Kimber 8400 Classic Not Safe

[jmorris]

It will not

I don’t have one to look at but they say they use a model 70 type safety. If you can’t put it in position #2 the striker/firing pin is no longer being held. The safety should lift it off the sear, when engaged.

I’d have to take off the stock and make sure there is less than the average bellybutton full of lint or other debris in there and try and see what exactly is going on.

I do understand you not feeling comfortable “messing” with someone else’s rifle, my own curiosity wouldn’t allow me not to take a look though.

Page 23&24 of the link I posted above have the factory service instructions and contact phone numbers for your friend.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Page 23&24 of the link I posted above have the factory service instructions and contact phone numbers for your friend.

He told me yesterday he found out there was a recall on the gun. I could not find the serial number listed on the Kimber website.
I’m not sure if he talked to customer service by phone or what.
He is going to send the rifle in So I am not going to disassemble it

 

[dh1633pm]

My Savage Model 10 in 223 would fire on bolt closing. I bought it used and first time out it fired on the closing. People on the high road helped me fix the problem with a badly adjusted trigger. Well that and a rubber testing mallet.

 

[jmorris]

He told me yesterday he found out there was a recall on the gun. I could not find the serial number listed on the Kimber website.
I’m not sure if he talked to customer service by phone or what.
He is going to send the rifle in So I am not going to disassemble it

Makes sense to me, missed that part.

FWIW you might let him know for future reference that if the safety will not go into position #2, he can expect a bullet to be exiting as the bolt is lifted. #3 is safety on bolt locked, #2 is safety but bolt can be operated.

 

[Bacon buster]

I would disassemble the bolt completely, clean it thoroughly, clean the trigger group thoroughly and try it again. Could have gotten some trash in the bolt that is only causing a malfunction with case engagement. If there is a recall I wouldn’t bother with it. Just address it with kimber

 

[Steve S.]

Ironically, I shot my Kimber 84M in .308 yesterday afternoon - 50 reloads chambered with one misfire. The primer was dented no differently than the rounds that fired but for some reason the round did not discharge. The other 49 rounds ignited swimmingly and the groupings were excellent. I am guessing that bad single round had a primer problem but it could have been the “oily rag” syndrome, the “are you sure” syndrome or the Occam’s Razor standby, Russian collusion - I am just not sure.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Makes sense to me, missed that part.

FWIW you might let him know for future reference that if the safety will not go into position #2, he can expect a bullet to be exiting as the bolt is lifted. #3 is safety on bolt locked, #2 is safety but bolt can be operated.

Just got done showing him what it is doing.

 

[mshootnit]

I have a Kimber 8400 Classic 270 WSM and have never had a problem with factory or reloaded ammo (my loads.) I have never heard of this problem before, anywhere. I have never heard of a recall either. Perhaps you have a link to the recall announcement?

 

[mshootnit]

I think it absolutely has to do (in part) due to the fact that reloads are in play. The most appropriate thing here is to do a detail cleaning of the disassembled bolt, thoroughly clean the trigger unit, and test fire with factory ammo.
Then if there is a problem, there really is a problem.

You just simply can't come on a public forum and appropriately claim that an entire line of rifles is unsafe without doing the above at a bare minimum.
As of yet I see no recall on the 8400 WSM

 

[amflyer]

Personally, I would try to replicate what's going on with a resized case and no primer, then same with a spent primer, then same with a bullet seated appropriately and no powder. Should be able to hear the pin fall and watch the rear of the pin fall as well. Odd situation for sure.

Edit: Just saw it did this with a case in the chamber

 

[MCMXI]

Pulled the trigger an "click" but no bang. Did I seat a bullet in an empty brass? I grab the bolt handle and as I lift it BANG. Nothing wrong with the ammo, the rifle has a serious problem! I reload and pull the trigger, same click. Knowing what to expect I lift the bolt and Bang.
I then closed the bolt on an empty chamber and pull the trigger, the firing pin drops as it should. Load an empty brass and pull the trigger, same click, firing pin drops slightly, lift the bolt and it "fires".
Kimber's web site lists a bunch of serial numbers under recall, could not find this rifle on the list, obviously it should be.

Out of interest, did the bolt close fairly easily on your brass, either a loaded round or an empty case?

 

[mshootnit]

Personally, I would try to replicate what's going on with a resized case and no primer, then same with a spent primer, then same with a bullet seated appropriately and no powder. Should be able to hear the pin fall and watch the rear of the pin fall as well. Odd situation for sure.

