Trouble with SIG mag catch install

[Gun Noob]

Hi, I'm having some trouble getting my P6/225 back together and figured it wouldn't hurt to ask the experts here.

I detail stripped the pistol with the help of the armorer's DVD but can't get an empty mag to insert fully after reinstalling the mag catch.

The top of the mag bumps into the very edge of the mag catch unless I press the mag release button in a bit. After that, the mag locks in just fine and will drop free when I press the button again.

I've taken this back out and put it back in with the same results each time. The only thing I can think of is I either have the wrong spring (too long?) on the end of mag catch or there is a hole in the frame to seat the mag catch spring and I'm missing it.

Sorry to go on so long but I didn't want to be vague.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.

 

[runningfast]

Are you sure that the magazine catch assembly (in general) is assembled properly?

The actual removal isn't very tricky- the reinsertion is, though.

You need an incredibly thin point- a jeweler's flathead ought to work, 3/16" maybe?- and you need to depress the little detent on the side of the release. It's called the magazine catch stop. It's like the top half of a circle, and it's oriented towards the muzzle.

Depress that inwards fully, while keeping pressure on the magazine catch. As the magazine catch unseats itself (it will automatically, as its under pressure from the magazine catch spring), the magazine catch stop (the tiny bit you're depressing) is under pressure, too. Only let off gently- or it will go flying. This is especially bad because these parts are tiny. If you drop either the magazine catch stop or magazine catch stop spring, you're in for a search to find them.

That's the entire disassembly- it's just those four parts (magazine catch, magazine catch spring, magazine catch stop, magazine catch stop spring).

For reinsertion it's the same bit. Reinsert the magazine catch (with it seated fully on the magazine catch spring), and insert the magazine catch stop (with the magazine catch stop spring inserted behind that). At this point, the details are crucial.

The magazine catch top needs to be oriented exactly as it was when you removed the assembly- with the detent step vertical, looking at the gun from the side. If you align the catch stop improperly before depressing it and fully inserting and seating the catch, your magazine catch will be stuck. You'll require an absurdly thin implement with precise application to free it, again- or else have Sig drill out the frame.



That's how the catch stop needs to be oriented when you reinsert it.

This is the assembly in its totality:



Pardon the resolution- I couldn't really enlarge it much more without it being indecipherable.

The catch spring ought to be seated (it'll 'stay' unless you jerk it around) lightly behind the catch... the catch stop spring is seated a lot more tentatively in the catch stop and will pretty much drop away with perceptible movement.

I am thinking that if you botched the reassembly and/or reinsertion of any part of the catch assembly, it just wouldn't reseat itself comfortably at all (excepting maybe if you'd done everything properly but oriented the catch stop's step in the improper position).

Hopefully this post will help, in any case.

 

[Gun Noob]

Thank you so much for the fast and detailed reply.

Everything looks OK with the catch stop. It was mentioned in the DVD how it needs to be oriented just so in there or you'll never be able to get it back out. I've been able to both remove and reinstall it several times since I first took it out.

The catch spring in the DVD screen capture you posted looks just like the spring I'm using, too. If I've got the wrong one on there, I can't imagine where it is supposed to go. Everything went into a plastic cup as I took it apart and it's the only spring I have left to assemble on the frame. The slide was taken apart and reassembled with no problems the day before so I don't think it's from that.

I'll take some pics and post them later, if you don't mind taking a look at them. Maybe you could spot what I've done wrong.

Gotta get ready for work right now though. Thanks again for your time and expertise.

 

[Gun Noob]

OK, looks like we're getting rained out at work today so I took some pics.

click to enlarge

four pieces of the mag catch assembly:



this is the spring at the end of the mag catch:



Does it look like the spring is too long? I hope that's the right one because I don't have any others lying around here.

ready to install on the frame:



installed:



but the mag won't go all the way in without holding in the button:



small portion of the mag catch sticking out in the way:



mag blocked:



Hold the button in and the mag can go all the way in. Drops free when button is pressed:



I'm starting to believe I've got the wrong spring on the end of the mag catch but I don't have any other springs like that left in my container of parts to install.

 

[runningfast]

No, that looks about right to me. I guess perhaps it seems a mite long, but it's miniscule... probably just the angle.

I'm not sure what else it could be. If the magazine catch spring is seated (enough that it takes more than a gentle shake to unseat it), it ought to be totally horizontal when inserted.

Go over to sigforum.com and ask Chris.

 

[runningfast]

Gun Noob,

Word from on high is that you're using the proper parts. The only reasonable explanation is that you'd grown accustomed to a light, easy action in the catch, and after disassembly and cleaning you're just now experiencing the full 'protrusion', so to speak, of the catch's rear profile.

I've disassembled my SIG and looked at it and this explanation that was given to me makes sense.

Have you tried palming the magazine with some force? I think that's your best bet.

 

[Gun Noob]

Thanks for checking on that for me, RF. I don't have an email account through my ISP so I can't sign up at SIGforum. Looks like a good place, though.

I took your advice and it does work now. The first few times I had to force it in the mag well harder than I was comfortable with but it has eased up a bit now. Another difference is, I was using a new mag and the older ones that came with the gun went in easier.

This is my first time doing all this so I was hesitant to really jam it in there. Was afraid it would get stuck or something.

Thanks again for setting me straight. It is much appreciated.

Now I just have to get the rest of it back together...:banghead:

BTW, doesn't look like a 32 year old gun, does it?

 

[runningfast]

Hah, no problems. I'm glad it worked out for you. There is going to be a lot of tightness (and looseness in other places) you'll notice after your first detail strip and clean... you're doing it right!

That SIG is 30+ years old? Gorgeous condition, from the posted pictures. Family hand down?

 

[Gun Noob]

Got it back together and everything works good except there is no single action trigger pull. :banghead:

What did I do wrong?

 

[Gun Noob]

Hah, no problems. I'm glad it worked out for you. There is going to be a lot of tightness (and looseness in other places) you'll notice after your first detail strip and clean... you're doing it right!

That SIG is 30+ years old? Gorgeous condition, from the posted pictures. Family hand down?

It's one of those P6 police guns from Germany. Must have spent a lot of time in a holster because a lot of the finish is gone from the slide. The rails look like new, IMO. I say it's 30+ years old because the slide has "10 / 78" stamped on it. Is that the date of manufacture?

click to enlarge



If I can figure out how to get the trigger functioning right again, I'm going to get the slide refinished and some night sights installed and I'll be done with this one.

I want one of those P7 PSP's next but there is no way I'm taking one of those apart.

 

[Gun Noob]

Took it apart again and noticed I had installed the firing pin safety lever incorrectly. Don't think I had the sear meshing correctly with the hammer either but I fixed both of those and now it function checks 100%.

One thing that really helped was this video by Customized Creationz:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=S3K45jriTRE&feature=related

Some of the parts on the P6/225 are a bit different compared to the P226 used in the armorer's DVD so it helps to watch both videos if you're working on the P6/225.

At the 4:00 mark, he shows how to install the firing pin safety lever correctly. Turned out to be a big help to me so I thought I'd pass it along.