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How reliable are "glued-in" ejectors?

6K views 43 replies 30 participants last post by  Jerry Keefer 
#1 ·
OMG I just noticed that my new Springfield 1911 9mm has a glued-in ejector! Will that stay in place or can I figure on it coming loose in the future. I really can't believe for the money they are gluing on parts. In the past I have played around with tuning ejectors by changing length/angle how are you suppose to do that if needed with it glued in?
 
#2 ·
I would have the ejector pin in place. Loc tite is good for screws not so much for use as a glue. Yes it will come loose eventually. If you start having FTE, FTB
and you notice your slide cycling slower check your ejector. You will find the ejector worked loose and is pushing against the bottom of the slide. Don't understand why S/A does that. But then there are a few things they do I don't understand except it's cheaper to glue in then to do a proper job of pinning it in place.

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#3 ·
SA glues them in partly because it saves them time, money and drill bits. But the main reason is because the company that sells them the adhesive swears it will work just fine. And SA believed them. Considering what an SA costs I can't believe they won't bother to drill and pin them.
 
#4 ·
The front leg of the ejector in my RO Compact is loose and was probably so from the factory. On this forum, other have said that Springfield will drill and install a pin if desired. But, I'm not sure that's a good idea with the alloy frame. The only problem it has shown so far is that removing the slide from the frame can be difficult, but doable. I've attempted to pull the ejector out without success. The rear leg is adhering quite well.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Read through Volume 1 of Kuhnhausen.

The older manual pin method was not all that simple and required a very good eye.

The factory probably had some more automated methods to mark the leg for the pin cut.

An under-size punch to make a mark on the leg would speed things up.

Or a special cutter to make the pin notch in the leg.

But skilled hand work is an expensive thing.

Loctite (a likely vendor for the 'glue') has long experience in anaerobic locking compounds.

With the already tight tolerancing of the legs and holes it probbaly did not challenge them all that much.

Their compounds hold parts on aircraft.

Whatever 'grade' of compound it is generally requires some heat to soften and remove the part.

While I enjoy the workmanship on a well assembled 1911 this does not bother me on a production type gun.

Let alone the engineering to improve the performance of the task.
 
#7 ·
I've had zero issues with glued on cones on coned barrels - after 10s of thousands of rounds. There is a video of Larry Vickers explaining he glues ejectors in for his builds, but those use Wilson Combat ejectors that don't have two legs and instead a large tab that inserts into a machined slot in the frame.
 
#16 · (Edited)
It can be. I've test fired guns where I've had the ejector in the frame with no glue or pin and the ejector can lift up and slow slide speed down, or worse case, jam the gun up.

The Springfield glue is pretty strong. I use a MAP gas torch to heat it up for removal. I still think pinning it is better but their glue works for the most part.

A suggestion I can make is if anyone feels that it is a big enough issue, take advantage of Springfield offering to do it. There isn't a lot of room for error between the magwell and the disconnector hole and it's pretty easy for a drill to walk through one side. You need to be very precise when locating and drilling the hole.
 
#17 ·
I have had two S/A EMPs ejectors come loose , one jammed up the gun, one fell out while stripping it down for a thorough cleaning, First time S/A said send it back or clean the pins and holes and use red locktite ,
I opted to send it back and they pinned it, they paid shipping both ways. the second loose ejector on a second EMP happened 2 years after I bought it, again they paid all shipping and pinned it,
At that time the C/S girl said it was becoming a common problem with so many coming back for pinning.
I have wondered if it was the aluminum frame that contributed to this happening, or just bad tolerances, both ejectors pins were a fairly loose fit to the holes.
Of course if the holes or pins were not contaminant free when glued, that may have contributed to the failures .
 
#18 ·
There was a complaint about a failed glue job on another brand. Turned out to be a FDG. A Failure to DeGrease. Hope that apprentice got caned.

Interesting, though. Once upon a time is was usual to say that if you wanted a .45-9mm caliber convertible, just set the appropriate ejector in place and let the slide retain it. Now we have a loose ejector dragging the slide down.
 
