Modify an Aftec extractor?

[Tanfogliofan]

O.K. Here’s one for you. I've been working on an open gun that I bought used that was chambered in 38 super. I did a barrel swap to 9mm major adn that was a success. I had to work on the ejector a bit and to get the 9mm to spit out under the C-more I put on it. It use to have a Dr. Optics site. That part is working also works well. I ran some ammo through it and everything is going good except the extractor. Now I took my slide apart finally and found out I have an Aftec extractor. The extractor is for a 38 super. The springs were shot so I went and ordered a new set of springs for it from Shooter Connection. Looking further at the Aftec that they had for sale on the site I noticed that there is one for 38 super and one for 38 supercomp/9mm. I checked it out on another site (Brazos) and they had the same thing. I wrote Brazos and asked them what the difference was and they said it was the hook and that I couldn’t use the one I have and that I needed to purchase the other one. Now the question I have is; Is it enough of a difference to where I have to buy the other one or could I just modify it to work for the 9mm? I know the rim on a 38 super is larger giving it more to hook but not by much and the circumference of the super is bigger than rimless supercomp or 9mm but I figured if I took some material off the extractor shaft moving the thing in tighter I would be able to get the thing to work. Are these things that you would do if put in this situation? I’m just trying to work with what I got and so far so good. I just want to touch base with some pros so I know I’m heading in the right direction. I also thought of adding some material to the opposite side of the breachface (welding) in order to tighten that up a little. Can you tell I'm on a budget? LOL

[TMC]

The Aftec that was in my 38 Super work fine without modification when I switched the barrel to 9mm.

Try it and see if it works.

[G-ManBart]

The Aftec that was in my 38 Super work fine without modification when I switched the barrel to 9mm.

Try it and see if it works.

I believe he said it wasn't working.

For the OP:

Rim diameter on Super is around .406" and on the 9 it's .392" so you're talking a pretty big difference for something that needs to be pretty much right on the money.

The extractor is the most important part of getting a gun to run reliably. If you're going to scrimp, do it somewhere else and get the proper AFTEC

There isn't a reasonable way to make the Super AFTEC thicker (to take up the extra space)...maybe somebody could weld and then recut it, but you'd mess with the heat treating and probably not get it cut as perfectly as if you just buy the right version. R,

[Pat Miles]

The Aftec that was in my 38 Super work fine without modification when I switched the barrel to 9mm.

Try it and see if it works.

I believe he said it wasn't working.

For the OP:

Rim diameter on Super is around .406" and on the 9 it's .392" so you're talking a pretty big difference for something that needs to be pretty much right on the money.

The extractor is the most important part of getting a gun to run reliably. If you're going to scrimp, do it somewhere else and get the proper AFTEC

There isn't a reasonable way to make the Super AFTEC thicker (to take up the extra space)...maybe somebody could weld and then recut it, but you'd mess with the heat treating and probably not get it cut as perfectly as if you just buy the right version. R,

What Bart said.

By the time you get finished monkeying around trying to get the Super AFTEC to work and then give up in frustration you could have bought the correct one, installed it, sold the Super AFTEC and be a happy camper. Some things just are not worth the time and your extractor is one of them.

CYa,

Pat

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: Try it and see how it works. You may have to play with the springs a little but I think it will work. After all we are only talking 0.007" per side difference. The slide extractor hole may come into play as well as the barrel alignment. Thanks, Eric

[G-ManBart]

Hello: Try it and see how it works. You may have to play with the springs a little but I think it will work. After all we are only talking 0.007" per side difference. The slide extractor hole may come into play as well as the barrel alignment. Thanks, Eric

Pretty sure he already said it's not working properly

[Pat Miles]

They just don't listen Bart.

CYa,

Pat

[shooterbenedetto]

Buy the 38sc/9mm anyway just in case if you ask me.

[TMC]

I believe he said it wasn't working.

I guess some of us need remedial reading or reading comprehension

[Tanfogliofan]

Now here's the update. Something I neglected to write the first time. After I fitted the barrel and fiddled with the Ejector I tried it out and it was working for half the shots. I took it home and for the first time took apart the top end. When I pulled the extractor out it was pretty gummed up. Plus the springs were completely colapsed. I haven't tried it since I cleaned it but until I get the new springs I think i should wait on making any changes on anything.

