9UC Now with FTExtract

Why, at the 800 round mark does my always trusty and extremely accurate 9UC Pro give me a failure-to-extract about 2 times per mag? Sometimes the case is left in the chamber and sometimes it is partially pulled out. It just started the last time I was at the range and I assumed that I had let it get too dirty. So I brought it home and gave it a thorough cleaning. I had it back at the range today and it still happened. I let a buddy shoot it to remove the "me factor" and it happened to him, as well. Then I remembered that I had bought a spare slide some time back (had a nickel one and also wanted a black one) and I had it in my range bag. This slide has barely 50 rounds through it so I know the extractor must be like new. Put the new slide on and still had basically the same FTEj's. Seems to me that the common denominator now is the barrel and the mags but, I don't find anything obviously wrong with any of them. Any ideas? Thanks!!

 

I am using both FMJ's and HP's and it really doesn't seem to matter.

Mainly what I'm seeing is the spent case is half way out, the next round in the mag pressing up and the slide has moved forward pressing against the rear of the next round up but, can't advance. I have seen a couple of spent rounds still fully in the chamber and the slide locked open. Those must have been the last round and an empty mag.

I agree, it appears that the case is dropping free of the extractor. I inspected a couple of the rims and found no damage as if the extractor might have pulled through the rim.

I have only tried the two mags that I have; none others. I just tested both mags and they cycle all rounds fine.

I have shot very few lacquer coated rounds so I don't think that applies.

Pictures below as requested. Also a view of the underside of the slide. I did notice a groove on the side opposite the extractor that appears to be worn into the slide. It is not in the newer black slide that I have or it is at least, not as prominent.

Thanks for your help!

FEED RAMP


MAG #1


MAG #2


SLIDE GROOVE (CIRCLED IN RED)

 

So, I got brave and removed the extractor from the slide. Not really that hard to do, just had to knock the pin out. I did this after about an hour of manually cycling very slowly and watching how the round reacts and I came to the conclusion that the round is held too loosly. So I filed down the extractor "web" thus allowing it to pivot more towards the firing pin. This allows it to hold tighter on the extractor rim of the shell casing. I'll get to the range soon and see what happens.

 

Well, that didn't help much. Went to the range today and shot about 85 rounds. Still had several, many, too many FTEx's. it just seems that the extractor is turning loose of the casing when it's about 1/3 of the way out of the chamber. Maybe I need a new extractor??

Added photos for what it's worth. . . .

 

Thanks for the tip hobbles. When I took the extractor out of it last week I was able to clean the black gunk out of it directly that way.

After further thought, I think another angle on this is that maybe something is holding the spent case in the chamber too tightly. Pancho suggested earlier that it might be lacquer in the barrel so that got me to thinking along those lines.

So, I used my Dremel with a fiber spindle and rouge to polish the chamber interior. I can't say that it's highly polished but, I spent about 20 minutes on it.

I also thought that maybe the recoil springs are too limp thus allowing the slide to move rearward too soon. So I stretched both springs a bit to increase their resistance.

And to top that off, I just ordered new recoil springs, new extractor and extractor springs.

We'll just have to see what happens the next time I'm at the range

 

Yup, on a limited basis. I occassionally have run a box of 50 through just because it was all I can find. I was trying it here, along with some Rem to see if there was any difference in the extractor malfunctions. It didn't seem to make much difference.

Hey hobbles. Yeah, I was aware of the recoil spring placement. Thanks for checking.

 

hobbles- sorry, no I did not take any pics of when I had the extractor out. It was a fairly easy process though. Just let me know if you'd like me to explain the process and I'd be glad to

 

DEAHEAT- you know, I never thought about the "voiding the warranty" aspect. I read the warranty earlier this week and it does not cover "normal wear" which I figured this was.

hobbles- most likely when my new extractor comes in I will install it. When I do, I will shoot some photos and give you some comentary. It really is very easy as long as you have the proper drive-pin punch. I'll let you know what size I used, too.

 

Still waiting on "parts in the mail". Stay tuned