[Shmackey]

What's at fault here?

Every so often (let's say every few mags, and it happens with "good" Wilson mags and my stock Kimber mag), I will have what I'd consider an FTE. Basically, the slide doesn't close all the way after I fire a shot; upon inspection I notice that the spent casing is still in there, behind the newly fed and chambered round. They're kinda playing leapfrog in there. It's not a stovepipe, as the casing is horizontal, but perhaps it's the same idea.

Because the spent casing was, in fact, removed from the barrel, I'm guessing that this is not an extractor problem so much as an ejector problem. I have to admit that I don't know exactly what the ejector does or how it does it, so I don't know what to look for. I do wonder, though, how it's possible to install an "extended" ejector; isn't it the size that it is for a reason?

I digress.

 

[MadDog]

Shmackey -

I have had the same problem in the past. The ejected casing is ejecting straight up instead of to the side, and the slide closes before the spent case clears the port causing the spent case to get stuck in a horizontal position between the breech face and the barrel hood or the barrel chamber.

Your extractor is most likely fine in this case but you will either have to tune the ejector or lighten up on the recoil spring by a pound or two.

I tuned my ejector so it would throw the spent cases straight up and over my head and had to clip a 1/4 coil off the recoil spring in order to slow the slides cycle rate just a little.

Hope this helps,
MadDog

 

[Shmackey]

MD, that sounds about right. Anyone else come across this?

 

[The artis formaly Redzone]

I think the only way it could be the ejector is if its wobbling loose. The extractor is the guy in the gun I would question. The weakest link its one of. Though MadDog got a point in his experience. I am voting hang the extractor or send it to a correctional facility.

 

[kanewtervalve]

Had the same problem with my wife's gun, did some research and found the previous owner liked shooting +P ammo and had replaced the recoil spring with a stiffer one. Replaced it with factory spring and problems went bye bye.