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Thane wrote:The "shell in the face" problem is NOT limited to Kimbers. Rather, I think it's a problem inherent to the basic design. Granted, what with extrator tuning and shaping, it CAN be eliminated.

I've got a Colt Defender that smacks me in the face every now and then, and skiffs the rest off my hair. What I believe is happening is this: As the spent round hits the ejector, its rearward velocity is slowed, transformed into sideways velocity. That's what the ejector does. Unfortunately, the slide is still moving backwards at this point, allowing the front of the ejection port to hit the shell, giving it back some rearward velocity. I consistently find small brass marks on the front of the ejection port of my Colt, and corrosponding dents in the shells.

I am no gunsmith, but I would presume the problem could be related to:
Extractor shape and tension, hanging on to the shell too long or releasing it in the wrong direction;
Ejector shape and length, hitting the shell too soon/late, or hitting it in the wrong direction;
Or a recoil spring that's not quite strong enough, and doesn't slow the slide down soon enough to keep it from smacking the shell backwards;
Or some combination of those three.
Again, I'm not a gunsmith, but these might give you some idea of where to start looking for the problem.