Chances are, you won’t realize that you need the TandemKross Extractor Service Tool until you really need it. I’ve had mine for quite some time, and figured that I would get around to writing an article about it at some point.
Well, that day arrived. I took out one of my 10/22-based firearms, and it went bang every time, but absolutely refused to extract the spent casings. When I got home, I took it apart to clean it. Barrel was clean, chamber looked clean. Got out my wire brush to clean the bolt face, and noticed the extractor was missing. Even more surprising, the plunger and spring had also escaped. How the entire extractor assembly managed to disappear is a mystery. Replacing them was easy though, thanks to the Extractor Service Tool.
TandemKross Extractor Service Tool for Ruger® 10/22®
Looking a bit like a fancy stainless toothpick, the Extractor Service Tool has a hook on one end, and a carefully designed cut-out at the other. It makes quick work of removing and installing extractors. For those that shoot suppressed, or just high volumes of filthy ammo, it’s great for scraping the extractor channel as well. I’d normally offer a bit more of a description, but there’s not much else to it. Well, it does say [TANDEMKROSS] on the side.
How does it work?
If you’ve never removed and replaced a 10/22 extractor, you may not appreciate this as much. The plunger has to be pulled back against the spring, so that the extractor can be taken out. Using the Extractor Service Tool, just place the hook over the plunger (below the extractor), and pull down until the other end hooks over the back of the bolt. Then the extractor just falls out. Install a new extractor, or reinstall the original, and release the tension on the plunger/spring. Done. It’s really that simple.
When doing a full teardown or deep clean, remove the entire extractor, plunger, and spring assembly. Then you can use the tool as a scraper to get into the channel, which hopefully isn’t too fouled up.
Compatibility
Note that the Extractor Service Tool works with Ruger OEM bolts, and TandemKross Krossfire bolts. It may or may not work on other aftermarket bolts. I used it on a Pike Arms bolt from Tactical Innovations, and it worked perfectly.
Who needs this, besides me?
Previously, I used a dental pick combined with a string of profanity to swap extractors. Every 10/22 variant or clone I have built in the last few years, which is probably a couple dozen, has had the extractor replaced (read why here). And I have helped friends upgrade their rifles. Each time, I used the dental pick, and sometimes it went smoothly, but most of the time I ended up swearing a bit.
Totally unrelated to this conversation, I do keep extra extractor springs and plungers on hand. Because I’ve certainly never had a spring and plunger fly out and get lost. Okay, that’s a lie. Seriously though, the Extractor Service Tool just makes it so easy, I wish I had gotten mine sooner. If you do a lot of maintenance on your own rifle, or have friends with 10/22s, it just makes sense. And as mentioned, if you shoot suppressed, or that “bucket o’ bullets”, you’ll probably want this as well.
Should you order this $12.99 tool?
While I don’t suggest you purchase this by itself, if you’re ordering any other parts and accessories from the TandemKross website, throw one in your cart. You won’t regret it. It just makes extractor maintenance so much easier.
As always, I’d like to thank TandemKross for providing their Extractor Service Tool for my testing and evaluation. They continue to innovate and not only make good guns great, but they make servicing them that much less of a chore.