Series 70 Repro Ejector (Help)

[TonyHuff]

My new Colt Series 70 Reproduction fires great but I am getting some scratches and dented brass.
The scratches are on the top of the ejection port near the left rear.
The brass has a vertical dent lengthways on the shell.
I don't like the sights on this gun and I will be sending it off for a rework on the sights but I am trying to determine what other work may be required.
This is my first shooter and I am not sure what I might want down the road but I would like to try to get as much done on the first 'trip away from home' as possible.
I have around 400 rounds through it and is very accurate (as far as I can tell).

I appreciate all the experience and expertise this forum has and would be in debt to anyone who would care to share some of their experiences.

Tony.

[cliff731]

Tony,

Congrats on your new Colt Series 70 Replica... http://forum.m1911.org/images/icons/icon14.gif

There's a sticky thread on the forum that will tell you how to check your extractor tensioning... that might be your culprit.

If she's otherwise doing okay in the reliability department, I would opine a few dented cases are not too big an issue considering the ejection port configuration on these Colts. Those scratches might be somewhat acceptable for some folks.

How bad are those scratches? What's the frequency of dented cases?

Generally, I'm not a big fan of fixing what ain't broke... ;)

However, if you're gonna send it off for some work... :)

Cliff

[Mhanis]

Tony,

Mine did the same thing. I never worried about it but since it had to go back anyway, I asked them to adjust the extractor for me. I would not have sent it back just for that though.

Regarding the marks on the slide; they probably are not scratches at all, they are left by the brass striking the slide and will come off easily when you clean the gun, just use a bit of solvent and some rubbing. If I remember right somebody posted once that a pencil eraser will work as well.

Have a great weekend!

[TonyHuff]

By looking at the massive dents in these cases I assume something is very wrong. Yes, it does shoot and I am very happy with the gun but I don't like the scratches and something is crushing these cases.
The picture shows the scratches and also a few of the casings. This is happening on all cases shot from the gun.
I will check out the article you mentioned and see if this something I am up to doing.
I also subscribe to the saw 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' but I think something is broke.

http://www.GodWorks.org/Shared/scratches1.jpg
http://www.GodWorks.org/Shared/scratches.jpg

[TonyHuff]

Sorry, I think I mis-spoke. My wife tells me (she picked up the brass) that the dented cases were only about one per magazine.
Mark; I will check on the 'brass fragments' verses scratching. I hope thats the case.

[cliff731]

Tony,

That looks more like brassing than scratches into the slide. It ought to come off with something like Hoppe's #9.

How is the pattern of ejected casings from each magazine? Are they being flung all over the place or somewhat ejected into one smaller area?

Cliff

[TonyHuff]

The pattern is fairly consistent but it seems at least a few per magazine come straight back at me. I have been hit in the forehead more than once.
Usually they arc about a 12-18 inches to the right and back landing about next to me or just a little ahead ( I shoot with arms almost fully extended).
I assume the shells that hit me or fly over my head are the ones that are so dented but I can't be positive.

I will pay much better attention to the pattern and frequency at the next session (very soon I hope).

[cliff731]

Tony,

This case ejection issue sounds much like what many Springfield G.I. owners report (i.e.- being hit in the face or head and dented casings)... and that 1911 has an almost identical size ejection port in the slide. Most always it's the extractor there that needs tuning and the problem is corrected.

The Springers also show an identical type of "brassing" marks on the slide... same place too.

Cliff

[TonyHuff]

Thanks guys, sounds like this an 'adjustable' problem. I am glad to hear it as I wouldn't want anything 'serious' going on.
I will look at the adjustment procedure and try to figure out if my mechanical skills are up to the job.

[Mhanis]

Tony,

I think that the brass leaving a mark on the slide is just Colt's way of letting you know that the brass did in fact eject!:rolleyes:

I put me new extractor and firing pin stop on mine (I put the originals back in before I sent it back) and it helped. I have been "doinked" in the forehead a couple of times, once left a nice "SMILE" on my forehead.

Shooting and wincing at the same time makes you a stronger man!! :p
Really, a little tweaking is all you need.

[John]

Is the extractor clocking in its tunnel (turning)? If some of the rounds eject differently than the others, then the extractor must be clocking, a new firing pin stop will cure that and it is a 5 minutes job.

[TonyHuff]

Thanks for the insight John.
I opened my 'The Gun Digest book of the 1911, Volume 1' as I did not know how to remove the extractor or the firing pin stop.
Those components seemed very close fitting to me, I did not feel any slop or looseness that would allow the extractor to rotate. Of course, I have zero experience in these matters.
I performed the 'Tension Test' outlined in the 'Extractor Tuning Tips' by Bill Wilson. The tension was correct. I doubt I would try to tackle filing the extractor for positioning or even bending it for tension. My timidness goes back to my hobby days of flying radio control helicopters. It was my general experience that some things were beyond my capabilities.
I will find out more about the frequency and instances of denting and report back.

[Icepick15]

If your extractor is not clocking, maybe tuning your ejector will help. Be careful, and go slow. You only have to remove a very small amount of metal. This is NOT a job for a 6 inch pillar file.