1911 Fte extractor

[tophatjones]

For the first time after several thousand rounds, my ria .45 was going FTE on me like every 3 rounds. After coming home to inspect I noticed the extractor wiggles .... It is loose could this be a big issue? Time to have a smithy put a new one in ?

The hook end of the extractor has some wiggle, that's the flex in the design. However, the rear end of the extractor should not have much if any wiggle. This is called extractor clocking (if the extractor has some rotation on its axis like a clock). If the firing pin stop is under sized or if the extractor notch is too wide, you could have extractor clocking. If your extractor is clocking, the fix is to install an oversized firing pin stop.

[bountyhunter]

So...pull your extractor, do what HB said, put it back, and NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.

1911 extractors still need to be re tensioned as regular maintenance. It's a critical adjustment.

[cindynles]

The hook end of the extractor has some wiggle, that's the flex in the design. However, the rear end of the extractor should not have much if any wiggle. This is called extractor clocking (if the extractor has some rotation on its axis like a clock). If the firing pin stop is under sized or if the extractor notch is too wide, you could have extractor clocking. If your extractor is clocking, the fix is to install an oversized firing pin stop.

FYI, extractor clocking looks like this:

[.45ACP1911jc]

Thank you to everyone who came to replied to my issue. I just recently today dropped my Harrison design extractor. It's nice and tight no wiggle or clocking. Took it to the range today, 200 rounds, 0 fails. I guess I learned my lesson dropping the slide on snap caps straight in the chamber. Lesson learned

[PseudoTsuga]

Good work.

[Bill Steele]

1911 extractors still need to be re tensioned as regular maintenance. It's a critical adjustment.

I believe the "never do that again" was in reference to dropping the slide on a chambered round, not extractor retensioning.

[bountyhunter]

I believe the "never do that again" was in reference to dropping the slide on a chambered round, not extractor retensioning.

I understand. My point was it still needs to be checked and adjusted regularly (like 5k rounds or less) regardless of what you do. If not, it will probably start slipping the rim. The extractor hook also needs periodic cleaning up with a file to keep the claw sharp. It's a fact of life for a 1911 extractor and it's worse when the part is MIM or cast since the metal "takes a set" and then the tension goes away over time.