Kimber's reputation blinding us to an excellent choice?

[Totem Polar]

When you get tired of it and change guns again - just send me a PM.

At this point, I think I'll keep it.

I ran another quick 96-ish rounds through the k6 today; 50 148gr wadcutters, a few 158gr +P from Remington, and a bunch of different .357 loads: several cylinders of WWB 110gr, some Silvertip 145gr, and a cylinder each of Federal and Remington's old-school violent 125gr SJHP. Those 125s still flash, even with the lane lights on.

The 110gr was surprisingly mild, recoil-wise, and POI was perfectly centered, but about an inch low for me at 7. The wadcutters and 158+P both grouped a little to the right for me; I was prepared to believe it was shooter-induced, until I tried the silvertips and the 125 .357s; those were both centered, at the same distance. The full-power 125s grouped well--probably about as well as I can do these days, frankly. I wouldn't want to shoot a lot of either the 125s or the 145 silvertips. Recoil was, again, "surprisingly mild," but only because I was expecting borderline nightmare kick, from past J-frame and SP experience. Not pleasant at all, but certainly doable for a few cylinders, and probably on par with my 3" 65, despite the K-frame weight advantage.

So far, the firing pin still works.

One thing I've noticed: this thing heats up even more than I remember either SS J or K frames doing; that heavy 3" barrel was just hotter than hell by the time I got done.

Anyhoo, this is 6 of the 148 wadcutter (Freedom Munition's copper-coated), to the right of the 1" P-F square, and 6 Federal 125gr SJHP in/around the top left of the square.

[314159]

Kimber repair update with a thought attached.

My K6 is returning in the UPS system, less than a week since it left me. That's pretty nice.

Hypothesis follows. 1) The K6 was designed from the ground up as a DAO revolver that should have the nicest trigger possible. 2) Apex trigger kits help to do much the same thing for factory S&W J frames. Included in those kits are a longer than average firing pin which presumably make their lighter mainspring more effective for ignition. 3) Such longer firing pins may endure more stresses from impacts with the frame during dry fire practice. It MAY be that the Kimber design firing pin is a little longer and perhaps is also exposed to that risk.(Or it could just be a flawed design/material failure.)

So, do Apex kit enhanced J frames have more firing pin failures? I have no idea, but if you have such a revolver maybe you should dry fire with snap caps from now on. It's just an odd thought that I'm passing on.

[SD]

Kimber repair update with a thought attached. Quick turnaround for the repair, that a big PLUS. Happy shooting...

My K6 is returning in the UPS system, less than a week since it left me. That's pretty nice.

Hypothesis follows. 1) The K6 was designed from the ground up as a DAO revolver that should have the nicest trigger possible. 2) Apex trigger kits help to do much the same thing for factory S&W J frames. Included in those kits are a longer than average firing pin which presumably make their lighter mainspring more effective for ignition. 3) Such longer firing pins may endure more stresses from impacts with the frame during dry fire practice. It MAY be that the Kimber design firing pin is a little longer and perhaps is also exposed to that risk.(Or it could just be a flawed design/material failure.)

So, do Apex kit enhanced J frames have more firing pin failures? I have no idea, but if you have such a revolver maybe you should dry fire with snap caps from now on. It's just an odd thought that I'm passing on.

[HeavyDuty]

I’d be curious to know whether the replacement firing pin is the same as the first, or a different design...

[314159]

My thought also. Will compare to 2 other K6s.

[medmo]

Received email from Kimber with the return tracking number for my K6 that needed a new firing pin. Scheduled delivery is 8/28/18. I shipped it to them on 8/20/18 so that is a pretty speedy turn around.

[medmo]

Got back home last night from work travel to my factory returned K6. The invoice says that they replaced the firing pin, firing pin bushing and the firing pin spring. I think they call the firing pin retaining pin a bushing. They used some type of red thread locker on the side plate screws that wasn’t used when originally factory assembled. Good news, they didn’t alter or change my trigger tune as they left the polished rebound and spring in the revolver. With the speedy turn around and good work I’m very satisfied. Now, back to the range to finish up the 1k round “good to go” round count and no more dry firing on empty chambers.

[medmo]

Got back home last night from work travel to my factory returned K6. The invoice says that they replaced the firing pin, firing pin bushing and the firing pin spring. I think they call the firing pin retaining pin a bushing. They used some type of red thread locker on the side plate screws that wasn’t used when originally factory assembled. Good news, they didn’t alter or change my trigger tune as they left the polished rebound and spring in the revolver. With the speedy turn around and good work I’m very satisfied. Now, back to the range to finish up the 1k round “good to go” round count and no more dry firing on empty chambers.

I forgot to mention that Kimber Service also replaced the grip screw which started to rust a tiny bit. Nice attention to details.

[Lester Polfus]

So here is a question...

Should we expect a firearm to hold up to lots (as in thousands of rounds) of dry firing with an empty chamber?

I've always thought this was a Bad Idea, and have always used snap caps, but can't really tell you why or how I came to believe that.

[medmo]

So here is a question...

Should we expect a firearm to hold up to lots (as in thousands of rounds) of dry firing with an empty chamber?

I've always thought this was a Bad Idea, and have always used snap caps, but can't really tell you why or how I came to believe that.

Some makes and models yes and other makes and models no. The K6 is a definite no and snap caps should be used based on my experience of a sample of one.