Full Metal Jacket
member
to all those with kimbers that have the old external extractor and have never had a prob: glad to hear of it. however, if i were you i would have taken advantage of kimber's free slide swap for an internal one.
What's So Bad About External Extractors on 1911's?
- Thread starter sigbear
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Full Metal Jacket
member
^^^not so. kimber certainly didn't test fire every slide people turned in until it malfunctioned.
there are members on 1911forum that turned theirs in for the swap even though they had no issues (and mentioned this to kimber as well).
there are members on 1911forum that turned theirs in for the swap even though they had no issues (and mentioned this to kimber as well).
Full Metal Jacket
member
^^^yep. that seems to be the consensus on kimber's cust serv.
The real reason JMB used an internal extractor on the 1911 was ammunition. The Army insisted on using Frankford Arsenal ammo in testing, and FA had not yet gotten the hang of case length tolerances, so some cases were short. Since the gun had to use that ammo, Browning used an internal extractor that could reach the extractor groove, a difficult trick with an external extractor. Plus, the external extractors used on his other guns (the M1903 hammerless being an example), required a work bench to remove and the Army wanted a pistol that could be stripped in the field with minimal tools.
(The fact that the internal extractor could be retained by the firing pin stop was a plus, reducing parts and simplifying the pistol.)
Jim
(The fact that the internal extractor could be retained by the firing pin stop was a plus, reducing parts and simplifying the pistol.)
Jim
Full Metal Jacket
member
i read JMB only changed the extractor to an internal one, because the external kept breaking during the army's pistol trial.
REAPER4206969
Member
Jim Keenan is correct.
phrogpilot
Member
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I know nothing about internal/external extractors. For 9 years I have owned a S&W 1911 with an external extractor. I shoot 95% reloads, and have put many many thousands of rounds through the gun. Not one single malfunction, ever. Most reliable firearm I've ever owned. How much, if anything, the external extractor has to do with this reliability I honestly don't know.
Eightball
Member
S&W 1911s use the same extractor design they've put on all their autoloaders ever--from the 39 through the M&P series. They know what they're doing with 'em, and it was simpler for them.phrogpilot said:
SIG, Kimber, and a few other companies had issues with their external extractor, as they seem to have used it as a way to cut corners in production (cheapening their cost), and it seems to have showed. Granted, on my 5" Kimber, it was never a problem....but I wound up getting the slide replaced anyway, while they were still doing it.
Went from this:
to a decently-customized this:
(more details on the customization can be found here: http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6115936&postcount=3 ).
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