Kimber Solved

[Shaun]

Just thought id share this story. Fun trip to the range today, fun in that i figured out what was wrong with my Kimber, absolutely nothing. The past couple months, every time i took my kimber to the range it would act up, specifically, the slide would lock open after each shot. So off to the range i went with it again, hoping id solve the riddle, brought some other toys too, just incase it was a bust. Unrelated to this problem, and just for fun my buddy and i set up a camera on a tripod and took video of us shooting. As i was shooting my Eclipse Pro, the slide started to lock open after each shot, so i had my friend shoot it, and it operated just fine. I watched the video on the digital camera and noticed he had a different grip than i did, he wrapped his thumbs whereas i shoot both thumbs forward with a semi auto. I then saw that the thumb on my support hand was touching the slide stop ever so slightly, causing the slide stop to push up and lock the slide open on recoil. I never noticed until i watched the video that this was the reason that the slide was locking open and i was ready to take the gun to a smith. A quick grip adjustment (angle my left thumb out a skosh) and the gun was operating perfectly for me. All smiles.

In case you care here was the line up.

 

[radom]

Thats why one school of thought advises having the trigger hand thumb end locked under the off hand thumb. You shoot revolvers a lot you tend to forget things like that too.

 

[TLE II]

I'm glad to hear that you figured out what the problem was.
Have you had this problem with other 1911's or is it specific to when you shoot this one? Do you have the same problem with other pistol types - Glock, Sig, HK, etc?

 

[red-rider]

I do the opposite with my SIG226. I shoot with the "straight thumbs" on a 1911-no problems; straight thumbs on a SIG, however I will inadvertantly hold the slide release down and get an empty chamber after the mag is empty. Enjoy your Kimber now, Ive got three and couldnt be happier!

 

[Shaun]

TLE, funny enough when i shot that SW40 pictured above it happened (first time i shot that). but it has never happened with a glock or my HK USP40c. The only other 1911 ive shot on a regular basis is the 1991 Pictured above, that has a Wilson Extended slide stop and it has never locked open either. The slide stop on the kimber seems overly sensitive to any pressure on it, even off the pad itself. Like i said i was just relieved i figured out what was wrong.

Sidenote: If you plan on doing video of yourself shooting, get a tripod and set it up at 11 o'clock to the shooter, hit record, walk away and then let them blast. It gets great angles on the shots, and its like your own little action movie since youre shooting just to the right of the camera itself. (not recommended if you think you might miss horribly and hit the camera/tripod).