FEG Hi-Power clone extractor problems

farmall · April 15, 2008, 09:15 PM

Posted here awhile back about a BHP clone I had sear spring issues with. After replacing the sear spring with a new one from Cylinder & Slide, I was able to shoot it. It dosent extract about 2 or 3 times per magazine full. It only does this when firing, never when cycling the slide manually. I have tried W-W, CCI Blazer, and Remington factory ammo, plus some of my reloads. All do the same thing, the slide strips a new round from the magazine, and tries to feed it into a chamber occupied by the previously fired case.
I don't know if the case isnt being pulled from the chamber, or is being extracted, but not ejected. The fired cases fit freely into the chamber, and drop free of their own weight. The chamber is clean and has no visible damage.
My gut feeling is to replace the extractor, though I cant see anything wrong with the one thats in there now. Perhaps it's not tensioned correctly? How do I tell if its tensioned properly?
I'd like to do all the work on this myself, if possible, so I'd appreciate any help you experts can give me.
Thanks,
Andy

totalloser · April 15, 2008, 11:57 PM

Been a long time since I had one. I understand FEG is not what it used to be. I loved mine. There are two things I would look at right away. First, I would look at the angle one the back of the hook on the extractor. And second, I would be suspicious of the extractor spring. Perhaps the rapid, violent process of extraction during firing is just enough for it to slip off the rim from one of these two things. Just a thought. I am BY NO MEANS an "expert". Of course, making sure there is no gunk somewhere might be in order. Good luck! Mine shot as straight as any pistol I ever owned. I truly miss my first pistol.

farmall · April 16, 2008, 09:50 PM

Thanks, totallooser. This pistol is approxamitely 7-10 years old, so I think it's one of the better ones. I have another just like it, bought it with the same extraction problem. New extractor fixed it right up. I had the other one fixed by a gunsmith, but hate to spend the money, as I have so little in this pistol, I'm almost ashamed to admit it. (No, I'm not. Lee Loader, 1/2 can of Trail Boss Powder, 200 primers, and 200 home cast bullets, total out of pocket: $20

) I guess I just enjoy tinkering, and would like to fix it myself.
I pulled the extractor out tonight and found some rough edges inside the hook, also the angle inside is very slight. Seems like not enough to me, but I don't really know. I plan on replacing the spring also, but still need to know how to properly adjust the tension of the extractor.
Thanks,
Andy

totalloser · April 18, 2008, 03:48 PM

I would be really tempted to first clean up that edge. Might be the whole problem. If it has a funny edge, it takes a LOT more spring to hold it in. I have never done this on a pistol, but have cleaned up the extractor angle several times on .22s, with much success. I guess it depends on how hard it is to take the extractor off and on. If it's fairly easy, why not clean it up, and try it out? If you are considering replacing the extractor, you have little to lose.

That said, if you had the same problem before on another FEG, I might also be suspicious of the metallurgy. Maybe it's cheesy and will give you future trouble. I shot I don't know how many thousands of rounds through mine, and the only failures were from ammunition. (weak CCI's and no name ammo popping out primers) Maybe in the long run replacement would be better? I wonder if someone shot a bunch of steel case ammo through it, and that was mean to the extractor?

James K · April 18, 2008, 09:09 PM

IIRC, that FEG uses the exterior extractor like the new BHP, not the old internal type like the M1911. So I am puzzled by your question about extractor tension. The tension should be in the spring, not in the extractor, and you should be able to judge by feel, comparing it with the other one.

A couple of things can go wrong with the external extractor. Check to be sure the hook snaps properly into the extraction groove of the case, and that the case rim fits under it. Also, needless to say, clean under the extractor and make sure there are no burrs keeping it from functioning properly.

If I am wrong and the extractor is an internal type, it can be "tuned" but there is no guarantee it won't fail again, so I would try to get a new one. BHP internal extractors are still available, so getting one should not be hard.

Jim

farmall · April 20, 2008, 10:11 AM

Thanks, total. Thanks, Jim. I suspect this pistol has seen alot of steel cased ammo, as it seems to be about all you can buy around here. I just decided to replace the extractor with a new one, with a new spring, as well.
This is the external extractor, Jim. I was curious about tension because several places on the web cautioned that the new extractor would need to be "properly tensioned" I didnt know if the spring had to be trimmed or shimmed or what. I'll fit the new parts when they arrive, and see what happens.
Jim, are you a full time gunsmith? I always appreciate your input on questions. You are a wealth of knowledge. I'm sure your presence here has saved many guns from needless butchery.
Andy

James K · April 20, 2008, 07:39 PM

I was a part time gunsmith but retired several years ago, which is why sometimes I can't answer questions about the latest gadgets.

I think I can answer the question about extractor tensioning. That caution and the word itself applies to internal extractors, like the original M1911, and the original BHP. Those extractors are their own springs, and have to be made of the best spring steel in order to function properly. Unfortunately, many makers of repro parts and makers of M1911 clones have used steel that is not correct, or is not heat treated properly, with the result that the extractor soon loses tension and extraction fails. An extractor can be "retensioned" (for a while) by putting it in a vise and tapping it with a light hammer to bend it inward slightly. This is called "tuning" an extractor. With a good extractor that has lost some tension, it can help for quite a while. With a poor extractor, it is at best a very temporary fix, sometimes good only 100 rounds or less.

