Swartz passive firing pin safety issues: be informed

[Wondering Beard]

I just received an email from Ned Christiansen regarding the Swartz passive firing pin system (found primarily in Kimber Series II 1911s and, I think S&W and SIG 1911s of the past). It's something that I was mostly aware of (not the misfire part though), but if Ned thought it was serious enough to send it today, I thought it would be of value to all.

Text of e-mail:
Apologies if I already sent this... but it's important stuff if you own one of these or know someone who does. I want to make sure friends and colleagues have guns that work!

We did these two videos on the Swartz passive firing pin system last summer but I never got around to putting them up. In a 1911 Armorer class two weeks ago, of three Kimbers in class, all three had this condition. In one documented case of this happening an officer was shot in both legs after his Swartz-equipped 1911 did not fire. It's not possible to know if he would have been shot if his pistol had worked properly but unexpected "clicks" are never helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-QRpthqinMcxb-0GRoA1bA

Ned Christiansen


Videos:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mXWGRbjUww



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvptEIw-6QQ

[JTQ]

... Swartz passive firing pin system (found primarily in Kimber Series II 1911s and, I think S&W and SIG 1911s of the past).
S&W used a different design, though it was also actuated by the grip safety, developed by in-house engineer Richard Mochak ( https://patents.google.com/patent/US6374526B1/en ).

I'm pretty sure SIG has only used the Series 80 firing pin safety in their 1911 pistols (it is what they currently use).

[45dotACP]

The only passive firing pin block I'll tolerate is the Colt series 80 design.

Otherwise it's series 70, a light weight 9mm firing pin and an extra power firing pin spring.

My 1911s have a mainspring strong enough to crack any primer and a lighter mainspring doesn't confer enough benefit for trigger work to warrant the effort like it does in a TDA gun


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[serialsolver]

The first time I went to shoot my 5 inch alloy kimber I had 3 fail to fire caused by the firing pin block.


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[JTQ]

... the Swartz ...

I know you spelled it correctly, but most folks don't, and listening to Ned's video I'll leave this...

Swartz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaWvQhEP0c8

Oh, and may the schwartz be with you.



https://youtu.be/aVz1kBnIDd0

[HCM]

I just received an email from Ned Christiansen regarding the Swartz passive firing pin system (found primarily in Kimber Series II 1911s and, I think S&W and SIG 1911s of the past). It's something that I was mostly aware of (not the misfire part though), but if Ned thought it was serious enough to send it today, I thought it would be of value to all.

Text of e-mail:
Apologies if I already sent this... but it's important stuff if you own one of these or know someone who does. I want to make sure friends and colleagues have guns that work!

We did these two videos on the Swartz passive firing pin system last summer but I never got around to putting them up. In a 1911 Armorer class two weeks ago, of three Kimbers in class, all three had this condition. In one documented case of this happening an officer was shot in both legs after his Swartz-equipped 1911 did not fire. It's not possible to know if he would have been shot if his pistol had worked properly but unexpected "clicks" are never helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-QRpthqinMcxb-0GRoA1bA


Ned Christiansen


Videos:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mXWGRbjUww



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvptEIw-6QQ

Known issue and why Colt did not adopt this system in the 1930s when it was developed.

Also SIG 1911s use the Colt series 80 system.

The Kimber warrior models are series 70 style and do not use this system either.

[HeavyDuty]

I learned something today - I assumed all modern 1911s with firing pin blocks used the Series 80 pattern.

[boing]

This has been an issue since the Series IIs first came out. I guess the feeling is that 3 out of 3 failures in the class indicates a new rash of failures?

[L-2]

Regarding Post 6, Kimber Warrior II model does exist.
If a person wants a Kimber Warrior, but not a Series II, just be careful to not accidentally buy a Warrior II.

https://www.kimberamerica.com/warrior-ca

[HCM]

Regarding Post 6, Kimber Warrior II model does exist.
If a person wants a Kimber Warrior, but not a Series II, just be careful to not accidentally buy a Warrior II.

https://www.kimberamerica.com/warrior-ca

It please to be a necessary evil for sale in CA.

[Tokarev]

Ruger's 1911 line uses a titanium lightweight firing pin to pass drop tests. I believe Springfield does the same thing.

It is possible for titanium to gall but this is probably a non-issue as long as the hole and pin are in proper working relationship with each other.

