I�ve located the cause of my Kimber Classic intermittent misfires from light firing pin hits.

There is too much head space! There is .002� bolt free play when closed on a Forester NO GO gauge with a rim thickness of .046�. That�s a total of .005� headspace, too much with a match chamber.

I know, some will argue that S.A.A.M.I. specs. are .043� to .051�, a total of .008�. The bullet pushes into the lands when closing the bolt on a match chamber. When the firing pin contacts the cartridge rim it drives the cartridge forward to the barrel breech face and the bullet pushes deeper into the lands. ANY movement of the bullet deeper into the lands dampens firing pin impact. A standard chamber is forgiving because the bullet does not contact the lands and there is little resistance pushing the cartridge forward to the barrel breech face.

Current production Kimber .22LR have very short firing pin travel making headspace critical.

If a headspace or chamber problem is suspected try shooting shorts. Any cartridge that the bullet does not touch the lands when fully chambered against the barrel breech face will do. Over 100 rounds of shorts in this Kimber without a misfire then started it misfiring again when shooting long rifle cartridges.

Possibly this explains why some Kimber .22LR rifles have bolts with non matching serial numbers. Do you think they swap bolts around trying to correct headspace problems??

Kimber does it to me again....... Now yet another new Kimber to ship back at my expense. Too bad Kimber of America doesn�t put as much effort in their quality control as they do into their impressive advertising.

Somewhere I read a post that stated every new Kimber should come with a postage paid carton to ship the firearm back to have it completed! More truth in that than humor.

Wally B

"Somewhere I read a post that stated every new Kimber should come with a postage paid carton to ship the firearm back to have it completed!"
Wally B

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Gosh Wally, I think you could substitute Remington, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, etc. for "Kimber" ! They're all way lacking in QC, especially Ruger and Remington. They should all come with the Post Paid Return Carton!

The only brand new gun I've ever bought that was completely non-functional was a $5500 Dakota Model 10. It's been back twice and hopefully won't need to again. It can happen in the best of families.........DJ