Thread: Extractor question
Retrieved: 06/04/2014

Can someone please identify the top two extractors in the attached photo? They arrived in a mixed lot of Enfield parts and I can't find anything to indicate what they are from. One is 'MA' marked, but I can't make out the marking on the other.

colfi
03-06-2013

Both look to be for the .22 No.2 Mk4 trainer, could be wrong, but my trainer has tthe same extractor.

Brian Dick
03-06-2013

Yep, No.2 Mk.4 trainer.

villiers
03-07-2013

Is there a specific 7.62 extractor?

paulseamus
03-07-2013

Yes there is a unique extractor for 7.62

Here is a link to a source

Lee Enfield Extractor for 7.62mm - Militaria - Collector's Source, Military Collectibles Online

Peter Laidler
03-07-2013

But be well advised that there are/have been some cheap repro 7.62mm extractors out there that have been described as pure horse sh.., er... now what's the word I'm looking for that is used in polite company...? Ah, yes... pure horse manure.

The originals are marked with the DE 65 date and logo on the side. No logo and date, no original!

RossM10
03-17-2013

Peter is absolutely right, and some come from impeccable sources too! A 7.62mm No.4 conversion I bought some years ago from a well-known gunsmith in Birmingham that used to be run by a dear old lady, came fitted with such a repro extractor. It was dimensionally incorrect and left too much space between the bolt face and the claw which allowed the empty case to drop out of grip as soon as the mouth cleared the chamber, causing ejection problems. The extractor had a distinct purple-ish tinge to the finish. Replacement by a genuine Enfield produced extractor fixed the problem completely.

Beware also of repro No.5 / Jungle carbine flash eliminators made from cast alloy.

Gnr527
03-17-2013

Oh dear - got one - even down to the purple tinge.

Peter Laidler
03-17-2013

The REAL problem with the large gap between the actual claw and bolt face is the most important one, that is overlooked. And it's this... The primary extraction of a 7.62mm case is slightly more difficult with the shallow tapered 7.62mm case than the greater taper of the .303" case but the THROW and/or leverage created when raising the bolt lever is the same for both rifles. This means that to take FULL advantage of the throw or rearwards movement of the bolt as it is being lifted and the leverage that this action imparts on the fired case that is stuck fast in the chamber, THE CLAW MUST GRIP THE RIM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Some of the enthusiastic amateur (for want of a better few words... There ARE other words, but I won't use them here on this family friendly forum...) barrel fitters or fiddlers just don't seem to see the wood for the trees sometimes. They create an extractor ramp that is totally the wrong configuration whereby most of the primary extraction movement is spent sliding down a steep or shallow ramp before it even touches the rim of the fired cartridge. That's when you get hard extraction.

Sorry to ramble on a bit with this useless stuff but there's another little bit of useless Lee Enfield info that you hadn't thought about.

Maxwell Smart
03-18-2013

Exhibit "A". As you can see, not an EFD nor date stamp in sight.

The novelty wore off this broken extractor caper after the second time, (It can really spoil a rapid-fire match).

A lot of the repro 7.62 extractors available leave a lot to be desired, with different shaped and sized claws - sometimes need a lot of fettling to fit, and then the jolly things break.

With the price one pays for them, it is most disappointing...

My L8 clone now has a modified standard .303 extractor in it, works just fine.

Peter Laidler
03-19-2013

Ah... but that's JUST where the 'throw' problem lays Max! The old but modified/narrowed down .303" extractor will grip the case but it will contact it later than the genuine 7.62mm extractor which is just what you don't want. On the other hand, yours is working just fine, so leave it. But as I understand it - and don't quote me or tell anyone else, but a little birdie told me that BDL has some of the real McCoy.

Maxwell Smart
03-19-2013

Thanks for the heads-up Peter, I've joined in the barrage of e-mail enquiries which Brian D. will surely be getting about now. No pack drill involved I hope.

Most of the 7.62 No.4's which I've bought have come with converted .303 extractors, which seem OK for extracting for single shot full-bore shooting, not so good for ejecting with the 7.62 magazine. I got so annoyed with grinding repro 7.62 extractors to fit, that I ground up a .303 one instead, reasoning that at least its metallurgy might be better. I measured the position of the claw in relation to the bolt-face, and the angle of the front face on a good 7.62 extractor, and ground the .303 one to match as close as I could.

I see what you mean though about the narrower claw not coming into contact with the 7.62 rim as quickly as the bolt is opened; it has not so far been a problem for me, probably since I full length resize my 7.62's for reloading.