Went to the range saturday and shot my TLE. By the end of the afternoon, I was ready to launch it down range as well!

Once or twice a mag, the slide wouldn't lock into battery. Closer inspection revealed that the extractor had not gone over the rim and was resting on the cartridge headstamp. It's almost as though the extractor had "pushed" the round into the chamber, then didn't have the strength to go over the rim.

Unsure if this is an extractor problem or a mag problem. I was using a meg-gar mag (never had a problem with them before, but I suppose the lips could have spread out, launching the round up instead of allowing it to slide into the extractor claw). I was shooting PMP ammo. I also shot 50 rounds of Federal hardball, the problem only happened twice out of the whole box of Federal.

What do you guys think? Extractor? Magazine? Ammo? Combination? I was thinking of replacing the extractor with a Wilson Combat anyway, are the Kimbers considered series 70 or 80? Sorry for the bonehead question, but i'm still new to the 1911's

Thanks!

try changing the mag to a wilson combat.  I think that that should solve your problem if not then think about hanging the extractor.

Ditto what Nate said. Try a Wilson mag. Some of the early TLE's had some extractors that were a bit tight. My first TLE did. However, I just kept shooting it, and after about 300 rounds, it was broke in and running fine. Both my current TLE's have external extractors though.

Is it an external extractor model?

Appreciate the input Nate & Hawkeye.

I picked up a Wilson mag today as a matter of fact. I will throw some rounds through it tommorrow, with some better ammo, of course. I'll be sure to post an update.

Lumpy, it's an internal extractor. Kind of regret not holding out for the TLE/RL, now.

Quoted: If you have a round chambered, and you pull the slide back slowly does it still kick out the round or does it jam against the ejection port? If it does, your extractor may be over tensioned.

Well, I threw a few mags worth of American Eagle downrange using the Wison mag. The gun was 100% reliable. I am very pleased !

To answer your question Lumpy, just for shits and grins I dropped in an Ed Brown heavy duty extractor. The rear of the extractor protruded out the back of the slide by about a millimeter. When I cycled the first round, it fed ok, but when I went to eject the round, it did lodge up against the ejection port. I replaced the original Kimber extractor and it worked fine. Hopefully the mag was the only problem.

By the way, congrats on your "promotion" to mod ! I always wondered why you weren't one already.