M-16 extractor counterbore

[boiler_house7]

Instead of opening the counterbore up for the M-16 extractor on the Remingtons, Has anyone tried to mill the backside of the extractor to get the required clearance for function.

 

[boltfluter]

I have seen a few that have been ground for clearance. How lucky are you feeling? Lol.

Paul

www.boltfluting.com

 

[Caleb85]

There is a pretty fine line there! Like Paul said, how luck do you feel?....punk! Sorry I had to throw that in there!

 

[boiler_house7]

I chambered this barrel with a .710 counterbore and a .701 nose bolt O.D. I just upgraded the bolt to the badger ordinance M-16 extractor from the Remington extractor and bolt is modified for the extractor. Badger states on print to open up counterbore to .785. I was really wanting to keep the clearance as is on counterbore for the safety aspect is the reason I asked my question. I knew it might not have enough meat on the extractor for milling? I stripped the bolt and installed the extractor and made a stub as O.D or rim of brass to determine how much had to be milled off. had to mill .016 off of backside of extractor. Plenty of meat left, feel better about clearance for safety aspect. I guess I feel perty lucky, punk. Just had to throw that in there.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Glad it worked out for you. I just want to throw out, why are so many concerned about the counterbore and safety? Lots of actions dont have one and are not considered unsafe. Same with extractors, why is a sako unsafe in a remington but not in a tikka? And why are people blowing guns up so often that this is such a big concern? This is not directed to the op or anyone really just an observation. Ok rant over

 

[Rustystud]

I wonder if the Liability Insurance Carriers read post on this forum. If so some of the poster should not be surprised when they get a policy cancelation notice. Changing the way a commercially engineered product functions without having and engineering seal on it is might risky when the lawyers start investigating a catastrophic failure.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Nathaniel, you refuse to chamber barrels for Remintons with mini 16 extractors and Rem clone actions that require a larger counter bore for the extractor? You also will not install a mini 16 or sako on a rem bolt? Because of potential liability?

 

[carlsbad]

I wonder if the Liability Insurance Carriers read post on this forum. If so some of the poster should not be surprised when they get a policy cancelation notice. Changing the way a commercially engineered product functions without having and engineering seal on it is might risky when the lawyers start investigating a catastrophic failure.

If he does I'll be glad to testify as an expert witness (very few gunsmiths hold Professional Engineer licenses as I do) that he made his weapon safer, rather than less safe. --Jerry

 

[carlsbad]

"Badger states on print to open up counterbore to .785." YIKES!!!!

I say again, the Sako extractor has gotten an undeserved bad rap over the years. If you keep the clearances down, and you can file the back edge of the sako if necessary, the sako extractor cannot escape and the overall safety of the rifle has stayed as Remington designed it.

I'm not a doom and gloomer. The first safety factor involved is DON"T LOAD AMMO THAT'S GONNA EXPLODE. I don't ask friends what their counterbore is before I fire their rifle. But one round in a million will explode and you should build your rifles to mitigate that accident. If you're shooting an M16 extractor with .785 counterbore, I'm not saying put it away and don't fire it. Just recognize the (very minor) risk you're taking. I say very minor because the probability is very low (usually). But the resultes can be very bad.

Filing or machining the back of either extractor would have a downside of possible extractor failure, not a safety issue. Filing the lip of the sako would not make it prone to escape in an overpressure event since the body will still be full thickness.

--Jerry

 

[Rustystud]

There is a huge difference in .710" and .785". There was a catastrophic
Failure in Texas a few years back. Both a shooter and by stander were seriously hurt. Long story short a number of manufactures quit using both SAKO and M-16 style extractors. I counter bore all my barrels .710" never has a problem with a M-16 or Sako style Extractor.

 

[carlsbad]

.710 is a much better number.

 

[cahunter805]

Alex or others. What size counterbore do you normally cut when using a bolt with a m-16 or mini extractor?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

You only have to make it larger with a magnum boltface, the 308 and 223 extractors are cut deeper and the counterbore remains unchanged. At least when I cut them in thats how I do it. With a mag bolt .735 comes to mind

 

[JasonT]

I found .720 to be a happy medium in my own 308-based M16 extractor conversions. If I'm doing something wrong, somebody please say something!

 

[kendog]

I am in the process of barreling a R 700 short action with a mag bolt face/M16 extractor right now. Shot an email to Don at PTG with this very question and he came back with .715".