1911 feed ramp

[btorocco]

I recently purchased a Kimber TLE II. I love the gun but I have a question that I'm sure someone out there can answer. I know that with some firearms it would be advantageous to throat and polish the feed ramp but I've heard that it would be disastrous with a 1911, due to the way 1911's are designed to feed. What's the deal?

[Canuck-IL]

If it ain't broke, why fool with it? Shoot a variety of ammo, use all the mags you have and keep careful track of any issues (what mag, what round in the mag, etc.).

Then and only then consider any adjustments if necessary.
/Bryan

[Amontgomery]

+1 on the aint broke dont mess with it.

At first with my Kimber (series I) I had a few rounds stick like every 200 rounds or so. I polished the ramp, hood, and actual barrel and from 9 O'Clock to 3 O'Clock positions in the chamber and now I am in to 1000rds with no malfunctions. It must also be noted that I swapped to Wilson Combat's 47D magazines at nearly the same time so there is more to the reliability that just polishing the feed ramp.

[btorocco]

What mags were you using before you switched to the Wilsons? I bought ten of those surplus GI mags but they are flimsy and unreliable, good for the range but NOT defense. The mag supplied by Kimber works great but they only give you one. I just bought three CMC Match Grades but haven't tried 'em yet. Also, what type of ammo were you shooting? I've only put 500 rds. through my gun, nothing but hardball up to this point, the only problem I've had is with those paper thin GI mags. Hard to believe they issued that junk to soldiers in combat.

[twin oaks]

It is not disasterous to do a ramp and throat job on a 1911, or any gun for that matter. It turns disasterous when you do it wrong. Too much removal of metal can get you into problems like hard 3 pt. jams, and unsupported cases. The latter is the more serious, as it could lead to a blow out, and sympathetic firing of rounds in the magazine. Back to the second post- if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[niemi24s]

. . . the only problem I've had is with those paper thin GI mags. Hard to believe they issued that junk to soldiers in combat.

What leads you to believe these ten magazines are really, truly, GI (purchased under contract by the U.S. Gov't) surplus magazines - and not some cheap copies packaged up to look like the genuine article?

[btorocco]

You could be right. Either way the mags are garbage.

[RickB]

All Kimber barrels are already throated, and if the feedramp in the frame is properly machined, polishing it won't really do much for you.

[btorocco]

Good info. Thanks.

[Amontgomery]

The mags I was using were just cheap ones. One was from Kimber and the other was just a cheap knock-off that the guy who sold me the gun through in when I traded my sig and all of the junk I had with it.

I did notice an improvement in feeding when I polished the ramp on the barrel and was still using the stock Kimber mag. I still went ahead and got the Wilsons because I needed more than one functional magazine.

[Amontgomery]

And for ammo I was just using everyday ball and that was what was having the feeding problems(not significant, like I said but it would get one every 100 or so rounds). Just for kicks I wanted to see how hollow points fed, they fed just as good as the ball ammo.

[btorocco]

The mags I was using were just cheap ones. One was from Kimber and the other was just a cheap knock-off that the guy who sold me the gun through in when I traded my sig and all of the junk I had with it.

I did notice an improvement in feeding when I polished the ramp on the barrel and was still using the stock Kimber mag.I still went ahead and got the Wilsons because I needed more than one functional magazine.
Don't we all. Thanks for the input.