Loose firing-pin-stop caused a failure-to-fire

[Mike_Fontenot]

On my last range trip, my 10mm Kimber Eclipse was still treating me well, as far as cycling goes.  But on round #4 of the fourth mag, I got a "click" instead of the anticipated "bang".  I suspected a "light strike" (even though I have never had one previously with this gun).  I dropped the mag, ejected the round, and was surprised to see that the primer only had a few trivial scratches on it.  I then noticed that the firing pin was protruding forward of the firewall, and couldn't be moved rearward.  I also THOUGHT I noticed that the rear of the firing pin appeared to be in the correct, normal rearward position, so I concluded that the firing pin had broken.  I also THOUGHT that I tried pushing the rear of the firing pin forward, and that it moved a bit (more than the distance to my Series II firing-pin-block), and then stopped at some obstruction ... presumably the separated front portion of the firing pin, I thought.  I closed the slide and went home.  But once at home, I tried to use a small punch to push the firing pin forward (with the grip lever compressed, to deactivate the Series II safety).  It seemed to push the firing pin forward normally, and it felt completely normal.  I then locked the slide back, and there was nothing protruding forward of the firewall.  I pushed the pin forward again, and everything looked completely normal.  Apparently, some of the things I THOUGHT I saw at the range didn't actually happen (the lighting is fairly dim there).  I then noticed that when I pushed the firing pin forward of the firing-pin-stop, that the firing-pin-stop was very loose.  I removed the firing pin and spring, and reinserted the firing-pin-stop ... it was indeed VERY loose ... it would immediately slide downward about a quarter-inch.  I've now concluded that during the cycling after the preceding shot, the firing-pin-stop must have moved down before the firing pin had retracted, and prevented the firing pin from moving fully aft.  Apparently the amount of firing pin protruding forward of the firewall was not long enough to cause a slam-fire.

I've ordered a new EGW firing-pin-stop, and hopefully it will fit snuggly enough to prevent this type of problem again.

Has anyone else ever experienced (or heard of) this type of malfunction before?

[GunBugBit]

Kimbers are notorious for poorly fitted firing pin stops, or ones that are not the correct size.

The FPS is an important part because it keeps (or is supposed to keep) the extractor in place by virtue of fitting snugly into the extractor's slot at its back end.

You will probably need to do some light fitting of the EGW FPS.  Once finished with that, your gun will be better.

Disclaimer: not intentionally bashing Kimber, just dispassionately reporting what I have observed in my years around guns.

[sqlbullet]

I was unaware of the kimber issues with poor fitting of a firing pin stop, but one that is loose could certainly cause issues.

The EGW needed a bit of file work on my guns too.  Go slow, easy to remove more metal, hard to put it back on after too much is gone!

[Mike_Fontenot]

I'm prepared to do some fitting, but I won't be surprised if it just "drops in", given how loose the existing firing-pin-stop is.

I haven't decided whether to leave the bottom-rear edge completely square, or to put a very small radius on it.  The gunsmith who installed my existing "flat-bottomed" fps DID put a noticeable radius on it, but I'm leaning toward leaving it square.  Any opinions?

[GunBugBit]

I'm prepared to do some fitting, but I won't be surprised if it just "drops in", given how loose the existing firing-pin-stop is.

Assume you will receive an "oversize" FPS.  I hope you do.  It is a good thing.  It allows you to fit the part optimally to your gun.

[Mike_Fontenot]

[...]
Assume you will receive an "oversize" FPS.  I hope you do.  It is a good thing.  It allows you to fit the part optimally to your gun.

Yeah, it's called an "oversize FPS".  But my existing one is SO loose that a FPS that is "oversize" for everyone else might fit just right in mine ... we'll see ... I just hope it's not too small!

[GunBugBit]

Sounds like maybe you have one of the incorrectly-sized FPS parts Kimber is known for.  Chances are the FPS you ordered will indeed need some material removed to fit.  Go slow, just a very few swipes with a jewelers file before re-checking the fit in the slide.  The FPS is one of the faster and easier parts to hand-fit.

[my_old_glock]

Kimbers are notorious for poorly fitted firing pin stops, or ones that are not the correct size.

The FPS is an important part because it keeps (or is supposed to keep) the extractor in place by virtue of fitting snugly into the extractor's slot at its back end.

You will probably need to do some light fitting of the EGW FPS.  Once finished with that, your gun will be better.

Disclaimer: not intentionally bashing Kimber, just dispassionately reporting what I have observed in my years around guns.

Kimber strikes again.





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[4949shooter]

Looks like I am back to considering the Delta Elite.

[Mike_Fontenot]

Sounds like maybe you have one of the incorrectly-sized FPS parts Kimber is known for.  Chances are the FPS you ordered will indeed need some material removed to fit. 

Shortly after I got the gun, I had a gunsmith put in a "flat-bottomed" FPS.  Both the original and the replacement are very loose.

When you have had to remove material, were you reducing the width, or the thickness, of the FPS?

[sqlbullet]

On mine for my Para, both.

In fact, I think I would sell the slide if an EGW oversized dropped in.

[Hermit]

My fps was loose but not horribly loose on my st2 the egw took a little bit of fitting  most of it was for the bomar cut though. I just pretty much broke the sharp edge on the bottom of mine

[Mike_Fontenot]

My fps was loose but not horribly loose on my st2 the egw took a little bit of fitting  most of it was for the bomar cut though.

What's the "bomar cut"?  Is that the area on the lower right-hand side of the FPS that is missing on the "Series 80" FPS's compared to the "Series 70" FPS's?

[GunBugBit]

Sounds like maybe you have one of the incorrectly-sized FPS parts Kimber is known for.  Chances are the FPS you ordered will indeed need some material removed to fit. 

Shortly after I got the gun, I had a gunsmith put in a "flat-bottomed" FPS.  Both the original and the replacement are very loose.

When you have had to remove material, were you reducing the width, or the thickness, of the FPS?

I fit two FPSs and what I recall is that I only had to remove a small amount of steel on the sides of the protrusion, so the FPS would go into the space where the firing pin sits.  I didn't reduce the thickness of the FPS at all.

[Mike_Fontenot]

I fit two FPSs and what I recall is that I only had to remove a small amount of steel on the sides of the protrusion, so the FPS would go into the space where the firing pin sits.  I didn't reduce the thickness of the FPS at all.

Thanks for that info.