Kimber Break-in Period

[lnlreloader]

Heck you should shoot a few hundred rounds through any gun you get that is new to you just to get used to it.

There is a difference in shooting for fun, or shooting to get familiar with your carry piece, versus shooting to smooth out problems that should have never been there to begin with.

You really can't have much fun, or do any realistic defenese practice, if you are having to stop every mag and unjam your gun.

 

[NavyGunNut]

Just to play devil's advocate--why do you even need to fire it to break it in? Why can't I just rack the slide 500 times and get nearly the same result? It's the same metal-on-metal movement (although with less force) that firing would create.

 

[raskolnikov_22]

You really can't have much fun, or do any realistic defenese practice, if you are having to stop every mag and unjam your gun.

He said it jammed twice in 100 rounds, which is one magazine out of seven.

 

[TIMC]

Just to play devil's advocate--why do you even need to fire it to break it in? Why can't I just rack the slide 500 times and get nearly the same result? It's the same metal-on-metal movement (although with less force) that firing would create.

I agree! Not neccessarily racking the slide 500 times but I do recommend a good cleaning and I also work the action about 100 times on all semi-autos. I have a half dozen 1911's from several manufacturers all have done very well for me because of the initial time I spend with them making sure they are cleaned, lubed and the actions worked. I think most people that do have problems with any new gun do not take the time to get them ready first.

I will agree my latest kimber was tight when I took it out of the box, no metal shavings, burrs or shoddy workmanship, just tight. You will find this on a lot of upper end guns especially guns with match grade barrels and bushings. I found the same on my limited edition S&W 1911.

After my initial cleaning, lubrication and function testing the new Pro Raptor II I bought a few weeks ago she was operating very smooth before I hit the range and I had no issues with the gun when I did shoot it the first time.

I expect no gun to function perfectly out of the box because all are supposed to be torn down cleaned and lubed first. Anyone does not think so is sadly mistaken and should not complain if it performs less than perfect.

 

[krs]

In defense of Kimber I used to have to break in a new pair of boots.

A pistol is to a tractor as a boot is to an ATV.

I think I'm getting it, but it's hard...

 

[AK103K]

Just to play devil's advocate--why do you even need to fire it to break it in?

Realistically, your just going to have to shoot it til it works or to a point you cant take it any more and get rid of it.

The more you shoot it and troubleshoot it, the more it costs, and you have to add your time and aggravation into that mix as well.

If you like the gun, it will probably be a longer process.

If it takes 500 rounds to break it in, how many more rounds does it take to prove its truly broke in? Another 500?

What your going through is one of the reasons I no longer buy or carry 1911's. I got tired of fiddling with them.

This is what my UC looked like.....


It sure was pretty, and it was a shooter, accuracy wise, if only it had been reliable.

This old nasty looking thing on the other hand, has been 110% reliable over its fairly long, hard life, and is still so to this day. Then again, it was built to the original specs, buy the original maker. It rattles when shook, and has none of the add ons deemed to be "necessary". Other than an occasional bad reload here and there, its never missed a beat, right out of the box.


If you want an accurate and reliable "small" .45 with none of the small 1911 issues, look in this direction.....

 

[cyclopsshooter]

the fail to feed in your first 100 rounds is probably from limp wristing the firearm. a semiauto needs a firm grip to work properly

 

[DanielW]

My Kimber had some issues in the first 200 rounds (about 10 FTFs) Since then I have put over a thousand rounds through it without a single issue.

 

[Ken Rainey]

JDGray hit on it yesterday....remove your slide assembly and then put the slide stop back in it's place, now take a loaded magazine and insert it watching to see if the bullet noses touch the slide stop's shelf...if it does then sand the spot where it touched until it just won't touch no more....some bullet nose profiles get closer than others, I decided to run 230 FMJs for defensive use in my short stroker so that's the nose profile I made sure works. Next, and/or, make sure either of your thumbs aren't flopping around under the slide stop during firing. Also, sometimes, the slide stop hasn't got the right angle on it's end for the spring loaded pin to keep it in place and that may also need a little attention...this isn't likely the problem since it only happened twice in a hundred rds...but.....

Then again, you could call or email Dennis at Kimber and tell him your problems and he'd likely send you a new slide stop to try, but like JDGray's, it may still need a little attention ... ...

 

[huckster]

Just racking the slide 500 times?

Aren't there more forces in action with a live round going off?

 

[JDGray]

but like JDGray's, it may still need a little attention

My slide lock issue never showed its face, untill I let a buddy shoot it, with factory ammo. Durring the 500rd "Break in" period, all I shot were my target handloads, that maybe hit 700fps. The gun ran 100% for 300rds. Fast forward to my buddy shooting it, the slide locked back on a partial full mag, every mag. I recieved my replacement stop from Kimber, loaded some hotter ammo, replicated the issue on the first mag. This is loading 230gr Zero FMJ, which has a very round profile. Well I started taking off material from the nose of the original stop till the issue was gone. The problem never happens with carry ammo, but once in a blue moon with round ball, it will still lock back. I have since, removed so much from the stop, that a bullet nose could never contact it, but I lost my last round hold open feature. Range shooting, I install the new unmodified stop, and the gun works as designed, but with slightly down powered ammo.

