Broken Extractor

[Major Art Tillery]

While putting on a demo at the local fair, it looks like I may have broken the extractor on my 73.  Thought maybe it was just sticking from the BP blanks, but after cleaning it still is not working.

 

My rifle is a Cody-matic Uberti 73 chambered in 44-40.  Looking for the best place to purchase an extractor.  Drop in part?  Minor fitting? Or just send back to Cody for repair?

 

It looks like just a small pin holds it in place?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Major Art Tillery

[Snakebite]

It is not a drop in part, although a lot of people do.

[Lawman Mays]

Major Art Tillery,

I broke an extractor in my Henry Rife last year. The Henry Company in Bayone NJ sent me a replacement the next day. For Uberti made guns, I would think any Uberti dealer could get one. In Virginia, we have Taylor Firearms in Winchester. They have or can get most Uberti parts.

[J-BAR #18287]

I ordered replacements from VTI Gunparts; get some extra pins too.  They are cheap and have a way of rolling off the table and getting lost.

 

I am not a gunsmith but with patience I was able to fit a new extractor and it works. You have to remove a bit of metal from the bottom of the new extractor to get the pinhole in the new one to line up with the pinhole in the bolt.

 

I had to drop the lower tang to make enough room to get the bolt out of the rifle.  There may be some other way to replace the extractor but I could not find it.  Just saying it necessitated significant disassembly the way I wound up doing it. But it works.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Could be fouled under the long arm and hook.  Pull up with your fingertip with the action half-way open.  If extractor gives enough tension to make your finger hurt, it's probably just dirty.  If it's weaker, it's lost it's tension.  If it breaks off it's broken. 

 

Removing extractor takes a 1/16 punch and enough vision accuity to see where the pin is.  Take bolt out of gun and drive pin out.   You will almost certainly need a new pin to put back in.   VTI Gun parts has some at over $4 and shipping.  A 1/16" drill bit shank works well for about 50 cents and some hacksawing.   A piece of .070 black hardware wire works well for about 2 cents. Spin the wire in a drill motor and pinch 400 grit sandpaper over it until down to about 0.065" diameter.   Won't take but a minute or so.  Just so it fits the hole and can be drifted in without bending.

 

All extractor tails have to be fit, and usually I take sharp points off and fit the hook properly too.  There will be too much metal on both the tail and hook, usually, and some folks lighten the tension by thinning the arm, too.    Can you do it?  If mechanically inclined, you could. 

 

I would ALSO check the cartridge support tab.  Bending or breaking that off (very common on Uberti bolts) gives almost the same symptoms as a bad extractor.

 

But I'd recommend you run it down to Joe Brisco at Cowboy Shooters Supply and let him put in a very nice replacement extractor.

http://cowboyshooterssupply.com/index.html

He will treat you right!

 

Good luck, GJ

 

[Major Art Tillery]

5 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

Could be fouled under the long arm and hook.  Pull up with your fingertip with the action half-way open.  If extractor gives enough tension to make your finger hurt, it's probably just dirty.  If it's weaker, it's lost it's tension.  If it breaks off it's broken. 

 

Removing extractor takes a 1/16 punch and enough vision accuity to see where the pin is.  Take bolt out of gun and drive pin out.   You will almost certainly need a new pin to put back in.   VTI Gun parts has some at over $4 and shipping.  A 1/16" drill bit shank works well for about 50 cents and some hacksawing.   A piece of .070 black hardware wire works well for about 2 cents.    

 

All extractor tails have to be fit, and usually I take sharp points off and fit the hook properly too.  There will be too much metal on both the tail and hook, usually, and some folks lighten the tension by thinning the arm, too.    Can you do it?  If mechanically inclined, you could. 

 

I would ALSO check the cartridge support tab.  Bending or breaking that off (very common on Uberti bolts) gives almost the same symptoms as a bad extractor.

 

But I'd recommend you run it down to Joe Brisco at Cowboy Shooters Supply and let him put in a very nice replacement extractor.

http://cowboyshooterssupply.com/index.html

He will treat you right!

 

Good luck, GJ

I didn't even think about Joe. ..

 

Ok, emailed him and off for him to fix it up.  Thanks for the reminder!

