i was using a colt 6601 that had no problems, there was a blue insert in the extractor spring. the insert was changed to the black one. can you put the extractor spring in backwards,  any advice? the rifle had several failures to extract shells  the ammo and mags were fine

6601 is the 20" right? If the rifle wasn't having problems why did you change the extractor spring insert? Or, did you change the extractor sping [b]and[/b] its insert?

There is no difference, except color, between the blue inserts and the black inserts. The [b]military[/b] uses the colors to denote different spring weights. The [b]military[/b] considers the insert and spring to be one piece. Manufacturers and dealers are another matter. Companies often buy inserts and springs separately and assemble them at the company. It's easy to get a crappy spring with the [i]correct[/i] insert in it. Either weight spring will work in rifles.

Yes, you can put the spring in wrong, if you put it in upside down (small end down) you can cause the spring to compress and STAY compressed. If you do not snap the large end of the spring into the extractor you can cause excess tension on the extractor which can cause FTF.

[speeling]

it is the 20 inch,  i gave into peer pressure.  how do you tell the small end. they look alike to me,  are the H.D. spring from SAW better and how do you tell  which end is smaller.

Peer pressure? To change extractor spring inserts? When I was younger they all wanted to experiment with acetylene balloons and paper bags. Some crowd you must hang out with. [:D]

H.D. spring is better and of known good quality. The smaller end is smaller. One end should snap into the extractor recess the other end should not. Are you sure it's an extractor spring you're looking at?

yes i am sure about that,