[jonholl]

I started having extracting/ejecting problems today after ~ 15 rounds. Sorry, no pictures, didn't have a camera at the range although I could probably simulate it.
The pistol is a 1970's colt gov't 45, had work done last winter - extractor "tightening", barrel fit, & ejection port lowered. Probably 1100-1300 rounds through it since then.
Problem: The fired round (empty case) is in the chamber & the next round in the magazine is against the empty - ~ 1/4 out of the magazine with the slide stopped. You can look in & see what I've just described. I retract the slide until I can lock the slide stop & can then remove the magazine. If I release the slide stop & cycle the slide the empty will fall out. If I only put 1 round in the magazine the pistol will fire & barely eject the empty - falls next to the pistol, although 1 time it didn't even do that.
Ideas???
Thanks.

 

[gunnut606]

Check to see if the hook is in good shape, clean and square, the hook is at 90* or less if the tension is good.
.

 

[jonholl]

Here are a few pictures, hopefully, with dummy rounds & hand cycled. The round from the magazine is the same, just caught on the fired case in the chamber, not on a dummy round. As is shown the dummy round is not ejected with a quick hand cycling. Hopes this helps.

 

[drail]

The extractor is not holding onto the the rim of the case. Has anyone ever dropped the slide after placing a round in the chamber? That will bend the extractor out of shape. Rounds must be fed from the magazine into the chamber. The extractor is not designed to snap over the rim of a case in the chamber - incoming rounds must slide up under the hook. You can try to retension (bend) the extractor - or buy a new extractor and tension it properly.

 

[jonholl]

Thanks folks, appreciated.
I also had a dummy round in the chamber, removed the magazine, and cycled the slide, the round just fell through the well.
Probably buy a new extractor, this is the original 37 year old one, & a very competent 1911 guy re-tensioned it last winter, working great until today but probably time for a new one.
Any recommendations on a decent extractor for an original colt 1978 gov't 45?

 

[drail]

Egw.

 

[jonholl]

Thanks, any links to tutorials? I may try this myself.

 

[jonholl]

Update: Had my local gunsmith install a new extractor, the "problem" one was broken. A new Ed Brown extractor & installation, $56 including tax. Seemed very fair.

 

[NoExpert]

The extractor could have been defective, in which case the new one shouldn't break. However, it may have been colliding with the barrel (in which case marks on the barrel breech face should be evident), or you may be getting push feeds and the old extractor wasn't properly tuned to snap over the feeding cartridge rim. The new extractor should be checked for barrel clearance and it should be tuned to snap over a cartridge rim without damage to the extractor.

 

[Jeff in Colorado]

barrel breech face?

 

[NoExpert]

Perhaps you would prefer "barrel recoil surface"?

 

[Jeff in Colorado]

no, guess I had never heard it called that, still learning.

 

[NoExpert]

niemi24s prefers "chamber face":

 

[Jeff in Colorado]

ah.