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-Q...nMcxb-0GRoA1bA
Ned Christiansen
Videos: