maxjr
Member
Just purchased a 5904 s/n tft098x from local pawn and was cleaning it, And see that the eject&mag depressor looks broken off. Is this going to be a gun smith repair? Found the part on the brownells site. Thanks John
5904 Eject&Mag Depressor
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handgunner356
Member
You're talking about the mag disconnect(nylon plunger) in the slide? Some people remove it so the gun will fire without the mag. It does require removing the rear sight to replace, and they can be difficult to remove.
Fastbolt
Member
Depends if you know how to remove the side plate which holds the ejector & magazine depressor in place (as well as the hammer, sear release lever & firing pin safety lever) for removal of the old one and installation of the new one.
Sometimes an inattentive armorer can risk damage to the side plate's legs (or prongs) which snap over the recessed left end of the sear pin when removing & reinstalling the side plate.
The ejector is a drop-in part, although it must still be checked for fit & function in the gun.
The older ejectors had short tips and a sharply angled corner back under the tip. This angled corner could allow a stress riser to develop and tip breakage.
Newer ejectors have longer tips for faster ejection and a curved angle under the tip to reduce the potential for a stress riser and breakage. They may come in either black or plain stainless finish depending on preference when ordering or whatever is in stock.
FWIW, if the pistol is old enough to have an early production ejector which has a broken tip, it might also pay to check the extractor hook condition and extractor spring tension. While the hook condition can be visually checked, it requires a force dial gauge to check the spring tension. Extractor replacement is definitely a factory repair, or else one done by a gunsmith familiar with S&W pistols, since the extractor is a fitted part.
S&W used to use both a bar & flag gauge set to check for proper dimensions when fitting a new extractor to a slide, but nowadays with newer extractors they're telling armorers that only a bar gauge is needed to check for fit (there's an adjustment pad surface which is filed on the inside of the extractor). The force dial gauge is still needed to check for spring tension, though.
There's also a difference in the recommended extractor spring tension between slides produced for narrow versus wide barrel tabs in the 9mm pistols, and some revised springs for older (early production) 3rd gen pistols where the spring well depth may have varied a bit from one slide to the next (before CNC production).
Got a gunsmith in your area familiar with S&W pistols?
Sometimes an inattentive armorer can risk damage to the side plate's legs (or prongs) which snap over the recessed left end of the sear pin when removing & reinstalling the side plate.
The ejector is a drop-in part, although it must still be checked for fit & function in the gun.
The older ejectors had short tips and a sharply angled corner back under the tip. This angled corner could allow a stress riser to develop and tip breakage.
Newer ejectors have longer tips for faster ejection and a curved angle under the tip to reduce the potential for a stress riser and breakage. They may come in either black or plain stainless finish depending on preference when ordering or whatever is in stock.
FWIW, if the pistol is old enough to have an early production ejector which has a broken tip, it might also pay to check the extractor hook condition and extractor spring tension. While the hook condition can be visually checked, it requires a force dial gauge to check the spring tension. Extractor replacement is definitely a factory repair, or else one done by a gunsmith familiar with S&W pistols, since the extractor is a fitted part.
S&W used to use both a bar & flag gauge set to check for proper dimensions when fitting a new extractor to a slide, but nowadays with newer extractors they're telling armorers that only a bar gauge is needed to check for fit (there's an adjustment pad surface which is filed on the inside of the extractor). The force dial gauge is still needed to check for spring tension, though.
There's also a difference in the recommended extractor spring tension between slides produced for narrow versus wide barrel tabs in the 9mm pistols, and some revised springs for older (early production) 3rd gen pistols where the spring well depth may have varied a bit from one slide to the next (before CNC production).
Got a gunsmith in your area familiar with S&W pistols?
Fastbolt
Member
Not what I'd call a 'common problem', any more than an occasional broken ejector (or extractor) is a common problem with any other make/model of semiauto pistol.
It can happen sometimes, is all, especially when you're looking at a 15-20 year old pistol which may have been regularly used.
I've seen a handful of older vintage issued 59XX series pistols (dating back from the earliest of the 3rd gen production) which eventually required new ejectors, as well as new extractors. (As well as the occasional sear release lever, new springs, etc.)
The small increase in seeing them occur didn't start to appear, as I recall, until the guns had been in-service for 12-16 years, though.
S&W recommends that its LE armorers replace recoil & magazine springs every 5 years of service or every 5,000 rounds, whichever occurs first.
Now, imagine how a well used recoil spring, perhaps combined with the use of +P/+P+ 9mm loads, might accelerate the expected wear & tear of a gun over time. Ejectors can absorb some force while kicking cases out, you know.
