Failure to Eject

[GunnBugg]

Guys,
I am trying to isolate a failure to eject issue.

I have a Wolf 16# spring. Shooting decent loads. I have noticed that my ejector wiggles a bit/isn't tight like it is on my other two XDs.

Does anyone else have an ejector that isn't smack tight?
Anyone else with failure to eject?

[heritageguy]

Factory standard springs are 18.5 pounds. If you "decent loads" are equivalent to standard ball loads -- 230 grains @ 800 fps or better -- the recoil may be too much and could be causing the extractor to become loose.

16 pound springs are for reduced loads in the XD.

[The Knight Of Light]

It really comes down to slide speed. The ejector has to make contact with the case. A slightly loose ejector shouldn't make too much of a difference. Are you getting a stove pipe or is the case getting put right back into the chamber. If it is a stove pipe then you know the ejector is making contact but the force of the ammo is not enough to over come spring tension.

[rgeliske]

I'm old and I'm sorry but you are confusing me, which do you mean the ejector (#14) located in the frame or the extractor (#36) located in the slide? The extractor (#36) basically pulls the spent case out of the firing chamber and the Ejector (#14) flips the spent case out of the ejection port. The Knights question is valid in determining what is wrong and ejector problem are usually the result of not enough force to flip the case clear of the gun while extrator problem are usually the result of the extractor not being able to catch on the spent case. Do you have he same problem with factory loads or with the factory spring?

[Wild Rice]

I have a brand new XD-45 4" Compact. It functions great and ejects cases normally with good force. Zero jams. When I use red plastic Traditions snap caps, the nose of the plastic dummy rounds get nicked by the barrel hood, but still eject just fine. The nose of the snap cap is slightly longer than a Winchester WB 230 FMJ round, which does not get nicked by the barrel hood. Hollow point ammo being even shorter, will not hit the barrel hood at all. Cases of course clear with plenty of room. I may slighly shorten the tip of the ejector to improve the timing with snap caps, but it won't really be needed since regular ammo and cases eject just fine.

My ejector is a tad loose. I can wiggle it slightly up and down at the tip and just slightly side to side. I think it is within normal limits. This is not from wear because the ejector could be wiggled when I cleaned the gun before ever shooting it. However, with repeated firing and impacts on the tip of the ejector, the ejector may get looser and concentrate the energy in one place enough to weaken it.

Therefore, I called Springfield Armory's 1-800 number and ordered a spare ejector and ejector pin, for $7 each. Have your XD serial number and credit card ready. The ejector is held in place with two pins: a thin ejector pin that must be removed to the left side of the pistol, and (just to the rear of the ejector pin) a thicker sear pin, which I will drift just 1/4 of the way to the right side of the pistol. The ejector pin has one leg of the sear spring resting on it, so I will note its position prior to disassembly. By drifting the sear pin only 1/4 of the way to the right, I intend to keep the sear and sear spring captive on the sear pin, as I exchange the extractor, which is located to the left of the sear.

I can tell you more once the parts arrive in 7-10 days.

[Wild Rice]

In general when I am trying to solve ejection problems, I start with the extractor. If the extractor tension on the cartridge rim is too weak, or too strong, you can have ejection problems.

Rarely is the ejector the culprit. With a 1911, ejection can be tuned by changing the angle on the ejector tip or shortening the ejector tip.

Another problem can be an undersized 1911 ejection port, bu this is not a concern with the XD's oversized ejection port.

Ejection should occur with a wide range of recoil springs, but for best function and least wear, it is best to use a stock spring.

[GunnBugg]

Originally Posted by The Knight Of Light

It really comes down to slide speed. The ejector has to make contact with the case. A slightly loose ejector shouldn't make too much of a difference. Are you getting a stove pipe or is the case getting put right back into the chamber. If it is a stove pipe then you know the ejector is making contact but the force of the ammo is not enough to over come spring tension.

Yep, this is the road I'm hunting down hardest. There are no noticeable problems with the extractor. The ejector wiggles a bit, but no so much as to not properly deflect the round. I really think the slide just isn't getting far enough back because when it fails, it also does not pick up another round. So, where you would expect it to stove pipe, I get a semi-stove pipe.

And then..
I ran out to the range at lunch. I put some Slide Glide on the slide vice RemOil. That left it failing to eject once in 3 mags. Then I switched to ball. I had 0 failures out of 50 rounds with the ball.

Therefore, I'm thinking I'm either gonna need a hotter load with my moly coated Precision Bullets to get enough pressure to knock the slide back. Or, I'm gonna have to drop down to a 14# spring when I shoot my "meet power factor" loads.

[GunnBugg]

Originally Posted by Wild Rice

My ejector is a tad loose. I can wiggle it slightly up and down at the tip and just slightly side to side. I think it is within normal limits. This is not from wear because the ejector could be wiggled when I cleaned the gun before ever shooting it.

Thanks, kinda wanted to know that the ejector was similar to others.

I ordered a spare ejector along with spare sear pin, ejector pin, trigger pin, trigger detent pin, and striker pins from Pistol Gear last night. Even though I may not need them now, sooner or later, I'll drop one of those pins into a black hole. LOL Figured since I had to pay the shiping, I might as well build a little spares kit to go with my spare springs kit.

[GunnBugg]

Originally Posted by Wild Rice

In general when I am trying to solve ejection problems, I start with the extractor. If the extractor tension on the cartridge rim is too weak, or too strong, you can have ejection problems.

Rarely is the ejector the culprit. With a 1911, ejection can be tuned by changing the angle on the ejector tip or shortening the ejector tip.

Another problem can be an undersized 1911 ejection port, bu this is not a concern with the XD's oversized ejection port.

Ejection should occur with a wide range of recoil springs, but for best function and least wear, it is best to use a stock spring.

That's what I find a little odd. These light rounds do fine in both my SIS and my Les Baer, which is a LOT tighter and harder to rack.

I don't think the ejector is problematic in this case, nor the extractor. I think it's all about slide speed.

[The Knight Of Light]

Also consider that your spring is not fitted properly and not allowing the slide to come back fully. Maybe one coil cut will help a slight with getting proper function. When hand cycled it may appear to work properly but during recoil the spring may be binding.