[SeaRider]

Went to the range today for couple hours practicing and experienced first problem with my Kimber Compact that never did it before, please bear with me because I don't think I'm using the correct term for this problem.

After fire couple shots, the slide stuck what seems to be "over travel" to the back and jammed, I can see the grip safety plunger when looking at the chamber and the rear of the new round, I have to give it a good bump on the back of slide to free it up, after racking up the slide couple times, it's working ok until little more than 50 rounds fired thru, then it's happen again, I did put some oil in it thru the chamber openning, but doesn't seem like it's helps any.

Got home and take a quick look, with the gun empty and no mag, if I rack the slide harder than normal, I can duplicate the problem of "over-traveling". Is it the sign of weak recoil springs ?.

Second problem. After the slide stuck and being frees up by hitting on the back of slide, when the gun is empty and slide locked back, after insert new mag, I was unable to chamber a round by using normal "sling shot" method, the slide is hard to pull back, I have to use the slide release level to chamber around, it happen to all 6 mags (2 Kimber, 2 Wilson, 2 metalform all 7 rounders) when it's acting up, about 30% of the time of 250 rounds of WWB.

It's my primary CCW but right now my glock is taking that spot until I get my Kimber fix. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[HighVelocity]

Sounds like a part might actually be broken. Did you take the gun apart?

 

[PghJim]

If you cannot "sling shot" it, something is wrong when the slide tries to go full open, but you know that. This is not normal, and I looked a my compact and cannot see anything that might cause that. Take the recoil spring assembly out of the gun, put it back together and see if you can pull the slide back far enough the the slide stop comes out of the notch. There is no spring to really hold it in the notch, but you can see if you are pulling it back far enough. If you can, then there is something wrong with the the recoil spring, rod or plug. If you still cannot pull it back far enough, look at the areas where the slide may touch the frame when the slide is full open. In any event you should not rely on this gun until you figure it out. Take it to a smith if cannot find the problem.

 

[SeaRider]

Up date.

Took a gun apart and found couple problems, all are owner responsibility of equipment's maintainance.

The recoil spring was an inch shorter than the new one from Kimber spring tune up kit, I lost track of when was the last time I replaced one (this's a 5th recoil spring replacement). It was pretty bad shape, couldn't stands up on it own and was kinda "wraps" around the plug and cause minor damage to the plug, filed up the plug's edges and smooth it out with some sandpaper.

The upper frame was so filthy and this's my fault as I was sanding and polishing the slide (slide off) and did not wash it down real good, all the junks from sandpaper ended up on top and around the rails, I still can feel all the roughness between my fingers.

All back together with new springs and lubed, the slide works much better, and I could not be able to duplicate the problem of "over-traveling" any more, the slide won't goes back that far, sling shot works, chamber a round without any problem, everything look and feel good.

The only thing left to do is go back to the range, will report back some time today.

 

[SeaRider]

Good news.

Went back to the range today and put 300 rounds thru it without a problem, I guess the new recoil spring fix it. Look like my glock may have to go back to the safe for now.