Author Topic: Manual Extractor Notch (Read 692 times)

Mainer · « **on:** June 09, 2005, 12:45:24 AM »

Has anyone cut one of these into a Handi Rifle barrel?

http://www.angelfire.com/ma/ZERMEL/hrultrawp.html

If so, do you have any tips? It seems like a great idea, but I want some more guidance before hacking up a barrel.

Last weekend a case stuck in my .243 Handi--factory loaded Winchester Supreme ammo. Previously, I had an occassional problem with a stuck case, but the problem went away for 100 or so rounds after I polished the chamber with a .410 bore mop and metal polish.

Although the polishing greatly reduced the problem, it obviously has not entirely disappeared. Yes, I clean the chamber after every range session. I use Q-tips and bore solvent. I also make sure the chamber is free of oil/solvent before going to the range. The Win. Supreme case stuck after about 20 rounds had been fired.

mitchell · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2005, 01:22:00 AM »

i would say that you didn't polish it enough . if you really want to put a grove thingy in your barrel you'll have to used all the stuff on freds site because nobody else has tried one.

DPRinks · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2005, 03:56:40 PM »

I have a .35 Whelen HR, I have had some problems with the ejector not removing the case, I took a good look at the ejector in place against the case, the profile of the ejector was not shaped so as to enter the extraction grove, the shape was square, not straight up and down on the hammer side and sloped on the barrel side , but square on both sides.
I carefully filed the ejector to match the profile of the extractor groove in the case and have had no more problems with it.
Don

Mainer · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2005, 04:23:38 PM »

The sticking cartridge case issue is very ammo selective.

I went to the range today. I started with a clean gun and PMC Bronze .243 80 gr PSP ammo. Every fired case stuck in the gun and required the use of a cleaning rod for removal. It brought new meaning to the phrase "single shot." I felt like I was operating a muzzle loader.

I then switched to Hornady Custom .243 75 gr HP ammo. I fired the entire box without a single case sticking. And I hadn't cleaned the gun after shooting the PMC ammo.

From the way it looks, I think I did a decent job polishing the chamber. I think the issue is that the chamber itself is tight and certain brands of brass/ammo will stick in it. It appears that the ejector system is pretty weak.

I could enlarge the chamber by polishing, but I worry that would hurt accuracy. I am thinking more strongly than ever about filing a manual extractor notch into the barrel.

dgii · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2005, 05:45:03 PM »

I was wondering if this is a Wincester Nickel case issue. Wichester supreme ammo has nickel cases in both of the 243 loads they make. Have you used other nickel coated ammo, or reloads in the same nickel cases, with the same results. Nickel coating on case may be causing it not to contract as much after the shot. If the chamber is tight somewhere to start with, it might stick. Just a thought. Dale

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2005, 05:52:45 PM »

Mac and I have both shot the nickel winchester supreme ammo in our 243 and 30-06 Ultras and never had them stick. I shoot R-P nickel brass in my 45-70 with loads to 2400fps and have never had a problem. The only brass that I've had stick other than one 243 round after not wiping the chamber after cleaning at the range, was some too hot handloads in my brenneke using norma brass and N160. We're talking several hundred round here altogether, and a lot of them in the .223, a caliber notorious for sticking brass.......FWIW. :wink:

Tim

handirifle · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2005, 06:03:56 PM »

I tend to think Fred was a Handi hater and didn't give them credit for what they were. told him so once and he almost left then.

The notch, to me, is pure ugly and it ruins a barrel for resale, in my opinion.

icthus153 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 12, 2005, 12:23:06 AM »

i liked the idea of freds notch after a rainy day hunt that left me with a missed deer and a stuck case. i dont want to carry brass rods or other tools to get stuck brass out , and i always have a knife on me !! i know most folks dont like the notch but in a rainy situation i am betting it doesnt matter how much you polish the chamber you could still get stuck. i did my notch with a dremel tool it took 5 minutes and looks fine and works great. i have real good pics of it if you want them just pm me.

icthus153 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 12, 2005, 12:34:12 AM »

i posted one of the pics in the general album if it helps. if you need more let me know.

Mainer · « **Reply #9 on:** June 12, 2005, 03:22:29 AM »

icthus 153:

Thanks for posting the picture of your rifle with the notch.

I'm going to take the ejector apart and smooth the edges of it. I'll also give the chamber some slight additional polishing. Then I'll test it with the PMC ammo. If that doesn't fix it, then in goes the notch or away goes the barrel.

Tim and Dale:

The Winchester Supreme ammo that stuck a case is plain brass. (It had been traded in at a local gun shop, so it might be an older version, but it clearly is factory original).

In fact, this gun has fired NO handloads and NO factory-reloaded ammo. It has about 190 rounds through it. I'm worried that if it's sticking cases with factory fresh ammo, then things might get real ugly with handloads.

camsdaddy · « **Reply #10 on:** June 12, 2005, 03:06:12 PM »

I have found that on my 243 ultra that handloads do not stick but factory win 80 do. I dont know if this is because the handloads are nickle or if maybe the groove is cut differently in the casing. I have sound that if I dont push the factory loads in all the way just enough to clear when closing they eject fine. I have yet to polish but have experienced the muzzleloader tech.

handirifle · « **Reply #11 on:** June 12, 2005, 10:32:12 PM »

If I find that my 243 barrel does not cure it's sticking problems, to Ebat it goes.

I'll not lose game just to keep a problematic barrel. I like my handi but not so much as to ruin a hunt with it.

I've never had a bolt gun stick a case on me. If NEF cannot fix these issues then I cannot stay loyal to their cause.

My reason for buying them is to hunt, not figure out ways to make them better. So far the 243 barrel is on a bad track with sticking cases, time will tell. It will NEVER go hunting with me until it stops sticking cases, period!

My 223 barrel has never stuck a case of factory or reloads.