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[45dotACP]

I might be wrong, but I understand the series II firing pin was designed not to interfere with the trigger pull, as it is actuated by the grip safety. I own one and it hasn't given me problems.

But that said, I still don't trust one for a life and death situation. I'll take a slightly worse trigger pull over the chance that the gun will "click" when it should "pew"

Series 70 is where it's at with series 80 a close second.

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[Tokarev]

I might be wrong, but I understand the series II firing pin was designed not to interfere with the trigger pull, as it is actuated by the grip safety. I own one and it hasn't given me problems.

But that said, I still don't trust one for a life and death situation. I'll take a slightly worse trigger pull over the chance that the gun will "click" when it should "pew"

Series 70 is where it's at with series 80 a close second.

Sent from my moto g(6) using TapatalkI think the Series 80 causing trigger pull problems is overblown.

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[45dotACP]

I think the Series 80 causing trigger pull problems is overblown.

Sent from my SM-A505U using TapatalkI agree.

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[Jim Watson]

Have any of these experts ever shot a real Colt-Swartz?

My FLG had one come in for a barrel, but I didn't get in on the firing trials.

By the way "Series 70" doesn't really mean, "lacking a firing pin obstruction."

[TheNewbie]

Here is an article on Drop Test Results on 1911s. It was posted here last year in a thread about drop safe issues and the 1911.


http://dave2.freeshell.org/1911/drop1/drop1.htm

[Tokarev]

Happy 109th birthday to the 1911!

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[Trooper224]

Ah yes the Swartz Safety. Screwing up 1911s for damned near a century.

[45dotACP]

By the way "Series 70" doesn't really mean, "lacking a firing pin obstruction."

Is that kinda how a "Pre-64" Winchester model 70 doesn't mean "controlled round feed Winchester model 70" today?

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[Robinson]

By the way "Series 70" doesn't really mean, "lacking a firing pin obstruction."

I'm sure a bunch of us know what an actual Series 70 gun is, but even Colt refers to their pistols lacking a firing pin safety as Series 70 guns nowadays. Granted, modern Colts don't have a Collet bushing -- but the Series 70 / Series 80 terminology is a convenient way to distinguish between guns with no firing pin safety and those with one -- at least when it comes to Colts.

It's no big deal.

[farscott]

I'm sure a bunch of us know what an actual Series 70 gun is, but even Colt refers to their pistols lacking a firing pin safety as Series 70 guns nowadays. Granted, modern Colts don't have a Collet bushing -- but the Series 70 / Series 80 terminology is a convenient way to distinguish between guns with no firing pin safety and those with one -- at least when it comes to Colts.

It's no big deal.

I find Colt's use of the terms exceedingly inconsistent. The Series '70 marking originally meant the Accurizor barrel and corresponding collet barrel bushing. The Series '80 added the firing pin safety, while keeping the Series '70 barrel and bushing. Then Colt abandoned the Series '70 barrel and bushing and still called the guns Series '80. Clear as mud except for pistols with the Series '90 designation, including the Colt Double Eagle and the Defender, which both have Series '80 firing pin safeties and are otherwise quite a bit different. And now Colt calls guns without the firing pin Series '70, calls guns with the firing pin safety Series '80, but still markets the Series '90 for the Defender.

[Robinson]

I find Colt's use of the terms exceedingly inconsistent. The Series '70 marking originally meant the Accurizor barrel and corresponding collet barrel bushing. The Series '80 added the firing pin safety, while keeping the Series '70 barrel and bushing. Then Colt abandoned the Series '70 barrel and bushing and still called the guns Series '80. Clear as mud except for pistols with the Series '90 designation, including the Colt Double Eagle and the Defender, which both have Series '80 firing pin safeties and are otherwise quite a bit different. And now Colt calls guns without the firing pin Series '70, calls guns with the firing pin safety Series '80, but still markets the Series '90 for the Defender.

Colt more or less gave in to the common use of the terms. You have to keep in mind that "1911" really was never (historically) a label Colt used for their own guns -- that label is just a shortened version of the original military designation. Colt has always preferred the terms "Government Model", "Commander", "CCO", etc... But everyone calls a 1911 a "1911" so Colt might as well do it too. Same with the Series 70 / Series 80 labels -- Colt uses those labels the way they do because people know what they mean even if their usage isn't technically correct.

