I am trying to help a friend replace the extractor star on his Pre-17. He tried filing here and there to true it and it is trashed.

I have a pre-17 made 7 years later and also a Model 18-3.
At a glance, it appears the extractors are the same for those years, except for the change of threads from RH to LH.

I see a reference in some books and online to the 17-4 type extractor as the "new type", but I do not have a picture.

We were thinking about getting a 17-4 extractor and extractor rod with LH threads and install both on his pre-17 cylinder.

Will this work?

Any suggestions?

"New style" indicates it is the later "square" extractor instead of the older "round" one. Won't work. Curious though since the new style didn't appear until the 17-7.

Suggestion? Yeah, send the gun to S&W. There is a reason that they will not sell the old style extractors, and why it is only a factory-fitted part!!

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Alk8944--thanks for the comments.
It is definitely the "round" extractor and he chose to order one.
I'll let you know in a week or so how this turns out.