I need a little more tension on the case head in a pre 64 Model 70. I've bent the tail of the extractor some and it did help a little. What else do I need to do? Should I give a claw a whack? I'm hoping JWisner will chime in.

If I have the bolt out of the receiver and put a case up under the extractor, it will fall out fairly easily on its own.
Thanks
Phil

Adjustments to the ears of the extractor collar can tighten the extractor on the bolt. This will set the extractor in closer to the bolt body. I do this first and bend the extractor as a last resort.

The second bite of the extractor can be adjusted with a die grinder and the proper stone. The second bite of the extractor runs radially in the groove just behind the bolt face. I've seen where the second bite of the extractor is too tall keeping the extractor from making good contact with the extraction groove on the cartridge case.

Bending of the extractor obviously can lead to breakage of the part. Bending of the extractor will also cause the extractor to pull the extractor collar out where it drag the inside of the action making for poor bolt cycling. It's also possible for bent extractors to drag on the inside of the action causing poor cycling of the bolt as well.

I tried adjusting the ears of the collar but it caused the extractor to drag on the bolt lug making bolt closing somewhat difficult. That's what made me this maybe I needed to tighten up the claw???? I'll give the second bite of the extractor a close inspection as you suggested.
Thanks
Phil

First try a different brand of ammo/case.
Sometimes the groove depth is smaller or larger on one brand than another brand of case.

Normally I set up the extractor hook to move .008" - .009" out away from the case when inserted into the bolt face, to allow for this type of groove depth changes between ammo/case brands

If this is not the problem then someone more than likely adjusted/ground on your extractor hook at one point in its life, and did not understand what they needed to properly do to it.

What Timan is talking about I have done sometimes, BUT and this is a big BUT, as you state the extractor is now rubbing on the outside edge of the right hand lug, so this means the metal is all ready gone.

A new extractor is now needed, and then properly fitted. The small ridge normally rides in the matching groove machined into the bolt head. This keeps the extractor from moving front to rear. The next small/mid size recess will clear the side/front edge of the bolt head. So a small amount of metal can be removed from those areas IF the hook is just very slightly loose vs the case.

When fitting a new extractor, it is installed and the bolt operated many times to wear in these two surfaces. Then by checking the cases to the extractor hook, any small final adjustment can be made to allow the hook to move away from the case the .008" - .009" mentioned earlier. Final polish work to the hook is done to allow the hook to ride over the case rim when loaded into the chamber.

Yes the M70 with its .090" thick hook is designed to drop a cartidge in the chamber and then close the bolt allowing the extractor hook to ride up and over the cartidge rim. A Mauser 98 with its .045" thick hook is not designed to do this.

J Wisner

Thank you very much for the information and your time.
Phil