[tnieto2004]

How many people have actually broken an extractor while shooting steel cased ammo? I hear people say, “I’ll never shoot steel case through my gun”, but don’t hear or witness any broken extractors. Just wondering how common it is and if I should keep backup extractors if I want to shoot steel cased ammo. Thanks for your input!

[midiwall]

...should {i} keep backup extractors if I want to shoot steel cased ammo"?

I think the more important question would be "Do any guns that I want to shoot steel with have a warranty that explicitly excludes steel cased ammo?". i.e., will you be voiding your warranty if you do?


That said, I haven't broken an ejector, but I'm now in that "I won't shoot steel cased ammo through my guns" group of folks.

[Steve in PA]

Shooting reloads also voids warranties. Big deal.

[CWL]

I have a spare extractor fitted to my custom M1911, my smith added as a part of handy service parts to have. Handy spare to have tuned and ready.

I don't shoot steel simply because it tends to be crappy ammo to begin with, and since the shell rim slips under the extractor rather than ride over it, I'm not overly concerned with breakage.

I think this may be more of an issue with semi rifles and Eastern European ammunition. But I'd be more concerned with lacquer and loose tolerances than extractor problems.

[Guy de Loimbard]

I have never had that problem with steel-cased ammo. I used to use Barnaul in my AR-15 all the time, occasionally a fired case would stick in the chamber and the extractor would tear the rim off the case. Haven't had that problem since I switched to brass. I suspect it was that green lacquer building up in the chamber causing that.

[Average Joe]

extractors are cheap compared to ammo.

[possum]

i have only ever broken one extractor, it was not while i was shooting steel cased ammo. the gun did have 1000rds of steel cased ammo through it prior but had over 2000rds of brass cased through it after the steel and i was shooting brass when the extractor broke.

[tnieto2004]

Possum,

What type of gun was it if you don't mind. Thanks!

[makarovnik]

I haven't broken an extractor but I have seen premature dulling of the claw. Some extractors are harder than others and believe it or not some guns from Eastern Europe are made to fire steel cased ammo.

My makarov loves it but it does tend to be dirty.