Extraction issues

[Frankk]

I have been having some extraction issues with my Springfield M1911 SS. This is an intermittent problem, and does not seem to be magazine specific.

On a random magazine and random round, it will just fail to extract. When I drop the magazine and "shuck" out the empty, re-seat the magazine, it functions fine for the rest of the mag. I was using a combo of Novak Stainless Steel 8-round mags and Chip McCormick Stainless Steel 8-round mags (standard type not Shooting Star). Feed was flawless from all magazines. Ammunition was Remington UMC 230gn FMJ-Round Nose.

This is a perplexing issue, as it occurred only 5 times during a series of "heats" at a match this weekend. This is out of over 250 rounds fired. Pistol was lubed properly at start, and still lubed fine at the end of the match.

Any help in diagnosing this issue would be great. The total round count for this pistol is somewhere around 1500.

Frank

[Spindly61]

Is the extractor working at all during failures? Is the ejector tight(no wobble)?

[Frankk]

Partial on the extractor working even during failure, and the ejector seems to be tight. :(

[CJR]

Frankk,

Here's what I'd recommend:

1. Do a detail strip of the piece and thoroughly clean out the extractor tunnel in the slide.
2. Using a Kuhnhausen book, mike the extractor and correct any dimensions that are not proper. If dimensions are not correctable, replace the extractor with a Wilson, Brown , etc.
3. Make sure the front bottom edge of the extractor slot has a slight forward radius to insure the case rim is guided into the extractor slot. This forum and others show what it should look like.
4. Check extractor tension and correct as necessary.
5. Check the barrel chamber, to see if it's tight(i.e undersized/and or warped oval), by removing barrel from piece and dropping a round into the chamber. If chamber is undersized/warped oval, have a 'smith ream the chamber with a precision reamer.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Best regards,

CJR

[1911Tuner]

Check the length of the hook from tip to tensioning wall just behind the hook.
Measure from the backside of the stem to the tip of the hook...then from the backside of the stem to the wall, and subtract. It should be about .036 inch
and square with the bottom of the wall. Longer and the tip digs into the bottom of the case extractor groove. Shorter, and the claw climbs backward over the rim and lets go...which is probably what's happening with yours, assuming too tension.

If you can't get good tension no matter how much bend you put in it, reduce the front positioning pad about .005 inch and try again. You may have to recut the camming bevel at the bottom after doing this.

In my experience, if an OEM extractor from Springfield doesn't work...save yourself a few headaches and replace it with a Wilson or Brown, or anything except another one just like the one you've got. Their extractors seem to be hit and miss at the rate of about 3 in 10.