Edit: Just saw it did this with a case in the chamber

We still don't know what it does with a case (loaded or empty) of known correct dimension, such as a new factory round. We don't know if the reloaded cases are truly being resized to original dimension. We do not know if the reloaded primers are proud.

 

[vintovka]

Recall link:https://www.kimberamerica.com/serial-84m

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

You just simply can't come on a public forum and appropriately claim that an entire line of rifles is unsafe without doing the above at a bare minimum.

Somebody could but nobody did.

Out of interest, did the bolt close fairly easily on your brass, either a loaded round or an empty case?

It felt normal to me.

We still don't know what it does with a case (loaded or empty) of known correct dimension, such as a new factory round. We don't know if the reloaded cases are truly being resized to original dimension. We do not know if the reloaded primers are proud.

I know.
Hypothetically speaking, how would a slightly out of dimension case with a proud primer cause a gun to fire on the bolt lift?

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Recall link:https://www.kimberamerica.com/serial-84m

That’s the list I found the serial number of the gun in question is not on it. Started with KW

 

[MCMXI]

That’s the list I found the serial number of the gun in question is not on it. Started with KW

You're talking about an 8400 WSM and that list is for the 84M ... a different model entirely ... so it's not surprise that you're friend's serial number isn't on it.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

You're talking about an 8400 WSM and that list is for the 84M ... a different model entirely ... so it's not surprise that you're friend's serial number isn't on it.

I just searched for recalls on any Kimber rifles. It won’t surprise me if the 8400s are on there soon.

 

[LoonWulf]

I just searched for recalls on any Kimber rifles. It won’t surprise me if the 8400s are on there soon.

Perhaps not, but i couldnt find any other post of the 8400s firing on bolt lift. It will be interesting to see if this is a late model manufacturing flaw, or a one off/rare issue, thats worth watching for.....which im inclined to believe it is.
Please keep us up-to-date if possible, im curious to see what Kimber says.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Perhaps not, but i couldnt find any other post of the 8400s firing on bolt lift. It will be interesting to see if this is a late model manufacturing flaw, or a one off/rare issue, thats worth watching for.....which im inclined to believe it is.
Please keep us up-to-date if possible, im curious to see what Kimber says.

I will, not sure how old the rifle is. My friend told me today that it has been about five years since he fired it. Last time he went antelope hunting.

 

[MCMXI]

I would like to see the rifle in question but one possibility is that the set screw on the underside of the cocking piece has backed out a bit. The set screw is there to prevent the firing pin from rotating relative to the cocking piece once it's set correctly. I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that the problem occurs when there's a case in the chamber, but doesn't on an empty chamber. I'm theorizing that with an empty chamber the bolt body is able to move enough when the trigger is pulled that the set screw isn't binding in the receiver. With a case in the chamber, which might be making contact with the bolt face, it's pushing the bolt lugs into the receiver which isn't allowing the bolt to move as freely during firing and the set screw is contacting the receiver and binding up the firing pin assembly. This is just a guess of course.

Regardless, @Fine Figure of a Man, it's borderline ridiculous to assume that this one problem, to which you don't have an explanation, is somehow representative of all 8400 models. I own seven Kimbers including three 8400s and have never had a mechanical problem with any of them.

 

[mshootnit]

Somebody could but nobody did.

It felt normal to me.

I know.
Hypothetically speaking, how would a slightly out of dimension case with a proud primer cause a gun to fire on the bolt lift?

Rather than spend time in pure conjecture, if I were in your shoes, I would begin to remove variables and isolate the problem. As stated, thoroughly strip and detail clean the bolt. Then the action and bore. Blow out and clean the trigger. Fire the rifle with factory ammunition such as federal Then see if you have a problem.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Rather than spend time in pure conjecture, if I were in your shoes, I would begin to remove variables and isolate the problem.

Done.
I returned the rifle to the owner. Explained and showed him what it was doing. He will be contacting Kimber, possibly has already.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Regardless, @Fine Figure of a Man, it's borderline ridiculous to assume that this one problem, to which you don't have an explanation, is somehow representative of all 8400 models.

I don't assume that.

 

[Steve S.]

As mentioned previously, I did note that the link is for the recall of the 84M model and not the 8400 as mentioned by the OP; I have an older 84M (circa 2006) - the starting serial # on the recall list was much higher than my rifle thus, no recall on my particular rifle. Thank you for the info as I was unaware of any 84M recall.

 

[Blackbeard 44]

might not be a mainstream way to diagnose, but I would take the bolt out and get a can of brake clean with a straw and spray some on the breech and get as much pressue and solvent into the firing pin cavity and blow it out with blow gun from an air compressor, if it is gunky the brake clean and air will clean it