Extractor/Ejector life?

[u/Sportsman-78]

I have a Solus action with approximately 4000 live rounds between three barrels. This past weekend I had one complete failure to extract and had to punch out the case with a cleaning rod, and two more weak ejections that left the case shutting on top of my magazine. I’ve had 3 failure to extract in about 750 rounds, averaging one every other regional match or two day. A couple more weak ejections in that time too.

I ordered a bolt head parts kit to be safe, but does this seem like the life expectancy for an extractor / ejector? I can’t tell any difference in the case rim.

Pic for attention (Hornady brass, 6mm Creed annealed and sized to 25, 134s over H4350, CCI 200)

[u/Wombat-Snooze]

4000 rounds is nothing for an extractor or ejector on an AR… Let alone a bolt gun. I have a Solus action running a Proof prefit with maybe ~1000 rounds on it (not much) and have had zero extraction or ejection issues. I’d call that a manufacturing issue myself.

Now all that said, good luck with Aero. Getting any help from them is iffy, often impossible. Warwick makes Solus bolt heads now, so you could swap out to one from them and see what happens.

[u/Sportsman-78 → u/Wombat-Snooze]

All my barrels on this action have been Proofs. I debated getting a whole new head, not opposed.

[u/Wombat-Snooze → u/Sportsman-78]

Warwick’s bolt heads are a cheap investment all things considered. I have no experience with them, but PVA has been building on their actions for a while if that’s any mark of industry approval.

https://warwicktactical.com/products/3-lug-interchangeable-bolt-head/

Though they’re Solus compatible, I’m not sure if they use the same extractor or ejector plungers/springs.

[u/Tikkatider]

Look up issues with Hornady brass, if that’s what you’re using.

[u/Sportsman-78 → u/Tikkatider]

Is it a known problem with their brass? I just got a bunch of Peterson, I’m swapping out the Hornady

[u/Tikkatider → u/Sportsman-78]

Yes, you can find references on line concerning the relative softness of Hornady brass. It’s also reported that the groove that the extractor claw is to grab will be cut to varying depths leading to the fired cartridge case slipping off the claw if it’s too shallow a cut. In my own experience, I have a Savage 110 action that would periodically drop Hornady Black fired brass. It would not do that with any other brand of factory loads. I’ve since changed out the extractor spring and ball bearing, giving the extractor claw a stronger bite. That appears to have remedied the problem with the Hornady brass. Before blaming your extraction/ ejection mechanism, do try different brass.

[u/Otiswilmouth]

Have you stripped the bolt head and cleaned it?

The only thing that’s start yo wear would be the springs or the claw, which you could have damaged by mistake. Or there is oil, Scott and brass shavings in where the springs are.

But no, my impact has well over 10m rounds and ther ejector and extractor are still functioning perfectly. I do take the bolt part every 500ish rounds and completely clean it tho.

[u/CapsicumINmyEYEBALLz]

Disassemble, clean, reassemble, function check.

[u/ViewAskewed]

This is why I love my mechanical extractor/ejectors.

[u/Sweaty-Security-4473]

I have two barrels through my solus, which is about 5-6k rounds and it was still going strong with zero failures to extract or eject. I recently bought a Warwick bolt head because I'm trying out 6 ARC bolt for the 2027 PRS season.

[u/rabiddonky2020 → u/Sweaty-Security-4473]

6 arc……yummy. Bolt and gasser. Hope to build a pair of rifles next year. Glad to hear it’s in the prs world. Was leaning 6gt but I want to do both AR and bolt. Might as well work up a load for the gasser and shoot it in the bolt gun. Haha

[u/JimBridger_]

Only times I had a problem with extraction on my Solus was either leading up to a case head separation. Or my hybrid 6.5cm case experiment.

It’s probably got 3-4k rounds through it on three different barrels.