Tuning Extractors and Extended Ejectors

[Dave Waits]

Most times when you have trouble feeding or ejecting Empty cases, it isn't what you think. Magazines can cause alot of problems but, your Extractor and Ejector can too. 1911s are controlled-feed systems and the Extractor is a very important part of that.

As the slide comes forward and strips a round out of the magazine, it first contacts the ramp and skips upward, that's right, it doesn't slide up the ramp. When the nose strikes the top of the hood it starts to straighten out the round. The Rim then slides up under the Extractor and onto the breechface,held in place by said Extractor. If the Extractor is too tight(Too much tension) The round can't slide up behind the hook and you end up with a three-point Jam as the lobe of the Extractor pushes the rim and causes the nose to hit the ramp again. Too loose(Not enough tension) and the Extractor loses control of the round and you get a partial feed-jam.

There's a simple test for Extractor-Tension. All you need is the slide and a loaded round. Hold the slide in your hand and insert the rim of the round under the hook of the Extractor from below. It should fit a little loose but hold the round as you lightly shake the slide and even turn it upside down. If it's too tight, simply pull the Extractor halfway out and gently bend it to the right a little bit and try again. If it's too loose, bend it a little bit to the left and try again.

Next, we'll tune the Extractor lobe and hook. If you look at the diagram below you'll see that a USGI-Spec Extractor has something most commercial Extractors don't, a breakaway angle on the bottom of the hook.( See: #F on the diagram) This is very simple to do and only requires a small file. What this angle does is help direct the rim into the Extractor hook. This is simple filin and only takes about a minute to do but, your 1911 will feed alot more reliably with it. Next, we're going to shape the pad right behind the hook. (See: #C and D)Rounding it is a more accurate term. You need to get rid of the line you see about one-quarter of the way up the pad from the bottom and round it down to about half of the flat on the side. Takes about a minute to do.

Okay, now you have to stick the Extractor back into the slide for a minute. We're going to check to make sure the lobe isn't contacting the case inside the rim. Slide the loaded round back under the hook and look to see if it's contacting the case above the hook. If it is, look at the diagram again(See: #A) and take a little off the lobe where it contacts.Try it again, keep going gently and a little at a time until it doesn't touch the case.

Okay, take the Extractor out again and grab a couple of pipe-cleaners and your Hoppes and clean the gunk out of the Extractor-tunnel. Put it back together. you're done.

Here's the Diagram for the Extractor-nose.


Okay, if you're having Ejector problems and you have an extended Ejector there's a cure. Most of the newer 1911s come from the factory with lowered and flared Ejection-ports but, not all of them do. Plus, even those that do have problems sometimes. This is why Extended Ejectors were developed. The Extended Ejector starts contacting the rim sooner and kicks it out higher.
The problem with this is sometimes they kick the case straight back and contact your skull. Most Extended Ejectors come with a squared nose and ejection is variable with them. some work okay some don't. One famous company even has it bass-ackwards and makes an Ejector nose that drives the case down into chamber-area. I won't mention their name but Bill Wilson runs it.

Okay, what can you do? Well, if you look at the diagram below you'll see quickly that, the lower on the rim the nose contacts, the higher it will kick out the case. This is for Extended Ejectors, I'll explain what can be done to short standard Ejectors later. So, take out that little file again. Looking at the diagram you can see the green lines, this is what you want the nose to look like. Basically, it's a 10-degree downward and outward angle. This will contact the rim at the lowest point and kick the case upward and hopefully, over your head.

Okay, now that we've made the case eject higher, let's direct it a little. Looking down on the Ejector from the top(This is for both Extended Ejectors and standard Ejectors), you want to file a slight angle on the inside -edge of the nose(The side closest to the inside of the gun ). This angle has to go the entire side of the nose. This will direct the case to the right, usually cases with this angle will put the pile at about 4 O'Clock to the right.

See? This stuff isn't that hard to do people.

Here's the ejector Diagram.

[douglas_knott]

This is what i like to see Dave. Someone with your knowledge sharing it with the forum. This is a great write up and i know it will help some folks that want to learn more about their 1911's and their functions. Thanks again.

[MajO]

+ 1

[herefordman1]

Good stuff to know. Thanks

Jim

[Feathermerchant]

Thanks Dave! I am printing this to keep in the notebook!

[BadOscar]

Great post Dave. On your ejector diagram I tune my race guns like the red line so the case is thrown as low as possible insuring it does not hit the scope mount and cause a stove pipe jam. One scenario that your diagram leaves out is the double angled ejector, where the top and bottom are at 10 degree angles creating a flat point some where in the middle. Most of my DW's were tuned like this from the factory with the contact point being 1/3 to 2/3 from the top. The idea here is you get the middle of the road ejection out the center of the port but with the single point of contact you also get the consistency. Here is a pic.

[DrHenley]

What causes a 1911 to hit you in the forehead with the empty?

My Colt did that consistently at first, but after fiddling with it for TWO YEARS it now only does it occasionally. But it is still aggravating to get popped in the forehead now and then.

My DW NEVER EVER does that.

[Dave Waits]

Empties hitting you in the forehead. My Kimber used to do that, even sent it back to Kimber. They replaced the Extractor and the Ejector with an Extended version, still did it once in a while. Then I got an education over on 1911.Org. thanks to Niemis24 who, BTW, allows me to use his wonderful diagrams.Once I tuned my Extractor and angled the nose of the Ejector, the cranial-assaults ceased. Both my RIA and the Kimber kick the cases out high and at four O'Clock now.
If you don't have an Extended Ejector there is still something you can do.Take a small file(I use a flat Jewelers'file for all this) and file an angle on the inside of the Ejector nose. What you are doing is moving the point of contact to the left which causes the case-rim to roll off the angle after contacting the Ejector. File a little bit at a time and try it until it's ejecting well to the right side.

[jmlutz]

Originally Posted by Dave Waits

Empties hitting you in the forehead. My Kimber used to do that, even sent it back to Kimber. They replaced the Extractor and the Ejector with an Extended version, still did it once in a while. Then I got an education over on 1911.Org. thanks to Niemis24 who, BTW, allows me to use his wonderful diagrams.Once I tuned my Extractor and angled the nose of the Ejector, the cranial-assaults ceased. Both my RIA and the Kimber kick the cases out high and at four O'Clock now.
If you don't have an Extended Ejector there is still something you can do.Take a small file(I use a flat Jewelers'file for all this) and file an angle on the inside of the Ejector nose. What you are doing is moving the point of contact to the left which causes the case-rim to roll off the angle after contacting the Ejector. File a little bit at a time and try it until it's ejecting well to the right side.

Thanks for the great post Dave, several years ago I had a 4 inch Kimber Covert that was just terrible about throwing the brass back in my face, I had a couple of local gunsmiths try to fix it, it didn't work. After a piece of brass hit my glasses so hard it put a chip in them, I sold the SOB, I felt bad for the buyer, but I warned him. It's bad when you want to duck as soon as as you pull the trigger because you're wary of your own gun........Mike

[skosh69]

Very nice Dave, you the man. Question? How did my name come up when you were describing "The side closest to the inside of the gun "???? hahaha...