Lets Talk 1911's Shall We

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by aerovette

Just about an hour ago, my boss gifted me with a new Kimber Micro 9mm. (I love my job)

Reading here has me a little concerned about quality. Anything I can do to reduce my odds of issues?

Before you do anything, shoot it to see if it functions well. Follow Mark's advise for break in.

Then if it gives you problems, find something else. It was a gift so don't dump it too quickly.

[markids77]

Originally Posted by MEANZ06

Never understood the allure of 1911's. I'd like to have one but my other "tools" fit the bill just fine and super reliable

They served our Country with distinction as the standard Army sidearm for 70 years. If my research is correct, the Fed never purchased another new 1911 after the armistice... these things just soldiered on through refurb after refurb.
They are elegantly designed with minimum parts count and engineered (in issue configuration) to function in just about any environment imaginable needing only rudimentary maintenance. The grip angle lends to great "pointability" making fast, accurately placed shooting.
They can be superbly accurate if well assembled and being all steel they recoil less vigorously than newer designs. Did I mention they reek of history? They are cool as hell because they fit, function and are true American originals.

[markids77]

Originally Posted by Nox

I think 1911’s are nice to look at and to show friends, but I haven’t carried a 1911 regularly in a couple of decades. There are so many better options available today that are more reliable, and have better capacity.

My first 1911 was an AMT Hardballer. It was loose, full of machine marks, the rails galled and the grips fell off regularly. However, once I had the barrel throated it never failed to feed, fire or extract and I shot the shit out of it. Over the years I have had a bunch of them and none gave me trouble I could not fix, especially after I learned to do it myself.
Capacity is available via widebody frames if 8 in a CMC flush fit mag plus one in the chamber seems a liability.
Government sized guns are long and a bit heavy but mids and micros can be had, some even with alloy or plastic hybrid frames.
Please describe your ideal "better" weapon.

[MadInNc]

Watch what a .45 caliber does as stopping power

[markids77]

Originally Posted by MadInNc

Watch what a .45 caliber does as stopping power

Old argument. Consider the energy delivered to a target by a .45 ACP 230 grain round nose at 700 FPS versus a 230 grain .44 magnum at 1000 FPS versus a .454 Casull (SP?) at 1300FPS and things kind of fall apart.
Plus the advances in propellant and projectile tech make the "power" gap much smaller than on a caliber to caliber basis a decade or so ago.

[higgyburners]

maybe you should step it down to 22 Cal.

[Aerovette]

This is it. My only complaint is how hard I have to slam the magazine it so it stays. I sense something is wrong, but as a novice, I haven't explored the mechanism at all (yet).

[Nox]

Originally Posted by markids77

Please describe your ideal "better" weapon.

I have any number of handguns that I can carry to include half a dozen 1911’s, compact 1911’s, all manner of Glocks, HKs, M&P’s, and yet, I keep coming back to my SIG P365XL. My first CCW carry was a Colt 1911 in the 1970’s. Over the years, I conceal carried HKs, SIGs, Colts, M&P’s, Glocks, S&W’s, and after 45 years, I’ve decided less is more and I’m ok and quite proficient with a 9mm Sig P365XL.

[MEANZ06]

We don't carry around town, but in the mountains, yes. My wife can poke your eye out with her Sig. I prefer my glocks. My HK sub compact is a little snappy but it'll do what it's intended for. My revolvers are just for practice/fun, but yeah, I see a 1911 in our future when prices get back to normal. Not sure which one yet, haven't researched them much

[markids77]

Originally Posted by Nox

I have any number of handguns that I can carry to include half a dozen 1911’s, compact 1911’s, all manner of Glocks, HKs, M&P’s, and yet, I keep coming back to my SIG P365XL. My first CCW carry was a Colt 1911 in the 1970’s. Over the years, I conceal carried HKs, SIGs, Colts, M&P’s, Glocks, S&W’s, and after 45 years, I’ve decided less is more and I’m ok and quite proficient with a 9mm Sig P365XL.

Some guns just fit. FWIW my current EDC is a well worn G19. I have yet to hold a handgun which I find easier to shoot well under stress, and the only pistol I have fired which is faster to reload is the HK USP.

[Nox]

Originally Posted by markids77

Some guns just fit. FWIW my current EDC is a well worn G19. I have yet to hold a handgun which I find easier to shoot well under stress, and the only pistol I have fired which is faster to reload is the HK USP.

I’ve got both an HK USP and a Glock 19. The Glock 19 is a tried and true gun, but the new generation of 9mm’s to include the SIG P365XL and the Glock 48 pack the same (or close to the same) firepower in a much slimmer and more concealable package. The SIG P365XL has interchangeable 12 and 15 round magazines, while the Glock 48 offers a 10 round magazine or 15 if you use Shield Arms magazines. Ergonomically, both the Glock 48 and SIG P365XL actually fit my hand better than the Glock 19.

But getting back to your original question as well as the original topic. While I love the way a 1911 feels in my hand, and I consider the ergonomics to be probably the best of all the guns I own, my primary reason for owning guns is to carry them daily in a comfortable and reliable configuration, and that pretty much explains why I have chosen to transition away from the 1911 and have gone to the SIG P365XL.

[markids77]

Originally Posted by aerovette

This is it. My only complaint is how hard I have to slam the magazine it so it stays. I sense something is wrong, but as a novice, I haven't explored the mechanism at all (yet).

Note carefully if that plastic base pad contacts the frame anywhere at all before the mag seats. Trim sparingly if needed. Go slow and easy so the fit is still as fine as it is now.

[Nox]

Originally Posted by markids77

Note carefully if that plastic base pad contacts the frame anywhere at all before the mag seats. Trim sparingly if needed. Go slow and easy so the fit is still as fine as it is now.

Some magazines pack so tight that there is very little give and the first round presses hard against a closed slide. I really have to slam my Glock mags in to make sure they seat on a closed slide. There’s nothing wrong, that’s just how Glock are. Perhaps that might be the case here as well.

[Torqaholic]

Originally Posted by markids77

Note carefully if that plastic base pad contacts the frame anywhere at all before the mag seats. Trim sparingly if needed. Go slow and easy so the fit is still as fine as it is now.

That'd be my guess if it seats that way on an empty mag. Kimber is known for super tight tolerances. Possibly it was assembled at a lower temperature than you're operating it. The expansion of plastic from temperature increase is not insignificant. If you only have a thousandth of an inch clearance for the baseplate an increase in temperature is liable to cause interference.