 

Major

[Cat Brules]

Might also get hold of Cody Conagher, who set up your rifle to begin with.  Listen to him:

 

The Cowboy Shop
Cody Conagher (Don Jones) - (Certified Gunsmith)
12040 Valley Road
Berkeley Springs‎ WV‎ 25411

telephone:   (304) 258-1516
email:   cody6986@frontier.com

URL:  http://www.codyscowboyshop.com/

[CodyMaverick]

11 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

Could be fouled under the long arm and hook.  Pull up with your fingertip with the action half-way open.  If extractor gives enough tension to make your finger hurt, it's probably just dirty.  If it's weaker, it's lost it's tension.  If it breaks off it's broken. 

 

Removing extractor takes a 1/16 punch and enough vision accuity to see where the pin is.  Take bolt out of gun and drive pin out.   You will almost certainly need a new pin to put back in.   VTI Gun parts has some at over $4 and shipping.  A 1/16" drill bit shank works well for about 50 cents and some hacksawing.   A piece of .070 black hardware wire works well for about 2 cents.    

 

All extractor tails have to be fit, and usually I take sharp points off and fit the hook properly too.  There will be too much metal on both the tail and hook, usually, and some folks lighten the tension by thinning the arm, too.    Can you do it?  If mechanically inclined, you could. 

 

I would ALSO check the cartridge support tab.  Bending or breaking that off (very common on Uberti bolts) gives almost the same symptoms as a bad extractor.

 

But I'd recommend you run it down to Joe Brisco at Cowboy Shooters Supply and let him put in a very nice replacement extractor.

http://cowboyshooterssupply.com/index.html

He will treat you right!

 

Good luck, GJ

 

 

I am curious what end results you are looking for when you are fitting the extractors.  I have replaced both extractors in my Codymatics and I didn't do anything to the extractors themselves although I did have some challenges with the pins.  My originals both got a little bent, presumably due to allowing too much build up of fouling underneath them.  Thousands of rounds later they are both still working fine.  I do remove them now and then, for cleaning.

 

I am wondering did I just get lucky? (very uncommon for me and not likely) or am I missing something? (Much more common and more likely)

 

Please enlighten me.  Thanks!

 

fyi, my rifles are Uberti '73s in .45 Colt and I got the replacement extractors from OnlineOutpost.net, I believe they are made by Cowboys & Indian.

 

 

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

2 hours ago, CodyMaverick said:

 

I am curious what end results you are looking for when you are fitting the extractors.  I have replaced both extractors in my Codymatics and I didn't do anything to the extractors themselves although I did have some challenges with the pins.

 

Standard way that extractors are set to correct tension goes something like this (works for 1911 slides and 73 bolts about equally well).

Make a dummy round.    Stick it under extractor hook with case head against the bolt face.  Shake it - less than you would shake down a mercury thermometer, but more than trying to get drops of water off your hands.  If round hangs on bolt, you have enough tension and a good fit of hook.   If it rattles around, you have too loose a hook - the inside face of hook is too far away from bolt face. (Start with another extractor.)  If it is significantly hard to snap hook over rim you need a little more off wherever the tightness is.

 

On either gun, sharp edges on the leading edges of the hook are bad,  and even slight bevels are needed on the inside of hook.  Sharp edges grab brass; beveled and polished glides over brass.

 

On a 73 or 66, the top side of extractor hook may have more height that is needed,  Nose probably will be too "long" front to back.  Check the fit into the relief hole machined in the chamber face.   Don't want any part of extractor hitting until the round is full chambered.  Don't want sharp edges to catch either - bevel them.  The slope of the nose can be allowed to slightly lift the extractor hook off the rim, but that is not really needed.  But make sure extractor is not completely lifted off rim when chambered, it may not catch a fired round's rim well.

 

Tension on 73 extractor is changed by filing the spring arm on the upper side (as installed).   I like to keep the tension  (measured with a trigger pull gauge) at about 4 pounds - a loop of wire that is placed around extractor nose and catching on hook will let you have something to grab with the gauge.  Then pull upwards perpendicular to bore.   When you get the hook tip to the top surface of bolt, stop and read.

 

Tails of extractors I have replaced are all slightly thick (top to bottom).  File the rounded side until it fits the slot depth and lets you barely start the pin.   I never reuse a pin now that I know hardware wire will work for a new pin.  File too much, and you don't have tension on the pin and the pin can walk out, as well as the extractor is less springy because of slop in the fit.

 

Good luck extracting yourself from that!  GJ