Called Springfield about Broken Extractor on my 1911.

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possum

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I called their customer service today. I told them the situation, that the extractor broke while at the range. I was told that they wouldn't send out a new extractor, that the extractor would have to be "fitted" to the gun, which is funny because the one that came in the gun didn't look "fitted" it looked more like a stock part that was dropped in. Anyway so they said they would be happy to give me a return authorization number so i could send it in. However i am not gonna send it in, my new Ed Brown Hardcore extractor is on order and on the way.

If i had some extra money then i would send it in, and while it was there i would get them to customize it a little for me, but that isn't the case right now.

SA's customer service really helped me out the last time i needed them, so they are 1 for 2 in my book. I am a little upset that they won't send me the part, so i can get it fixed myself, it would take a lot less time, and i can have the gun up and running as soon as the part arrives. plus the headache of taking a gun to ups to ship is a headache enough in itself.
 
It dosn't need to be "fitted" so much as "tuned" so the gun runs right. A poorly tuned extractor can throw brass back in your face, or cause FTFs. Its just a matter of bending it a little to get the tension right. Any 'smith can do this in about 5 minutes. Its also something you should learn to do for yourself. Its not tough.
 
It dosn't need to be "fitted" so much as "tuned" so the gun runs right. A poorly tuned extractor can throw brass back in your face, or cause FTFs. Its just a matter of bending it a little to get the tension right. Any 'smith can do this in about 5 minutes. Its also something you should learn to do for yourself. Its not tough.
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i know how to do it, and that is what i was trying to stress to them, that if they just send the part that i would "tune"/"fit" it myself and i would be done with it.
 
possum Springfield is 2 for 2 and I'll tell you why .

They have absolutely no idea as to your level of skill and knowledge at fitting the part or and this will sound odd , your level of self control .

An incorrectly fitted extractor will throw brass right back at you , it can land on your glasses or go down the front of your shirt burning you with it as it is very hot for a few seconds after firing .

It takes a great deal of self control to not dangerously hop around with a loaded gun and your finger on the trigger in such a situation , I know it happened to me many years ago with a Colt Commander , it went off to a Smith to be fixed so it never happened again .

I suggest if you insist on replacing it yourself when you test fire it you load only 1 round in a magazine then to the chamber "This is the correct way to load a 1911 from magazine to chamber so you don't damage the extractor snapping over the rim of a chambered round" and fire it so that after that 1 round you have an unloaded gun in your hand and see if it is adjusted/positioned to avoid being hit by the brass . I suggest you fire several rounds this way as a safety check because even mine didn't do it every time it was fired .

IN todays Sue Happy world one can invision a case of someone suing them if they had an accident and the maker just sent them a part that needed correct fitting to avoid such things .
 
My mistake, I misread you post. I thought they WERE sending the extractor. Didn't mean to come across as condecending
 
Check out this months issue of "Front Sight"! They did a nice 4 page article on tuning your extractor, measurments, angles, the whole nine yards.
 
It dosn't need to be "fitted" so much as "tuned" so the gun runs right. A poorly tuned extractor can throw brass back in your face, or cause FTFs. Its just a matter of bending it a little to get the tension right. Any 'smith can do this in about 5 minutes. Its also something you should learn to do for yourself. Its not tough
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Springfield is just going to drop in a new extractor. They are not going to tune it at all. Your gun will never be fired while it is with Springfield.
 
HK Dan,
Thanks i will definetly check that out.

Springfield is just going to drop in a new extractor. They are not going to tune it at all. Your gun will never be fired while it is with Springfield.
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exactly, just like the one that was in the gun in the first place, it wasn't tuned and i know the next one won't be either.
 
Gotta agree with BigO01 on this one. Take advantage of the free lifetime warranty, you'll probably have the gun back in a week. :) Hows Springfield know if people aren't just reselling the parts they send out? Not that you are, but they don't know that.:evil:
 
plus the headache of taking a gun to ups to ship is a headache enough in itself.
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If UPS is that big of a hassle (you do know that Springfield will reimburse UPS charges up to $50, right?) another option is to just send the slide.

You can legally do that via US Postal Service insured for under $10 (did it with my Kahr PM9 slide/barrel/recoil assy), they can replace the extractor and return it to you.

In the mean time, you can order your Ed Brown/Cylinder&Slide/Wilson extractor, and have it as a spare.
 
If UPS is that big of a hassle (you do know that Springfield will reimburse UPS charges up to $50, right?)
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yes i am aware of their warranty and shipping charges policy as i have used their services in the past.
 
They have absolutely no idea as to your level of skill and knowledge at fitting the part or and this will sound odd , your level of self control .

An incorrectly fitted extractor will throw brass right back at you , it can land on your glasses or go down the front of your shirt burning you with it as it is very hot for a few seconds after firing .
Click to expand...


My briefly owned EMP went back to them and one of the things listed they did to the pistol was "tuned extractor and ejector". It still threw brass back at my face. My wife got hit in her glasses and I caught a brass between my glasses and my eyelid.
 
My extractor on my new Loaded 1911A1 broke after 3 mags. Thanks for this great information. I think I'll just send mine back to SA as opposed to replacing it myself. I'm not familiar with tuning an extractor.
 
In a 1911 type pistol, throwing brass backward is usually more a problem of the ejector than the extractor.

It would be nice if folks still made extractors out of good spring steel instead of cheap castings, but that would cost more money.

Jim
 
possum,

I would offer this suggestion; let Springfield put the part in. They have great customer service so take advantage of it. You will have the gun back in about a week with no cost to you. They will feel better that they know the part was installed by them. When you get the gun back with the new extractor you can tune it yourself. SA will be happy that you allowed them to do right by you and you will be happy that you custom fit and tuned it.
 
Colt Smith,
This thread is over 9 months old. i have fixed the issue, had a gun smith do it, and i have sold the 1911 since then, but thank you.
 
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