NOOB alert : should I tinker with my LE !!

Hi Guys ,
I got my first LE about 5 months back and 500 rounds later I still love it , shot 2 comps and its great , while I may not be the best shooter in the world the rifle is as sharp as can be expected.. except for one thing .. the extractor most often than not will not fully eject the spent round ( whats funny is it seems to do grand when unloading unspent rounds) out of 10 spent rounds at least 4 - 6 will end up back in the breech .
Now not a major problems as the paper targets are trying to rush me or anything but I would like to get her working in correct order .

Now I ordered a batch of exctractors and springs and had a look around for some good info on how to change it ...I have found the manual for the lee contains basic instuctions but any better ones out there ?..


So a few questions I have

1. is there a LE tool kit or recommended list of tools to get ?
2. Would you recommend that I change this ?
3. Any good instructions for general things like this ( with pictures if possible ! )
4 .I have been told to change the main spring as the orignal (1943) can be a bit brittle after so many years . is this correct ?

Thats all for now , if anyone can help thats great if not its ok as just happy to have found the site ..

must put up some images of the markings as had a good look round and still can pin down the place of manufactor

thanks
Dar

Dar, Welcome to the forum. It reads like the shell is extracting fine from the barrel, but not ejecting when it comes in contact with the extractor screw, correct?

Tools needed are generally good quality, well fitting screwdrivers along with two that can be home made. A reverse head slotted screwdriver for the front sight and a bolt tool.

Brad

Hey Brad ,
thank you for the welcome , yes your correct , the casing is been ejected but not very well , so its flung out but not with very much momentum which seems to cause it to fall back towards the breech ..

Thanks for the tips on the tools , I have a very good tool set and just wanted to know if there was any LE specific ones ..

thanks again
Dar

Extraction & Ejection are two very different functions on an LE.

Extraction is (obviously) done by the extractor claw (mounted on the bolt head)
It sounds as if the extractor is working fine.

Ejection can be broken down into two parts :
a) Fired round, ejecting case only.
b) Ejecting an unfired round.

In a) As the extractor claw is off set this causes the case rim to drag along the left hand side of the action 'wall'. This 'dragging' causes the case to flip towards the right, which causes more drag, which flips the case more to the right until it 'flicks' out of the action. Ejection on LE's is not 'strong'. You will only need to bend down to pick up the cases - it doesnt throw them feet / yards away.

In b) The additional length of the case + bullet means that the situation described in 'a' cannot happen. There is an ejector screw at the rear of the action (left hand side in front of the charger bridge), when the round is pulled far enough back by the extractor, the case rim then hits this ejector screw and flips the round out of the action.

A fired round (empty case) should always eject before it gets anywhere near the ejector screw.

Thanks Alan ,
Yep its otion A thats the issue , unspent are ok and eject fine .. like I said the spent ones dont seem to go with much power and simply just pop out and back in .. as there doesnt seem to a mechanisim for this I take it there isnt much I can do to remedy the situation
Dar


p.s thanks for taking the time to respond to this

When you open the bolt and pull it back, do so 'smartly' - dont *****-foot around.
A quick pull and they will flip out.

Don't forget to measure the spring load on the extractor spring. I forget what it is offhand but I'm sure someone will repeat it. It is this spring that loads the extractor that loads the spent cartridge case over to the left so that it frictions against the left wall of the body. There could be a load of oily xxit and brass in the ejector slot of the bolthead that is stopping it loading the spent case....... But try the spring weight first

Spring weight 4 1/2lbs.
See attached pic for method.

To remove the extractor spring you will need to restrain the bolthead preferably in a soft jawed vice. Use a small pin punch to apply enough pressure through the hole in the right side of the bolthead to unseat the spigot on the spring. Hold this pressure while pushing the spring out toward the front from the back through the rectangular hole.
While it's out, remove the extractor screw and claw to clean out the inside of the bolthead.

Thanks all , I will be sure to check the spring load when I get home during the week ... as i said I tend only to shoot on the range so its also possible that Im taking it "too" slow and as Alan said Im probably *****-foot around. I will see if it makes a diff when i get to the range .
Got some pictures taken over the weekend and will put them up in case some one can help ID it .. nothing special Im thinking but at least would like to get the makers name :)

Thanks again for all the advice with this , much appericated
Dar

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield

When you open the bolt and pull it back, do so 'smartly' - dont *****-foot around.
A quick pull and they will flip out.

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As the extraction function is good, Alan de Enfield's suggestion seems to be spot on!

If the spring was weak, your rifle would not be able to "break loose" the fired casing from the chamber walls. (I really MUST fab up a checking tool similar to Son's military armourer's multi-function spring gage. Thanks again, Son. -BTW There's a not too old thread that has multiple photos of said device.)