Jim

farmall · April 24, 2008, 05:55 PM

Thanks again, guys. Last night the parts arrived from Midway. I installed them, then ran out and burned up 100 rounds with no problems at all.
It's great to have a forum like this!
Andy

April 15, 2008, 09:15 PM	#1
farmall Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Beatrice Nebraska Posts: 613	FEG Hi-Power clone extractor problems Posted here awhile back about a BHP clone I had sear spring issues with. After replacing the sear spring with a new one from Cylinder & Slide, I was able to shoot it. It dosent extract about 2 or 3 times per magazine full. It only does this when firing, never when cycling the slide manually. I have tried W-W, CCI Blazer, and Remington factory ammo, plus some of my reloads. All do the same thing, the slide strips a new round from the magazine, and tries to feed it into a chamber occupied by the previously fired case. I don't know if the case isnt being pulled from the chamber, or is being extracted, but not ejected. The fired cases fit freely into the chamber, and drop free of their own weight. The chamber is clean and has no visible damage. My gut feeling is to replace the extractor, though I cant see anything wrong with the one thats in there now. Perhaps it's not tensioned correctly? How do I tell if its tensioned properly? I'd like to do all the work on this myself, if possible, so I'd appreciate any help you experts can give me. Thanks, Andy

April 16, 2008, 09:50 PM	#3
farmall Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Beatrice Nebraska Posts: 613	Thanks, totallooser. This pistol is approxamitely 7-10 years old, so I think it's one of the better ones. I have another just like it, bought it with the same extraction problem. New extractor fixed it right up. I had the other one fixed by a gunsmith, but hate to spend the money, as I have so little in this pistol, I'm almost ashamed to admit it. (No, I'm not. Lee Loader, 1/2 can of Trail Boss Powder, 200 primers, and 200 home cast bullets, total out of pocket: $20) I guess I just enjoy tinkering, and would like to fix it myself. I pulled the extractor out tonight and found some rough edges inside the hook, also the angle inside is very slight. Seems like not enough to me, but I don't really know. I plan on replacing the spring also, but still need to know how to properly adjust the tension of the extractor. Thanks, Andy

April 15, 2008, 11:57 PM	#2
totalloser Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2007 Location: Fort Bragg, CA Posts: 679	Been a long time since I had one. I understand FEG is not what it used to be. I loved mine. There are two things I would look at right away. First, I would look at the angle one the back of the hook on the extractor. And second, I would be suspicious of the extractor spring. Perhaps the rapid, violent process of extraction during firing is just enough for it to slip off the rim from one of these two things. Just a thought. I am BY NO MEANS an "expert". Of course, making sure there is no gunk somewhere might be in order. Good luck! Mine shot as straight as any pistol I ever owned. I truly miss my first pistol.

April 18, 2008, 03:48 PM	#4
totalloser Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2007 Location: Fort Bragg, CA Posts: 679	I would be really tempted to first clean up that edge. Might be the whole problem. If it has a funny edge, it takes a LOT more spring to hold it in. I have never done this on a pistol, but have cleaned up the extractor angle several times on .22s, with much success. I guess it depends on how hard it is to take the extractor off and on. If it's fairly easy, why not clean it up, and try it out? If you are considering replacing the extractor, you have little to lose. That said, if you had the same problem before on another FEG, I might also be suspicious of the metallurgy. Maybe it's cheesy and will give you future trouble. I shot I don't know how many thousands of rounds through mine, and the only failures were from ammunition. (weak CCI's and no name ammo popping out primers) Maybe in the long run replacement would be better? I wonder if someone shot a bunch of steel case ammo through it, and that was mean to the extractor?

April 18, 2008, 09:09 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	IIRC, that FEG uses the exterior extractor like the new BHP, not the old internal type like the M1911. So I am puzzled by your question about extractor tension. The tension should be in the spring, not in the extractor, and you should be able to judge by feel, comparing it with the other one. A couple of things can go wrong with the external extractor. Check to be sure the hook snaps properly into the extraction groove of the case, and that the case rim fits under it. Also, needless to say, clean under the extractor and make sure there are no burrs keeping it from functioning properly. If I am wrong and the extractor is an internal type, it can be "tuned" but there is no guarantee it won't fail again, so I would try to get a new one. BHP internal extractors are still available, so getting one should not be hard. Jim

April 20, 2008, 10:11 AM	#6
farmall Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Beatrice Nebraska Posts: 613	Thanks, total. Thanks, Jim. I suspect this pistol has seen alot of steel cased ammo, as it seems to be about all you can buy around here. I just decided to replace the extractor with a new one, with a new spring, as well. This is the external extractor, Jim. I was curious about tension because several places on the web cautioned that the new extractor would need to be "properly tensioned" I didnt know if the spring had to be trimmed or shimmed or what. I'll fit the new parts when they arrive, and see what happens. Jim, are you a full time gunsmith? I always appreciate your input on questions. You are a wealth of knowledge. I'm sure your presence here has saved many guns from needless butchery. Andy

April 20, 2008, 07:39 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I was a part time gunsmith but retired several years ago, which is why sometimes I can't answer questions about the latest gadgets. I think I can answer the question about extractor tensioning. That caution and the word itself applies to internal extractors, like the original M1911, and the original BHP. Those extractors are their own springs, and have to be made of the best spring steel in order to function properly. Unfortunately, many makers of repro parts and makers of M1911 clones have used steel that is not correct, or is not heat treated properly, with the result that the extractor soon loses tension and extraction fails. An extractor can be "retensioned" (for a while) by putting it in a vise and tapping it with a light hammer to bend it inward slightly. This is called "tuning" an extractor. With a good extractor that has lost some tension, it can help for quite a while. With a poor extractor, it is at best a very temporary fix, sometimes good only 100 rounds or less. Jim

April 24, 2008, 05:55 PM	#8
farmall Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Beatrice Nebraska Posts: 613	Thanks again, guys. Last night the parts arrived from Midway. I installed them, then ran out and burned up 100 rounds with no problems at all. It's great to have a forum like this! Andy