Kimber 1911 10mm help

yournodaisy · January 17, 2021, 02:52 PM

Ok folks, Ive been out of the 1911 game for some time now. I just purchased a new Kimber TLE RL II 1911 Custom 10mm. Went to the range. Shooting Federal 180gr FMJ and Winchester Silvertips 175Gr. Every other shot the slide catch would halfway engage the slide locking it back. This would happen an average of four times out of an 8 round Kimber factory magazine. The gun is new, I did not strip and clean before shooting. I love the way this gun looks and shoots when it does. After the last shot, the slide catch fully locks in place and locks the slide back like it supposed to. What is causing the slide catch to halfway engage during shooting rendering it a single shot? My plan is to strip and clean, then try better mags like maybe Wilson Combat mags. I really want to keep this gun. Please tell me it's probably and magazine issue

Thanks for yalls help in advance.

Steve in Allentown, · January 17, 2021, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yournodaisy

Every other shot the slide catch would halfway engage the slide locking it back.

Step 1 is to shoot the pistol one-handed to determine if your support hand is bumping into the slide stop and lifting it while shooting.

If you continue to have premature lock-back, closely inspect the slide stop lug for copper smears indicating contact between it and the bullets. You can also remove the slide and slowly push a loaded magazine up into the mag well to see if there's contact between the lug and the bullets.

If there is contact, carefully file the lug at the spot where the contact is happening. The idea is to remove just enough metal to prevent the contact from happening. Be very careful not to remove too much or the slide stop won't lock the slide open after the last round.

Or, you can send the pistol back to Kimber and ask them to fix it for you.

rc · January 17, 2021, 03:04 PM

Had the same problem. Some ammo works and some doesn't as you described. I suspect I need a divit drilled to keep the slide stop down. I don't shoot it much.

RickB · January 17, 2021, 03:06 PM

I'd check the tip of the slide stop plunger; is it protruding from the plunger tube, and is it "springy", popping forward when depressed and released?

yournodaisy · January 17, 2021, 09:43 PM

Thanks for all the answers. Gonna try making sure my grips not affecting slide stop. Wish I had thought about one handed shooting before I left the range. 40 minute drive to range. Needed extra mags anyway so ordered Wilson Combat mags as well. We'll see what happens. Thanks again.

rc · January 17, 2021, 09:45 PM

I had the same issue with a Kahr and it drove me crazy till I got a new slide stop. Then it was good to go.

bamaranger · January 18, 2021, 12:53 AM

Premature slide lock is a common 1911 bug. In my experience, there are three common causes:
-shooter induced by bumping the slide lock lever externally in recoil
-nose of the projectile feeding up bumps the slide lock lever internally
-caused inertially by recoil and slide velocity effecting movement of the
slide lock lever

If you determine it is an ammo issue, changing projectile types MIGHT solve the problem of internal bump. It is a common practice to LIGHTLY dimple the face of the slide lock lever to address issues 2 & 3. There are also aftermarket slide lock levers made with a step machined in the face that will help to retain the lever against the plunger. It is also possible that your plunger is sticking (possible with a new gunked gun) or a weak plunger spring. I have also read about folks solving prelock by using recoil buffer or a heavier recoil spring to soften slide slap against the frame.

Road_Clam · January 19, 2021, 09:58 AM

I have the Kimber Target II LS in 10mm and its a flawless shooter now. I did have FTFs and FTEs when it was new. Kimbers tend to be very tight when new. The 10mms also come with very stiff mag springs. It took about 400 rounds before i started seeing better functioning consistiency. I also did a light polishing on all my guide rails with 600 emery and some oil. This helped quite a bit. Like others commented try shooting rh and lh and try resting your thumb on top of the slide lock lever and add downward pressure whil shooting to try to isolate the locking issue.

WESHOOT2 · January 20, 2021, 04:41 AM

check for bullet marks on the slide stop......

January 17, 2021, 02:52 PM	#1
yournodaisy Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2011 Location: Deep South Posts: 306	Kimber 1911 10mm help Ok folks, Ive been out of the 1911 game for some time now. I just purchased a new Kimber TLE RL II 1911 Custom 10mm. Went to the range. Shooting Federal 180gr FMJ and Winchester Silvertips 175Gr. Every other shot the slide catch would halfway engage the slide locking it back. This would happen an average of four times out of an 8 round Kimber factory magazine. The gun is new, I did not strip and clean before shooting. I love the way this gun looks and shoots when it does. After the last shot, the slide catch fully locks in place and locks the slide back like it supposed to. What is causing the slide catch to halfway engage during shooting rendering it a single shot? My plan is to strip and clean, then try better mags like maybe Wilson Combat mags. I really want to keep this gun. Please tell me it's probably and magazine issue Thanks for yalls help in advance.

January 17, 2021, 03:06 PM	#4
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	I'd check the tip of the slide stop plunger; is it protruding from the plunger tube, and is it "springy", popping forward when depressed and released? __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

January 18, 2021, 12:53 AM	#7
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,303	malady Premature slide lock is a common 1911 bug. In my experience, there are three common causes: -shooter induced by bumping the slide lock lever externally in recoil -nose of the projectile feeding up bumps the slide lock lever internally -caused inertially by recoil and slide velocity effecting movement of the slide lock lever If you determine it is an ammo issue, changing projectile types MIGHT solve the problem of internal bump. It is a common practice to LIGHTLY dimple the face of the slide lock lever to address issues 2 & 3. There are also aftermarket slide lock levers made with a step machined in the face that will help to retain the lever against the plunger. It is also possible that your plunger is sticking (possible with a new gunked gun) or a weak plunger spring. I have also read about folks solving prelock by using recoil buffer or a heavier recoil spring to soften slide slap against the frame.

January 19, 2021, 09:58 AM	#8
Road_Clam Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 1,695	I have the Kimber Target II LS in 10mm and its a flawless shooter now. I did have FTFs and FTEs when it was new. Kimbers tend to be very tight when new. The 10mms also come with very stiff mag springs. It took about 400 rounds before i started seeing better functioning consistiency. I also did a light polishing on all my guide rails with 600 emery and some oil. This helped quite a bit. Like others commented try shooting rh and lh and try resting your thumb on top of the slide lock lever and add downward pressure whil shooting to try to isolate the locking issue. __________________ "To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid"

January 20, 2021, 04:41 AM	#9
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	check for bullet marks on the slide stop...... __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

January 17, 2021, 03:04 PM	#3
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,765	Had the same problem. Some ammo works and some doesn't as you described. I suspect I need a divit drilled to keep the slide stop down. I don't shoot it much.

January 17, 2021, 09:43 PM	#5
yournodaisy Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2011 Location: Deep South Posts: 306	Thanks for all the answers. Gonna try making sure my grips not affecting slide stop. Wish I had thought about one handed shooting before I left the range. 40 minute drive to range. Needed extra mags anyway so ordered Wilson Combat mags as well. We'll see what happens. Thanks again.

January 17, 2021, 09:45 PM	#6
rc Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2001 Location: CA Posts: 1,765	I had the same issue with a Kahr and it drove me crazy till I got a new slide stop. Then it was good to go.