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Resq47
12-30-06, 00:54
After cleaning & re-assing my Kimber S1 tonight I noticed the plunger tube has developed some play. I'm at 4,600 rounds on the gun, and it's my only (and first) 1911.

Can anyone that's been down the road before me give any intel on how loose is too loose before it actually ties things up? I haven't had any stoppages from the plunger but...

K.L. Davis
12-30-06, 01:13
In my book... if you know it is loose, it is too loose. It could take forever to pop off, but I have never seen one get tighter.

Staking the plunger tube is not rocket surgery, but in order to get a good stake, you either have to buy or make the tool to do it -- I would suggest that you contact Kimber and see how quick they can get it fixed.

Resq47
12-30-06, 02:06
Roger that. I'm of the mindset that I'd rather get the tool from Brownells and have it on hand than pay to FedEx the gun to Kimber. I assumed that there shouldn't be any play but I don't have another to compare to.

Thanks for the input!

M4Guru
12-30-06, 07:08
Remove it, clean/degrease it, apply black loc-tite, re-stake

K.L. Davis
12-30-06, 14:30
As long as you are ordering the tool, might as well pop another 10 bucks and get a new tube -- if it is loose because it was staked poorly, then you may have to deal with one of the posts that was punched off center, and much like trying to restart drilling a hole, it will tend to want to stay off center.

Also, the posts have been flared once, and will be crimped back down when you pull it off... only to be flared again -- probably not the best bet. YoBo, Wilson, Brown, et al are all 10 - 12 bucks for a new tube. The EGW bolt on is a little more, I dont know if it is really that much better, but they look neat!

Anyway, for 10 bucks, I would say replace it with a new part... and loctite is surely your friend with these tubes.

While you are doing the work, might as well back drill the slide stop too, that just helps prevent one more thing that can go wrong.

Jason Burton
12-30-06, 22:41
After cleaning & re-assing my Kimber S1 tonight I noticed the plunger tube has developed some play. I'm at 4,600 rounds on the gun, and it's my only (and first) 1911.

Can anyone that's been down the road before me give any intel on how loose is too loose before it actually ties things up? I haven't had any stoppages from the plunger but...

I may be repeating what others have already stated but it's worth mentioning...

Even the slightest movement is too loose, period. The plunger tube should be rock solid on the frame and have no play what so ever.

Don't simply re-stake the old tube, as it is likely a MIM part that may not have enough material on the legs for proper installation. You are much better off to replace the tube all together. Additionally, when you do so be sure to flare the holes for the legs on the inside of the frame. That way you have as much contact as possible between the legs of the plunger tube and the frame. Loctite is an added insurance but if the tube is staked properly as I described no Loctite will be needed. :)

Resq47
01-02-07, 00:27
While you are doing the work, might as well back drill the slide stop too, that just helps prevent one more thing that can go wrong.

Back drill? You've got my attention.

K.L. Davis
01-02-07, 12:04
Back drill? You've got my attention.

Spotting Drill (http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=7665&title=1911+AUTO+DETENT+SPOTTING+DRILL)

If your slide stop does not already have a small detent notch to hold it in the down position, I strongly recommend it... during recoil, the slide stop can move up a little and catch the slide as it is returing.

I have never seen it actually stop the slide, but it has been blamed for more than a few FTF -- and perhaps one of my most embarassing events ever on the firing line... when my 1911 field stripped itself while shooting :(

snacks
01-02-07, 22:54
interesting. I think i will pick one of these items up as well.