Kimber Eclipse Pro II slide not completely closing

I'll chime in, but after me having received and sold so many defective Kimbers you might not like hearing about my Kimber problems.

Kimber is trying to make every pistol out of their factory and paper-punching target pistol. It is a combat pistol. They produce an extraordinarily tight fit of the slide/receiver. When you have the recoil spring/guide rod/barrel (you have no bushing) removed, the pistol cleaned and lubed, you should be able to angle it downward at 45 degrees, and observe the slide move down without you aiding it. If it does not, the fit is too tight.

The worn out spring is a B.S. myth. The only worse myth is the Kimber magazine myth!!! Why do 100% of my Kimber magazines function in my Colts, but not in my Kimber Warrior?! Hello?! The fact that the pistol has been stored with the slide back has zero effect on the spring. Modern springs are excellent quality. Furthermore, you switched the spring and the problem persists. Ergo, spring is eliminated.

When a 1911 fails to go into battery, basically one of two problems is happening: tight fit or horridly weak spring. I'd lay odds the fit is too tight. Here is the process to test your fit:

1: unload 1911
2: strip out recoil spring/rod/barrel
3: clean
4: lube receiver/slide with a very light oil
5: reassemble only the receiver & slide
6: tilt to 45 degrees
7: Observe the slide

Q1: Does it slide down on its own? Yes = good fit. No = too tight.

Some people will set forth the "you're limp-wristing" B.S., and it's B.S.! My Colt pistols function properly even when I hold them by my finger tips...and control the pistol only to the point of not dropping it.

Call Kimber and ask them to issue a recall tag for UPS. Kimber makes a good product; they are simply careless. They, more than any 1911-manufacturer I know of, plays the numbers game. Kimber cranks out over 1,000 pistols per day...seriously, more than 1,000 per day...according to the director of the "custom Shop"/repair department. It's a crap shoot. Will you get a shooter or a piece of crap?! I've had too many Kimber turds to ever purchase another.

Best of luck...oh, when you call the Custom Shop, document, document, document. There is one employee, I will P.M. you his name...he lied to me repeatedly. If he lies to you, call the Ex. V.P. of the Cust. Relations. He backed me quite well.

If you need more detailed help, PM 1911tuner. He knows 1911s like no one else on earth

Doc2005

Always check the "easy stuff" first...ammo in spec and mags in good shape.
Make sure the chamber is clean. I've "read" that some Kimbers can have tight chambers.
It clicks because the slide is not fully in battery and the "disconnector" prevents the gun from firing...which is a very good thing by the way!

The 20-22lb springs are much too heavy and that's causing the problem with ejection. If a 16lb spring or even a much lighter spring doesn't feed well, you have a problem with the "feeding cycle" which includes the need for good mags, ammo, barrel fit or timing, chamber specs, etc.

I'm not a gunsmith so, if you had someone local that could check it or call Kimber and describe the issue.

Sorry, not much help.

Sounds to me like you may have an issue with the fitment of your series II pushrod, or fireing pin block.

See attached pics...

I suggest that you reinstall your stock recoil spring, drift out your rear sight, remove your fireing pin, and remove your fireing pin block...reassemble and test minus the fireing pin block. It's just an extra piece needed to pass the California drop test.

If that ends up being your problem...a few strokes of the file fixed mine...otherwise, you can look elsewhere (poorly fitted barrel link) for your problem.

Hope this helps. - JM.

JoshM hit the nail on the head - in my experience, the typical 'Kimber-fails-to-go-into-battery' issue is almost always traced to the firing pin safety plunger hanging up.