Do all S&W 1911s have external extractors? Will these last a lot longer than regular 1911 internal extractors and not require regular adjustment?
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Do all S&W 1911s have external extractors? Will these last a lot longer than regular 1911 internal extractors and not require regular adjustment?
Yes, although S&W saw fit to change the design a year or two ago. I've not experienced any particular difficulty with the original John Browning internal extractor, and prefer it from a debris admittance (i.e., lack thereof) standpoint.
My reason for disposing of my SW1911s was not the extractor. Rather, it was the grip-safety-deactivated firing pin block. Getting the timing right was a chore. I really hate it when I hear a "click" instead of a "BANG."
I used the money to buy SR1911s and haven't looked back.
Regards,
Walt
Author, The M1911 Complete Assembly Guide,
The M1911 Complete Owner's Guide, NEW The 10/22 Complete Owner's and Assembly Guide,
The M14 and M1 Garand Complete Assembly Guides
and The AR-15 Complete Assembly and NEW Owner's Guides
S&W has been using external extractors for decades, ever since the Model 39. They figured out how to make them work and last, unlike Kimber which tried them and eventually did away with them.
I think the more that manufacturers mess with the original design, the more problems they are going to have. I also think the more that individuals who are not gunsmiths mess with their pistols, the more problems they are going to have. The pistol, with only minimal alterations, served through three major wars all over the world and in some of the worst possible conditions. Soldiers were field stripping the 1911 and cleaning sand out under fire on the beaches of Normandy and Tarawa and then firing on the enemy. I love some of the enhanced 1911's that competition shooters use and that many collectors love. But, the original design is really just fine.
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condition2 (10th May 2017)
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It seems like you hear more about internal extractors needing adjusting or breaking than the S&W external extractors. It is a non issue with the S&W 1911s.
I have two S&Ws with many 1000s of rounds each, no failures, none.
Thank God!Originally Posted by charlieb8
S&W knows how to do the external extractor. Here on an early 1911Sc in commander size.
Here on a S&W Chiefs Special in .45ACP
The S&W Performance Center used a wider extractor which is now being used on the E Series. This is on a S&W 945 which is a SA pistol in .45ACP, but not a 1911.
External extractors are also used by many other manufacturers. Below on a Ruger P90. Of course Ruger uses the internal on their new SR1911 series.
And here on a Taurus Millenium Pro in .45. And yes Taurus does use the internal in their PT1911
Now why the Kimber external extractor failed is something I wish I knew a lot more about. Here on my Grand Raptor. I have not had any problems with it and it stays in my shooty collection because it is the last example of an external Kimber extractor I have, plus the Grand Raptor is a very pretty pistol.
I know at the time on the Kimber forums they were saying the full size guns were O.K., but on the smaller size Kimbers it was a problem. I thought they were copying the Glock design, below on a Glock 36, which is a small Glock in .45ACP.
Or maybe Kahr, and this is a Kahr P9 by the way.
Anyway, S&W knows how to do the external extractor. The Commander size E Series with a Scandium/Aluminum frame is on a mental list of about 200 guns I would like to buy. I am glad S&W lost the Swartz safety on the E Series. Of couse Kimber keeps using it. Anyway, hope the pictures help.
NRA Life Member
Complaints about extractor-related issues with S&W 1911 indeed seem to be rare. They do exist, though. Here's a recent one:
http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=104123
Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
M. Setter
No good can come from external extractors on a 1911. God save you all.
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condition2 (10th May 2017)
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I know very little about gun smithing or gun manufacture. I hear this discussion about external extractors once in a while, but no one has ever explained to me what the mechanical issue is. A lot of pistols use the external extractor...BHP, Beretta, for instance, which are great pistols that I have fired for years with no issues. But, they are all smaller calibers. Is it something about the 1911 or the 45 acp particularly that makes them a bad candidate for an external extractor? I am asking to be educated here. Thanks.
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