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What actually holds the extractor into the bolt |
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Mad_Max 
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Joined: May 26 2025 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 15 |
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 Topic: What actually holds the extractor into the boltPosted: Jun 12 2025 at 9:06pm |
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Hello, I'm new to carbines and I've been looking at information on bolts. I understand that the bolt tool is the preferred way to go when it comes to disassembly. But my question is what actually holds the extractor into the bolt? Is it just the extractor spring & plunger?
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Jond41403
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Joined: Feb 21 2021 Location: East Tennessee Status: Offline Points: 874 |
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Posted: Jun 12 2025 at 10:06pm |
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to my understanding from fiddling with them yes only the extractor spring and plunger is all that's holding it in there. Because if you put that plunger in wrong, you're extractor will go flying
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painter777
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Posted: Jun 12 2025 at 10:58pm |
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These all sorta work together:
Slot on the Firing Pin positions around the Stem of the Extractor, this keeps the Firing Pin floating but not able to pull out from behind, unless the Extractor is pulled up out of the Bolt. But to pull the Extractor from the Bolt (the Plunger) has to be compressed so the Plunger is no longer in contact. The Plunger and Spring allow the Extractor to open and close to grasp the case rim. The Bolt tool helps to properly seat the flat edge of the Plunger on the Ledge of the Extractor. As seen in the picture. There are some 'How To Video Links' here that can show you how to R and R a Bolt Assembly. PS: Double check me, I'm watching hockey at the same time here :-) HTH Ch-P777  Edited by painter777 - Jun 12 2025 at 11:35pm |
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floydthecat
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 6:51am |
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If one is familiar with how the extractors are retained on other weapons using the same floating firing pin and rotating bolt design such as the Garand and M14, the carbine design differs slightly in how the extractor is retained. The Garand and M14 employ a plunger that engages a dimple (slight recess) in the extractor. The carbine extractor plunger is flattened on the nose and positioned to rest over a ledge on the extractor, which locks both in place. The smooth end of the pawl on the bolt tool engages the nose of the plunger seating it back into the pocket away from the ledge machined into the extractor. The bolt tool forces a flat surface in between the plunger and extractor allowing the extractor to slide out. You will notice that the tool offers two surfaces on the pawl, the forked section to grasp and hold the plunger during installation and the other end is smooth, tapered and flat for pushing the plunger back into it’s recess.
My understanding is that the Garand/M14 system was first attempted in the carbine design but the geometry of smaller components used in the carbine did not afford proper tension to retain the extractor.
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floydthecat
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 9:33am |
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The only time I have ever had an extractor separate from a bolt on its own under fire was when the right lug snapped completely off. Assuming the bolt is assembled correctly with serviceable components…..that’s about the only way it can self-launch.
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Jond41403
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 11:23am |
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I have had an extractor fly out of my carbine because I forgot to run a dry patch down the bore and chamber to dry out before firing. The day before firing I had cleaned it and oiled it because I wasn't planning on shooting it for a while but an opportunity came the next day to shoot it and I forgot to run a dry patch to clean the oil out. First shot extractor flew, barely ejected the brass which chewed up the rim where the extractor was grabbed on. I figure the oil made it too hard on the extractor to extract normally. I expected to find a broken extractor when I brought out my metal detector to find all the pieces of my bolt but the extractor was in one piece and I'm still using it today. I was in a field where no one had shot before so any metal pieces my metal detector detected was pieces of my bolt and luckily was able to find everything except the springs. I had to replace those
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painter777
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 12:33pm |
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Floyd,
Appreciate you adding the Bolt Tool Details. I should have... but the game was going in to Overtime. So, Thank You Ch-P777
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painter777
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 2:05pm |
Maybe, Excess Chamber Pressure? Ch-P777
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Jond41403
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 2:44pm |
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Charlie, the chamber had to be really wet because now that I think about it it might have even been earlier that morning I had oiled it thinking I was putting it up for a while and an opportunity arose maybe even later that evening(can't really remember)and I forgot to swab it out to dry it off. You would think oil would make things work smoother but once that brass expands and the oil is in the way, it makes extraction a lot harder. My extractor flew and chewed the hell out of the rim of that cartridge like it really had to yank with all it had to get it out of the chamber which it barely did, the firing pin backed out and hung up the action in the open position, and I lost my extractor my extractor plunger and spring and my ejector and spring. The firing pin and bolt body is the only thing that remained haha. If I remember correctly I don't think I had the carbine very long and had never disassembled the bolt prior to that happening so for all I know that extractor plunger might have been put in wrong as well but I always thought the wet chamber is what done it. After it happened I was trying to analyze what could have been the problem and that's when I remembered that I had forgotten to swab the oil out of the chamber and the bore before taking it out. Since then I have not ever forgotten luckily haha to run a dry patch down my bores and chambers of all my firearms before I take them out and it has not happened to me since on the carbine
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painter777
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 3:01pm |
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I didn't really mean...... Maybe
 Ch-P777
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Jond41403
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 3:01pm |
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oh I know Charlie haha, I was just explaining in as much detail as possible so no one else does what I did haha. I guess the oil being present would increase the chamber pressure wouldn't it?
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painter777
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 3:16pm |
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Yea,
No room for brass to swell, had to go backward against the extractor. Lucky it wasn't worse. Your misfortune will benefit others that read this. I run a snake, even if just to clear dust and light residue. Ch-P777
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Living Free because of those that serve.....