[deputyG23]

For those of you who use 1911 pistols for police work, are the firing pin safety models mandated by policy for most of you?

[Bucky]

S&W used a different design, though it was also actuated by the grip safety, developed by in-house engineer Richard Mochak ( https://patents.google.com/patent/US6374526B1/en ).
.

I can attest to the fact it sucks just as much, maybe worse. I had a 9mm Smith. I let an acquaintance shoot it. Click, rack, click, rack, click. His grip was such that he was disengaging the grip safety just enough to unblock the trigger, but not fully release the FPS.

Now you can talk proper grip all you want, but when the SHTF, a perfect grip isn’t guaranteed even by the best shooters.

[Ned Christiansen]

Guys, allow me to update this a little. I don't see a lot of Kimbers but when I do, and when I can, I test for this. I watch for officers carrying 1911's in Patrol Rifle classes and there are sometimes a few a year. There are two Chicago-area departments that issue, I'm not saying authorize, I'm saying they issue, 1911's. Not Kimbers, but just to illustrate the point that the 1911 is not dead in the law enforcement world. A lot of guys carry them and as it happens a lot of them that I run into are real shooters but often they are not deep into the mechanics of their guns. The one in the YT vids is one of these. I've run into maybe half a dozen more since then which was I believe summer of 2018. The rate of failure continues to be over 50%. I was contacted by a guy out west who manages guns for one or more large departments where 1911's are authorized and he says he finds the same malady at the same rate.

In fairness I will add that I personally experienced a failure with the Colt Series 80 system. It was due to a very large, single grain of sand, a baby pebble almost, blocking the firing pin plunger. I discovered it after a day of Lake Superior beach combing. Knowing the gun had been exposed to sand, that evening prior to cleaning I unloaded and attempted to dryfire it, and it would not drop the hammer. I could maybe have forced it but I didn't. But that was a failure due to foreign material, not due to "it's made that way". Still, a lesson.

Moving on to inertia firing, Drake Oldham's 1911 drop testing should be noted by all who carry a 1911. I recently saw a lengthy article in a technical journal where this was studied in greater depth. The authors in fact quote Drake's work (yay Drake!) and their results tracked with his.

I'd love to see even more testing on this, to include Series 80 vs/ Series II systems in muzzle-down drops. It always seemed to me like in a muzzle-down drop, inertia would also tend to compress the grip safety which would render a grip-safety-actuated safety system ineffective.

[Tokarev]

I'd love to see even more testing on this, to include Series 80 vs/ Series II systems in muzzle-down drops.

Have you seen any galling or other issues with the titanium firing pins used by Ruger and Springfield Armory? These would seem to be about the best route especially when combined with a bit stronger spring.

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[Ned Christiansen]

They are quite loose enough that I feel pretty safe in saying they would never gall. But-- the one time I tried a Ti FP in a 1911, I got misfires. Granted it was with some Brazilian surplus ammo but it was "misfires 80%" with Ti and "never misfires" with the standard FP. That was enough to turn me off from Ti FP's, especially when it's an inertia FP like the 1911's. Add an extra-strong spring and it sure seems like a good formula for misfires, and yet-- I have not heard of anything like a chronic problem. Add a shorter mainspring and heavier mainspring cap and you have the Springfield ILS system, which in theory would exacerbate the issue (my opinion). But Springfield must have got it figured out right because they seem to work.

A Ti FP ought to work well in something like an AR15 where the firing pin is positively pushed by the hammer until it's bottomed out. But.... there I don't think the benefit is worth the added delicacy. I tried one and the FP tip chipped in pretty short order.

If we could make an inertia FP that weighted exactly nothing, it would have no inertia. I would stop moving as soon as the hammer stopped on the FP stop. So it follows that less weight gives less inertia, increasing the chance of light primer hits. Of course, if we could make it weigh 40 pounds that wouldn't work either. I don't know what FP weight is "perfect" but "standard" must be pretty close. I do favor a lighter firing train up to but excluding the FP. I think a lightened hammer is a good thing, I have proven this to myself by (going back to that Brazilian ammo years ago) making misfire-prone ammo less misfire-prone with a radically lightened hammer. But that was an experiment and it's not like I think every 1911 has to have the hammer radically lightened. I have one 1911 with a Ti hammer strut that has held up well but that's more of an ongoing long-term experiment and I don't use them outside of this.

