i was checking my model 66 and 17 for end shake. the model 66 has hardly any play at all but the 17 has quite a bit.(im going to buy a set of feeler gauges tomorrow. while examining the 17 more closely i noticed the extractor is very worn compared to the 66. the 6 little squares that the little arm pushes on to move the cylinder are almost flat.the same squares on the 66 are over twice as thick. can i buy a new extractor and install it myself or do i have to send it to s and w? it cycles normally but the extractor looks worn out compared to the 66. does this sound like an expensive fix? the gun store said the gun wasn't fired much. the bluing looked too good- they said it wasn't reblued .these were my first used revolvers and i took the gunsmiths word. i got a good deal on the 66-1 but i dont know about the 17.

You can get an extractor here, among other places:

17 S&W Accessories | Numrich Gun Parts

That is a part that must be "fit" to operate correctly. The hand must contact the ratchets precisely for cylinder carry-up.

Yes,as already stated you can buy the part but fitting the extractor for timing and cylinder cycling is a whole 'nother thing!
If the revolver is out of time get Smith to repair it,if the gun is running fine leave well enough alone!
If you have cylinder endshake you can repair that yourself with the proper shims but get a S&W book on what you are to do if the info is not located on this site.If you have too much endshake that alone can affect timing.

If the timing is good - leave it alone. If you are experiences issues such as timing, light hits on cases, etc, then send it back to the guys that made it and get it fixed the right way and for free. How can you beat that?

If it ain't broke don't fix it. Shoot it til it actually has a problem, then have a qualified S&W gunsmith take a look at it. Some things are simple and inexpensive to fix, others are not. A hack can make a simple fix get real expensive.

There can be a lot of truth there. If your 17 times correctly, fix the end shake and then have a look at your barrel-cylinder gap and timing. If it is acceptable, let the gun alone. Don't forget that you should check/correct yoke shake before you start in on end shake. Replacing an extractor is no easy job.

i picked up a set of feeler gauges.the model 66 measured .004 and.006 with the cylinder pushed back-.002 end shake very acceptable. the 17 is a different story .001 and .009 with cylinder pushed back .008 end shake . the gun shoots great-no timing issues. the only thing that bothers me is the condition of the extractor-the ratchets? only measure around .010" high. if i install shims will the gun still operate correctly ? should the ratchets be the same height on the 17 as the ones on the 66? thanks for replies btw. i live in canada so i can't send the gun to s and w. we have a warranty shop and i dont think they'll repair a 34 year old gun for free.

In a word, "no."

The M17 has counterbored chambers. Look close and you'll see that what you're seeing is not "worn" ratchets (or whatever they're called); it's the fact that the metal around them is at the same level as the height of the outside of the c'bored cylinder holes. Hold the two guns side by side and you'll see what I mean.

Shims won't affect anything adversely because all you're going to do is shim the cylinder back into its proper position.