Internal or external extractors?

[Playboypenguin]

Which do you prefer and why?

[Webleymkv]

Well, all my semi's have external ones so I guess I prefer them. Kimber kind of gave external extractors a bad name (at least on 1911's) but S&W uses externals on the SW1911's with no problems. Not to mention that most other manufacturers use external extractors on at least one model.

[Officer's Match]

I voted internal because my favorite semi's are 1911's, which should not have external extractors.

[teeroux]

i voted external even though my xd has an internal

external cause in most cases if there is a problem with it it can usually be seen at a glance.

[David the Gnome]

External because it's easier to fix if it messes up.

I would never make a decision based on the type of extractor a gun had though.

[RickB]

If the extractor works, I don't really care. The Hi-Power made the transition from internal to external without most people even knowing about it, because the change worked. The problem with various makers trying to convert the 1911 to external is that each maker took their own stab at it, and we end up with three or four different external extractor designs, each proprietary to the maker. I'd rather be able to get a standard 1911 extractor where- and whenever I need it, than be at the mercy of a single maker, who may be out of stock, may not want to ship me an extractor, etc. Smith & Wesson has a lot of experience with external extractors on their auto pistols, and maybe that's why their external "1911" extractor works better than some. The internal extractor does seem to reduce by one, the number of entry points for dirt and junk into the gun, but that argument doesn't work for a cocked-n-locked 1911, which has a big gap at the top of the grip safety, where junk can get directly into the lockwork.

[ElectricHellfire]

Internal on a 1911/XDs and external on everything else. Have not had good experiences with external 1911 extractors but my XD are perfect. I like the externals for ease of replacement etc so not sure how to vote. Guess I'll say internal.

[ranburr]

Internal, they are much easier for the user to swap out.

[44 AMP]

I have a 40+ year old Colt Govt Model (internal), and my son has a new this year SW1911PD (external). Have shot both, both work. What is the fuss about?