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Jond41403
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 4:06pm |
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after that happened, since I hadn't owned it but maybe five or six months, I shipped it off to William's gun site in your neck of the woods Charlie to have them check it out to make sure the headspace was correct and all that stuff and to make sure that everything was still in spec. Luckily nothing was damaged. No gunsmiths local to me that I knew of had the ability to service M1 carbines so I had William's gun sight look it over
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painter777
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 5:53pm |
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That's in Davidson, about 45 minutes from me on Lapeer rd. The gun/trading group I'm a part of is headquartered out of a guys house near there. He lists anything guys have to sell, trade or want and handles the deal for just a small cut. Christian guy, I call JT. I've picked up maybe a dozen Carbines from the group. Some Carbine owners I've helped straighten out issues for them, some I've done posts on. For some reason there are a lot of Carbines in that area (North of Flint). Some guns are passed to JT from Law Officers helping people dispose of them to get a fair price. My last purchase were 3 Crosman 760 Pumps BB/Pellet Rifles for $10.00 each. I sent him the money and he held them for like 3 months until I got up that way to pick them up. While there he had put aside a number of 1911 .45 Mag Pockets and a few Carbine Belt Pockets to give me that had been laying around. He wouldn't take any $$ for them but I was able to Donate to his church. I had my Grandson and 2 Step Grandsons coming so I needed the extra Crosmans for our planned canoe overnight camp downriver outback. Little oil and they all worked out well. We (Members) get Weekly/Bi-Weekly Emails showing whats available with updated prices. Not always just gun related, I'm currently trying to arrange a meeting to look at a listed 54 Ford Short Bed that popped up Monday. Owner won't be home until this Sunday. Wife likes it too.
Ch-P777 PS: To Mad-Max, Sorry I always seem to take your posts Off Topic
 Edited by painter777 - Jun 13 2025 at 6:13pm |
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Mad_Max
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 6:57pm |
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Hey guys, the stories are informative... no harm no foul.
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Jond41403
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Posted: Jun 13 2025 at 9:02pm |
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Charlie, you have the luckiest grandkids in the world to be able to call you Grandpa haha! Hooking them all up with BB guns for the adventure ahead. I bet they all really look forward to getting to visit with you haha! I can tell you always make it memorable. That's very cool that you do stuff like that for them. Those little trips they will remember forever, long after you are gone, not to mention help shape who they will become when they get older
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painter777
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Posted: Jun 14 2025 at 1:03pm |
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JD,
Actually I'm the lucky one, they are great kids. A few days before we set out I gave them all their own Kamp King pocket knives and showed them how to properly carve, always carving away from their hand. We carved and made top water 'Poppers' even painted them. They all had their late plastic GI Canteens. Our take out spot down river takes about 8 hours of straight paddling, not accounting time to fish the holes. But we have what I named 'Lunch Break Island' about 4 hours down stream. That's where we camped and I have a grille top hooked up high in a tree. Nice sandy flat spot in the middle with good fishing on the down current side. Of course with them being 'Armed' it quickly became a Fort they had to defend. We caught plenty of Smallmouth topwater fishing after dark. They are all so busy when they are back home it's hard to just skype or call. And they are growing up so fast I just try to take advantage when ever I can. Remember your 1st pocket knife? I showed them the scar on my left hand from drawing the blade toward it trying to shave thru a knot. A wound I tried to hide from my Father for a week :-( But it was pretty cool, they improved their paddling skills, shot boo koo BB's, had their Wrist Rocket sling shots, compasses, explored, found dead animals/skeletons, collected fresh water clams, crayfish, fished, shot at geese that were attacking us, firewood and got to see the northern lights etc. I wish I'd of had them for a week, Ch-P777
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Living Free because of those that serve.....
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painter777
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Posted: Jun 14 2025 at 2:34pm |
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JD,
If I can slide 1 more in here without upsetting Mad-Max, While thinking back about pocket knives and Grandpa's, I remember when I was 16-17 and working summers for my Uncles. We always met at their favorite coffee shop in the mornings. One morning they had Grandpa there and said all I had to do for the day was drive him down to Detroit and drop him at his friends, where they were heading south. Only Grandpa knew the address. I jumped at the chance as a 1 1/2 hour drive both ways = a 3 hour day better than 8 or 9 and I get paid for 8!! What I didn't know, that the Uncles knew was Grandpa was on a bender. So just as I get on the highway he pulls a fresh pint out of his bibs and starts chugging. About a 1/2 hour down the road the bottles empty and he's trying to get me to stop for another. I knew if I did he'd end up passing out before I got anywhere close and I'd have no idea where to go. So I kept telling him NO!. Then he pulls a Knife out and tells me he's gonna stab me. After I see it I tell him Wait a minute: That's the Knife I gave you for Christmas! Which he replied: Yea, That's what's making it tough on me about stabbing you!! He took a poke at my shoulder that I dodged but it cut the seat of my Uncles new T Bird. He dropped it and finally passed out against the window. I found the general neighborhood and at a Bar they knew the name and house of Grandpa's buddy. I found it but was worried about dropping off the drunk, then found his Buddy was as Drunk as Grandpa was. I lit out as fast as I could back home. Knowing all the time my Uncles were back there LTAO. Next day I came in like the day before was a vacation day. It was years before I told the REAL story. Grandpa never remembered it but had that knife for years, he said: It cut good. Old Memory, Ch-P777
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Living Free because of those that serve.....
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Jond41403
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Posted: Jun 14 2025 at 4:00pm |
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wow Charlie what a memory! I bet it sucked at the time but I'm sure you gained a lot of insight and more toughness from the experience haha! I can picture your uncle's now laughing their head off as soon as you all pull out of sight, them knowing what's in store for you haha
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Jond41403 wrote: