[Abunai]

I just got my new Tactical Pro II back from the factory. Out of the box, during the first 200 rounds it was having trouble feeding the first round of a new magazine, FTF, throwing brass at my head, etc. So I sent it back. Factory rec'd it on January 22, and I got it back today, Feb 1. Pretty speedy, considering they had to ship to the West Coast. They did a bunch of stuff - extractor, ejector, slide stop, throat & polish, etc.

Took it to the range and fired 125 rounds - when I used the OEM Kimber 7 round magazine, it worked flawlessly with hardball and Federal Hydra Shoks. It shot amazing groups out to 25 yards.

But with my five Wilson mags, it still had difficulty feeding the first round from a full magazine - once the first round was chambered correctly, the remaining 7 rounds fed perfectly. The Wilson mags are at least 10 years old and have fed thousands of rounds, but still work in my Colts just fine. Could it be that the mags are wearing out? Not enough power left in the mag springs to drive the first cartridge up in a still tight/new pistol?

 

[Tomcatt]

I have 5 Kimbers and 2 of them hate Wilson mags. They work fine in the other 3. They also work fine in my Colt's and S&W's.
Tomcatt

 

[Abunai]

When you say they didn't like Wilson mags, was it a general FTF or the same kind of first cartridge in the magazine thing like I'm experiencing?

 

[PSP7304]

Try the Kimber Pro Tac mags. I have two of them for my TLE II and they work great. Its too bad that Kimber doesn't include the Pro Tac mags with a new pistol.

 

[dbritton60]

I'm breaking in my first Kimber, a Desert Warrior. I have 400 rounds
through it.

The First 200 rds were with the Kimber supplied mag. The 200 rounds were shot on two separate occasions, each having 1 FTF.

I purchased some Wilson 47D mags and in the last 200 rounds, things have been getting worse. I shot about 30 rounds outside and had 4 FTFs.

I shot 85 rds with mixed mags and had 3 FTF, 2 on initial rack (I think on the Wilsons)

I shot 75 rds with the Wilsons only, 2 FTFs, 1 stove pipe and one where the
slide release locked the slide with rounds in the mag.

I"m going to the range today and only going the shoot the Kimber mag.

I think I need to stay with the Kimber mags until the gun is "broken in" and
operating reliably. Logic, use what was designed to work with the gun and see if it gets better.

David

 

[P-51 Bullitt]

I would suggest that all of you having problems with any mags and FTF on first round should consider buying a Wolff XD (heavier) recoil spring.

 

[DANCESWITHGUNS]

Usually weak mag springs fail to lock the slide open, have feeding problems with the last 1 or 2 rnds. A full mag has more upward spring tension than one that's nearly empty, I doubt it's the spring affecting the first rnd. When you let the slide go foward do you use the slide stop or pull the slide and release? I'm guessing you're using the slide stop, try the "sling shot" method till your Kimber is nice and broken in (many prefer it as I ). The problem using the slide stop is that the slide isn't totally to the rear wich doesn't compress the recoil spring enough to generate the velocity needed drive the first rnd of a newer "tight" gun. Hope I helped, let us know how ya made out-good luck.

 

[Tomcatt]

When you say they didn't like Wilson mags, was it a general FTF or the same kind of first cartridge in the magazine thing like I'm experiencing?

It was just general FTF's. Would happen anytime during firing. Maybe your mag should just be loaded with 7rds. Your pistol may just have the thing for seven round mags.
Tomcatt

 

[Abunai]

Thanks to all for the advice. I just placed an order with Wolff for the recoil spring and Wilson mag springs.

As far as slingshot vs. slide stop, I tried both. Slide stop does seem to work better, but not 100%.

Guess I'll wait for a week or so for the new springs, fire a couple hundred more rounds of hardball )) and see how it goes then. I've got to say, i love the way this thing shoots. . . I'm pretty confident this issue will work out.

 

[dbritton60]

shot another 100 rounds today with the original Kimber mag. I had 4 FTFs.

2 were on the 1st round. I was using the slide stop to load.
danceswithguns suggests using the sling shot until the gun gets broken
in more. (my thought was that the gun was designed with the slide
stop, thus it should work with it). In any event, I'll see what happens
with the sling shot for now.

1 FTF, the slide stop just caught the slide. This is the second time I
saw this. ANY IDEAS AS TO WHATS HAPPENING HERE?

The last FTF, my buddy was shooting. I'm starting to think that he
is more likely to get a FTF than I. I've seen some posts about limp
wristing and that it is unlikely with a 1911.

Regards,
David

 

[Abunai]

Looks like the problem's resolved. I installed the Wolff XP mainspring and mag springs and just for grins replaced the stock slide release then took the pistol back out to the range. The new mainspring seemed to smooth out the recoil a bit, and I seemed to be getting faster second shots. No FTF at all through 50 rounds of Hydrashok, 50 rounds of ball, 20 rounds of 200 grain speer, and 50 rounds of Tactical HST. Very smooth rapid fire on target. 1" groups offhand at 25 yards.

Life is good.

 

[AZ Husker]

I assume you mean the recoil spring. The main spring is in the rear of the grip.

 

[Abunai]

My bad. Recoil spring it was.

 

[dbritton60]

Slide Stop Catching

I called Kimber about the slide stop catching. They send me a replacement slide stop. I Just came back from the range and the warrior functioned flawlessly.

I'll put a few hundred rounds through her in the next week or saw and hopefully this issue is solved.

Life is good!

 

[ProCDP_II]

I called Kimber about the slide stop catching. They send me a replacement slide stop. I Just came back from the range and the warrior functioned flawlessly.

I'll put a few hundred rounds through her in the next week or saw and hopefully this issue is solved.

Life is good!

Same here. I was getting premature slide lock w/rounds still in the magazine (gun is just a few weeks old). I called Kimber this morning and they said I should have it tomorrow or the next day (I live less than 1 hr from the factory). They said they had a 'redesigned' slide lock that should solve the issue no problem.

I'll report the update once I get it installed and tested.