To check the OPs weapon, I would remove the slide, reinstall the lock pin, load one round in the mag, insert the mag, but before it locks in, slide the round forward untill it contacts the frame, now pop the mag home. If it doesn't hit the stop, he's probably good to go, if it hits, call Kimber and use that warranty.

I dont carry a spare mag, so I could care less if I have last round hold open. You gotta draw the line somewhere on how much equipment your gonna carry, and 8rds is enough to give me peace of mind

 

[NavyGunNut]

To check the OPs weapon, I would remove the slide, reinstall the lock pin, load one round in the mag, insert the mag, but before it locks in, slide the round forward untill it contacts the frame, now pop the mag home. If it doesn't hit the stop, he's probably good to go, if it hits, call Kimber and use that warranty.

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a try!

 

[Drail]

If it doesn't function perfectly on the first 10 magazines shooting it more isn't going to "fix" it. Breaking in a mechanism smooths the rough surfaces. It has nothing to do with whether it works or not. If a new engine (poor analogy BTW) seizes up in the first hundred miles driving it another 100 miles is not going to "help it".

 

[hillbillydelux]

I must agree with drail. The particular problem your having has nothing to do with "break in". There will be some instances when breaking in a gun could help. This isn't one of them. Could be bad alignment of mag&mag well causing the bullet in the mag to contact the stop. Insert a loaded mag into the gun with the slide open and see what the clearance is like while wiggling the magazine. If it touches the slide stop at any point this is the problem. Also just wanted to put my 2cents in on just racking the slide. A fired round will exert different pressures from different angles along the slide than you would with your hand. You could actually cause more problems by repeated racking of the slide, different wear patterns etc... And why would you want to sit there and rack the slide 500 times (ouch!!)
Hope this helps.

 

[JDGray]

Just got back from the range, put 100rds through my UCII, the Kimber mag seems to be the issue! It locked back 3 times on me, 1 time every reload, usually 1st or second shot out of the mag. Never had one issue with my Wilson mag, shooting the same carry ammo. I even installed the filed down stop that no longer holds open on the last shot with the kimber mag, it holds open with the Wilson. I'd try another mag, it just may fix your gun! The Kimber mag works with the modified stop, but I must just be masking the real problem of an out of spec mag.

 

[BigGuy52]

My Kmber Raptor has had about 500 rounds through it.

I remember only two jambs, both with Wolf FMJ ammo.

I blame the ammo, not the gun.

Winchester FMJ work flawless.

 

[NavyGunNut]

I

remember only two jambs, both with Wolf FMJ ammo.

I blame the ammo, not the gun.

Unfortunately, Wolf .45 is all I could find in town. Nothing at Dicks, nothing at Wal-Mart, nothing at any of the other gun stores. Just Wolf. I still have some American Eagle brass .45 that I'm saving for a special occasion, maybe this is the time to test it out.

I'd try another mag, it just may fix your gun! The Kimber mag works with the modified stop, but I must just be masking the real problem of an out of spec mag.

I'll try to swap in some of the mags from my Springer and see if the problem goes away.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Here is the algorithm that Kimber Customer Service uses when a customer calls in with a Kimber Jam-O-Matic:

1. Tell customer to break gun in with 500 rounds of ammo.

2. If problem persists, accuse customer of limp wristing, and tell them to have someone else shoot it.

3. When customer calls back after someone else has shot it (with the same problem), tell them they can ship it back to factory.

4. When gun arrives, hold it in repair shop for 2 weeks. Then ship back to owner.

5. When owner calls back saying the gun has the same problem, start over at step 1.

 

[Dobe]

I'm not in the camp that sides with the idea of break-in up to 500 rds.

I concur. I don't understand the idea of a "break-in" period. It is one thing to proof your handgun for CC, but a break in denotes poor quality control.

 

[Ken Rainey]

Yep, might want to try different ammo - never tried Wolf ammo before but have heard of a lot of folks using it in Glocks without problems, but Glocks generally work with just about anything.

Check to make sure that whatever rds you are going to use will work with your slide stop before taking them to the range.

What does your factory mag look like? My factory mag had a split level flat top follower and would work (spring still strong) but I replaced the follower with a GI type dimpled one for more stability which made it a 6 rd mag. The newer factory mag I ordered for it has a skirted follower - I presume to eliminate the dipping forward which was dinging up the aluminum framed pistols ramps - it works fine also, however, I only load it with 6 rds max. I ordered two stainless steel Springfield Armory 6 rd mags for it and for some unknown reason SA decided to move the dimple to the rear on the follower??? Anyway, they now work after a little polishing of the forward edges on the followers but one of them was sending the last rd empty toward my head if it made it out at all...a little more reshaping of the edge of the follower seemed to have fixed that but I've since come up with another GI follower with the dimple in the right place to replace it with....keeping a strong spring in the mag to get the rounds up fast enough for that quicker, shorter traveling slide is a must. Oh, I also fitted an EGW firing pin stop to stop my extractor from clocking and to help with that faster timing as well...