Extractor Adjustment

[sldghmr]

I have been having problems with my Charles Daily EFS 1911. It fails to go into battery sometimes, sometimes it stove pipes, and sometimes I have to try and eject a live round by hand several times using more force then nessasary.

So I think it's the extractor, and that the fit is too tight because I put a round in between the breech and extractor and had a hard time getting it out. I also tried to cycle a complete magazine by hand, and it felt like the slide was sticking when I tried to cycle it.

I know I could take it to a smith and say fix it, but what would I learn?

I also read on the internet that if you don't know what your doing,don't try adjusting the extractor yourself. I don't have the nessasary fixture either.

What do you suggest?

BTW, I have sent it back to KBI and they said it was just fine, sent two new magizines back with it, and polished the feedramp.

[Fish609]

Time to sell IMO

[bigun]

Originally Posted by Fish609

Time to sell IMO

BS it's a simple proceedure and you dont need a fixture.
!. Depress firing pin untill you can slide the firing pin stop out the bottom of the slide, Be carefull as the firing pin is under spring tension and will launch across the room.
2. Remove extractor, a pin punch will probably be necessaty if it is as tight as you say.
3. inspect extractor claw for faulty or incomplete machining or damage.
4. If extractor looks intact and properly manufactured reinsert it approx 1/3 the length of extractor back into the channel and press against the inside of the extractor untill you can fel the extractor bend slightly.
5. re-assemble the slide and attempt to feed a snap cap into the chamber, the round should feed with minimum resistance, slight hesitation is normal as long as the round seats fully in the chamber without assistance.
6. Test fire-if problems persist repeat steps 1-5 if not then you should be good to go.

[faawrenchbndr]

Originally Posted by bigun

...
!. Depress firing pin untill you can slide the firing pin stop out the bottom of the slide, Be carefull as the firing pin is under spring tension and will launch across the room.....

Do yourself a favor, put on a set of glasses.
Friend of mine got popped in the eye once.
Seems he got his eyelid closed in time, but nearly half his eye was bloody.
Internally broken vessles? He was fine a few weeks later, just lucky.

[Byrd]

Do what bigun said, and when you have the extractor out, look at the hook that engages the rim of the cartridge. If it is rough or burred, take a small needle nose file and polish it a bit. You can also round the inside of the hook on the lower edge of the extractor. This will enable it to slide over the rim a lot easier. It is not difficult to do, just take it easy and do not take too much off.

When your extractor is properly adjusted, a round pushed up underneath it should not be tight, but should be held in position, but droop down a little.

Hope this helps.

[Christian]

Originally Posted by sldghmr

I know I could take it to a smith and say fix it, but what would I learn?

What do you suggest?

BTW, I have sent it back to KBI and they said it was just fine, sent two new magizines back with it, and polished the feedramp.

If you want to understand the 1911, you want the books that will teach you.
Kuhnhausen's manuals can become your new best friends.
http://www.gunbooks.com/colt45.html
http://www.gunbooks.com/vol2.html

[Wild Rice]

In "The Combat Auto" Bill Wilson describes the importance and method of tuning the extractor. Yours sounds like it is much too tight. With the complete slide off the frame, extractor should hold a full round on the breech face with 4 lbs of force, enough to retain a full round with the slide moved in all directions. The bottom edge of the extractor where the rim slides under the extractor must be lightly radiused. Many gunsmiths tune the extractor for tunnel tension, but this is incorrect. Extractor tension on the round is what is important.

From my own personal experience, I have found Bill Wilson's advice very accurate. He also has tips on all of the other critical parts of the 1911, so I highly recommend his book. Kuhnhausen's book is also highly recommended and is considered to be the 1911 shop Bible.

One tid bit I can offer is to avoid the parts bin extractors you see at gunshows. A proper extractor must be made of a special spring metal. The pot metal extractors you see in parts bins will break on you, possibly at the very worse time. I broke one when trying to bend/tune it. Never again. Buy a quality, highly-rated extractor from a reputable maker. If you like it, buy a few more as spares. The extractor is the key to reliable cycling. No other single component is so important to reliability, yet so misunderstood.

[sldghmr]

Thanks for your suggestions. First thing I need is a good manual with blown up diagrams. I had the US Military M1A1911 manual in my hand today at the gun show but didn't buy it, I probable should have.

I'll love to have suggestions on what manual to get, and a source for buying a quality extractor.

[Byrd]

Brownell's is the place to go. You can look them & their proucts up online, but order their catalog as well...you will spend hours going through it!

Another good book is Hallok's .45 Auto handook. Brownell's has it for $12 I think, and is is good info.

You can do all that adjusting @ the range so you don't have to run back & forth between their & home. Then you can tinker & shoot & see how your adjustments work. Chances are, there will be someone there who can help. At our range there are several guys who are good with the workings of the gun, and are more than willing to help.

By the way, messing with a 1911 is dangerous...it is adicting and very costly, but a lot of fun.

[sldghmr]

Thanks for the info Byrd.

I'm looking forward to tinkering with my CD 1911. I didn't pay that much for it, and it came with Pachmayer Cocobolo/Rubber Gripps, I really like. It also had a set of XS Big Dot Night Sights which I'm coming to really like for point and shoot drills, I'm thinking of putting them on my pocket Kahr PM9.