Fitting Extractor for a 1911

[ar15barrels]

Yes.
Get the hook tip centered in the extractor groove on the case, when the case is pushed solid up against the breech face.
If you get it too tight, some brass won't slide up under it, or the hook will not be all the way down in the extractor groove on the case.
Too loose...I haven't set (messed)one up this way yet, but way too loose could push the case away from the breech face, reducing the firing pin strike energy. Depending on tolerances, you could have fail to fire.

Welcome back, Ban-Man!

So it's not so much a matter of being tight to the case rim, but more a matter of NOT letting the larger diameter portion of the extractor project out of the breech face.
By having only the hook protrude into the breech, the case has room to sit all the way back against the breechface.

[Trendkill]

I did my own extractor....it took some time and a little bit of thought , but all went well.

[Jason762]

Alright, I grew a set and did some filing on the extractor.

I got it to the point where the extractor and firing pin stop mate perfectly, but for some reason when installed in the slide, the FP stop won't go all the way in. I hammered on the FP stop lightly with a copper bar to "push" it home, but it won't go.

You can see the extractor seems to rotate slightly.



Firing pin stop in the slide - slips right in, no problem.



Extractor and FP stop mate perfectly





So what's the deal-io?

[adamsreeftank]

Looks like you need to file a bit deeper into the extractor.

[ojisan]

Looking good!
Nice fit!
: )

The extractors are also made oversize / longer at the rear so it can be trimmed down to match the profile of your particular slide.
Don't put the files away yet!

A little rotation of the extractor is common, the only way to fix this is custom fit an oversize stop plate.
More fitting and filing...

Again, the issue is there are so many 1911s from so many makers over the years that dimensions vary wildly.
The parts makers have no choice but to make them oversize.

While it may be a pain to remove extra metal, it's adding metal that is really hard!

AR15: yes, correct...no fat part sticking out forward past the breechface.
: )

[Jason762]

Problem fixed!

Thanks for the help everyone! Now to rest fire it and see how it works.

[ojisan]

Keep us posted!

[Trendkill]

Do you have any snap caps..???? Try cycling some snap caps through it.

[Jason762]

Do you have any snap caps..???? Try cycling some snap caps through it.

I did, everything functioned A-OK. I'm hoping to go to the range tomorrow. We'll see.

[Jason762]

Crap... it still doesn't fire. And what's worse is that it mangled my replacement firing pin and extractor.

The original extractor, Colt MIM:



The replacement parts: Wilson combat bullet proof extractor and Ed Brown hardcore firing pin. Original Colt plunger/spring.







So obviously this is an internal slide problem needing experienced gunsmith work.

After I get this fixed up, it's gone - I'm getting a Glock! (angry face since I reached my image limit)

[ojisan]

The firing pin safety plunger is not being pushed up high enough to clear the firing pin.
Assuming the lever in the frame that lifts the plunger is not bent or otherwise damaged, this usually happens when a replacement trigger with an over-travel adjustable stop screw is used.
The shorter travel of the replacement trigger does not allow enough movement to push the plunger lift lever enough movement to raise the plunger enough to clear the firing pin.

There are aftermarket lift levers that provide more lift, adding a bit of metal to the lift lever top also fixes this.

Due to the additional work required to make a modified-trigger Series 80 type safety system function properly, most gunsmiths prefer the Series 70 arrangement.
It is possible to remove the Series 80 safety parts and replace them with a flat spacer plate in the frame, making an 80 into a 70.

Don't Glock out on us, it can be easily fixed, one way or another.

PM sent.


There are also three different heights of lift levers sold.
In this link's pic, you can see the top one has a "1" stamped in it, the second one down is blank.
These are two of the different heights.
I'm looking for the gunsmith-fitting-required super-high-lift version now.
At least they are cheap to replace.

http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/BrowseProducts.aspx?pageNum=1&tabId=8&categoryId=17896&categoryString=649***20766***8806***16006***

Here's a post for you from the 191 forum that covers it all:

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=172204

[Jason762]

I removed the screw in the trigger and placed a pencil in the barrel. Pulled the trigger, and pencil jumped right out! So it seems to work now.

Question is; any harm in not having the screw in place?

[ojisan]

No harm, just a little trigger over-travel.
I'm sure it will go bang now.
Series 80 lock work will always need a little more trigger travel than a Series 70.

Good to hear it is fixed.

[adamsreeftank]

I hate that series 80 crap!