Ejectors & extractors can become work-hardened over time, you know.
I've never broken an ejector in a gun I was personally using, although I experienced a chipped extractor in a 6906 when I reached about 12,000 rounds (and it had been previously issued to someone else before I got it).
Just off the top of my head I'd estimate that I may have replaced upwards of almost a dozen broken ejectors out of several hundred guns while helping maintain them over many years. Not exactly something I stay awake at night worrying about in my own S&W pistols.
And if it did it's a relatively simple repair for someone trained and familiar with S&W pistols.
FWIW, if the ejector is broken than another thing to check is the ejector depressor plunger which is located in the slide above the ejector. It's a nylon part and will be colored either black or white. Sometimes when an ejector tip breaks off and someone continues to use the gun, the resulting broken tip can gouge and damage the nylon plunger. Easy replacement, although it requires removal of the rear sight base, which is another instance where an inattentive armorer can snag and bend one of the plunger springs (while reinstalling the sight). I've seen folks continue to use S&W pistols with broken ejectors and chipped extractors and not even realize the parts were broken.
I only discovered my own badly chipped extractor in one of my 6906's when doing a detailed cleaning & inspection after a couple of range sessions where I'd fired a total of approx 800+ rounds ... without any functioning issues.
Parts in traditional metal-framed S&W pistols don't really become expensive until you start having to replace hammers, drawbars, manual safety assemblies and barrels.
The ejector & magazine depressor is less than a $4 part (plus tax & shipping) retail from S&W.
It might be worth a call to S&W to ask about getting it repaired. They may, or may not, offer to cover the repair and shipping. If your 5904 has a rounded trigger guard it may date to when the lifetime warranty was first offered to the public (and not just LE/Gov), and sometimes they aren't fussy about it being a used gun (not the original owner). Depends who you reach.
Might be worth a try.
It can happen sometimes, is all, especially when you're looking at a 15-20 year old pistol which may have been regularly used.
I've seen a handful of older vintage issued 59XX series pistols (dating back from the earliest of the 3rd gen production) which eventually required new ejectors, as well as new extractors. (As well as the occasional sear release lever, new springs, etc.)
The small increase in seeing them occur didn't start to appear, as I recall, until the guns had been in-service for 12-16 years, though.
S&W recommends that its LE armorers replace recoil & magazine springs every 5 years of service or every 5,000 rounds, whichever occurs first.
Now, imagine how a well used recoil spring, perhaps combined with the use of +P/+P+ 9mm loads, might accelerate the expected wear & tear of a gun over time. Ejectors can absorb some force while kicking cases out, you know.
Ejectors & extractors can become work-hardened over time, you know.
I've never broken an ejector in a gun I was personally using, although I experienced a chipped extractor in a 6906 when I reached about 12,000 rounds (and it had been previously issued to someone else before I got it).
Just off the top of my head I'd estimate that I may have replaced upwards of almost a dozen broken ejectors out of several hundred guns while helping maintain them over many years. Not exactly something I stay awake at night worrying about in my own S&W pistols.
FWIW, if the ejector is broken than another thing to check is the ejector depressor plunger which is located in the slide above the ejector. It's a nylon part and will be colored either black or white. Sometimes when an ejector tip breaks off and someone continues to use the gun, the resulting broken tip can gouge and damage the nylon plunger. Easy replacement, although it requires removal of the rear sight base, which is another instance where an inattentive armorer can snag and bend one of the plunger springs (while reinstalling the sight). I've seen folks continue to use S&W pistols with broken ejectors and chipped extractors and not even realize the parts were broken.
I only discovered my own badly chipped extractor in one of my 6906's when doing a detailed cleaning & inspection after a couple of range sessions where I'd fired a total of approx 800+ rounds ... without any functioning issues.
Parts in traditional metal-framed S&W pistols don't really become expensive until you start having to replace hammers, drawbars, manual safety assemblies and barrels.
The ejector & magazine depressor is less than a $4 part (plus tax & shipping) retail from S&W.
It might be worth a call to S&W to ask about getting it repaired. They may, or may not, offer to cover the repair and shipping. If your 5904 has a rounded trigger guard it may date to when the lifetime warranty was first offered to the public (and not just LE/Gov), and sometimes they aren't fussy about it being a used gun (not the original owner). Depends who you reach.
Sargeyork
Member
I have a 5906 and I believe my extractor is broke and I don't know what it should look like, can someone take a picture of theirs and send it to me or post it or a link on this thread, will smith replace this if I sent it to them under warranty if I am not the original owner?
