Kimber BP 10 slide lock problem

[KimberA8]

I just developed a problem with my Kimber BP10. The slide does not lock back on an empty mag. It is only one mag, the others work ok. Any advice on how to fix the mag so the slide will lock back.

BTW - while I have your attention . . .

What length works best for SWC bullets [200 gr.] in a Kimber. I have irregular feed problems with mine. I tried 1.235 and got problems. Commercial round nose do not cause the problems so I set my swc bullets at 1.265 LOA same as the commercial, same problems. I am about to try 1.255. Would love some help on this so I don't keep doing the 'hunt and peck' solution.

[davidwiz]

I would suggest that you get your gun's feed ramp polished and the barrel throated, which should greatly help it to feed SWC bullets. Or, send it back to Kimber and have them fix it. When you say that it feeds "commercial" ammo, what kind? What type of bullets? I can't find a BP10 on Kimber's web site. Can you describe it in more detail?

On the magazine, it is the follower which engages the slide stop. It sounds like it is not comming up fully when the magazine in empty. Who made the magazine?

[KimberA8]

Thanks for the reply.

BP 10 is the polymer frame 10 rd 1911 - mine is in .45.

I am not sure what 'throated' means. By commercial I mean Winchester factory round nose bullets.

I will check the spring in the mag and the follower to see if it is not coming up all the way.

[davidwiz]

"Throating" is a process of polishing/reaming the chamber of the barrel to allow it to feed all types of bullets, not just ball. However, your Kimber should have had it done before it ever left the factory.

Another question, when the gun doesn't feed the SWC rounds, is the nose of the bullet getting caught on the feed ramp or in the chamber area of the barrel? Are the rounds coming up out of the magazine (are they parallel to the ground, or are the more nose up or down?) Sometimes a round will get fed out of the magazine, but doesn't make it into the barrel because either the breach face isn't angled properly, the breach face has a burr on it or the end of the case is getting caught in the extractor and can't slide up so that the back end of the case (where the primer is) doesn't sit flush with the breach face.

Have you tried JHP ammo in your gun? Have you tried another brand of ammo w/ SWC bullets? If yes, and your gun doesn't feed them 100%, but feeds ball (the commercial ammo you've been using) ammo 100%, then I would send the gun back to Kimber and let them fix it.

[KimberA8]

You have given me some really useful advice, something I can act on. Thanks alot. I believe the rounds are getting caught on the space between the ramp and the barrel, befor the base of the bullet reaches the breach face. I will check to see what the angle of the bullet looks like in the mag. I am also going to try a somewhat shorter bullet, and crimp it down to about .468 and see what happens.

I sent the gun to Kimber once with photos of the problem and all I got back was a shipping invoice with a note 'fired, no problems'. I was really disappointed. I thought Kimber had better customer support than that. Once I do the checks you suggest I may contact Kimber again [someone higher up] and see if they can help.

I really appreciate your help.

[froglegs]

Are these single stack mags? and besides the slide not locking back with the one mag what are the jams that you are having specifically? I had some jammin matches with both my custom II's now they run after trying everything I found a few things out

[KimberA8]

The mags are double stack.

I asked a local gunsmith to look at the problem and he believes the bullets coming up atdifferent angles [as they line up in the double stack mag] can cause feed problems. He throated the barrel [as the earlier post suggested] and the problem has gone away. He also polished the ramp and improved the fit between the ramp and the chamber mouth.

Before doing the throating work I tried different lengths [LOA] for the cartridges and did not get any significant improvement in feeding reliability. After the work it seems that any length will work. The 'throating' suggestion was really great.

The gun is working well now but I am still interested in the other things you found.

BTW - the gun I have Kimber now calls the Ten II High Capacity

[DogmaDog]

I have a Kimber Gold Match which I've never had problems with shooting LSWC bullets out of.

I load 200 gr. SWCs to 1.260" OAL, but have found 1.250" OAL works fine, also.

The two lengths you mentioned are at or close to the limits for .45 (I'd have to look it up to be sure) but something closer to the middle of the range should work OK. 1.255" sounds fine.

As far as the magazine, if you can't see anything specifically different when you compare it with a magazine that works, like the follower doesn't come up as high when the mag is empty, or the surface that engages the slide stop is worn, or something like that, then you can try swapping out followers and springs, and that way you can isolate the problem to one component--follower, tube, spring, whatever.

I had a problem with one of my STI mags--the follower would hang up and leave a loose column of bullets sitting there. I swapped the spring and follower with a different mag tube, and the problem just went away. I don't know why, but no longer care.

DogmaDog