Brass ejection pattern random

[brownie]

My S&W PC1911 runs good--100% reliable feeding, extraction, & ejection. However, its ejection pattern needs help; I find brass up to 12 feet away and just about anywhere behind the firing line. It has an external extractor, so I probably can't do much with that. Here is a picture anyway:

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n244/brownie42/Extractor.jpg

but the ejector is another matter:

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n244/brownie42/Ejector.jpg

It isn't shaped the way other extended ejectors I've seen are, and the cartridge cases seem to be impacting the upper, right corner of it. Is there a way to reshape it that would regularize the ejection pattern?

Thanks,
Bill

[niemi24s]

1. Are there any signs the cases are hitting the bottom of the ejection port on their way out of the gun (such as dents in the case mouths or contact marks on the port)?

2. Did the gun come from S&W with this ejector?

3. Has this ejector been tinkered with?

Moving the contact point down will almost always get the case started off on a higher trajectory, but my bleary old eyes tell me the bottom part of this ejector has been raised - limiting how far down the contact point can be lowered and how much the trajectory of the ejected cases can be raised.

I'd try filing this ejector back at the top to move the contact point about half way down then shoot it and see where the brass goes. If there's not much change in ejection pattern, file more to get the contact point as low as possible and shoot it again.

If this doesn't work, install a new ejector. Also make sure the recoil spring is suited to the ammo you shoot, 16 lbs for most stuff (except mid-range target fodder).

[brownie]

Hi niemi24s,

Thanks for the quick reply.

There are no signs that the brass is hitting the ejection port and the ejector came just as you see it from S&W.

The recoil spring is 16lb. and I usually shoot mid-range reloads, but I get the wide dispersion of brass with factory ammunition as well.

Raking the top of the ejector back a bit as you suggest is what I was thinking of doing, but wasn't sure if it would help or create more problems.

Thanks,
--Bill

[wichaka]

If it's not hitting you, or coming close to you, I'd leave it alone. getting the brass out is what you want.

[brownie]

Hi Wichaka,

Yeah, leaving it alone is probably good advice; that's what I've been doing for quite a while. Problem is, I'm losing an awful lot of brass and I just hate buying new brass. I guess the question is, would filing an angle on the ejector be more likely to help or to create other ejection problems?

--Bill

[brownie]

Another question: Would changing the shape of the ejector tighten up the ejection pattern or just alter the ejection angle?

Thanks,
Bill

[Dave Berryhill]

Unless your ejector is loose then your extractor is probably the cause of the inconsistent ejection. I'll bet that the last round in each mag ejects much differently than the rest.

[niemi24s]

IMHO, there will always be some inconsistency in ejection pattern due to inconsistencies in the position of the case when struck by the ejector.

Dave mentioned what's probably the largest for most guns - the last round versus all the previous rounds. This one stems from the fact that the last round doesn't get pushed back up under the breech face guide blocks. All the previous rounds get pushed up by the round below and have pretty much the same vertical position when hit by the ejector. With no round below to push it up, the last case is no doubt lower down when the ejector hits it and it's trajectory is different - sometimes radically different.

In addition, I suspect that (especially if the extractor's tension is low) the puff of powder gasses emittited from the back of the chamber when the case is being extracted can blow the case off the chamber axis. Maybe pointing up or down and left or right. And maybe pointing different for each case. Maybe.

As Wichaka said, getting it out the ejection port is the primary goal. Getting them to all land in the proverbial bucket placed to the right and behind you involves something akin to sorcery!

To answer the question is Post #6: It sure will - maybe! :D

[brownie]

Hmmm. The ejector is not loose, so it sounds like the extractor is the prime suspect. And since extractor is of the external variety, which, as far as I know, can't be adjusted (at least by me), I guess Wichaka is right: live with it. Oh well, at least the brass is getting out of the ejection port reliably. Thanks for the advice, folks.