#21 ·
Glued ejectors are okay for a RANGE gun. However I carry every day for self defense and I will NOT bet my life on glued in place parts. That's insane to bet your life on glue. Yes it saves time which saves money and is fine for pistols laying in a sock drawer which get shot once or twice a year. Which is what the makers like to think it's okay to use glue. WHICH IS WRONG THINKING ON THEIR PART. Yes it took a couple years before mine shot loose. Thank God I was in a match and NOT in a life and death shooting. I know IF I had a glued ejector come loose and jam my pistol AND I was lucky enough to survive I would be hiring an attorney and file suit against the maker. It just is not worth the cost savings to open ones company to such liability.

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#26 ·
Hi Log Chuck and Jerry , Evolution.

I would take the dissenting opinion.
when an ejector fails typically it is one leg, front or back.
When you pin (well) you lock down the front leg. I think the tendency is to hold by one leg and if you happen to own an ejector with the legs square where it meets the body you may be sad eventually.

If you first degreased the frame than used the primer to get 100% cure (copper makes it green and acts as an activator, lessons learned by spending lots O dough on UPS guns back and fourth for comps turning) Like Log said in Aluminum and SS you never fully cure without it.

Holding with interplanitary locktite on both legs would seem an advantage as it shares the load on both legs.

That and 1.40 will get you a cup of coffee at wawa, but not starbucks.

best
geo

www.egwguns.com
celebrating 26 years this month!
thank you for the work!
 
#27 · (Edited)
This is the fixture I use to secure and position the ejector while cutting the leg slot or drilling the frame.. If the frame is not drilled, and I encounter almost zero undrilled frames in the bullseye game, I locate according to print, and after center drilling, I use a center cutting end mill to create a pilot bore that helps prevent the drill from walking.. Pecking is my feeding method.. Hello George...
 
#28 ·
So far I have not had them fail in my 45 or 9mm ROs. Interesting that SA pins the front dovetailed sight in those. Also I was impressed that the last three digits of the serial number is hand engraved on the bottom of the slide. Makes me think they at least keep the frame and slide together at some stage in assembly.



I assume the stamped number is an inventory control number for the slide. There is another, different, stamped number under the left grip panel on the frame.
 
#31 ·
Might want to stone out that roughness in the disconnect or track. Makes for a smoother feeling action. They use to put the serial number on the disconnect or track. Glad they moved it to a non mating surface.

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#33 ·
For what it's worth, there's a thread about 1911 ejectors going over on amtguns.com, http://www.amtguns.info/amt-hardballer-long-slide-questions_topic2188.html

"On a regular 1911, there is a cross pin holding the front leg of the ejector into the frame. It runs between the frame rails. My gun had no pin or pin hole, but instead had the ejector was tig welded in place. The weld was in the middle where the cut-out would normally be giving you clearance to pry it out. I had to cut the weld to get the ejector to lift out."

Of course, AMT's 1911s were known to be... different.
 
#39 ·
I would think welding is even worse than glue from a repair standpoint. I just purchased this gun new about a month ago and it performs flawlessly but the glue thing is a bummer on that type of gun. Even my Zig 1911 is pinned and has a better fitting barrel.
 
#34 · (Edited)
I just bought my new Springfield all stainless 9mm RO this past Wednesday and I took it to the range on Thursday putting 150-200 rounds through it, the more I shot it the more fte's I had. The ejector wasn't loose but you could put a spent brass under the extractor hook, turn the slide over and the brass would just easily fall out. I also could not fully insert the magazine without the slide being locked back. So it got mailed back to Springfield yesterday, nice people but I shouldn't have to do this.

Both my emp4 and xds.45 required polishing and deburring the feed ramps to feed properly as well as cleaning foreign debris from the internals before they would work fine, both have been perfect since but the glued ejector in my emp doesn't make me feel good, love the gun but ,,,,,,5-1-17, as an addition to the above statement I have since examined the emp4 and found the ejector to be indeed pinned on the front leg from Springfield new, no concern to be found there.
 
#35 ·
I think you mean extractor hook not ejector, right? In my experience most factory mass produced guns lack extractor tension, especially enough to hold a round without support from the magazine underneath.


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