59xx extractor questions

[ciPeterF]

Picked up a used 5946 a while ago, and it has an extraction problem. The brass pulls back about 1/4" but doesn't eject. Happening about 1, or 2 rounds in 20 kinda thing. If I push the rounds in the mag down, letting the slide go ahead, and rack the slide the case always comes out..

Have a match to go to in a week, so getting a new one isn't going to happen.

Questions.
1. how much of a "hook" do you need,, 1, or 2 degress under 90, or ?
2. should the edge of the extractor where it contacts the groove in the rim be ground on the same radius as the shell (9mm), or be straight accross?
3. the "face" of the extractor that slide past the back of the case... should it be rounded, or flat (angled of course..)?

Other suggestions welcome!!

Thks!

 

[handgunner356]

The extractors are factory fitted so you would need to send it in to get a new one. That said they will usually fix them under warrenty. Two things that you can do is flush out behind the extractor with Gunscrubber or Brakeclean, that area is open behind it from the bottom of the slide. Also check the ejector, it should ride over the magazine about a 1/4", sometimes the tip gets broke off and it doesn't kick the shell out. Also make sure you don't have a dirty chamber causing sticking cases.

 

[Fastbolt]

Might be a worn extractor spring and/or a chipped extractor.

As mentioned, extractors are a fitted part and have to be installed by a gunsmith familiar with S&W pistols or the factory (or an armorer, if you know one). A bar gauge is used to check the fit of the extractor hook's reach and a force dial gauge is used to check the tension of the spring (there are optional/repair springs available if needed, as well, to get the tension within the recommended range).

It's not uncommon for an older, well-used 3rd gen gun to develop a weakened extractor spring and/or a chipped/broken extractor after many years of service. We started seeing some of our aging inventory of 59XX/69XX guns develop both problems around 12-17 years, with an increase noticeable toward the 15-17 year point.

Here's an image of a couple of current 3rd gen extractors, with the one on the left being for a 9mm. You can see how the edge appears.

The ejector is the other half of the hard working pair of parts used to extract & eject empty cases (meaning the extractor & ejector). If the extractor or its spring reach a point where normal wear & tear makes replacement necessary, it's not a bad idea to check the ejector for wear.

The earlier 9mm ejectors had a sharply angled corner under the tip which could sometimes allow a stress riser to develop and maybe the tip to break off. Later revisions incorporated a curve instead of an angled corner to reduce the potential for the tip to break off, and the tip was lengthened to kick the empty cases out more quickly.

Here's a pair of 9mm ejectors. The older, shorter one is on the bottom and the newer one is on the top. (The finish could vary. I have some with a black finish, too.)

Having the factory check it out would allow a repair technician to examine it.

Some of the causes of a failure-to-extract can include:
Dirty or damaged chamber
Faulty ammunition
Damaged extractor
Damaged extractor spring
Dirty or burred extractor slot in slide
Damaged recoil spring