How do I prevent damaging brass during extraction/ejection?

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  • cantgrowup

    How do I prevent damaging brass during extraction/ejection?

    Okay ... Alexander Arms replaced my extractor and my rifle is now extracting and ejecting every time. However, I'm getting two small nicks/dents on the case neck (where it is impacting the barrel extension lugs upon extraction I assume), and also getting a small dent in the body of the case where it impacts the deflector. I'm going to guess that these issues might be caused by a too-strong ejector spring? If I cut 1 or 1 1/2 coils off of it, would that help eliminate these nicks/dents?

    What about the chamber-facing corners of the lugs? Is there any way to smooth those corners, or will that come with continued use? I know that these lugs are case hardened and many don't recommend sanding or polishing these tempered parts.

    I'm open for recommendations. I want to try and prevent needless damage on these expensive and hard to find brass. Also, if cutting the ejection spring is the answer, how best to cut this tough little spring?

  • #2
    The vampire-like nicks on the brass are as you said, caused by impacting the barrel extension teeth. They are of no consequence to your brass, and those of us who have been loading for AR15's and AR10's just ignore them.

    The dent in the case side can be dealt with by tuning your ejector spring carefully, as well as epoxying pile tape (Velcro) to the brass deflector. It also is of no consequence, because it is just going to blow out on the next firing. It might be indicative of gassing hard if the dent is substantial. otherwise, no big deal.

    When cutting the ejector spring, try to keep heat off the part. I personally have not seen the need for it with my Grendel, as I just use a brass catcher.

    Comment

    • rasp65
      Warrior
      • Mar 2011
      • 660

      #3
      Here is what I did to my ejector spring http://www.gswagner.com/arejector/arejector.html . It does not throw the brass as far but have not had any ejection problems. I took a 1/4" round stone and took some of the sharpness out of those extension teeth. I also took the sharp edges off of the magazines feed lips. I still get marks on the cases but not as bad.

      Comment

      • Bike Effects

        #4
        Even though a barrel extension came with my Krieger barrel, I bought one from MidwayUSA in advance and with a Dremel and Cratex tips, took the sharp edges in advance and sent the extension to Krieger and they installed it on my new barrel. This and shortening my ejector spring did a pretty good job. The method I used could be done with the barrel extension on the barrel but the barrel would have to be taken out of the upper receiver.

        Comment

        • cantgrowup

          #5
          Originally posted by rasp65 View Post
          I took a 1/4" round stone and took some of the sharpness out of those extension lugs.
          Can you please explain this a bit more? Is that a 1/4" diameter cylindrical Dremel stone or a ball stone? Which teeth are you smoothing? If you look at the bolt in the unlocked or extracting position, the extractor is at 9:30 o'clock position. Looking down at the barrel extension, the corresponding area that the extractor and ejector are forcing the extracted case's neck to impact would be the gap between the two lugs at 1:30 and 3:00. So... how do you smooth the offending corners off of these two lugs without damaging anything else?

          And like Bike Effects says just above, I'd have to remove the barrel from the receiver to do this? Yuck... I'm wondering if a beauty salon supply (like Sally's) might have some round wooden sticks with sanding surface on them for manicures. Maybe I can stick that through the receiver's bottom and gently work those two lug corners. Worth a try.
          Last edited by Guest; 12-03-2013, 01:48 AM.

          Comment

          • rasp65
            Warrior
            • Mar 2011
            • 660

            #6
            It is a piece of 1/4" x 4" round stone I got from Midway http://www.midwayusa.com/product/890...d-4-x-1-4-fine . I would avoid power stones here.

            Comment

            • waveslayer
              Warrior
              • Jan 2013
              • 239

              #7
              Just go to the local Walmart or home depot and get some Velcro. I had the same issue and placed a little square on the brass deflector. .. works like a charm!

              Comment

              • cantgrowup

                #8
                Originally posted by waveslayer View Post
                Just go to the local Walmart or home depot and get some Velcro. I had the same issue and placed a little square on the brass deflector. .. works like a charm!
                I'll try the Velcro square on the deflector to eliminate the slight dent on the case body, but it's the two "vampire teeth" nicks on the neck that I am worried about most. They are serious little dents and after reloading 3 times, the neck is pretty beat up.

                Comment

                • cantgrowup

                  #9
                  Originally posted by rasp65 View Post
                  It is a piece of 1/4" x 4" round stone I got from Midway http://www.midwayusa.com/product/890...d-4-x-1-4-fine . I would avoid power stones here.
                  Now that looks like a solution. I'll get one of these and try it. Thanks.

                  Comment

                  • para_shooter
                    Unwashed
                    • Sep 2016
                    • 1

                    #10
                    thanks! I am having the same issue with my Radical Arms upper, I'll give the velcro a try

                    Comment

                    • NugginFutz
                      Chieftain
                      • Aug 2013
                      • 2622

                      #11
                      If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

                      Comment

                      • NugginFutz
                        Chieftain
                        • Aug 2013
                        • 2622

                        #12
                        Sorry, but I couldn't resist...
                        If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

                        Comment

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