My .45 is destroying brass, should I be concerned?

[MrIzhevsk]

I've noticed that my Jericho .45 eats up brass like a mid-day snack. Should I be worried with this at all? I'm not into reloading or anything yet so I'm not concerned with whats left of the brass unless it means that something isn't functioning properly with the pistol.

At one point during my range session I noticed it actually somehow flung a casing FORWARD. On another set it jammed on the last round (using winchester .230 JHP) by sandwiching the casing between the barrel hood and the back of the ejection port. This is the first time its done this so far.

Just checking to see if everything is going right with my pistol so far, I have about 350 rounds through it so far. Another little tid bit is that there are wear marks/scratches on the slide just above the external extractor, I am presuming it is from casings hitting the slide. This normal?

 

[tkopp]

What does the brass look like? Is it split, charred, bulged, dented, or otherwise damaged?

 

[GLOOB]

Sounds like the extraction/ejection is positive, but that the case is hitting the side of the ejection port.

Changing the shape of the ejector can "aim" the spent shell. Bringing the point lower will raise the trajectory. Bringing the point higher will lower the trajectory. Also check it for burrs or defects.

It's not rocket science. Grab some empty shells and/or snap caps. Sit down and examine what's wrong and look at all the parts involved. Namely the extractor, extractor spring, and the ejector.

 

[berkbw]

A few silly questions -

1 Got a picture? Please, pix of cases, good ones of extractor, and good ones
of ejector.
2 What recoil spring are you using (lb.)?
3 Are you using recoil buffers?,
4 What ammo are you shooting?
5 Is your extractor clocking (will it rotate)?

What else can you tell us about the gun?
b-

 

[MrIzhevsk]

Here's a pic of two of the casings. On the left is the winchester supreme elite that got wedged in the ejection port as I described above. On the right is a PMC 230 grain that I picked up randomly ( I was the only one shooting a .45 at the very far end of the range so i presumed it was mine.) I'm not sure what weight the recoil spring is in my jericho right now, other than factory. (theres so little info on these guns, I'm just not sure what it is and I don't know where to find that info.)

As for the ejector, I suppose it would be the same as in a CZ-75 or Witness .45 as the two are all related closely. Does this mean there is no ejector? I can't seem to find what would be the ejector. I know what the ejector looks like on a 1911, a small pin to the left side of the firing pin hole correct?

Pics of the extractor:


Edit-- I'm mainly concerned with this to see if it has anything to do with reliability. I don't experience FTEs with this gun, save for the winchester JHP that didn't make it out, but I DO experience FTLs with it. It is still at a fairly low round count, and they appear to be getting less common. Could something with ejection of the prior round have something to do with a FTL?

Here is the FTL that I get, only difference being the round seems to get stuck at a steeper angle, I can usually see the copper of the bullet when I look at the ejection port.

 

[Confederate]

Yes, it's a problem. It's very ill mannered. And even though you may not reload now, you may in the future. Secondly, although you may not have any malfunctions now, you very well could have some day. If dirt or grit gets in your gun, you don't want it jamming because the parts aren't working together as they should.

 

[MachIVshooter]

I am presuming it is from casings hitting the slide. This normal?

Yes, it's flipping the cases completely around, and from the looks of it, hard enough to dent the mouth. Might have to shorten the ejector a little.

Also, the Tanfolgio guns (yes, the Baby Eagle/Jericho are Tanfoglios) sometimes have over agressive extractors that are too squared on the bottom. Easy to fix, just remove it from the slide and round it a little on the bottom, and polish it.

 

[MrIzhevsk]

So could an over-aggresive extractor cause something like an FTL like i'm getting?

How easy is it to take the extractor out? Just looking at it I'm GUESSING i'd have to take this roll pin out that runs vertically through the slide next to the extractor?
Lets say I do get it out and such, what you are suggesting I do is file down a minimal portion of the extractor near the corner of what you've highlighted? And file it from a squarish corner to a more rounded one? I remember reading about this earlier in the month.

 

[GLOOB]

Yes! I wish you would have mentioned that problem in the OP. Sounds like MachIV knows what he's talking about.

The round stops there because the rim is not sliding up behind the extractor. This could be due to the shape being too aggressive (not enough space or bevel for the edge of the rim to get started, or sharp edges), or the extractor spring could be too strong. If you address this problem, both issues should disappear.

Does your extractor pivot around the pin you mentioned? Then, yes. That's what needs to come out.

I wouldn't shorten the ejector, though. Generally speaking, shortening the ejector more than necessary will theoretically decrease reliability by giving the shell more time to come loose. As long as unfired cartridges clear the ejection port, the ejector is short enough as it is.

 

[MrIzhevsk]

^ you mentioned not having enough space for the edge of the rim to get underneath the extractor. I played around a little with trying to just slide an empty casing under the extractor and found it took a bit of pressing to get it fitted in. I suppose now all I have to do is find out how to get the extractor out. I'm a little wary of this, as i've never detail-stripped a handgun. Any pointers or places I can look to find a good guide to disassembly-reassembly of a Jericho/baby eagle/witness/cz75?

 

[GLOOB]

Dunno for that gun. But there are basically 2 kinds of external extractors.

1. Long bar with a pivot point in the middle. The end opposite the claw has a spring pushing from underneath.

All you have to do is tap out the pivot pin, and the extractor and spring can come out.

2. The extractor is shorter and kind of hook shaped on the non-business end. It pivots on the hook and is under pressure from a spring that resides in a hole milled into the slide.

To take this kind of extractor out, depends on the design. Often there's a way to get the spring out, first. Then the extractor just falls out.

I played around a little with trying to just slide an empty casing under the extractor and found it took a bit of pressing to get it fitted in.

It should take a bit of pressing. The goal is to relieve the lower edge just enough that you don't get any more malfunctions.

Whatever you do, don't mess with the extractor too much. A FTF from a tight extractor just takes a tap to the back of the slide and you're back in business. A loose extractor can lead to much worse malfunctions, like a double feed, stuck casings, etc! So of the two problems, you have the better one that's also correctable without buying new parts.

You might also want to try some different brands of ammo. The thickness of the rim may vary. Obviously, you want your gun to work with ALL ammo, but if you're the conservative type, you might want to try ammo changes, first.

 

[MrIzhevsk]

A FTF from a tight extractor just takes a tap to the back of the slide and you're back in business.

This isn't really the case for me, the casings nose up way high. The next time I go to the range i'll take a pic should it happen. These generally aren't fixed by tapping the slide forward, but I have to rack the slide back. This sometimes pulls the jammed round (live) out and chambers the next one. Other times it frees the jam up and it chambers the previously jammed round.

I'm a little wary of doing my own gunsmithing at this point as this is my first handgun and to me (college kid) 500 is a lot to invest in a gun. I'd never forgive myself for ruining my first gun. I'm also cautious because the Jericho does not have a very large parts base, meaning finding replacements COULD be difficult. I'm pretty sure the extractor is of a standard CZ 75 type though.