1911 extracter problem, need advice

kaboom

I have been shooting handguns for over 50 years, but I only began shooting 1911s about a dozen years ago. I have a pre-70 series Colt which is throwing empties over my head instead of off to my right. I have been told that means the extracter is weak. I ordered a new extracter, honed and polished down a few obvious rough spots, and it slipped into place very easily, maybe too easily. I still have the same problem except I had 2 malfunctions out of 60 rounds fired where the empty was lying loose on top of the next cartridge in the mag, thereby preventing the slide from going forward into battery. It has never jammed with RNL bullets before even once. I think there isn't enough spring tension on the hook because it fits into the extracter tunnel a little bit loosely while the original one fits so tight it has to be tapped in with a plastic hammer.There isn't a gunsmith in my area, and I hate to ship it off for a couple of months and then have to have it shipped back to an FFL. Maybe I just bought a bad extracter? Any suggestions that could be done by a kitchen-table gunsmith?

modoc

Hi,if you were told the extractor was weak it seems to me that meant a new spring rather than a new extractor.Try pulling it length- wise to make it a little longer and try that.If it solves the problem buy a new spring.I hope this helps.modocI had another thought,have you looked at the ejector to be sure it is full length.It might have broken off the point.Just a thought.M[This message has been edited by modoc (edited 01-05-2002).]

AntiqueDr

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v35

It's been almost 50 tears but I think the extractor body should have a gentle bend in it with the convexity facing outward. Try it a little at a time.

JudgeColt

For the second time in the last few days, I see that there are people who are not familiar with one of the most common and most importannt hand designs in history, and a standard on the American scene for 90 years. In the previous instance, someone was relating how the firing pin spring would tension the firing pin FORWARD towards the primer!Modoc obviously does not know that the Government Model extractor serves as its own spring. There is no coil spring applying tension to it.

kaboom

There is no coil spring applying tension to it.

kaboom

Sorry, I didn't close the tag on that last post. Maybe this will correct it for any future posts to the thread.

oneshy

The old extractor was worn and the shape it took was causing the overhead eject. If you honed and polished a new extractor you complicated the same problem. Now it won't grip the rim properly. Get a new extractor and install it as it comes. These are tricky to shape correctly even for a gunsmith.[This message has been edited by oneshy (edited 01-05-2002).]

v35

Kaboom, you've got two extractors unusable as they are. Try a slight bend. What do you have to lose? These are not hard and brittleparts. They are tough, with a soft spring temper. If the bend alone doesn't do it, you can remove a (very)little metal on the extractor just to the rear of the claw hook. this will allow the claw to move in closer to ward the firing pin and grip the case. Start with a barely perceptable bend and let us know how you make out.

kaboom

OK, thanks to all you guys for the info. You're right v35, I don't have anything to lose, so I may try bending and filing it slightly. If I mess it up worse I'll order another one and install it as it comes from the factory. If that doesn't work I guess it's off to a smithy.

ishootblanks

Many 1911's don't have the extractors adjusted correctly when they come from the factory. It is a simple matter of bending slightly to adjust the tension. As for the path of the casing, that is determined by the angle of the ejector.

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