Hello Mauser M03 fans.
Over on the discussion forum, an owner enquired about extractor problems. There might be some grit caught under the extractor, stopping it from keeping a tight grip on the case rim during extraction, causing unreliable ejection.
This was new to me so I decided to have a good look at the extractor design. I found that it was held in place by strong pressure from a spring and plunger pushing up on its lower end. I realised that there must be a hook or stud near the bottom of the extractor resting in a recess in the bolt head. I concluded that if I pushed the extractor down and out, it might come off. And it did, easier than I expected.
My method was to grip the extractor with my thumb and finger, with my thumbnail under the hook that normally grips the case rim. A slight twist side to side with my fingers caused the extractor to come free. The spring, plunger and ball seen in the pics below did not fly across the room. Working with my hands inside a clear plastic bag would have been insurance against this possibility.
With the extractor off I could see the cylinder shape at its lower end. Some would call this a nub; a retaining nub. I'm sure the Germans have a far more impressive name for it. Perhaps 'Gussstahl-Haltezapfen'. If I was to do this disassembly again I would look at using a narrow awl, inserted between the extractor and the bolt head, to gently lever the retaining nub out of the recess milled for it in the bolt head. I would be pushing the extractor down against the spring pressure, to relieve the contact pressure between the nub and the head. No need to invite chipping of the nub's edges.
I cleaned the ball, spring, plunger and the hole for them in the bolt head, then applied a small amount of grease, including to the end of the plunger and to the milled recess for the retaining nub.
Reassembly was easy enough. Locate the indent at the bottom end of the extractor onto the tip of the plunger and compress the spring, while pushing the lower end of the extractor inwards. The retaining nub engaged with the bolt head and the extractor stayed in place, but it was not fully seated. I needed to hold the bolt head with a firm grip and push the tip of the extractor against a piece of leather on the table top to compress the spring further. The extractor clicked fully into place. Phew.
The pictures below will help. The extractor is a complicated little casting. Don't break it! Regards, Rick.
