Gunsmithing Just snapped TWO Pacific Machine Company SAKO extractors

[M25BeastShooter]

I just had a Pacific Machine Tool bolt installed in my Rem 700 .308. The rifle was hanging up on the original Rem bolt after re-barreling. I got the rifle back shoots great groups. On my last 5 shot group the last shot the bolt opened but the shell remained in the chamber. After trying to cycle it, I looked at the bolt face and discovered the extractor looked funny. It was missing the claw edge, snapped off. The shell casing came out a little tight with a rod.

I ordered 2 extractors from Pacific Machine. Got them in the mail with-in 2 days YEA! I installed one cycled a couple of fired cases good to go. I inserted the original offending piece of LC LR brass in and again no extraction and NO EXTRACTOR CLAW!! Snapped off again but no damage to the brass! I cleared it with the od again as I didn't want to risk my last extractor.

Again No Damage to the BRASS Rim.

Am I wrong but shouldn't a STEEL extractor rip through or over the rim before it breaks? I didn't use any excess force to cycle the bolt either time.

I'll be calling Pacific Machine on Tuesday for sure

 

[josh1982]

I'm curious about this too, I found out my Tikka T3 extractor spring in a new gun is super weak and am looking to do a sako parts swap...

 

[kis2]

completely different system, but the extractor on my AR ripped over and tore up the rim of a stuck steel case junk ammo, with no extractor damage. I don't know what would cause an extractor to break on brass, but I think you are right to be suspicious.

 

[Rthur]

Just a guess but when the barrel was chambered was the counter bore for the bolt cut to .785 wide? I believe this is the spec for the sako extractor.

R

 

[M25BeastShooter]

The smith used the Pacific tool reamer to cut the extractor relief. I had previously had fired at least 30 plus rounds of reloads and FGGM during the day. As I said the case was a little tight coming out but just dropping the Dewey rod popped the case out.

What has me wondering is that lone sticky case as i said before the second extractor snapped on it a second time when I re-chambered it. It was a little tight going it but not extreme.

I called the smith and let him know. The extractor looks almost case hardened, like they are too hard.

 

[M25BeastShooter]

Well put the 3rd of 3 extractors in the bolt and took it out to the range. Working on OAL for the rifle/load. es'm running 178 A-max with 42.5 gr Varget in LC LR brass. Came up with a length of 2.175 at the ogive. First shot out the rifle and opened the bolt, no ejection. Checked the extractor and yep snapped off!! Well I spoke to my smith and let him know. I had an idea to take the extractor out a .260 Rem he built me last year and give that a try.

Well the rifle is a hammer, one ragged hole and NO EXTRACTOR FAILURE.

Looks like Pacific Machine has batch of extractors that are too hard. I'll be calling Pacific on Tuesday and letting them know and hopefully getting 3 replacement extractors(my .260 is now in-op)

If anyone else has purchased any SAKO extractors from Pacific you might want to give them a good once over.

 

[kis2]

well at least the rifle is a shooter! thats good news!

but hey, now you know that the issue is in the extractor, sorry to hear about the troubles but at least it isn't something more serious. I'm interested to hear what Pacific says.

 

[Col Kurtz]

My guess would be that the extractors aren't to hard, but either a little long, or the relief cut in the barrel is either short, or to small. .705 diameter is what a PTG recess cutter cuts, which is .010 over the standard Remington bolt nose. However you still must enlarge that for both the sako style, or m-16 style extractors. The barrel will have to be pulled off in order for the measurement to be taken on the relief cuts. Hopefully your smith did it right and it is the extractors. Good luck with your problem.

 

[300sniper]

My guess would be that the extractors aren't to hard, but either a little long, or the relief cut in the barrel is either short, or to small. .705 diameter is what a PTG recess cutter cuts, which is .010 over the standard Remington bolt nose. However you still must enlarge that for both the sako style, or m-16 style extractors. The barrel will have to be pulled off in order for the measurement to be taken on the relief cuts. Hopefully your smith did it right and it is the extractors. Good luck with your problem.

even on a .473" bolt face? on a .473" bolt face, i have had zero problem with a .705"-.710" counterbore using a ptg bolt and sako or m16 style extractor. i've checked a few for shits and giggles and the extractor never goes beyond the bolt nose diameter when snapping over the case rim. i'm betting a bad batch of extractors slipped through.

 

[M25BeastShooter]

I have to agree with 300sniper to the bad batch of extractors. The Bolt is a Factory Pacific with the SAKO cut by them. The barrel face was cut for the SAKO extractor for the Remington bolt and no issues.

 

[damoncali]

Again No Damage to the BRASS Rim.

Am I wrong but shouldn't a STEEL extractor rip through or over the rim before it breaks? I didn't use any excess force to cycle the bolt either time.

Brass is stronger than you might think - especially at the case head. So it's not at all impossible for a steel extractor to break like this. My guess would be there is a dimension somewhere that is not cut right or that the heat treatment of the extractor is off. Not very helpful, I know. But I would start by measuring everything that could possibly matter, and if all checks out, it's probably the extractor.

 

[RTH1800]

Case two, extractors zero