[Tokarev]

Ned Christiansen

Have you tried "tuning" the Kimber parts? Elongating the pusher/lifter piece or removing some of the blockage piece in the slide? Neither mod might completely remove the potential for a blocked FP but it might be a step it the right direction.

The "easy button" would be to remove the safety parts from the gun but that's probably not an option for most LE especially those with guns owned by the department.

[Tokarev]

They are quite loose enough that I feel pretty safe in saying they would never gall. But-- the one time I tried a Ti FP in a 1911, I got misfires. Granted it was with some Brazilian surplus ammo but it was "misfires 80%" with Ti and "never misfires" with the standard FP. That was enough to turn me off from Ti FP's, especially when it's an inertia FP like the 1911's. Add an extra-strong spring and it sure seems like a good formula for misfires, and yet-- I have not heard of anything like a chronic problem. Add a shorter mainspring and heavier mainspring cap and you have the Springfield ILS system, which in theory would exacerbate the issue (my opinion). But Springfield must have got it figured out right because they seem to work.



Galling is the only thing I think I've read that is a potential pitfall of the titanium firing pin. Has it happened or is it an Internet boogeyman along the lines of cast frames and MIM parts? Sure. Problems can happen but are they common occurrences?

Going off personal experience with a few Springfield and Ruger guns; they seem to have the mass and spring weights worked out. Granted most of the 45 ammo I've ever shot in my life has been some form of reload but the two Ruger 9mm 1911s I own have seen a decent amount of US commercial ammo with no issues.

EDIT--I assume Ruger and SA have tested their 1911s to meet SAAMI drop tests. Ruger especially seeing as how they're known to be fairly aware that they are an easy target for litigation.

[Ned Christiansen]

Lengthening the lifter makes it harder or impossible to get the slide on. I have (reluctantly) fixed several by removing material from the FP block-- big pain-in-neck and then you have to re-zero since the block lives under the rear sight. The FP block itself is a delicate part with some very thin sections so it's kinda hard to hold on to. It's not something I would ever offer as a service but I do think "KsomeKoneK" should.

Maybe it should be mentioned that if we were to take a Series II gun that did not have the issue, and "desensitize" the grip safety, the issue would probably be induced. I never talked to the factory about it but I think they should issue testing instructions and then fix all the ones that fail.

I've never heard of a Ti FP galling.

[Ichiban]

Ugh, I guess I missed this when it was first posted.

I have a Kimber that I frequently carry. I've run it through several classes and it has been 100% reliable for me but this issue has now got my attention. I truly don't want a click when I'm expecting a bang.

What is the recommended solution? Remove the FP block?

[Ned Christiansen]

Test it.

Unload, unload, unload. No magazine in place, check the chamber visually and with a finger tip. Racking the slide is not enough.

Be in a safe place, don't have it pointed at anything you're not willing to kill or destroy. Sorry, it must be said. Actually, not sorry! No harm in reminding ourselves and everyone else, every time.

Have a pencil, pen, or other punch-like object that you can use to push in on teh firing pin from behind where the hammer hits it.

Slide forward (it's unloaded, right?), cock the hammer, and put gentle pressure on the trigger while slowly moving the grip safety in. If you have enough pressure on the trigger to drop the hammer, when the GS gets to a certain point, the hammer will fall. If you don't have that much pressure, you will feel the trigger move just a little when the grip safety is moved far enough to allow trigger movement. Either way, this is the point we're looking for, so find it, do it several times so you get the feel for it, and get to where you can feel that point in GS movement without actually dropping the hammer.

Now-- get to that place-- where you feel the trigger move, indicating that you could now drop the hammer if you put just a little more pressure on the trigger-- and with your third hand, see if the firing pin will move freely forward. Hopefully it does. Other possibilities are, it doesn't, or it moves but with a hitch-- this is where the firing pin is barely making it past the block, like the clearance is borderline not enough. The other option, rather than see if the firing pin will move, is see if it will "shoot" something like Bic pen or not (gun pointed up).

