I have a Springfield that seems to be a "keeper". Very very accurate with everything I run through it. Feeds everything. Every bit as tight as a custom gun.

Have changed out everything MIM (I have a stock of Colt parts which I bought for a song from a shop closing so it's not expensive for me to do that).

Changed out everything, that is, except the ejector. Discovered it isn't pinned (since there's no sign of a pin in the slide grooves). So that must mean it's press fit or Loctite'd, or both.

I want to change it, but don't want to destroy it if I don't have to (can use it elsewhere).

Any secret to repacing it, or just grab it and yank it out?  Like freezing it first, etc?

And when replacing it with a non-MIM, how reliable is the new one going to be if it isn't pinned? Is red (272) Loctite enough to keep it in place long term?

Thanks.

A little heat will loosen it up. Red will work to keep it in. Many people want them pinned for retention but if you think about it, it's not going anywhere when the slide it on the frame.

Thanks. Do you know if Springfield uses loctite on them, or are they a press fit?

Would also appreciate your opinion on it as a base gun intended for lots of shooting.

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The ejector is the one MIM part that I have not replaced on my Operator.  After looking at the "problem", I decided there was more chance to screwing something up and making things worse instead of better.  Mine works, has roughly 2000 rounds through it and has never failed to do its job.  I figure if it were going to break, it would have done so already.  I'll leave it until it just wears out and then worry about getting it pried out and I'll likely have a hole drilled then as well.

No ejector pin on current Springfield pistols??  WTF!!  Totally unacceptable and near impossible to repair.

I have 2 older Springfields and both have ejector pins.  Looks like Springfield will do everything they can to cut corners these days.  Very disappointing and yet another reason my next 1911 will be Caspian.

Just had to rant.

Quoted: No ejector pin on current Springfield pistols??  WTF!!  Totally unacceptable and near impossible to repair. I have 2 older Springfields and both have ejector pins.  Looks like Springfield will do everything they can to cut corners these days.  Very disappointing and yet another reason my next 1911 will be Caspian. Just had to rant.

I have heard that some do have the ejector pin, but none I have looked at recently did.  I'm with you on the Caspian.  Mine should be done this week and I can't wait.

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Hobbs is totally correct on drilling that hole, a oversize Springfield frame I got from Brownells about 10 yrs ago didn't have the ejector hole drilled and since this was a custom build I figured it should have it. After measuring, indicating and setting up to drill I got about halfway through the frame when the bit snapped and separated into about 3 longitudinal pieces. I remeasured, indicated and drilled from the other side, hit the bit hoping to push it a little way but no luck. Final recourse was to cut a slot inside the magwell to relieve the pressure, as soon as I broke through the bit came out, from there I welded the slot back up and started over again. What a treat that was

Well, dang. Then I guess I'll try every solvent known to man, and then some heat if that doesn't work. No way am I going to drill for a pin or ask someone else to though. I figure the ejector is a really high stress part and if anything's gonna break, that's it. And it's going to be shot a lot.

Ticks me off to have to change it too, because I like the frame, slide and barrel fit enough to put some time into it to make it a gun I can trust.

Tempest, I'm with you--could do a pretty good rant myself about cutting corners. But since Caspian frames are now all cast there's no way I'm buying one. I know, I know, many well qualified smiths have no problem with them, but I ain't gonna do it.

Thanks for the input guys. 'Preciate it.

You obviously know what you're doing, but from what I have read, you may be over-reacting a bit on this.  If an MIM part is going to break, its going to break pretty quickly.  If it holds together for a few hundred rounds, it will hold together for thousands.  I'm not a fan of MIM and I have a broken CMC thumb safety in my parts drawer right now, but this may be a case of the cure being worse than the disease.

imcoltsguy:  I'm not a big fan of cast parts either, but Caspian castings come from the Ruger foundry.  I have several Ruger guns and all are top notch.  Ruger makes parts for several other industries (including cruise missiles) and would not be in business if there were problems.

Ruger is the one cast manufacturer that I have no problems buying guns from.  They seem to have the process down pat.

Sorry for the highjack.  YMMV

ETA:  I too would leave it for now.  If it breaks, then replace it (or send it back to Springfield and ask THEM to replace it and drill the hole they forgot).  Trying to remove the now semi-permanent part may cause more problems than it is worth.

 I am not envious of your problem.  Most likely Cheapfield Armory is using Black Max or something similar.  They were using Loctite Green ( really nasty stuff ) for a while.  You can torch it out or leave it....it'll probably good right where it is.  I f I was gonna drill that WEEEEEE yet DEEEEEEP hole with such a tiny bit......I'd use a damn good bit and I would drill VERY, VERY, VERY slowly.  I would pull the bit often and lube constantly.....


and PRAY often.

Got lucky. Used a couple of solvents including Kroil, and a little force. It's out--not damaged in the slightest (that sucker is hard metal, lemme tell ya, harder than bar stock anyway). Looks like Springer used blue loctite or something light colored. I'll use the take-off ejector in a play gun project.  It now wears a perfectly-matched-slip-right-in Colt ejector with some red loctite and no cross pin.  


This one is going to be my car gun so it's got to work. You know, one that you are certain will run every time but not so expensive that if somebody liberates it you're out upwards of $1,000. So I can't have any parts in it I don't trust 100%. It's finished, and right now I figure I've got less than $550 in the gun, and [IMHO anyway] it's a better pistola than any factory Springer or Kimber at twice the price.

I truly appreciate all the comments, folks, especially from the guys who do this for a living. Thanks for taking time out to be here with us.

I have a SA GI champion - a little over a year old.

The ejector IS Pinned