1911 extracctor question

Joe Portale · July 14, 2002, 11:40 AM

Picked up an old book entitled "Custome Touches for the 1911 Pistol". One thing that indicates this is an older text is it shows the "correct" method for disabling the beavertail. Could you see the faces on a lawyer these days regarding disabling a safety on a handgun.

Anyway, the book recommends grinding off the center lumps on the extractor. Then beating it into the correct tension bow with a hammer. My question is, what would the advantage of this be? The lumps are there to maintain the spring of the extractor. Since, most extractors are cast. Even when made from "spring steel", cast metals are not very springy on there own.

Is this just one of those ideas that came and went. Or are there still folks doing this as part of a customizing job?

I don't agree with grinding away the lumps. I was just curious on the why.

Thanks

Jim Watson · July 14, 2002, 12:27 PM

I don't know what the advantage was supposed to be, but it used to be a common procedure and is shown in Hallock's book, too.

George Stringer · July 14, 2002, 04:36 PM

Grinding off the humps is something I never agreed with either but it's supposed to increase the tension of the extractor by allowing the "natural" spring of the bow to bow in a little farther.

If I remember the book, in the chapter on disabling the grip safety. It was either titled or the first paragraph began with "Prepare to shoot yourself in the foot". George

Rocklobster · July 14, 2002, 07:52 PM

Ditto. Don't do it. Use a high-quality spring-steel extractor, you're fine.

WhiteFox · July 17, 2002, 09:23 AM

I'm familiar with the book you refer to and was not amused by anything I found in it, including pinning the grip safety. As for grinding the lumps off the extractor, someone was not paying much attention to reality. If the extractor could somehow be anchored absolutely rigidly, there might be something to consider in the method. Real world, the extractor cannot be anchored this way without welding it into the gun. Then, of course, you couldn't adjust it very easily. A second point is that the extractor's resting position is a big factor in proper adjustment and would be made more difficult without the lumps that help to keep it in place and control the arc of movement.

James K · July 18, 2002, 07:50 PM

Joe, most extractors today may be cast, or made by MIM, but they should NOT be. They should be machined from high quality forged spring steel, which they were in the old guns. Of course, that costs real money and most people would rather buy cheap junk than expensive quality and hope there is no problem.

The humps are designed to keep the extractor in the right place relative to the cartridge. Adjustment at the factory, if needed, should be done by trimming the hump.

Jim

July 14, 2002, 11:40 AM	#1
Joe Portale Senior Member Join Date: June 8, 1999 Location: Tucson, Arizona Territory Posts: 715	1911 extracctor question Picked up an old book entitled "Custome Touches for the 1911 Pistol". One thing that indicates this is an older text is it shows the "correct" method for disabling the beavertail. Could you see the faces on a lawyer these days regarding disabling a safety on a handgun. Anyway, the book recommends grinding off the center lumps on the extractor. Then beating it into the correct tension bow with a hammer. My question is, what would the advantage of this be? The lumps are there to maintain the spring of the extractor. Since, most extractors are cast. Even when made from "spring steel", cast metals are not very springy on there own. Is this just one of those ideas that came and went. Or are there still folks doing this as part of a customizing job? I don't agree with grinding away the lumps. I was just curious on the why. Thanks __________________ Joe Portale Tucson, Arizona Territory "Even now in heaven there are angles carrying savage weapons". - St Paul

July 14, 2002, 12:27 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,542	I don't know what the advantage was supposed to be, but it used to be a common procedure and is shown in Hallock's book, too.

July 14, 2002, 04:36 PM	#3
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	Grinding off the humps is something I never agreed with either but it's supposed to increase the tension of the extractor by allowing the "natural" spring of the bow to bow in a little farther. If I remember the book, in the chapter on disabling the grip safety. It was either titled or the first paragraph began with "Prepare to shoot yourself in the foot". George

July 14, 2002, 07:52 PM	#4
Rocklobster Senior Member Join Date: October 11, 2001 Location: Georgia Posts: 188	Ditto. Don't do it. Use a high-quality spring-steel extractor, you're fine.

July 17, 2002, 09:23 AM	#5
WhiteFox Junior Member Join Date: July 10, 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 10	I'm familiar with the book you refer to and was not amused by anything I found in it, including pinning the grip safety. As for grinding the lumps off the extractor, someone was not paying much attention to reality. If the extractor could somehow be anchored absolutely rigidly, there might be something to consider in the method. Real world, the extractor cannot be anchored this way without welding it into the gun. Then, of course, you couldn't adjust it very easily. A second point is that the extractor's resting position is a big factor in proper adjustment and would be made more difficult without the lumps that help to keep it in place and control the arc of movement.

July 18, 2002, 07:50 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Joe, most extractors today may be cast, or made by MIM, but they should NOT be. They should be machined from high quality forged spring steel, which they were in the old guns. Of course, that costs real money and most people would rather buy cheap junk than expensive quality and hope there is no problem. The humps are designed to keep the extractor in the right place relative to the cartridge. Adjustment at the factory, if needed, should be done by trimming the hump. Jim