Note that where this all happens is most likely not at the fully-depressed position of the GS. You may find you have this condition but never, ever had a misfire.... which no doubt means you always get the GS pressed all the way home, bottomed out, thus getting the firing pin block far enough out of the way. It's up to the individual as to whether or not that's good enough but my feeling is that it is far from good enough, and that if you can induce the problem, it could happen at the most inopportune time. Like when you have not achieved a perfect, GS-bottoming grasp on the gun because you're back-pedalling from someone with a hatchet or someone is shooting at you.

If it fails the test, see if you can find a 1911 smith who can take out the FP block and remove a little metal from the arced part that blocks the FP. I'd love to see some smith offer that as a service.... I mean, of course,the factory should but as far as I know they don't acknowledge the problem. I wish I knew where to send you.

[L-2]

Here are some options for a Kimber "Series II" type 1911.

1. If your specific Kimber with Swartz firing pin safety (FPS) is working for you, don't worry about it. You could double-check to determine if your grip safety deactivates the FPS prior to allowing the trigger to drop the hammer (depress grip safety until the firing pin can be pushed foward, using a punch; then find out if the trigger is still blocked by the grip safety).

2. You could remove the FPS block; but as previously mentioned, it resides under a Kimber's rear sight. Kimber's rear sights seem to be installed extra-tight, sometimes requiring the rear sight to be completely cut out (not all Kimbers are this tight, but I did see someone used this method of rear-sight-removal).

3. A "Series 70" firing pin of the correct diameter has been used by some folks which will keep the FPS perpetually in an upward/deactivated position (this might be the easiest solution for an owner.

4. I don't recommend removal of the internal levers as it seems the levers also act as a spacer to the right of the sear and I'm unsure if the sear might begin to drift or slide to the right if those levers were removed. Those levers are on the same pin as the sear. Could washers or some type of spacer be used? I suppose so, I've just never come across anybody who's done this by replacing the levers with some type of spacer; lived with it; and shot a Kimber without the two levers residing on that sear pin.

I believe some folks have somehow disabled/removed the FPS block, but also cut the top of the pushrod lever off. I don't like this option either which permanently alters that pushrod should you want to restore the Series II FPS system for some reason.

5. You could also just use a 1911 which came without a FPS and retire the Kimber from carry-use. There are several 1911 brands & models which have no FPS (aka Series 70 type). I realize Kimbers might look and feel good, but if you've lost confidence in it, move on to something else. This is what I did as I really like the feel of my Kimber TLE II 5", but moved off of 1911s with FPS systems for various personal reasons.

After posting, I saw Mr. Ned C. replied prior to me. Go with his advice.

[Ichiban]

I appreciate the help on this.

It is stainless so I was able to take a 0.5mm mechanical pencil and mark the side of the GS where it went into the frame when the hammer would fall. I then found where the FP would clear the block. Looking at the GS travel, it looks like the FP clears the block just before the hammer falls. Everything seems to be repeatable for about a dozen tries.

While I think it is okay I'll probably relegate the Kimber to emergency backup status now that my confidence in it is shaken.

[Borderland]

I think the Series 80 causing trigger pull problems is overblown.

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I used to have four series 80 Colts. I just sold two of them. I shot all of them frequently. I recently purchased a S70 Colt. I'm not seeing a lot of difference in the triggers. I believe if one wants, a S80 can be converted to S70, but I'm not sure there would be enough difference to warrant the swap. My S80 Gold Cup has a decent trigger.

[Tokarev]

While I think it is okay I'll probably relegate the Kimber to emergency backup status now that my confidence in it is shaken.

You've used the gun quite a bit and it has always been 100% according to your earlier post. So if you like the gun and it has always worked for you then why not continue using it? Take it out and find that point in the system where the gun fails to fire and use that as a benchmark for minimum grip.

Glocks and some other guns are known to malfunction when "limp wristed" but people still carry them. Kind of the same deal here.



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[Tokarev]

I used to have four series 80 Colts. I just sold two of them. I shot all of them frequently. I recently purchased a S70 Colt. I'm not seeing a lot of difference in the triggers. I believe if one wants, a S80 can be converted to S70, but I'm not sure there would be enough difference to warrant the swap. My S80 Gold Cup has a decent trigger.

Someone makes (EGW maybe?) a spacer piece to plug the slot in the frame once the lifter piece is removed.

