Model 52 no dash extractor broke.

VarHar

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I bought a well-shot 52 no dash at GB and after two boxes of factory Precision One 148Grn. CPWC my extractor broke. It's a pity because it's such a great shooter.
I own a lot of S&W revolvers but I'm new to model 52.
Spending an hour in the Internet trying to get one did not yield any results.
Requesting help.
 
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Thank you, Mike!
This is how it looks like.
 

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Welcome to the Forum

smith_m52_extractor_long.jpg


Check out Hoosier Gun Works . . . Click Here
 
Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your misfortune with your Model 52. This is a rare occurrence from my standpoint as I can't think of another early model 52 that had suffered a broken extractor that I have seen. I have heard of it happening, but never saw one. Unfortunately for me your picture doesn't have enough light on the face of the extractor to show much. Is the tip broken? Or is there another break I can't see? The alleged story of the early Model 52's is that the extractor was a weak link and part of the reason for the change to the short extractor which was less prone to breakage.

If the extractor in your pistol isn't actually broken and just isn't removing the empty case there could be other issues going on. So is your extractor actually broken in an area I can't see in your picture?

Rick H.
 
Hi Rick,
Thank you for the reply.
You are right, the picture is sort of dim. I tried to get more light to that are in the attached picture. You can clearly see the broken edge flush with the breech face.
The gun fires, but does not eject, then tries to feed and jams. Funny thing is, id does not happen every time, only about every other time. I guess sometimes the case may be ejecting under it's own recoil? I don't know.

I have also read that extractors are a "weak link" in Model 52.
If you can point me to the place where I can procure a replacement (if there is such a place at all), I'd appreciate it.
 

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—GREAT NEWS!!—

You did not break your extractor. The 52 no dash extractor is a scarce, expensive part.

You broke your ejector.

That’s going to be a very low cost and very much available part.

You will need to do a full detail strip to replace it, but the part is low in cost and almost surely the same from its 1961 introduction to its 1993 grand finale.
 
Sevens,
Thank you very much sir, for the good news!
Would this be the part?
Ejector & Magazine Depressor, New Factory Original

I have to say, off hand, there are folks active here that are much better than I am when it comes to parts compatibility.

The part you linked is indeed the part, it’s going to look just like that, but the Numrich part you linked said it was for the 4506.

I’m not sure if the ejector is the same across all the pistols. It may be a universal or nearly universal part, or it may be specific to the 52.

But far easier than the extractor.
 
Sometimes my overall powers of observation elude me. My attention was drawn to the extractor in your first pic. So much so that I didn't notice the broken ejector, stupid me. I can't say with certainty that the ejector is the same thru all models of the M52, but as was stated it may be the same. Take the chance and get one from Gun Parts and give it a go and let us know if it works. Once again this is my first time seeing a broken ejector in the flesh. My thought goes to trying to load a round thru the ejection port and closing the slide on it which is considered a no-no. I must admit that I have have done this on rare occasions but I have gotten away with it.

By rights even single loading thru the ejection post shouldn't break the ejector when compared to the extractor, unless something impeded the round from dropping into the chamber all the way. l would most definitely check for a dirty chamber and check the overall length and diameter of the ammunition you are using. Make sure there isn't a carbon or lead buildup at the end of the chamber that could impede the loaded round from seating. Put another way, something caused the ejector to break. What was the cause of the breakage? They don't break for no reason. The most logical cause is a loaded round didn't seat in the chamber as it should have. If replacing the ejector takes care of the immediate problem and you discover the cause of all this, in the meantime you can keep your eyes open for an extractor which you may one day need. At least that would be my plan. Good luck with this and let us know how things turn out.

Rick H.

P.S. Are the wadcutter bullets flush seated with the case mouth in the ammunition you are using?
 
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I'm no expert on the model 52 and I don't see it listed on my parts list, so I can't tell you what ejector it uses.

Regarding the reason for failure, early S&W ejectors had a sharp, right angle under the nose from which stress cracks could form.

This was not an uncommon problem, so S&W changed that right angle to a more gently radiused curve, ending the problem.

John
 
Sometimes my overall powers of observation elude me. My attention was drawn to the extractor in your first pic. So much so that I didn't notice the broken ejector, stupid me. I can't say with certainty that the ejector is the same thru all models of the M52, but as was stated it may be the same. Take the chance and get one from Gun Parts and give it a go and let us know if it works. Once again this is my first time seeing a broken ejector in the flesh. My thought goes to trying to load a round thru the ejection port and closing the slide on it which is considered a no-no. I must admit that I have have done this on rare occasions but I have gotten away with it.

By rights even single loading thru the ejection post shouldn't break the ejector when compared to the extractor, unless something impeded the round from dropping into the chamber all the way. l would most definitely check for a dirty chamber and check the overall length and diameter of the ammunition you are using. Make sure there isn't a carbon or lead buildup at the end of the chamber that could impede the loaded round from seating. Put another way, something caused the ejector to break. What was the cause of the breakage? They don't break for no reason. The most logical cause is a loaded round didn't seat in the chamber as it should have. If replacing the ejector takes care of the immediate problem and you discover the cause of all this, in the meantime you can keep your eyes open for an extractor which you may one day need. At least that would be my plan. Good luck with this and let us know how things turn out.

Rick H.

P.S. Are the wadcutter bullets flush seated with the case mouth in the ammunition you are using?

Yes, the bullets are flush with the case mouth and I'm only using factory ammo.
Thank you for the detailed analysis, Rick. My knowledge is superficial, but I have learned a lot in the last two days. I will keep you posted.
 
Let us first begin with the premise that nearly all semiautomatic firearms are specifically designed with an extractor that expects the “next up” feeding round to be fed up and under its control, where the extractor is basically not ever forced to snap around the case rim.

They found in the original Model 39 no-dash pistols that the extractor was a weak point in their design. When forced to snap over a case rim, eventual failure seemed to be a result.

Some time near 1970, they redesigned the extractor on the Model 39, and released the 39-2. It has a much smaller extractor that also is able to pivot slightly and is tensioned in place with a coil spring.

Since the extractor on the Model 52 and 52-1 was quite similar to the Model 39, it also got a redesign. The Model 52-2 has a more modern extractor that looks much like the Model 39-2.

The pistol is still NOT designed to drop rounds in the chamber and slam a slide (and its extractor) over those rounds. It is absolutely designed to strip all rounds from a magazine.

So while today’s issue is a broken ejector, it is definitely a good time to discuss the proper care and feeding of a Model 52 and 52-1. :)
 
So while today’s issue is a broken ejector, it is definitely a good time to discuss the proper care and feeding of a Model 52 and 52-1.

This also applies to The pre-39 and Model 39. As alluded to by Stevens and mentioned by Mike Borkovic on many posts, always feed from the magazine.
 
Check Jack First, he has all kinds of first gen Smith auto parts. I bought a back-up extractor for my 39
 

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