[Arrowman]

Check your firing pin stops. My Pro-carry and I went to the range this morning, upon return, proceeded to do the usual detail strip and cleaning (200 rounds today.)

My MIM FP stop is cracked from the hole thru to the ejector notch. This stop has less than 500 rounds, and probably 2000 dry fires.

Kimber is sending me another one gratis, but I went and ordered a 'bullet-proof' stop anyway... If the one from Kimber is also MIM, I'll just keep it in the wallet as a spare.

My digital camera doesn't have a macro setting, so I can't post a pic, but it's bad, you can see daylight through the crack.

Looks like I'm stuck carrying the G30 until my parts get here... It's odd how the one part that breaks is the one you forget to get spares for.. (I have spares of everything BUT the stop... just my luck.)

Someone once told me the fp stop was the part most likely to fail on a 1911, I guess I should have heeded that warning.

Safe shooting,

Pat

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[Guest]

One of mine has 30,000 + rounds and gawd knows how much dry fire. No cracks!

[This message has been edited by Jerry (edited 10-25-2001).]

 

[shane45-1911]

Every range bag should have a spare fitted FP stop.

 

[dla]

Funny, my Pro Carry did the same thing and that was 2K rounds ago. I never did get around to replacing that FP stop. It has a single, radial crack on one side. I suppose one of these days it will launch the firing pin at me, but no other cracks appeared and the existing crack hasn't worsened.

Oh well

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Have a great day!

 

[FirearmsPlus.FL]

Originally posted by shane45-1911:
Every range bag should have a spare fitted FP stop.

Bah, buy a spare gun to use for parts, then you'll have at least one of everything...

 

[mcgrubbs]

Well said FPFL

 

[Dan in Alaska]

FPFL, will this logic work on my wife? But honey, they're only spares!

 

[Yo]

Happened to my SW1911

I have a SW1911 with about 500 rounds through it, and maybe an equal number of dry fires.

Just noticed today the firing pin stop is cracked at the ejector cut out (8 o'clock) to the center hole. I'm pretty sure this happened within the last 70 rounds or so.

Anybody know if the Ed Brown or Wilson Bullet Proof firing pin block will fit in the SW1911 frame?

 

[MDC85]

im a newbie here and to 1911s (got a Kimber Custom Target II for my 18th birthday), but why do you fellas dry fire so much?

 

[BrianMajors]

Dry firing is primarily used to practice good trigger control, without shooting up lots of ammo. It also helps to identify and eliminate flinching or jerking the trigger. Hope this helps.

 

[t-tac]

Ah, the Kimber Quality control people hard at work!
Wake up people! Kimber has had more broken parts problem than any other brand on this forum!:barf:

 

[FirearmsPlus.FL]

Re: Happened to my SW1911

I have a SW1911 with about 500 rounds through it, and maybe an equal number of dry fires.

Just noticed today the firing pin stop is cracked at the ejector cut out (8 o'clock) to the center hole. I'm pretty sure this happened within the last 70 rounds or so.

Anybody know if the Ed Brown or Wilson Bullet Proof firing pin block will fit in the SW1911 frame?

I would say yes, but no way to be sure without trying it, the extractor placement could make a difference.

S&W will surely send you another, and you could also ask in the Dan Wesson forum, since they have guns that use the same e3xtractor style, just to make sure it's a "normal" firing pin stop.

 

[REDDAWN]

Ah, the Kimber Quality control people hard at work!
Wake up people! Kimber has had more broken parts problem than any other brand on this forum!:barf:

MAYBE you need to wake up. THREE parts you ALWAYS carry. REGARDLESS to who made the gun. 1. Slide stop 2. firing pin stop 3. Extractor. Hang around you'll learn something...

 

[Marvin Martian]

Ah, the Kimber Quality control people hard at work!
Wake up people! Kimber has had more broken parts problem than any other brand on this forum!:barf:

Kimber also sells more pistols than any other brand on this forum.

mm

 

[NJKimberSS]

Ah, the Kimber Quality control people hard at work!
Wake up people! Kimber has had more broken parts problem than any other brand on this forum!:barf:

yea dont mean much since they also sell considerably more guns...oh yea...2 words...PROVE IT...remember people post only when there are problems...never when the gun is perfect...

 

[vapors750]

Kimber also sells more pistols than any other brand on this forum.

mm

Not by a statistically significant amount...only slightly more according to BATF records for 2001. You can check the numbers yourself at...AFMER. It will be interesting to see how the numbers for 2002 come out. My personal feeling...Kimber will slip more with Springfield and Colt (expecially) picking up ground if not surpassing Kimber.

For what its worth....FP stop cracks are common in 1911's...I've been through about 3 now on my Springfield...the original cracked...then an Ed Brown cracked....next the EGW cracked (it lasted the longest)...I've got another EGW that seems to be working now.

 

[DHart]

I carry at least four spares of every part to the range... that would be at least five different 1911's. If something stops working, grab another gun and keep on truckin'. I agree with the earlier poster who feels that the best way to store and carry spare parts is in another gun! (or two or three...) :biglaugh:

BTW, I love Kimber pre-series II guns, but gotta say that all the MIM they use really bothers me. They make a great bare bones gun, then mess it up with all the MIM parts. That's too bad. MIM parts fail far more than machined parts do, even more than cast parts do. I know that a top quality, perfectly made MIM part can perform quite satisfactorily. But you have no idea if the MIM parts in your gun are all made flawlessly unless and until one unexpectedly breaks on you. Of course, chances are you'll be ok with MIM, but why increase the odds of failure in a product you trust your life to if you don't have to?

No 1911 builder selects MIM parts over machined or cast parts because they're better (they're not)... they choose them to put in your gun because that improves profitability (MIM parts are cheaper).

Ultimately, I will replace all the MIM in my beloved Kimbers. But that will be a little costly to do. These days, the best production guns with the least MIM is Colt. The only MIM in today's Colts are the sear, disconnector, and magazine catch. Replace the first two with "best-grade" machined parts and you've got a reliable pistol with great quality components. I can live with an MIM magazine catch. Come on Kimber... give us a miracle! Lose Schwartz and ditch MIM. (OK, raise prices a little if you have to!)

 

[NJKimberSS]

No 1911 builder selects MIM parts over machined or cast parts because they're better (they're not)... they choose them to put in your gun because that improves profitability (MIM parts are cheaper).

im pretty sure its been said a dozen times...MIM is harder than cast...

 

[AZ Husker]

Pretzels are harder than jerky. Pretzels break easier than jerky. Both are good with a cold beer.

 

[JimC]

MIM is harder than cast...

Harder is NOT always stronger.