I was given a Stevens 44 1/2 that was originally in 38-40. The bore doesn't look terribly bad, but enough issues I didn't want to try to save it. I'm fairly certain it was an octagon barrel, but for some reason someone decided to make it round and it looks like they used a bench grinder. I pick up a new barrel and fitted and chambered it in 32-20. I decided I had to replace the extractor because it was badly deformed and pitted. I was able to obtain a new one along with a sear from CPA rifle. However, it cam with instructions to install before chambering. Now that that boat has sailed any suggestions? I've been thinking to making a false barrel stub and fitting it to the action and then installing the extractor and then chambering it. I'm assuming with the extractor installed, you will have to chamber through the action? also how would you keep it place during the chambering process as the block has to be removed?

Suggestion or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Bob

One possibility, remember more than one way to skin a cat....
With the barrel on the action and extractor in place, pull extractor back and put a dab of Inletting Compound on the extractor then tap it gently into place.  Remove carefully and you will see the curve of the chamber marked on the back.  This gives you a reference.  I've set them in a Mill and used a Boring Head to cut it.  Then flip it over in the Vice and cut the rim recess.  This is assuming the Extractor fits the slot.  Good luck!  David

You may have to remove a little metal from the extractor, where the extractor is machined at an angle near where the hole for the lever bolt/pin is, for the action to fully open or close on the breech block. If you remove too much metal from the angle from the extractor, a shell case might slip by the extractor because the extractor opens too far. I believe CPA extractors now have a set screw to adjust this. I hope that this makes sense to you.

Boob D where do you Live?

In all the cases where I was fitting a new barrel, I roughed-out the extractor with files and the mill, using an old barrel having the same chamber.  Cut the new barrel's chamber on the lathe, then assemble the barrel with extractor and took the necessary light cuts with the reamer to finalize the extractor, driving the reamer by hand with a T-handle.   

If course, it sure helps to have an old barrel.  Seems I'm always able to find something in the tomato-stake bin.

I once designed a fixture to hold Stevens 44 extractors in the lathe, so I could cut them with a boring tool.  Never got made, and given the age-related slowdown in my gunsmithing, never will.

I followed the ssdave method for my rolling block I cut last week.  It came out great.  I don't remember where I heard about it, but it worked for me.  I made a fixture to hold the 67/89 Swede extractor (built up with tig weld) in a fixture so very little metal was above the mill vise jaws.  I cut the rim diameter first, then the case web diameter.  The beauty of this, is that the mill was left set for the rim diameter and not moved when the case web diameter was cut. There was a little touch up filing to do on the base diameter where the extractor meets the case body, but it was minimal and the extractor works like a charm.