Extractor problem

**JonoS** · 30-01-2020, 08:28

I am the proud new owner of a S&W Shield 9mm. I have only had the pistol for just over a week so haven’t actually fired it yet, but I have noticed something that is worrying me. If I rack the slide while there is a mag inserted the gun will eject the rounds perfectly fine with a decent amount of force but if I drop the mag and then rack the slide the round will either stovepipe or just fall through the magazine well....does this mean my extractor is faulty???

**Pirate** · 30-01-2020, 08:37

Not extractor, perhaps ejector?
But first go fire the gun.To replicate, you can load a rpund from the mag to the chamber, then remove the mag and fire the single round.

**JonoS** · 30-01-2020, 08:50

Originally Posted by Pirate

Not extractor, perhaps ejector?
But first go fire the gun.To replicate, you can load a rpund from the mag to the chamber, then remove the mag and fire the single round.

Thanks...I will go shoot the gun and report back

**tobie** · 30-01-2020, 09:19

I don't think you need to worry much. The primary function of the ejector is to eject Empty casings. An empty casing is much lighter and easier to eject than a loaded round.

As Pirate said, you can fire a round with mag removed, but it will most likely eject perfectly.

**shooty** · 30-01-2020, 10:12

Also are you doing this with a live round. Or empty case. Because a round will be way heavier and off course longer then a spent case. The spent case after a firing moves the slide back much faster then you can rack it.

The extractor also only extracts from chamber when slide pulled back. As under normal firing the case pushes back against slide to cycle it. At this point the extractor just sits basically idle. When slide close to rear the ejector will push behind case while slide moves back. To push case out. Here the extractor because pinching case on rim. Assist case to move in certain direction while ejector pushes case forward on other side. Hope makes sense.

**JonoS** · 30-01-2020, 11:20

Basically I am just “making the gun safe”. So the pistol is loaded with a full magazine and a live round in the chamber. To make safe I drop the magazine and then rack the slide to expel the chambered round. This is when I either falls through the mag well or stovepipes. I thought it might be the way I am racking the slide but I tried various hand positions as well as speed. My dad also tried and the result is the same.

**M43** · 30-01-2020, 11:32

Some guns do this, they all work fine when the mag is in place though.

**shooty** · 30-01-2020, 11:48

Originally Posted by JonoS

Basically I am just “making the gun safe”. So the pistol is loaded with a full magazine and a live round in the chamber. To make safe I drop the magazine and then rack the slide to expel the chambered round. This is when I either falls through the mag well or stovepipes. I thought it might be the way I am racking the slide but I tried various hand positions as well as speed. My dad also tried and the result is the same.

The loaded round is much heavier then the fired case. This is most likely why you are experiencing this. Will be fine when firing. Or empty case

**janfred** · 30-01-2020, 11:56

That may be, but every other pistol I have handled or seen cleared by racking the slide, the round flies out with no problem. Does not matter if it is a loaded or fired round. If it was me, I would have the pistol checked by an expert.

**Dvyant** · 30-01-2020, 13:37

Hi Jono S

I also experienced this with my P07 whilst testing the chambering/extraction of my hand loads. Take it to the range and fire it, it should extract just fine. I think some pistols (probably the modern ones) need the slide to retract backward at speed, this is more difficult to achieve on manual extraction when the grip area on the slide is small as we see on the P07.

My 2 cents.

Regards