Colt New Police extractor

[Wayne Smith]

I have a Colt New Police (1929?) in 32-20 where the extractor star over rotates and does not line up with the cylinder holes.

Is there an easy fix for this or am I looking for replacement parts?

[Mk42gunner]

It has been twenty years since I had a Colt double action apart, but IIRC the hand is too long on yours. It could be just the top one, or it may be both. I am not sure enough to give metal removal advice with out having it in my hands.

Robert

[Outpost75]

Extractor star should be aligned by small pins in cylinder face. One or both of these maybe missing and extractor has rotated out of alignment. Disassemble, degrease and reinstall extractor star to arbor with service removable 242 Loctite.

[Wayne Smith]

The extractor star rotates maybe 1/4 of a turn. This is independent of the post. I see and feel no indication of pins, feeling with a dental tool.
Does it unscrew from the post? I have not yet pulled the cylinder assembly from this one.

BTW, I was wrong. It says "Army Special" rather than "New Police" on the barrel. I think they are mechanically the same.

[Outpost75]

Army Special is the same frame size as the Official Police, before they started heat treating them about 1930. The older Army Specials may not have alignment pins. My Official Police, Officer's Model Match and Detective Special all have alignment pins in the cylinder recess into which the extractor star fits. You need to push the ejector rod and look in thew cylinder recess because the pins fit into blind holes in the extractor star, so the pins are not visible unless you actuate the extractor and actually look under it.

[leftiye]

Yes they are built the same. The Army Special is larger.

Yes it screws on and off. It should get quite tight towards the end, and there are notches on two of the arms that match protrusions on the cylinder. It should be just a case of getting it turned into correct position, so long as it isn't loose on the shaft. If it is loose, rotates independent of the shaft, either the shaft, or the extractor must be replaced, or both. Maybe try locktite on the threads as an alternative if the threads are damaged. The groove on the rod, or the post on the cylinder bore that it travels on may also be damaged.

As for the issue of cylinder over - turning, as was mentioned, hand length is the culprit, now pay attention, the LOWER shelf of the hand is what determines how far the cylinder rotates, the end of the hand determines when the cylinder starts moving and allows enough trigger movement to unlock the cylinder before the cylinder starts moving. Otherwise nothing happens, it is locked up.

That lower shelf bears against the star on the extractor to provide the cylinder with "lock up" against the bolt at firing position, and needs to be short enough to not over rotate the cylinder and short enough to lockup, but not any shorter, or lock up will be loose. Over travel will also occur if cylinder rotates too fast, or slots in cylinder are damaged.

[Wayne Smith]

It's not the cylinder that over turns, it is the extractor star. Yes, it turns independently of the shaft. That is the 1/4 turn I referenced, this is with the shaft not moving.

Leftie, you said "it" screws off. Is "it" the extractor star screwing off the shaft or the shaft screwing off the push rod?

[leftiye]

Yes, the star screws on and off of the shaft. I'm glad to hear the shaft doesn't move. If it did, the cylinder and/or shaft one or both would be damaged. As it is your star and shaft either one or the other or both is/are damaged. Seems your threads are buggered up. Righteous fix would be to replace them (star and shaft). Maybe one at a time (it's next to impossible to decide exactly where the damage lies without one or the other being correct (new/good). As mentioned Locktite or a similar thread or bearing locker might hold the thang in the proper position.