Problems with new SIG... help!!

[STAGE 2]

I guess trouble comes in pairs. I picked up a new 220 last week and decided to pull it out today and have some fun with my snap caps. Well, after trying about 10 times I still couldn't get the stupid thing to chamber a snap cap. I'll press the slide release and the slide will go about halfway forward and the cap will jam between the feed ramp and face of the slide in front of the firing pin.

Whats more I almost have to grab the pistol with both hands just to get the slide release down. What gives?

Ive shot lots of sigs (never a 220 though) and the slide release was one of the lighter ones that I have come across. This one almost refuses to budge. Sig guys, PLEASE help.

 

[GRP]

The P220 is a 45 ACP Pistol. The recoil spring is most likely a lot stouter than a 9 mm.

 

[cslinger]

SIG P220s have stout recoil springs.

So are you saying the only problem you have is with snap caps? If so I wouldn't worry about it. I have had snap caps work in some guns, not work in others, had one snap cap work and another not in the same gun. Snap caps are not made to the same tolerances of real ammo.

 

[STAGE 2]

The problem is not only the snap caps (which are the nice metal ones that look close enough to actual bullets, that have also worked flawlessly in all of my other .45s) but also the fact that the slide release is an absolute bear.

Of all of the sigs that I have shot, none of them have felt like this. Granted none of them were .45, but then again none of my other .45's, 1911, S&W, Beretta require even half of this much effort to get the slide to close. It is to the point to where I pretty much have to hold the gun with 2 hands to exert force on the slide release. I know there is a break in period but this is ridiculous.

 

[antsi]

I don't know if they still do, but SIGs used to come from the factory slathered in a gummy, cosmoline-like anticorrosive slime. If your gun is acting gummed-up, try a thorough cleaning with solvent then re-lube with a proper lubricant. I have always bought my SIGs used so I've never had this issue with a new gun, but I have had problems with new SIG magazines that cleared up after cleaning off the goo.

If that doesn't help, try the folks at SIGforum.com

PS: My SIGs manuals say that what you are calling a "slide release" is a slide stop. According to some SIG enthusiasts, this means the slide stop is meant to be used in locking the slide back, not for releasing the slide. On this theory, SIGs are meant to be used with the "rack and release" method. Some folks on SIGforum have reported their slide stop notch wore out from using the slide stop as a slide release, and then the slide doesn't lock back reliably.

PPS: Based on past experience, some other people are going to say that the above PS is nonsense, and you should use the slide stop for whatever you want to use it for. I don't honestly know for sure whether it matters or not, but since some people have raised it as a possible problem I thought you might want to know.

 

[waterhouse]

As antsi said, if you haven't given it a good cleaning yet, try that.

I've never had trouble getting the slide to drop using the slide stop/slide release. If the problem persists after cleaning don't hesitate to call SIG. Typically you just leave a message and they will call you back within about 10 minutes to talk about your problem (this saves you from waiting on hold.) I've only called them twice over the years, but they were very helpful both times.

 

[orangeninja]

First things first....have you fired the gun? If not, then don't expect it to feed out of spec snap caps when it's brand new and tight from the factory. I've had guns, (good ones) not feed a snap cap....I had one gun break a snap cap....don't judge a pistol by cheap snap caps...even ones that look like bullets.

 

[fritz1]

My P220 is the same way with the slide release, I can useually release it with one hand but after a few nagazines it stiffens up to where I have to use two thumbs to make it go, I was afraid of breaking it, I never used the caps though

The post above regarding pulling the slide and racking method might be my alternative if it doesn't smooth out, my gun is also new 3-400 rnds

 

[Master Blaster]

Hey Fritz1 How many jams have you had in your first 100 rounds??

The recoil spring on my new P220 feels like its about 50lbs, its by far the most difficult slide to rack on any handgun I have ever owned. I had 40 jams in 50 rounds fired yesterday. It seemed to jam worse with ball ammo than with the semi-wadcutters. All of my jams have been FTEs where the extractor slips off the fired case, and then jams the next round into the unextracted case.

My P220 may be on its way back to exeter very soon.

The CS rep told me it would take 500 rounds to break it in and to use "very hot ammo" whatever that means.

If I take all 6 of my 1911s with a colletive 20,000 rounds fired, the P220 has jammed more than all of them put together.

and I bought it because of its proported reliability

 

[fritz1]

Master Blaster I've had no jams in my gun at all, with the exeption of one time when a female friend of mine who is new to shooting was shooting it and the slide did not strip a round completely and I have to assume or hope it was user error I'll never know for sure

other than that I have had zero failiures, as for the spring is yours painted with green colour? the 45 is stiff and is harder to rack than any other gun I have the green colour on mine is to identify the heavy spring which allows use of +p ammo

My gun was shooting flyers when new but after breack in or after me getting used to it the groups tightened up nice it still shoots very low at 25 yards and 15 yards, I put 7 rnds all one raged hole at 10 yards in Ben Laden's face picture target consistantly, I would give it a thorogh cleaning and lude good if that doesn't help then definately call Sig.

 

[GoBrush]

BREAK THAT PUPPY IN

I have 2 Sigs and have NEVER hat a jam or any other malfunction for that matter. I think you just need to take it to the range and feed it about 500 rounds.

Good Luck