[45Shooter]

I recently got an FEG PJK-9HP that has 2 problems. One, it desperately needs a decent set of sights and two, The extractor needs tuning. The problem with the extractor is that the first hand chambered round will not - it gets stuck half way because the rim won't slide up properly until I give it a push. After the first round, it chambers the subsequent rounds fine although I did have one smokestack out of about 70 rounds fired. I figure that was also related to the extractor. What I need is info on detail stripping and tuning for the HP as this is the first one I've ever had. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I really want to cure this extractor problem myself if at all possible. Thanks.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello, sir. It is truly difficult to diagnose from afar, but this sounds like a magazine problem...possibly! Note that the problem occurs when you attempt to chamber the first round by hand. The one malfunction you mention during the firing of several rounds could be that as well or a case of the gun just needing to be shot some, to wear in or break in as it's sometimes called.

In the past, I had almost exactly the same problem as you describe and it turned out to be a "bad" magazine.

However, to remove the extractor, do the following:

1. Carefully remove the roll pin on which the sear trip lever moves. It goes through the sides of the slide. You likely won't need to take it all the way out. I don't know if your gun has the spring-loaded trip lever or not, but if not the lever will drop out of the top of the slide. If it has the spring like the MkIII Brownings for the firing pin safety, a small coil spring will likely follow.

2. Now you can see the bottom of the roll pin on which the extractor rotates. Carefully drive it out until the extractor and its spring are freed. I put my thumb over the extractor when doing this, but have never had one fly...........at least not yet.

3. Check the extractor for burrs or very sharp edges and gently remove any you find.

4. While you've got the extractor out anyway, you might as well polish up the breech face. Just polish, don't file or remove metal. I'd go ahead and remove the firing pin and spring before doing this.

5. To do that, push the rear of the firing pin in below the firing pin retaining plate and push the plate downward. The firing pin will try and fly out so be prepared. With the plate removed and the pin out, the only thing left is the spring. Shake it out.

Good luck and let us know how you come out. I suspect that any gunsmiths reading this might have better ideas or easier ways to solve the problem.

Best.

 

[45Shooter]

Thanks, Mr. Camp, for your very helpful advice. I've also posted this problem over at the fnhipower forum and you were kind enough to respond then, too. I have taken your advice and ordered some new magazines but I figure it'd be wise to have a backup contingency if they don't fix the problem. Thanks once again for you help and knowledge.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. You are very welcome. Keep us informed. Also, concerning the feed ramp on your pistol: Is it "throated" like the newer MkIII HPs or like the older version? In either event, polishing the feed ramp could be a help. There's a thread concerning how to do this without removing too much steel.

Best.

 

[Ed Brunner]

There are two types of extractors on BHP's. The older ones used an extractor similar to a 1911 and most of those would readily slide over the rim of a hand-chambered cartridge. The newer HP's have an extractor that is pinned in the slide behind the ejection port. These newer extractors generally will not slip over the edge of the rim when the slide closes. If you examine a case chambered like this you will find that the rear of the case has been deformed by the extractor as the slide goes into battery.
All of the above is a long winded way of saying that the first round should be chambered from the magazine. This way no force is required and the case is not deformed.