoon as a matter of fact).
So long as I change out the recoil spring every 1K rounds or less it's flawless. Let it go much beyond that and I have failure-to-feed issues. Change the spring and voila! Problem disappears! I now have a full-size steel-framed Springfield Armory (Mil-Spec) that I love, but the Kimber was my first 1911 and holds a sweet spot in my affections. I hope you get yours working. |
| Yep sounds like a slide stop to me. If you look at the in side of the stop and you see copper on it, that's your problem. The bullets themselves are engaging it before the last round is fired. My Kimber had the same problem. I took a very small amount of metal off the slide stop with a fine fine and never had the problem again. |
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Watch out...some Kimber fanboys may come in here and accuse you of being a troll and running down Kimbers.  great...if they come out of the woodwork they can come show me how to make it run. don't get me wrong...I love the look, feel, fit, and finish of this firearm but that is all obviously useless if it doesn't conduct its primary purpose flawlessly. I am confident that I will work the kinks out and I will love it again. I just ordered the recoil spring calibration back from Wolff so I will install those and see what happens. |
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Well I called Kimber this morning.
They pretty much ignored the slide stop issue altogether. The woman on the phone told me I should have replaced the recoil spring 200 rds ago. I said, "well that may have occurred to me if the pistol had been running well and then started running poorly." She didn't want to hear it: "Sir, sir, just replace the spring and if it doesn't work give us a call back." |
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If the slide locks back early it could be the slide stop. I have an UCII and the slide stop was not cut exactly right and is common on some Kimbers. Call them up and they should send you one free of charge that is correct.
My UCII also did not like Wilson magazines. My SA and Taurus PT1911 does though. My UCII loves the Kimpro Tac mags,cheap stock mag that came with my SA and many others. Remember that not all 1911s like the same magazines. I guess I got lucky since I've had no problems with my Kimber UCII so far except for the slide stop but it didn't cause problems,I just corrected it before hand in case it did. |
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Damn what a BITCH !!!!Well I called Kimber this morning. They pretty much ignored the slide stop issue altogether. The woman on the phone told me I should have replaced the recoil spring 200 rds ago. I said, "well that may have occurred to me if the pistol had been running well and then started running poorly." She didn't want to hear it: "Sir, sir, just replace the spring and if it doesn't work give us a call back."  Kimber definately is not ever getting my money. Ever thought about trading or selling it for a SA, Colt or S&W?
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Damn what a BITCH !!!!Well I called Kimber this morning. They pretty much ignored the slide stop issue altogether. The woman on the phone told me I should have replaced the recoil spring 200 rds ago. I said, "well that may have occurred to me if the pistol had been running well and then started running poorly." She didn't want to hear it: "Sir, sir, just replace the spring and if it doesn't work give us a call back." Kimber definately is not ever getting my money. Ever thought about trading or selling it for a SA, Colt or S&W?
yeah...I probably will I dunno...I have a Kimber Pro Carry Stainless (9x19) that runs perfectly. I love that pistol. I guess I am holding out hope that I will get the Kimber running eventually. |
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Damn what a BITCH !!!!Well I called Kimber this morning. They pretty much ignored the slide stop issue altogether. The woman on the phone told me I should have replaced the recoil spring 200 rds ago. I said, "well that may have occurred to me if the pistol had been running well and then started running poorly." She didn't want to hear it: "Sir, sir, just replace the spring and if it doesn't work give us a call back." Kimber definately is not ever getting my money. Ever thought about trading or selling it for a SA, Colt or S&W?
yeah...I probably will I dunno...I have a Kimber Pro Carry Stainless (9x19) that runs perfectly. I love that pistol. I guess I am holding out hope that I will get the Kimber running eventually. I wish you the best. Kimbers are not bad guns. Every company has a issue or two, but with that kind of customer service they will lose a lot of customers. |
| Sorry about your problems with the CDP compact. I currently own 2 Kimbers a CDP-pro and a Tactical - custom. Both are rock solid, run like champs and shoot way better then I do or any of the other guns I own (lots). I am surprised the problem is with a 4" gun most of these problems are with the ultra's. Right now I am batteling a Parra nitehawg 3" 1911 that has FTF problems. It is the first and only Parra I own. Will it be my last if I get the hawg running right or not. Most likely not, always wanted one of thier LDA's. With any 1911 the farther you sway from the full size frame and 5" barrel the higher your percentage of guns that need help to run right. I am not making excusses for Kimber, Parra or any other gun maker just stating the obviouse. My Parra has had work on the extractor and new mag springs next is the recoil spring. Hope it works for both of us. |
| Call Kimber and talk to a different person and tell them you heard of a common problem with their slidestops and you suspect yours might be out of spec. They should send you a free one that's different than your current one if it is indeed out os spec. After that try different mags. |
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UPDATE
I installed a Wolff 24 lb spring (the first in their "recoil calibration" pack. Well, it just went through 50 rounds of Blazer brass without a hiccup. No problems whatsoever. Should I keep using this spring or move down to the 22 lb spring and see what happens? |
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UPDATE I installed a Wolff 24 lb spring (the first in their "recoil calibration" pack. Well, it just went through 50 rounds of Blazer brass without a hiccup. No problems whatsoever. Should I keep using this spring or move down to the 22 lb spring and see what happens? It will only take a minute to swap the springs, but if it runs with the 24, why change. It sounds like the "lady" at Kimber gave you some good advice. |
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It will only take a minute to swap the springs, but if it runs with the 24, why change. It sounds like the "lady" at Kimber gave you some good advice. Perhaps she (or somebody within her organization) should have indicated on their website that they guarantee their pistols to function...after 1000 rounds and a new (and heavier) recoil spring. Will the pistol "feel" different with the 22 lb spring, ceteris paribus? |
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Like said above. Install a Wollf spring kit. Fixed mine. 400rds since without a problem. My Gold Match II was having terrible problems with failure to feeds twice a magazine. I popped in a Wolff 18lb recoil spring and the problem has been gone now for 750 rounds of flawless performance. The spring that was in it was about an inch shorter than the Wolff spring and didn't require half the force to pull the slide back. |
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Like said above. Install a Wollf spring kit. Fixed mine. 400rds since without a problem. My Gold Match II was having terrible problems with failure to feeds twice a magazine. I popped in a Wolff 18lb recoil spring and the problem has been gone now for 750 rounds of flawless performance. The spring that was in it was about an inch shorter than the Wolff spring and didn't require half the force to pull the slide back. exactly. There is a HUGE difference in the force required to rack the slide...and now it works. Keeping my fingers crossed. |