Need Feedback on A 1911 Problem

[Mark 1911]

I went to the range today with the intention of shooting my EDC, my Kimber Pro TLE II.

I've not had any problems with this gun in a long time. The last time I fired it was in Minnesota about a year ago when I had to take a class to renew my Minnesota permit. After the class I cleaned it, and have carried it A LOT since then, but haven't shot it since.

Today at the range it wouldn't fire. More than a little disconcerting seeing as how I've been carrying it for nearly a year since I last shot it. This would have been a bad situation had I ever needed it.

I removed the slide, depressed the plunger for the grip safety, and the firing pin moves freely as it should. I removed the firing pin and extractor and could not see any problems, everything seems to be working fine, looks clean and well lubricated.

Then I reassembled the slide, and with the slide on the frame and hammer cocked, I tried to depress the firing pin while squeezing the grip safety. The firing pin would move, but I wouldn't say freely, it had some resistance, likely enough to cause a FTF. It was as if the plunger for the firing pin block safety had not totally cleared the firing pin inside the frame.

I think this is a common problem, but wanted to see if anyone here agrees. I suspect I may have sheared the tip of the push rod, the part in the frame that pushes up on the plunger in the slide for the block safety, or it's just worn to the point where it needs to be replaced.

It looks like this:

Any opinions?

 

[churchmouse]

Possible.

What you describe leans this way. But with out actually seeing the gun it is hard to say.

On my personal 1911's that are the 80 series (:noob I remove this part of the ignition controls. It is just an un-needed/wanted drag on the trigger. I keep the pieces and return them to as built if the guns leave my possession but I really do avoid this style gun if I can.

 

[Mark 1911]

Possible.

What you describe leans this way. But with out actually seeing the gun it is hard to say.

On my personal 1911's that are the 80 series (:noob I remove this part of the ignition controls. It is just an un-needed/wanted drag on the trigger. I keep the pieces and return them to as built if the guns leave my possession but I really do avoid this style gun if I can.

I am assuming that you would also have to remove the firing pin block from from the slide too, if you remove the push rod. But what keeps the extractor in the slide if you remove the firing pin block?

And I agree with you, any future 1911s for me will be the Series 70 style.

 

[drillsgt]

I am assuming that you would also have to remove the firing pin block from from the slide too, if you remove the push rod. But what keeps the extractor in the slide if you remove the firing pin block?

And I agree with you, any future 1911s for me will be the Series 70 style.

The firing pin stop keeps the extractor in place.

 

[churchmouse]

I am assuming that you would also have to remove the firing pin block from from the slide too, if you remove the push rod. But what keeps the extractor in the slide if you remove the firing pin block?

And I agree with you, any future 1911s for me will be the Series 70 style.

Kimbers are a problem as they have a Kimber only spec pin lock but it can be over come.
If memory serves...() the rear sight has to be removed to get the block pin out. The firing pin retainer hold it and the extractor in the slide. I have fiddled with a couple of these when had Kimbers but I avoid them now.

 

[cundiff5535]

Kimbers are a problem as they have a Kimber only spec pin lock but it can be over come.
If memory serves...() the rear sight has to be removed to get the block pin out. The firing pin retainer hold it and the extractor in the slide. I have fiddled with a couple of these when had Kimbers but I avoid them now.

This is correct.

And I agree... I would remove all the extra nonsense in it

cheers!

 

[Mark 1911]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to think about removing the firing pin block. It would fix the problem, and wouldn't have to worry about it again. But this would of course render the grip safety non-functional on my gun. Not sure if that's a good idea or not. Sounds like many have done it.

 

[churchmouse]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll have to think about removing the firing pin block. It would fix the problem, and wouldn't have to worry about it again. But this would of course render the grip safety non-functional on my gun. Not sure if that's a good idea or not. Sounds like many have done it.

The grip safety would still be in play. It blocks the trigger as a main function. With that idiotic 80 series pin block the safety has to unblock the trigger and also raise the blocking pin. Eliminating the block function does not take the grip safety out of play.

 

[Mark 1911]

The grip safety would still be in play. It blocks the trigger as a main function. With that idiotic 80 series pin block the safety has to unblock the trigger and also raise the blocking pin. Eliminating the block function does not take the grip safety out of play.

Didn't realize this. Is this via one of the prongs on the sear spring?

 

[churchmouse]

Didn't realize this. Is this via one of the prongs on the sear spring?

The 3 finger spring keeps the grip safety pushed out, the sear in place Against the hammer and the trigger bar pushed forward.

 

[AllenM]

As 80's series nonsense goes I like Kimber's idea, it's easier to assemble and has less effect on trigger pull.

However What I have seen happen on Kimber's with the firing pin block is the firing pin mushroom lightly around the block if you use a high grip and don't compress the grip safety all the way and then the pin sticks and won't pass through.
I learned this by doing a lot of dry firing with one of mine. I had to take the firing pin out and file it round again and it was fine. But made me leary of the setup too.

From a legal stand point it is hard to recommend removing a safety feature on a carry gun, but that could just be an old wife's tell. From a practical sense it is better off with out it.

 

[Mark 1911]

As 80's series nonsense goes I like Kimber's idea, it's easier to assemble and has less effect on trigger pull.

However What I have seen happen on Kimber's with the firing pin block is the firing pin mushroom lightly around the block if you use a high grip and don't compress the grip safety all the way and then the pin sticks and won't pass through.
I learned this by doing a lot of dry firing with one of mine. I had to take the firing pin out and file it round again and it was fine. But made me leary of the setup too.

From a legal stand point it is hard to recommend removing a safety feature on a carry gun, but that could just be an old wife's tell. From a practical sense it is better off with out it.

From what I understand, the difference between a Colt Series 80 design and a Kimber firing pin block design is that the firing pin block in a Series 80 is activated by the pull of the trigger. There are two levers that do it directly and mechanically connected to the trigger. The Kimber system is activated by the grip safety, no connection to the trigger for the firing pin block, and therefore the firing pin block in a Kimber has no impact at all on the trigger pull. So the Kimber design has no drag on the beautiful trigger pull that you can get with a 1911, which is the main gripe of many against the Series 80.

On the safety issue, I've done a little reading and apparently there are several police departments, Rochester, NY, Milwaukee, WI, and Houston, TX to name a few that contributed data, that experienced a high rate of accidents with Series 70 guns due to dropped guns that fired because there is no firing pin block. For that reason, many departments no longer use Series 70 for carry, and I have to trust that kind of experience. I don't think I would use a Series 70 for carry after reading more about it. I have dropped my Kimber before, that's why I brought it to you in the first place. But at least it didn't fire when I dropped it.

So, on that note, I believe I will just fix my Kimber so it works as designed and be happy. What I hear you saying, and from what I've read, seen on YouTube etc., the Kimber design is actually a good design, it is not a true Series 80 design. The Kimber design achieves what the Series 80 was designed to do, but without impacting the trigger. The only thing on the Kimber that people like me need to be careful about is not to have my mitts on the grip safety when putting the slide back on the frame so as not to shave the tip of the push rod. That was my mistake, I will not do that again!

Thanks for the feedback Allen!