I recently purchased a Kimber Stainless II and have a question about dropping the slide.

I simply cannot drop the slide...full or no magazine inserted...without manipulating the slide stop, whereas my Glocks, SAs, Sig, etc...do not require thumbing the slide stop downward.

Is this normal?

The only instance I've seen this occur is when someone drops one of those stupid "shock buffers" onto their guide rod.  The extra 1/8" thickness prevents the slide from being moved back far enough.

So no, to answer your question, it is not normal.

*It is possible that the pistol needs to be broken in, but I doubt it.

*Do you have limited strength in your off hand preventing you from drawing the slide back against recoil spring pressure?

*Have you inadvertently assembled the pistol incorrectly?  The slide stop pin IS through the barrel link? Is there a possibility that something has found it's way into the pistol, preventing normal slide operation (primer, stick, something)?

Otherwise, you may want to have Kimber take a look at the pistol.

Good luck

yup
I put one of those in my Custom II

went shooting

one mag in    no slingshot


clear
tear down on the bench
took it out threw it in the trash

that is the end of those for me

Quoted: The only instance I've seen this occur is when someone drops one of those stupid "shock buffers" onto their guide rod.  The extra 1/8" thickness prevents the slide from being moved back far enough.

That was it.

I use Wilson Shock-Buffs in my Springfield Custom Shop LW and Para P14. Never had a problem before, certainly not with reliability. Bill Wilson's explanation had me sold on the product.

Wilson makes some great products. But the shock buffers no matter what manufacture is not needed in a 1911. If the slide is banging hard then its time for a new recoil spring.