T/C Contender question

[Captainkirk]

Hello all, I own a T/C Contender, bought new in the late '90s or early millenium as a "hunter package" which included the case, a sling, TC Super 14 in .35 Remington with scope and rings. I've shot it very little since new, probably less than 100 rounds. One of the main reasons is due to the ejector. Cartridges load OK, but after firing and opening the action, the ejector pops the case out a fraction of an inch but won't let go. Grasping it with your nails usually doesn't work, or if it does, it's a struggle. I can slip a cleaning rod down the muzzle and tap the brass out, but it leaves gouge marks on the case head and long scratches in the brass. .35 Rem brass is neither cheap nor plentiful, so I don't shoot it at the moment.
It doesn't look like it would be a huge task to pop the roll pin and remove the extractor to smooth and blend it for a little more relief, but I'm wondering if the extractor could actually be bent? I've never owned another TC and I'm not exactly sure how the extractor is supposed to work? Does it just hand you the shell and say "Thanks, boss?" or is it supposed to kick it out past the extractor? Are parts still available, and if so, through whom?
I was watching a program on silhouette shooting this week and got all fired up about the TC, but playing with it again trying to eject spent brass was an exercise in frustration and has left me disappointed once again in what could be a really fun silhouette gun or hunting handgun.
Any advice/opinions? I can maybe provide some photos, etc later...

 

[Doyle]

Is it sticking on the ejector or is it sticking in the chamber? Remove the extractor completely, shoot it, and now see if you still have to tap it out.

 

[ShootistPRS]

The Contenders that I have that use rimless cases have spring to the extractor so they can move down and release the case. It might have some accumulated crud under it that is preventing the movement or it might be bent. It wouldn't hurt to take it apart to clean and inspet it.

 

[Captainkirk]

No, the cases seems free in the chamber. The problem is the extractor; it's tearing up the brass pretty good.

 

[Captainkirk]

The ejector does spring up and down, it just doesn't move far enough to allow the brass to clear it. It's had this issue since new.

 

[Old Stony]

I had instances of this problem with other rimless cases years ago when playing with the Contenders. I found with just a little tinkering with the extractor the problem disappeared. Your extractor is just not dropping low enough to clear the brass sufficiently. You are probably seeing two scratches down the brass when you pull it out. I merely gently tapped a flat head screwdriver under the extractor to tweak it a little until it would let it clear the brass enough to come out without a problem.
Shooting the .223's, 7tcu's and similar rimless cases often times had the same problem.
The extractor should just pull it out enough for you to get your fingers around the case.

 

[Captainkirk]

Actually, it's more than just two scratches...it's two deep scratches with a stripe in the middle, plus a healthy nick in the rim. Something ain't right...I will try the screwdriver thing but a man shouldn't have to carry a screwdriver into the woods or the range just to shuck an empty...just sayin'...the extractor looks almost like a cast piece and if so, trying to straighten it would probably break it if it's bent. This gun was never used/abused and as far as I know I'm the only one that ever shot it, so...?
I will try to post up some pix tonight so you guys can get a better idea.

 

[Old Stony]

I never had any problem putting a small bend on the extractor. Once you tweak it a little, it should stay that way.

 

[D Thomson]

Check with mike@bellmtcs.com I've had several Contender pistols and several problems, and I have had very good results with both questions and parts.

 

[Old Stony]

Maybe you should send it to him....and he can tweak it with a screwdriver. On rimless cases there is a small spring that holds the extractor up against the case and it kind of floats there. If the extractor isn't adjusted right, you are not getting it pushed down far enough. Simple stuff actually, but feel free to pay someone to do it for you.

 

[Captainkirk]

Stony:
Well, I'll be willing to give it a try...at worst I'd break the extractor and have to buy another, which I was considering doing anyway. What do I have to lose, right? I'll let you know how it works out...

 

[Captainkirk]

Follow-up:
I spoke with Mike Bellm at Bellm T/C today and discussed the issue I was having in detail. He concurred that it was an issue with the extractor based on my description of the problem. He concurred that I should pull the extractor and look at it and clean up/smooth any sharp edges.
Pulling the extractor was simple and involved driving out one tiny little roll pin. A quick examination told me all I needed to know; yep...the extractor was bent. Being fairly soft metal, it didn't take much to bend it; I inserted the extractor back into it's housing just up the the point of the bend (about 1/4"), then applied downward pressure with a piece of scrap wood. A couple tries and it was straight to the eye, anyway. Inserting the empty brass showed a much more user-friendly gun, but it still felt rough and scratchy. So I pulled the extractor again and gave it a real work-over, filing the rough bearing surfaces smooth, then polishing with 400 grit wet-or-dry and Rem Oil until they were smooth as a baby's, umm...behind...and gleaming. This took roughly an hour at best. I reassembled the extractor making sure it was well-lubed with Lubriplate AAA630 and reassembled the gun. I placed the same resized brass in the chamber, closed it (it snapped closed much better too) and on opening, the TC handed me the brass as politely as you please (and may have even said thank you)...no drag, no scratches, no roughness or hesitation. I may go back and apply some Oxpho-Blue at a later date to the polished surfaces, but for now I'm not worried about it.
I have no idea how or when that extractor got bent, but who cares, now? It works great and I'm a happy camper!

In this photo you can clearly see the bend in the end of the extractor...

...and after straightening.

The rough 'bearing surfaces' as cast...

...and after polishing.

All is well!

 

[reynolds357]

Glad you fixed it. Just send it to Smith and wesson if it gives you any more problems.