Here it is. Available from Brownell's:

https://www.brownells.com/handgun-parts/frame-parts/frame-hardware/fillers/tj-s-1911-series-80-to-series-70-conversion-shims--prod13121.aspx

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[Robinson]

I used to have four series 80 Colts. I just sold two of them. I shot all of them frequently. I recently purchased a S70 Colt. I'm not seeing a lot of difference in the triggers. I believe if one wants, a S80 can be converted to S70, but I'm not sure there would be enough difference to warrant the swap. My S80 Gold Cup has a decent trigger.

Of the different firing pin safety systems on 1911s, I think the Colt S80 setup is the best. I've come to appreciate having it on my carry gun and S80 guns can have very good triggers. It's slightly more of a pain when doing a complete disassembly/reassembly of the pistol, but it's not too bad. I like the simplicity of the Series 70 guns but S80 has its place.

[Ichiban]

You've used the gun quite a bit and it has always been 100% according to your earlier post. So if you like the gun and it has always worked for you then why not continue using it? Take it out and find that point in the system where the gun fails to fire and use that as a benchmark for minimum grip.

Glocks and some other guns are known to malfunction when "limp wristed" but people still carry them. Kind of the same deal here.

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Shhhhhhh! Your messing with my rationalization for getting a Dan Wesson ECP. ;)

[JRV]

I’m not sure I’ve seen a “design flaw” in the Swartz system. It looks more like a QC problem that causes timing issues within some samples of the Kimbers.

A revolver being out-of-time from the factory, dropping the hammer before full lock-up, is a QC issue, not a design flaw. Seems like a grip safety can be fitted such that it requires less throw or the same throw to clear the FPB than it needs to clear the trigger bow. Sounds like some folks have examples of guns that do just that.

[Navin Johnson]

Local officer was told by Kimber he wasn't gripping the gun correctly when it wouldn't fire. He and the others with Kimber's promptly returned them and they bought SA's.

Serious question...do people still buy Kimber 1911's? I believe most independent shops in my area punted.

[Robinson]

Local officer was told by Kimber he wasn't gripping the gun correctly when it wouldn't fire. He and the others with Kimber's promptly returned them and they bought SA's.

Serious question...do people still buy Kimber 1911's? I believe most independent shops in my area punted.

The current Kimber LW (lightweight) models don't have a firing pin safety and I've considered picking one up to serve as a backup/trainer for my Colt Lightweight Government. But then I recently bought a steel Colt XSE to serve in that role instead, which is nice because it's set up exactly like the Lightweight Government -- sights and all.

[Ned Christiansen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax8yzAypUtU&t=1s

3 of 3 is up explaining the issues and talking about potential solutions.

[Evil_Ed]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax8yzAypUtU&t=1s

3 of 3 is up explaining the issues and talking about potential solutions.

That is a pretty elegant solution to the problem!

The question is, does it keep the actual safety component of it operational...

For me, my purposes, I like/prefer the Colt S80 setup precisely because of that issue with the Swartz setup. Having seen/had a 1911 drop from hip height onto a stone floor and watched the barrel flag across my head as it bounced...not so much fun. (yes, I know it probably would not have gone off as it struck rear first and not muzzle down, but still...yikes).

I'd probably never go for a Kimber due to other quality issues (both perceived and realized)...but, if that fix is an appropriate one, at least the safety could be made to function as it should, should I ever fall on my head and say to myself "Self, you should sell your Colts and get a Kimber"

[Elwin]

I've removed material on the stop itself in my two Kimbers, and that's worked so far for these guns, but I can absolutely see how this is a better solution for someone with access to the right tools (or a reliable smith who has them). I will say that fitting the stop using a chainsaw file is a pretty elegant solution for those of us trying to get the gun working with minimal additional investment and resources. But I'll of course also admit it may end up ruining the part and requiring one to go back to Kimber for help, which is... not something I want to deal with.

I was also changing the sights on mine anyway. I'd be loathe to take the rear sight off to mess with things now that I have the sights I want installed and zeroed.

I don't totally hate the system now that I have two guns with it that work like they should, but I wouldn't buy one again knowing what I know about them now. It's obvious that Kimber simply won't put in the required time during assembly to actually fit these things, in which case they should stop using it. If your solution to the issue is to just throw parts at it without doing any work to fit them, that's what titanium and/or 9mm firing pins and extra power springs are for.

I do really appreciate the work putting out the information for those of us who ended up with these guns and would rather get them running correctly than get rid of them.