4506 ejector depressor replacement

[hpoelzig]

I obtained a nice police trade-in 4506-1 which has a problem: Broken ejector depressor plunger and missing ejector depressor plunger spring. I have obtained the correct replacement parts from S&W and am attempting to get the rear sight off to put the parts in.

I have removed the safety and the firing pin and spring, and now I'm tapping on the sight trying to drift it out left-to-right after removing the grub screw. I'm using a nylon drift and a small hammer and I'm not making much headway moving the sight.

I'm attaching a blurry (sorry) pic of the sight so you can see what I'm dealing with. It's a Novak. Reflection is making it look like the sight is drifted much further than it is. It has only moved betwen 1/32" and 1/16".

I have put some Kroil in the dovetail and I'm waiting for it to hopefully loosen it enough so I can remove it without having to use excessive force.

Am I approaching this correctly?

I understand that these parts make the mag safety work, and that the pistol will function fine without them. The mag safety function is not so important to me that I want to endanger my sight and slide by wailing on them.

Do you think I should leave well enough alone, reassemble the pistol, and go shoot it? The idea is growing on me.

Thanks for any help...

KH

 

[handgunner356]

I usually end up using a brass or aluminum punch to drift out the sights, they're never easy. It's up to you, most of my guns don't have a mag safeties anyway so it's something I don't miss.

 

[hpoelzig]

Update: Success

Well, it looks like a combination of Kroil applied overnight and using a stout brass drift punch (thanks, handgunner356) did the trick. I got the sight out, removed the parts beneath, cleaned everything, put everything back (including the replacement parts) and re-installed the sight.

FWIW, to my surprise the old ejector depressor plunger was still in there -- rotten. Its spring had broken through it, and it looks like a bad tooth. I don't know if this is from mechanical wear or cleaning solvents or heat or some combination. But this nylon plunger seems underengineered.

Of course, I just replaced the rotten one with a new nylon part.

KH

 

[hpoelzig]

IMPORTANT: reassembly

I should mention for anybody else replacing the ejector depressor plunger and spring: Even with it assembled correctly, I had trouble getting the slide back on the frame. Basically, the ejector lever was getting hung up on the new plunger and its stiff new spring in the last 1/4" inch of travel or so as I slid the slide on the frame.

What I had to do was reach in with my little screwdriver though the rear of the slide and push the ejector lever down to clear the new plunger.

I'm not sure if this is simply a "stiff new plunger spring" problem or maybe the previous owner was messing with the ejector tip profile. I'll see how it plays out...

KH

 

[Fastbolt]

I think I've only had to replace 2 ejector depressor nylon plungers the whole time I've been helping support over a thousand S&W 3rd gen pistols. Both cases were apparently caused by broken ejectors having damaged and chewed into the nylon plungers (which can be either white or black).

The ejector depressor plunger springs have changed a bit over the years. These are all "new" ones from various times.

The ejectors have been revised over time, as well. In this picture of a couple of different vintage 9mm ejectors you can see how the bottom (original 3rd gen) ejector has a short tip and there's a sharply angled corner under the tip, while the newer ejector (top) has a longer tip and a curve instead of a corner where it widens to the rear of the lever body. The longer tip is for faster ejection and the curve reduces the potential for a stress riser (tip breakage). They come in plain or black finish.

Yep, the rear sight bases are generally really in the dovetails pretty tight. I eventually tired of using a 4oz ball peen hammer and brass drifts over the years (especially when involving night sights, although I never broke a set of night sights) and finally went to using a sight pusher.

I usually use the side of the standard S&W pin punch (the "edge" of the round shaft, in other words, NOT the tip) to press down the levers in the order required as the slide is reinstalled ... ejector depressor, firing pin safety lever & then the sear release lever (left, far right & then next to hammer on right). Easier than using a fingertip for me. The "edge" of a brass cleaning rod shaft would work just as well. Pushing down on the rear edge of the ejector lever/depressor (on the rear, downward angled part of the top of it, so to speak) so the lever is now "flush" with the frame's surface should allow the tip to easily clear the plunger.

 

[handgunner356]

There's a good chance someone did a quick "mag disconnect removal" and tried to pry it out from the bottom, the plungers seldom wear out. I always used a small screwdriver to hold the levers down when assembling myself.

 

[Fastbolt]

There's a good chance someone did a quick "mag disconnect removal" and tried to pry it out from the bottom ...

Ugh. Nasty thought.

I've seen sillier, though.

 

[hpoelzig]

The proof is in the shooting...

Thanks everyone, and thanks fastbolt for all those pics. It's an education for someone like me who's new to S&W autos.

BTW, I wanted to share some of the results of my first trip to the range with this 4506. This pistol shoots way better than I do!

 

[Swabby]

Nice group Hpoelzig. Not too shabby at all. Just a quick pointer I learned from watching a retired County Sheriff's Armorer re-assemble 3rd Gen Smith autos in the past. He used the round portion of the slide stop to depress the levers in the frame. Its the same theory as using a punch handle or screwdriver shaft. Seemed like a slick way to do it, though, because that part of the gun is right there anyway. Enjoy that 3rd Gen Smith.