Surprise...Broken Ejector

[cochise]

After a day of fun, I was cleaning my Series 80 Colt Officers .45 acp. To my surprise I discovered a "loose" ejector. The back stud was sheared off. The stud is in the receiver. I have no idea how long it has been like that. I guess I can drill it out by hand, I do not own a drill press. It still functions. Ejects spent casings. Does any one have experience with replacing a broken ejector? I hate to ruin the receiver by a "oops" with the drill. I have heard replacing the ejector may have to be "tuned" to the pistol.

Any thoughts or ideas are welcomed, thanks.

[DFrame]

The first thing I would try is to invert the frame and tap upwards with a plastic or wood mallet to see if inertia can be used to persuade it out. The same principle on which an inertial bullet puller operates. Right of the top of my head I can't remember if the front stud or the rear has the cross pin that retains it but that should be checked first.

[haggis]

Don't drill it out by hand! You'll likely cut the frame. If the rear stud won't vibrate out or come out with a magnet, you have two choices.

1. Take it to a gunsmith.
2. Buy a desktop drill press, and use a Brownells' carbide end mill to drill a hole in the stud (with the frame properly fixtured). What usually happens is the the stud breaks loose and you can remove it on the end mill. At worst you have to use an EZ-out.

If you don't have the tools, it's easier (and cheaper) to take it to a gunsmith, especially if you've never cut the front stud for the cross-pin.

Buck

[haggis]

With respect to tuning an ejector, this can mean one or both of two things.

1. Fitting the ejector so that the ejector surfaces do not touch any part of the ejector tunnel in the slide.
2. Adjusting the angle of the ejector nose so that ejected cases pass through the ejection port without hitting the slide.

Neither task is particularly difficult to do.

Buck

[cochise]

Thanks fellows. I'll try some Kroil Kano oil and use my nylon hammer.

[X-Mark]

If you can be without the pistol for awhile, I would call Colt and have them take care of it...

[ectomorph]

If you can be without the pistol for awhile, I would call Colt and have them take care of it...

If you do, plan on a 6 to 8 week wait. My last experience was: Colt rec'd the pistol on 10/31/11 and I got it back on 12/14/11. This was for a fairly simple repair.