Kimber TLE II thumb safety broken

[Danegeld]

The day before yesterday I took my wife out to the BadLands Range to do some shooting.  On the very first shot she fired the thumb safety (stainless TLE II) got nicked by the slide (I guess) and it broke???  We were using 230grain Punkin' Heads.

I took the pistol to Scheels Outdoor where I purchased it and they will be sending it back to Kimber for repair.  I'm also getting an adjustable rear sight on it.  Has this happened to any other members?

Take Care
Ben

[Questor]

It was most likely an assembly error. I don't believe anything actually broke.

[Danegeld]

It was most likely an assembly error. I don't believe anything actually broke.

Oh, it broke.  The metal thumb tang actually cracked and then came off in my hand.

Ben[/i]

[Questor]

Bummer! Fortunately it's an easy fix. Wonder how that happend?

[Danegeld]

Bummer! Fortunately it's an easy fix. Wonder how that happend?

Not sure, Jen (wife) popped off one round and it jammed, stove-pipe.  I dropped the clip amd that's when I noticed the safety broken.  It fell to the ground.  Only had the pistol a little over a month and have run 500 or so rounds thru it.  All with no troubles.  

P.S.  I can't wait to get it back with the new sights

Take Care
Ben

[Dee]

Here's the deal with your thumb safety. If the factory smith who fitted the saftey cut too much metal off it during fitting you can actually move the safety up slightly into the safety notch cut into the slide with out blocking the sear. If this happens and it has before when you discharge the pistol the slide notch cut will hang the top of the thumb safety as it cycles back and break it off. The reason the pistol stove-piped the round is because the thumb safety retarded the pistols ejection and rechamber cycle. I have custom assembled many pistols over the last 30 years and have never personally had it happen but, it can as you have experienced. For many years I carried a Springfield and a Colt I had built. I traded for a new in the box Kimber Custom TLE II and didn't shoot it for over a year leaving it in my safe. My boys came home one weekend and wanted to go shoot so I took it out and shot it. After shooting it I liked it so well I took it home, cleaned up the trigger a little and sold the other two pistols. Kimber had already done what I would have done plus the slide is a little thinner making more comfortable for inside the pants carry.

[Danegeld]

Here's the deal with your thumb safety. If the factory smith who fitted the saftey cut too much metal off it during fitting you can actually move the safety up slightly into the safety notch cut into the slide with out blocking the sear. If this happens and it has before when you discharge the pistol the slide notch cut will hang the top of the thumb safety as it cycles back and break it off. The reason the pistol stove-piped the round is because the thumb safety retarded the pistols ejection and rechamber cycle. I have custom assembled many pistols over the last 30 years and have never personally had it happen but, it can as you have experienced. For many years I carried a Springfield and a Colt I had built. I traded for a new in the box Kimber Custom TLE II and didn't shoot it for over a year leaving it in my safe. My boys came home one weekend and wanted to go shoot so I took it out and shot it. After shooting it I liked it so well I took it home, cleaned up the trigger a little and sold the other two pistols. Kimber had already done what I would have done plus the slide is a little thinner making more comfortable for inside the pants carry.

Sir,

Thanks for the information

Take Care
Ben