P14-45 FTEs new problem

[ramairthree]

I bought a lightly used alloy 14-45 back around 96-98. Never had any issues with it except for one factory mag was funky, one mag I put a base extension on was funky, all the rest of the mags good to go. It ate any ammo, It had a decent trigger, it was accurate and shot great point of aim/point of impact. I may have been happier with a little heavier steel framed version, or the SS version, but all in all a good pistol. From about 2004 till now, little to no use. Partly from playing with other toys, partly from no shooting at all from about from about 10-12 due to an injury, and since then sticking with mainly 9mm. My son has expressed interest in the 1911/45 world, so I got it out. No stovepipes, no weak ejection, no brass straight to the forehead, but it would have those hard to clear failures to extract. The ones were the brass remains anywhere from about all the way in to mostly clear, but still in the chamber. The full up lock slide to rear, drop mag, slide forward, rack to eject, then mag back in, slide forward until you are up and shooting again. I have never had this happen before with this pistol. I pulled the slide and did the basic empty case, shake, live round shake, extractor tension test and maybe a little below average tension, but not brass falling, way too light tension territory. I pulled the FP stop plunger, FP, FP spring, and extractor and they have clean channels, and the extractor tip looks straight and true. This is happening with 230 grain RN and FP FMJ running about 850 FPS, 185 grain FMJ at over 1000 FPS, powder puff 230s at 750 FPS, factory "+P" ammo, etc. Basically anything I put in it did it a good bit. The slide is coming back plenty far, it just can't feed another round with one still in the chamber, it "loses" the brass as it is coming back. Any recc's as to correcting this? Thank you.

Edited April 7, 2013 by ramairthree

[ParaGunner]

Sure sounds like a extractor issue. Is it a standard or Power extractor? If it's a standard extractor add more tension by bending it, if it's a PXT then I would suggest you ditch it and get a EGW extractor that's meant to take the place of the PXT.

[bountyhunter]

I also bought a para in late 90's and they used a very low quality cast extractor. If you are having extractor problems, best to just punt the extractor and fit a good one. No sense fighting a cheap part.

If you are having extract issues, I would also polish the barrel throat.

Also make sure the ammo is good quality and properly sized or that can cause FTE jams.

Edited April 12, 2013 by bountyhunter