Recently bought a 915 parts gun (all but frame). I am going to have the slide cerakoted, so I stripped it. In trying to drive the ejector pin out, I broke a drift punch.

Is this pin staked? Can I drift it out, or should I? I want to have the slide bead blasted before cerakoting. Even if the gunsmith air blasts the ejector, I am somewhat concerned that some beads may get trapped.

Also, I don't want the cerakote curing process to anneal the spring? Any thoughts? Thanks.

S/F,

RAS

The ejector is held by the sideplate pin in the left side of frame.

The extractor is pinned in place on the right side of the slide. The pin isn't staked.

Don't sweat mixing up the names, as I still do it upon occasion. Too many years of using both terms too many times.

The extractor pin is pressed into the slide with a HEAVY press, and it typically doesn't move easily. (Understatement alert)

Armorers typically use a "starter" pin punch and 4 oz ball peen hammer to break the pin loose (removed downward, installed upward), and then a 1/16" straight pin punch to finish driving the pin downward.

Pressure must be kept against the side of the extractor as the pin is driven down & out, as the extractor spring is often strong enough to shove the extractor outward (once the pin clears it) and bend the thin shaft of the 1/16" pin punch (which is how new "starter" punches are made, from punches from which thin shafts have been broken off at their base ).

A thin tipped nail-set punch can be used as a starter punch, and it often takes a disturbing number of whacks with the ball peen hammer to break a pin loose, especially on older guns (I think I've heard the expression 'beating on it like the wrath of god' bandied about a time or two).

The tapered tip of the starter punch shouldn't be driven down into the pin hole too far, though, to avoid wallowing out the top of the hole. Hence, switching to the thin, straight pin punch once the pin is freed up to start moving.

Reinstalling the extractor and its spring & pin is almost just as much fun.

Aligning the holes in the slide (above and below the extractor recess) with the extractor body hole ... while keeping the extractor spring properly aligned in its spring hole, under the extractor tail ... and then firmly tapping the pin UPWARD into the slide, using a small mallet or hammer to get the pin inside the slide far enough to reach the "upper" pin hole, above the extractor (meaning driving the pin downward, when the slide is sitting upside down on the bench), can take some patience.

I use a wide tipped Starrett flat pin punch to finish seating the pin into the bottom of the slide, to make sure the bottom of the pin is totally flush and doesn't protrude at all below the hole (where it might dig into, and gouge, the top of the aluminum frame).

Armorers used to be giving very fine and sharp needle reamers to clean up the slide pin holes from the bottom, to remove any machining burrs remaining in the slide holes. Better machining apparently negated the need for that, as I've not seen them even offered in the tool kits in recent years. Care had to be taken not to get carried away and ream out the holes, though, as that's just another way to ruin a slide. (Maybe another reason they aren't provided anymore. )

It's a good idea to check and make sure no steel burrs have been shoved outward/downward from the extractor pin hole, where they could drag on the top of the aluminum frame rail. Armorers used to be given a thin offset file to run along inside the slide rail, to remove any burrs created when removing an extractor pin, but the slightly upward circular raised area around the bottom of the extractor pins in newer production slides seems to help prevent that problem.

It's common to see a space above the extractor pin inside the slide's hole when viewed from the top, but the bottom of the pin should be flat with the bottom of the slide hole.

Why not just have the gunsmith remove the extractor when prepping for whatever it is you're planning to have done? Better than getting frustrated and risking ruining your gun.

__________________
Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Fastbolt,

Thanks for the usual great tutorial. While I was typing, my mind was thinking extractor, but my fingers kept typing ejector.

My rectal-cranial inversion syndrome strikes again.

"Why not just have the gunsmith remove the extractor when prepping for whatever it is you're planning to have done? Better than getting frustrated and risking ruining your gun."

That would be too easy!!!!

To any other Forum members in Central Ohio - is there a good pistol smith in this area???

I want to have the slide and a couple of frames CeraKoted at Performance Coatings on James Road. He has an FFL so he can legally work on guns, but the primary business is powder coating. As far as I know he is not a gunsmith.

Any ideas??

Again, thanks for your help Fastbolt. I was hoping you would reply when I wrote the OP.

S/F,

RAS

Suggestion to moderators: Could / would it be possible or desirable to start a list of the GOOD S&W gunsmiths in the various parts of the country. As I write this, S&W customer service has told me on two recent occasions that they are running 8 - 10 months lead time. Just sayin'........

Tell me about it. When I'm talking/writing about Glocks and say/write the words "depressor plunger", the word that precedes them is "extractor", but when it's 3rd gen S&W's, the word is "ejector", so "EDP" can have a different meaning depending on which make of gun is the subject. I've mixed up the words now and again without a lot of effort.


I've never bothered to have a gun cerakoted, although i know some guys who have had it done.

My only concern would be that the process doesn't change any critical dimensions in tight spaces, like the extractor recess, plunger holes or firing pin channel. A newly "tight" extractor might not move normally and result in either feeding and/or extraction issues.

Dunno. Not my area of experience or knowledge. You'd have to talk about it with the guy doing the work and see what experience he has and what he can do to keep those potentially tight spots unchanged in dimension. maybe someone else on the forum has had it done and has some advice and experience to relate. I'm just an armorer.

__________________
Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

In my garage, I have an ammo can which is about half full of a mix of Hoppes #9 and Kroil at about 50/50. I use it to soak guns and parts which are REALLY scuzzy.

I put the slide and some other dirty parts in the can and went on vacation. Because I broke a drift punch, your reply gave me an excuse to buy a good set of Starrett punches from Brownell's. I bought an extra 1/16" just in case.

Two weeks later, I removed the slide from the can, dried it off, put another drop of straight Kroil on the extractor [got it right this time] pin. I also locked it up in a sight pusher vise to retain everything. Two moderate whacks with a small ball peen hammer and the pin broke loose.

Thanks for your usual good advice. Maybe my little "soaker" trick will help you or other members.

Will post pics of composite gun when project is finished. It won't be as cool as the Chief's 45 project, but will make a great night stand gun.

S/F,

RAS

Glad you got it out without a problem.

We (armorers) seldom have the luxury of extra time to leave a slide "soaking", especially just to remove a tight extractor pin.

Easier, from an armorer's perspective, just to learn how to remove stubborn pins the way the factory recommends. It's not like it's something that has to be done frequently, anyway.

Soaking (submersion) would also present the potential for unnecessary contamination of the plungers & springs underneath the rear sight, too, and armorers try to avoid making extra work for themselves (after the novelty of being an armorer wears off, anyway ).

If you've filled the firing pin and plunger channels with goo, they need to be cleaned out and left totally dry, along with all the parts that go in them. (You were probably going to have to do that if coating the slide, I'd imagine?)

FWIW, I know a guy who left the front (meaning whole barrel) of his revolver standing/soaking in solvent overnight, and he discovered his sight's red ramp insert had melted away when he pulled the gun out of the can the next morning. Nice. Then, of course, he brought it to me asking for a new ramp insert to be cut & installed.

__________________
Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

F/B,

Yes, the slide is totally stripped. The solvent in my ammo can is "fairly" clean, but I cleaned the firing pin channel and everything else with brake cleaner after the soak.

While I am not a gunsmith or an armorer, I am a mechanical engineer (educated WAY beyond my intelligence). Just building a "Frankengun" to prove to myself that I can do it. Actually a 5906 frame and a 915 slide is not really a "Frankengun" - more like a hybrid. Once I have it coated and put some Novaks on, it will look like round guard 5904.

Will keep you posted. Thanks again for the help.

S/F,

RAS