Oh yah! Just to clarify what I ment about adding material, I was talking about the opposite side of the breach face on the slide. Not to add the the Aftec. From what i understand, Smith's often add material to that side of the breach to tighten up the grip on the casing.

I work construction so I have alot of access to every tool emaginable. I've had some success with Glocks, CZs, 1911s and Tanfoglios when it comes to modifications to improve performance. I don't know the rules to Smithing so I have a tendency to go the "out of the box" way. When I did my Glock 35 trigger I had it down to a 1.5lb trigger with 1/16" for brake to reset to brake and still had the safety in operation. I had a local smith go over it and he had 4 questions for me for 4 parts of the gun and all the same question. "How did you come up with that?"

I'm really hoping the springs are all I need but I have a feeling I'm gonna have to decide on a way of tightening up the grip on the casing somehow.

[diehli]

Adding material might make sense if there was erosion or wear, but pushing the cartridge over towards the extractor will screw up the alignment of the cartridge with the barrel when it's against the breechface. Tolerance stacking's a bitch.

[XRe]

Um, a slide is an expensive operation if you screw that up (cost of part, cost or time to fit, etc, etc, etcc....). Just buy the new extractor...

[rishii]

Um, a slide is an expensive operation if you screw that up (cost of part, cost or time to fit, etc, etc, etcc....). Just buy the new extractor...

big +1

always work on the cheapest part 1st

I did make a standard super extractor(not an aftec) work with supercomp by filing off the pad below the hook and bending it a bunch. but I doubt this would work with a aftec, if you tried it and it didn't work, well you needed new extractor anyway.

[Jake Di Vita]

As someone who knows a thing or two about gun problems....

Equipment is NOT the place to save money.

[Glockcomma]

Most 9mm Major guns are built on 38 Super slides, don't weld on your slide that shouldn't be a problem. Put in your new springs clean your extractor tunnel and put your thumb on your extractor put it on the bench with the hook up and push hard. The Aftec is harder than hell and you won't think you did anything but doing that made my not much gun 100% reliable, this tip was given to me by a GM that we all deal with and is very knowledgeable. In my gun I would do this every third match and it worked great but if I was you I would do the springs first and see what that does.

[Tanfogliofan]

O.K. guys, here's the update. I recieved the new springs in the mail and was able to install them and try it out. I did what you said to do about putting my thumb on the hook side and pressing down on it to compress the springs before I installed. After I installed it I checked to see if it had tention on the 9mm casing and it did make contact but didn't have alot of tention. I slipped a live round into the barrel, slid the barrel back into the breach face by hand slid the barrel back out and the extractor engaged the casing just fine. I continued sliding it back slowly towards the ejector and the round fell out before it got to the ejector. That caused me some consern on the amount of tention the extractor had. I took 150 rounds out to the range to see if she'd go. I put a full mag through it and out of 24 rounds I had one round that didn't extract. I loaded up another magazine and had two that didn't. I stopped there and dicided that I'll give the modification a shot. I took a block of oak and locked it into my vice. I drilled a hole in it the size of the aft end of the extractor about 5/16" deep. pressed the extractor into the hole. I took 220 emery cloth and cut a 1"x12" strip. I took the strip and started sanding on the hook side by pulling the strip back and forth from the oposite side of the hook so I was getting half of the round shaft taken down evenly. Periodically I checked how much material i was taking off by measureing. I stopped when I got to .010 of material off the shaft from top to bottom. polished it out with 400 grit, 600 grit, then 2000 grit with oil. (I like to have the bling look.) :-) Took some cold blue to it, cleaned that off and just a wiping with some oil. I reinstalled the thing and went throught the check again. Nice and tight. The bullet didn't fall before it hit the ejector. So back out to the range. This time I took 200 rounds. The first test was a full mag at rapid fire. spit the whole thing out. Another Mag. Kept spitting. I went throught the 200 rounds and had nothing but a consistant run. Now the true test will be this sunday at the Paul Bunyan match. If something was to go wrong with it, it should happen there. I'm just glad to finally go out and shoot the dang thing without the frustration.