How many rounds break-in for 1911 Pistol?

[Don Morgan]

Kimbers are known for this problem of feeding ammunition, I shot a couple of them and was very disappointed in their feeding problems. I already own several Colt 1911 A1's, and Gold Cups and wanted another style of 45 ACP. So I purchased another real 1911 A1 by Springfield.

Don

[This message has been edited by Don Morgan (edited June 04, 1999).]

 

[Keith Rogan]

Don,

I haven't heard of any Kimber feeding problems other than the well-known issue with semi-wadcutters. I own two and have shot and talked to owners of many others and none of them had any problems.
Not a one of them had any "break-in" malfunctions either, though I expect such problems with any gun.
My shooting partner owns two Springfields (a "wide-body" and a compact) and both of them are good shooters but neither of them approach my Kimber in accuracy and neither of them will feed cast bullets (we had gone in together on a purchase of ten thousand cast round noses).
I don't think thats a big issue, one can just avoid the ammo the gun doesn't like, but it does point out that different guns have different preferences and you should choose plinking ammo based on what works well.
If we were talking self-defense - say a gun wouldn't feed Hydra-Shocks - THAT would be a concern.
I don't shoot Bullseye, so I don't care if Kimbers don't feed semi-wadcutters - I didn't buy the gun as a target pistol.


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Keith
The Bears and Bear Maulings Page: members.xoom.com/keithrogan

 

[BigG]

I reread the thread today, and my 1911-type firearms continue to be Gummint Model COLTs. BTW, isn't "Gummint Model" a trademark of COLT? I notice some of y'all calling SA and other wanna bes "Gummint Models." I know SA copyrighted the 1911A1 name which caused COLT to call their cheapie 1991A1.

Be not deceived, SA is not the original Springfield Armory, which did produce the GI .45, to its eternal credit and glory. The 1911A1 built by the current pretender is not in the same league with the COLT Gummint Model (or a GI .45 with its hokey plastic grips). I suspect that the Gunsite Service Pistol (GSP) is not endorsed by Orange Gunsite and the redoubtable Colonel Cooper, but is a fraud perpetrated by the current Gunsite. Correct me if I'm wrong.

To prove I am not against SA totally, I do have an M1A from SA and like it. Don't think its worth $12-1300 though. My AR15s and Dragunov are more than a match for it.

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Yankee Doodle

 

[12-34hom]

Bought a PARA-ORDANNCE P-14 "limited" and shot 400 rounds thru this weapon with one failure to feed. That was one the first clip i ran thru the gun. Since then no problems. gun i very accurate, and reliable. As far a breaking in a 1911 style pistol so what. I also have an H&K usp in 45acp and had several failure to feed on that weapon. [all related to follower problems]. I would run 300+ rounds thru a 1911 style pistol and call it good as far as a break in period.

 

[BigG]

One other thing; I agree your pistol should be function checked with the ammo you intend to carry. That is a whole different issue from having to break-in a weapon.

If one magazine won't "break it in", I don't need the gun.

However, you should fire a box or two of your duty ammo to make sure it functions every time.

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Yankee Doodle

 

[JerryM]

I agree with Jim and BigG. I believe that they should be reliable out of the box-after cleaning and lubricating of course. I have two Kimbers and had feed problems with both. I sent them back and in time one got corrected and I ended sending the compact to Clark for reliability work. Seems to be ok now. We seem to have gotten used to shoddy work in this nation,and therefore just expect it. I pay good money and expect a good product. If you consider that most people recomment at least 200 rounds of the ammo you plan to use them you have a considerable ammo bill just to see if it works. Let's see at 12.00 for a box of 20 you have spent 120.00 for ammo. If it malfunctions then you need to fire many more. I don't think we should have to do that. The gun writers don't help much as they excuse most malfunctions and still give the guns a high rating. I have an old GI Rem Rand I paid 12.00 plus S&H for thru the DCM in 1960 and it never malfunctions with anything. Why can't Kimber and others do the same? I recognize that the tighter the tolerances the more likely you will have problems, but I think this should be factored in and we should get reliable guns out of the box. The thought that you can't have reliability with accuracy is pretty well shot down with the FBI gun by Springfield. The price puts most of us out of that gun, however. Send the Kimber back and try to get them to fix it. They are nice folks and will make a good try. Good luck. Jerry