SW1911 Extractor

[HM2PAC]

A friend of mine has a SW1911 that he just purchased.

He is concerned about the external extractor. I have seen it and am curious.

1. What problems have plagued this version of the 1911 in the past?

2. Will the small pin that is holding the extractor in fail?

3. Is the extractor easy to replace if it does break?

Any replies are welcome.

 

[Ala Dan]

S&W External Extractor's

Are not an issue, such as those found in most Kimber II's~!

I own one of both, so I'm qualified too speak.

 

[Gordon]

5000+ rounds thru my S&W1911PD with 0 extraction problems ,including 500 WW2 steel cased ammo I shot thru it ! I had the extractor changed by S&W at 3500 rounds when they put in tritium sights, they returned the good as new old pieces so I can do it in a pinch!They did not sell the extractor separately (6 months ag) for some odd reason (I guess they are fitted)

 

[MICHAEL T]

Browning done it right. Smith & Wession changed it Why? Who knows they messed up the PPK/S also.

 

[Spartacus451]

You can do a search. This comes up about once every two weeks. It's good enough for casual usage.

 

[9mmepiphany]

S&W uses the same extractor design they've been using on their M39 since the 50's...it works, don't worry about it

 

[tegemu]

I have never had a problem with mine and after many readings of gun forums, I don't recall any problems with S&W, now there have been a plethora of problems with Kimbers, so much so that Kimber quit making External extractirs and is changing existing guns to Internal Extractors.

 

[Spartacus451]

S&W uses the same extractor design they've been using on their M39 since the 50's...it works, don't worry about it

The model 39 is chambered in 9MM and doesn't use the same lockup as the 1911. The S&W 1911 extractor has little in common with the extractors used in S&W's other .45 caliber 3rd gen autos. Different position in the slide relative to the barrel in the unlocked position.

 

[DougDubya]

adweisbe - then why have there been absolutely NO complaints about the SW1911's external extractor?

Could it be that their experience with external extractors laid a foundation of skillful adaptation to the new platform?

You also disregard the excellent 645/4506 series of .45 autoloaders, which also were .45 ACP and had ZERO extraction problems.

 

[Spartacus451]

adweisbe - then why have there been absolutely NO complaints about the SW1911's external extractor?

http://thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4279900&postcount=1
I don't know anyone locally with a Smith 1911 that hasn't sent it back once.

Could it be that their experience with external extractors laid a foundation of skillful adaptation to the new platform?

http://thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=4117219&postcount=7
http://thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=3857872&postcount=11

You also disregard the excellent 645/4506 series of .45 autoloaders, which also were .45 ACP and had ZERO extraction problems.

adweisbe
The S&W 1911 extractor has little in common with the extractors used in S&W's other .45 caliber 3rd gen autos. Different position in the slide relative to the barrel in the unlocked position.

 

[mpmarty]

You also disregard the excellent 645/4506 series of .45 autoloaders, which also were .45 ACP and had ZERO extraction problems.

I had a Smith 4516 stainless compact 45acp. My shooting buddy I reload with also had the same pistol at the same time. They were both pieces of crap. The extractors chipped, the ejectors broke every thousand rounds and we got so fed up with Smith and Wesson (lack of) service we bought parts and started doing our own repairs until we found buyers for them. Went right back to 1911 pattern pistols and this was in the late eighties.

 

[DougDubya]

First sets of complaints about their extractors that I have seen. Thank you two for the new data.

 

[Spartacus451]

First sets of complaints about their extractors that I have seen. Thank you two for the new data.

The extractor design works well enough in most guns for most users for most requirements. You can have fun with it. For serious competition it just isn't reliable enough IME. I have three of them and two I was able to keep running with minor adjustment to the extractor but the third was DOA even after 2 replacement extractors. That is the slide you see for sale.

The bottom line is that I can't tweak the extractor so that I know it is correct because it is too high in the slide. When that barrel links down you get whatever the tolerance stacking gives you and no amount of adjustment will change that.

 

[Jim Watson]

Which may be the reason the PC guns have a broad extractor similar to Sigarms, Caspian, Wilson, EGW external extractors instead of the narrow 9mm/.40 width hook on the standard guns.

 

[cedjunior]

adweisbe has got issues with the SW1911 extractor. Anyone who authors a thread about it can expect to see him in it trashing SW.

I've never had a problem with the external extractor on my SW1911, but I've seen plenty of posts concerning internal extractors needing to be tuned, or clocking, or causing FTF/FTE.

 

[hankdatank1362]

My theory is.. as long as it's not a KIMBER external extractor, then it's good to go.

 

[BlindJustice]

I have a SW1911 - it hasn't had any ejection issues.

SOme argue John M. Browning's greatest design, the High Power
uses one as a justification for the change in the 1911 platforms that
use an external extractor. However, JMB had the basic design and
one prototype but passed in 1927. THe gun designer working directly
under him took over his position at FN in Belgium. He was the one
who completed the design and added the double stack magazine
something JMB didn't think necessary. ALSO, the external extractor
wasn't added to the High-Power until just after 1960. Bill Lafferty
of CYlinder & Slide said in an article I read, that the HIgh Power was
designed prior to +P 9MM and advises against it's use but as well as never
let the slide slam forward on a High Power with an empty magazien or
a round in the breech or you will break the extractor.

FWIW - I don't recall if Mr. Laafferty was only referring to HIgh Powers of
pre-External extractor - PRe 1960s approx. or all BHPs.

 

[XavierBreath]

I own three SW1911s.
All three extract and eject with boring reliability.
They shoot pretty good too.

If people did not improve previous designs, we would all be driving automobiles with buggy wheels.