Sig P229 slide lock problems

[txinvestigator1]

I have found that a lot of these smi-auto pistols "need" a break-in period. The best solution is to continue to fire several hundred rounds of hot or full load ammo through them. I would rather have a pistol with tight tolerances that has a few break-in snags than one that rattles but fires every bullet you feed it. MY example is a Walther P-99 40 cal. From the begining it had trouble feeding certain ammo and the slide would not close all the way ( when using Sellier&Belliot). Also it had a nasty habit of ejecting some rounds straight back near your face. I too thought I had a POS, but stopped myself from honing out the chamber. After about 500 to 600 rounds of ammo, all problems went away. Now the same ammo feeds without any problems. The grouping that this gun will shoot is amazing. Five shots at 25 feet combat stance, it will put all five bullets in the one inch circle of the center of a Yellow Defender 844-yf Silhouhette target. Never bench rested this gun, but I imagine it could shoot one ragged hole? I am so glad I resisted fiddling with the gun until it had time to break-in on its own. The weapon has never jammed or failed to feed after the break-in using all kinds of ammo....now on my 5 or 6 th case of thousand round ammo. I would hesitate to grab any new semi-auto out of the box and use it on the streets as my service weapon.....until my break-in period has been achieved and the gun has proven itself to me.

600 rounds? My Kimber did not need that much break in. :p

[sniper350]

600 rds, that's only an afternoon of having fun........for me <smile>
Not too much time to spend with a friend that may save my life!

Jim

[Greenman]

The problem is the slide catch lever spring. A little adjustment is all that is needed. I have repaired many, many SIG's that had this problem. What happens is the factory slide catch lever spring is a tad bit too strong for the mag follower/spring to push up when empty. Going to a stronger mag spring is only a temporary remedy as with use the mag spring gets weaker and then it is back to the same problem. A slight tweak on the slide catch spring, use fingers only, and your SIG will operate correctly.
One way to look at the problem. A 20lb. spring trying to push up a 22lb. opposition and attempting to do so in a nano- second.

[Joeyd6]

The problem is the slide catch lever spring. A little adjustment is all that is needed. I have repaired many, many SIG's that had this problem. What happens is the factory slide catch lever spring is a tad bit too strong for the mag follower/spring to push up when empty. Going to a stronger mag spring is only a temporary remedy as with use the mag spring gets weaker and then it is back to the same problem. A slight tweak on the slide catch spring, use fingers only, and your SIG will operate correctly.
One way to look at the problem. A 20lb. spring trying to push up a 22lb. opposition and attempting to do so in a nano- second.

Greenman,

Welcome. But your first post should have been in RAP sheets. Then you should of looked at the date. This post was from 2004. 4 years ago with no activity. While your advice is helpful, it is extremely late! Try not to post in old threads.

As a side note, your advice is a "quick fix" to a problem that will go away with the proper break-in of the weapon. I am a Sig Armorer and Colt Armorer and it is highly stressed by the manufacturers not do adjust the springs during the first 1000 rounds, until the weapon is broken in. Adjusting the spring now (when not broken in), will eventually lead to more problems when the gun is broken in, and causes premature spring wear. Firearms instructors need to read the manual of the weapons they teach on. It clearly states how many rounds are recommended for break in. And a range/firearms instructor worth their weight will make sure each student puts that many rounds through the first day they get the gun.

We just issued new Sig 229s to all our agents. The day at the range went issue...shoot non-stop till lunch (rapid close fire to get rounds out) for 3 and a half hours. By lunch each gun had over 1500 rounds through it. Lunch. And then shoot for 2 and a half hours. Anther 1200 got through them. Then cleaning for an hour. Nobody left with an issue.