The pin is not tapered, the design is such that the visible access hole on the top of the slide allows for a smaller diameter punch to drive the pin downward and out. The actual extractor pin is of a larger diameter than the access hole.

This way, the pin cannot walk upward and out on it's own (hole too small!) and it cannot walk downward and out on it's own (frame blocks the hole on the underside of slide)

Whatever happens, NEVER hog out the top access hole like the previous idiot owner of my first 745!