I've been sort of curious about this. Does anyone know when/if you might have to replace the extractor or it's spring in 3rd Gen pistols? Breakage, of course, would be inevitable if that were the case. I have an oldie from the early 9o's and wondered if I should even have to be concerned with that. I won't shoot more than a few hundred rounds a year in this particular pistol and old as it is, it only has a bit less than 1000 rounds through it.

Bump for interest

Well, unless the pistol has remained loaded (chambered) the whole time (round in chamber, constantly compressing the extractor spring under the extractor's tail), or that particular gun just happened to draw a defective spring when built, or the slide has a spring hole machined on the generous end of the machining spec (which might allow any developing weakening of the standard spring to "show" earlier than normal) ... if the gun's only been fired about a thousand times, it's not something I'd worry about any time soon, myself.

I was once told by someone visiting from the factory that a typical 3rd gen extractor & extractor spring would probably run for upwards of at least 10 years (of being left loaded, is use as a duty weapon), or 10K rounds.

Of the original few hundred 3rd gen guns I helped maintain (produced in '89-'90, as I recall), which were used as issued duty weapons, it wasn't until the inventory started to reach 12-16+ years that we started to see a small number of them (couple dozen, give or take?) start developing chipping & breakage of the extractors and weakening of the extractor springs (failures-to-extract).

I've seen more 3rd gen guns still running with the original extractors & springs out at 12K+ and more rounds than not, though.

The again, I've seen the occasional extractor breakage occur when an occasional just couldn't get it in their head that the chamber should be loaded from a magazine, and not from a round dropped directly into the chamber (letting the slide & extractor run forward against the rim of a round already in the chamber).

Sometimes a tolerance stack condition can arise in some particular gun. Unpredictable. I actually had a relatively new 4006TSW about 3-4 years ago that wouldn't consistently extract properly with the original extractor spring (the extractor itself was fitted fine). My first guess was that the failures-to-extract indicated either an extractor, extractor spring or a chamber issue.

The extractor gauged just fine and was in good condition.

The spring gauged too light when checked with a force dial gauge, though (according to the recommended spec tension range). A new "standard" extractor spring didn't do any better, still giving too little tension to the extractor.

One of the optional (heavier) extractor springs had to be used in order to get the spring tension up within the normal spec range, and it gave the gun normal function during live fire (the most important consideration ).

My guess would be the spring hole was just a bit too far on the generous end of its dimensions for the standard spring to provide enough tension. (Well, that's one of the reasons the company provides optional springs of different tension, both lighter & heavier, right? )

I'd be more concerned to keep the recoil & mag springs replaced.

Just my thoughts, though.

I know of a few guys still running the original extractors & extractor springs in older 645's & 4506's.

__________________
Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer