700 extractor replacement

[D.Camilleri]

I broke the extractor on my 338 rum and I want to replace it. I ordered a new extractor and rivet from Midway today. I have stripped the bolt. What is the best way to remove the rivet? Should I drill it out? What size drill? When peening the new rivet, what is the best approach to get the best results? I have seen the anvils for peening the rivets and I will probably make one. Any other advice to make this as painless as possible?

 

[Kevin Cram]

With a hardened 1/16" center punch you should be able to knock the rivet out. I made my own anvil also just like the ones you see for sale. I peen it over then possibly have to file it down and peen some more. You don't want any of the rivet sticking up or it will rub in the counter bore.

 

[D.Camilleri]

Thanks, I will give it a try.

 

[D.Camilleri]

I got a new magnum extractor from Midway yesterday and installed it this morning. Went to the range to do a little load development and noticed the extractor isn't working the way it should. If I insert a cartridge, it will extract it perfectly. If I chamber a round and shoot, when I open the bolt, the case is still in the chamber. If I close the bolt again, it will pick up the spent casing and eject it. I compared this new extractor to the extractor on my other 700 rifle, it is installed correctly, but I noticed that the lip on my other extractor sticks out towards the casing .025 more than the new one. Any thoughts?

 

[Kevin Cram]

Like you said the lip isn't sticking out far enough and is just barely snapping over the rim. When you fire the cartridge is pushed off the extractor. The Remington factory extractors are ok when they work. I'd recommend having a sako extractor installed and no more problems.

 

[D.Camilleri]

Kevin,

are there differences in the factory remington replacement extractors as far as the amount of grip they have? I am thinking strongly about installing a Sako extractor, since hunting in griz country isn't the place to have an extractor fail. How much do you charge to install the Sako?

 

[Kevin Cram]

I can't say I've seen a .025" difference in extractor lips before but I normally see variances in the undercut groove that the factory extractor springs into. It's tough to decipher without seeing how the factory extractor working. You can send me your bolt and I'll check it out. If I can make the factory extractor work I will, if not a sako is the next best option. It's $100 plus $7 for return shipping. Normal turn around is 1-2 weeks.

 

[NesikaChad]

This is my opinion so take it with the salt.

Sako extractors elevate the risk of endangering the shooter because a 90* rotation, twin lug action that operates in a pushfeed capacity, offers almost zero support/captivation of the extractor when the bolt is rotated into battery.

It is almost in direct line with the ejection port raceway.

This part was/is designed to operate in a 3 lug gun with a 60* rotation.

In the event of a violent case rupture the extractor WILL be ejected from the breech. The Sako extractor has nothing other than clever mechanical interaction and a spring retaining it in the bolt. The only support/containment it receives is by this and by the overlap created by the bolt's counterbored breech face.

I know of two cases in the last year that resulted in trips to the ER to have gun parts removed from eyes and shoulders.

In my professional opinion its a dangerous practice.

An alternative is the M-16 style extractor that is gaining more and more popularity. It at least has a cross pin retaining the part.

Last, properly installed, the factory Remington extractor is a powerful one. In many "studies" performed over and over it routinely outshines the Sako in terms of the amount of load it'll tolerate before failing.

Quite often its the rim of the case that lets go before the extractor.

Many of the more well known and respected smiths in this trade are moving away from them because of this. I will not service or build a Remington that uses one.

Hope this helped.

C

PS. For the amount of money it'll cost to pay someone to install a Sako you can almost pay for a whole new bolt from PTG that'll come with the AR-15. Sweat/TIG the handle back on and your done and it's fitted to your receiver specifically. (they ask what OD you want on the bolt when you order it.)

 

[B23]

NesikaChad is not alone in his thoughts on Sako extractors.

I talked to Truman Wilson a few years ago about a build and one of the very first things Truman told me was do not to send him anything with a Sako extractor. If I did he would close the box and send it right back. He said he had multiple friends who have spent time in the ER having bits and pieces of Sako extractors dug out of their shoulders.

 

[Kevin Cram]

I've put hundreds upon hundreds of sako extractors in Remington 700 bolts and have never had one blow out. I even went as far as to run a 300 Weatherby to the point of locking the bolt up and the sako was perfectly fine. It's the same argument over and over about sako extractors, you either love em' or hate em'. To each his own but they work wonderfully in my opinion.

 

[B23]

Hey Kevin I'm curious is there much price difference between having a Sako type or a M16 type installed in a Rem. 700 bolt?

I can honestly say I have personally never known ANYONE who has had one fail but from what I have been told they can and do fail on those rare occasions and for me, even if it's a very small percentage, I would rather spend the extra money for the M16 style.

Another reason I personally would never want a Sako style extractor in anything is because my dad and I share all our rifles. He is left handed but for some odd reason hates left handed rifles and as you know when a lefty shoots a right handed rifle it exposes their whole face to that potential danger. Even if it's a very small percentage, I'd rather not take the chance.

 

[Kevin Cram]

As of today I charge $100 to install a sako extractor in a Remington bolt, extractor included. I do so many of these I pretty much have it down to a science. I built my own fixtures and use some of my own production parts to keep costs down. I can do the M-16 extractor but don't feel it's any different or safer than the sako other than it takes me more time. I charge $125 to install a M-16 extractor in a Remington bolt. The extra cost is the M-16 needs a .785" counter bore in the barrel. If I'm installing a new barrel that's no problem. If someone were to want a M-16 extractor conversion they would need to send the barreled action rather than just the bolt for a sako. Cost is more to ship plus $40 more to open the counter bore. In the end with a M-16 vs the sako install cost wise it ends up being almost double.

 

[B23]

Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but it's been explained to me that if a M16 type breaks, fails, whatever, the difference is they basicly just lock everything up and potentially make a big mess of things but nothing will come shooting back at you. Where as IF the Sako type breaks they can shoot broken pieces back at you. True, not true, urban myth ???????

 

[NesikaChad]

If it's an urban myth then I guess the guy last spring who lives in Rapid City that had to have ER eye surgery to dig parts out that had lodged in the back of his eyeball is a myth too.

I'm good. To each his own. Not trying to change the world, just trying to make it a little safer.

Enjoy the day.