[LubeckTech]

My Series 1 Kimber's magazines are coming unseated after 2 or 3 rounds about one third of the time. It happens with any magazine and the magazines work in other guns. The magazines seat well when I put them in. Any ideas?

[Jim Watson]

Perhaps part of the ledge has crumbled off the MIM magazine catch.
A new milled Ed Brown is not expensive.

[rcmodel]

Take the magazine catch out of the frame and check for scrap metal left over from the manufacturing process preventing it from seating all the way in the frame.

To remove, push the catch fully to the right, and turn the "Screw that isn't a screw" 1/4 turn to capture the tab in the mag catch.

You can then slide the catch out of the frame and release the tab to clean the spring & inside the catch.

If none of that works, you may have a defective mag catch, or an out of spec frame hole.

Jim Watson's suggestion to replace the catch with a milled steel one is also very good!

rc

[Old Shooter]

When you seat the mags does the mag release button return all the way or doesit seem to hang up before completly engaging?

Mayby something is just a touch out of spec and the mechanism is binding before acheiving total engagement. Do mags from the other guns work any better in the Kimber than the factory ones? Might be a slightly out of spec cut on the mag itself. I've come across gun show mags that sometimes needed a touch of light file work to get them to function and lock 100% of the time, after adjustment they were problem free.

If all else fails trade the Kimber on a Colt, I'm sure they'll give you something for it. :)

[LubeckTech]

It does not seem to be a magazine problem but with a 1911 anything is possible.
First thing I will do is remove it, inspect it and clean it. I bought it used about a year ago and it did not seem to have been shot much and I have put around 1k rounds thru it. Fortunately for me I live in Parkersburg, WV where Novak in located so getting an ED Brown catch is easy as he seems to have EB stuff in stock plus I can always let them install it if fitting is required. If it turns out to be a problem with the frame being out of spec. I will take it up with Kimber as I would expect them to correct the problem at a reasonable cost or preferably no cost. Is it possible the spring associated with the catch is weak? It seems strong.

[rcmodel]

possible the spring associated with the catch is weak?Pretty unlikely if it feels strong.

It might be possible you are releasing it with your thumb during recoil?

But the first thing to do is take it out and clean & inspect for wear or damage, or stuff that isn't supposed to be in there like little metal chips from manufacturing.

rc

[LubeckTech]

I took it out and inspected it. I didn't mic it but it looked kind of "wimpy" compared to a couple of others I rembered I have buried in the parts box. I installed an EGW "extended" catch that I had in another gun. This catch in supposed to make the mag sit up slightly higher and improve feeding. I will take it to the range this weekend. I am certain that I'm not bumping it as I have small hands, Hogue wraparound grips and have to make an effort to hit the release when reloading. It seems like I have to push the release in a little further now so I am confldent this will eliminate the problem. I don't think the original part was worn just poorly made. I'll let you how it turns out.