SA 1911 Ejector Woes

10-96

New member
I've been studying page 78 of Mr Kuhnhausen's Vol II 1911 Shop Manual and I'm not much better off than when I started. My 2nd hand SA GI (WW ser#) 5" came to me with an extractor that was in the neighborhood of 1.2". And believe it or not- it did not eject. I cut it back to .965", or .784" at center of front post PLUS the .19" in front of the post. I am quite close if not on the 20 degree angle. So, this thing ought to jive with a factory Colt or GI ejector- right? I pondered over my extractor- it seems to be SA and in cahoots with the diagrams in the manual.

The extractor in my SA that runs flawlessly is only vaguely close to the diagrams minus the rounds and bevels. Anyhow, it works in my carry 1911- but it does nothing to help the stubborn one eject. I have tried recoil springs from 18lbs up to 22lbs. I have no burrs, bends, breaks, boogers, or anything else I can put a visual on. What is the magic of getting proper ejection? What am I missing here? It's gotta be something obvious- Right?

Edit: The package tabs indicate my recoil springs were 15, 16, and 18lb. Sorry.
 
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jglenn

New member
ejection

the 16 lb spring is just fine. use it


do the cases eject at all ?

have you looked at the extractor tension (very important) you may well have too much tension

I use commmander ejectors in most all of my 1911s for more possitive ejection
 
What happens upon failure? Do you have a case jammed in the ejection port? It is still in the chamber? In the first case, do you have a recoil buffer on the gun? If so, try it without. If the case is still in the chamber, is there a deep mark from the extractor to indicate hard extraction effort? Have you checked the timing of the barrel lock-up to make sure you have no binding?
 

10-96

New member
No recoil buffers or any other type attachment. The fired casing comes back with the slide- but does not appear to get ejected before the slide pushes it back into a stove-pipe situation with the next ctg. And I'm starting to wonder about the extractor tension as the fired case is clamped firmly against the slide face.

How is the Commander extractor different from a full size?

Also, I'm honing an approximate 30 degree radius onto the claw end of the extractor between the 3 and 6 o-clock position as I hadn't considered it from the end.

I don't have the shims, test spring, etc for the full timing tests- but getting as close as I can with the marker/mallet test- I don't have any out of place ink removal or galling or flaking on the lug surfaces. However, I do know that lug failure can occure between 1k and 2k rounds. I'm about half inclined to ship it back to SA- but then I wouldn't learn just a whole lot that way.
 

10-96

New member
Thanks. I'll likely go with the Commander extractor- but in addition to that, I may try to take some of the bend out of the current culprit (at least until the new one comes in).

Mags: Chip Mc, Wilson, No Name.
 
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