Sargeyork
Sargeyork
Fastbolt
Member
Well, here's a picture of a pair of extractors I took for someone else one time. The smaller one is for a 9mm and the other one is for a .45 pistol.
The ones in the image are stainless, so they're easier to see than the black ones.
You can click on the image and enlarge it a couple of times.
Maybe this will display the hook area well enough for you to compare to yours. Dunno. Best I've got on hand.
There are some differences in how the older 3rd gen 9mm extractors were machined, but the differences probably wouldn't be noticeable to someone just looking at one installed in the slide (one of the differences has to do with how the bottom edge of the extractor was beveled behind the hook).
The damaged extractors I've had to replace generally either had visible chips in the hooks's edge, or else the hook was snapped off.
The ones in the image are stainless, so they're easier to see than the black ones.
You can click on the image and enlarge it a couple of times.
Maybe this will display the hook area well enough for you to compare to yours. Dunno. Best I've got on hand.
There are some differences in how the older 3rd gen 9mm extractors were machined, but the differences probably wouldn't be noticeable to someone just looking at one installed in the slide (one of the differences has to do with how the bottom edge of the extractor was beveled behind the hook).
The damaged extractors I've had to replace generally either had visible chips in the hooks's edge, or else the hook was snapped off.
Sargeyork
Member
Yeah, my extractor has had it the whole "hook"
portion is sheared off and a little strand of metal came off the slide near the extractor. I am embarassed to ask this but could this have been caused by 9mm +p ammo? I just bought this gun used and didn't closely inspect it after buying but it didn't look as if even 500 rounds had been fired through it. These old 3rd gens hide their age like some well preserved females I know of. I hope this is a fluke. I hope I wasn't taken in this deal.
portion is sheared off and a little strand of metal came off the slide near the extractor. I am embarassed to ask this but could this have been caused by 9mm +p ammo? I just bought this gun used and didn't closely inspect it after buying but it didn't look as if even 500 rounds had been fired through it. These old 3rd gens hide their age like some well preserved females I know of. I hope this is a fluke. I hope I wasn't taken in this deal.
Fastbolt
Member
No way to know. Not really.
We can only guess and speculate.
Might've been caused by someone loading the gun improperly by dropping a round directly into the chamber and letting the slide slam forward too many times.
Might've been caused by someone doing some repeated 'malfunction clearance drills' which involved abusing the extractor by having it slam forward over a chambered case/dummy round ... essentially duplicating the same stress exerted on an extractor when improperly loading the chamber directly instead of from a magazine.
Might've just been a defective part which failed much too soon and which couldn't be identified until it failed. Not common, but you can sometimes hear about it happening.
The extractor is a fitted part which requires filing and the use of a couple of expensive gauges to check for proper specifications in the way of its fit in a particular slide and the extractor spring tension.
It's not considered a 'drop in' part in the standard S&W metal-framed TDA/DAO guns. Sorry.
If it were me I'd call S&W and tell them it looks like the extractor in your 5906 is broken. See what they say.
It's a simple repair for them.
Can you use my email to provide with me with one for you (for some further info)?
We can only guess and speculate.
Might've been caused by someone loading the gun improperly by dropping a round directly into the chamber and letting the slide slam forward too many times.
Might've been caused by someone doing some repeated 'malfunction clearance drills' which involved abusing the extractor by having it slam forward over a chambered case/dummy round ... essentially duplicating the same stress exerted on an extractor when improperly loading the chamber directly instead of from a magazine.
Might've just been a defective part which failed much too soon and which couldn't be identified until it failed. Not common, but you can sometimes hear about it happening.
The extractor is a fitted part which requires filing and the use of a couple of expensive gauges to check for proper specifications in the way of its fit in a particular slide and the extractor spring tension.
It's not considered a 'drop in' part in the standard S&W metal-framed TDA/DAO guns. Sorry.
If it were me I'd call S&W and tell them it looks like the extractor in your 5906 is broken. See what they say.
It's a simple repair for them.
Can you use my email to provide with me with one for you (for some further info)?
Sargeyork
Member
5906 up and running again, found 1 of only 2 Gunsmiths in MI who actually has a few parts in stock and knows what the words Customer Service mean because he fixed my gun in a half hour when he learned how far I drove to save me a return trip and said thanks for your business when I left and EVERYONE in the shop talked to me and was pleasant even though they were busy, I had to slap myself a couple times because this is not the normal "Gun Shop Attitude" here.
Kudos to Dick Williams Gun Shop, Inc.
Kudos to Dick Williams Gun Shop, Inc.
Fastbolt
Member
Very glad to hear it.
Fastbolt
Member
Glad to hear.
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