Upgrading my Competition 226ST (Lots of Photos 56k beware)

[PPGMD]

Last week I got the Gray Guns Inc Upgrade Kit and the GGI Stainless Guide Rod. I didn't have a cup tipped punch so I ordered one and installed it on Monday. I installed it in my P226R ST that has the GGI Competition Reduced Reset Action Package with Tungsten Guide Rod. This one was done before he developed the Titanium Firing pin block, so it's an upgrade for me.

For those that don't know the Gray Guns Competition Upgrade kit includes the following:
Reduced Power Main Springs (19x and 17x)
Reduced Power Sear Spring
Increased Power Firing Pin Spring (because competition shooters dry a lot)
Reduced Power Firing Pin Block Spring
Titanium Firing Pin Block
Replacement Firing Pin Position Pin (this is a one time use pin)

Anyways you can read more about the kit here:
http://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/430601935/m/9141039551/p/1

The start, and most of the tools I need to start working.


Field Stripped.


Grips off, I haven't cleaned this in a while.


The locking insert, spring, and take down lever. Note the that the area near the feed ramp is polished.


Both sides of the trigger parts, included is the trigger sent with the gun when it was at GGI. Note how the original full sized trigger, trigger pivot pin, trigger bar are polished.



Main spring seat, main spring, and hammer strut. Not how the hammer strut is polished.


Both sides of the fire control parts, the sear safety lever, sear, and pivot pin. Note that the sides are polished. The safety lever is blurred out, Bruce asked me not to show that part, I forgot to substitute it with a stock lever, but since it's blurred you can see how silver and polished it is.



Various views of the hammer and pivot pin. Note how both are polished.




Decocking lever, bearing and spring. Note that the lever and bearing are polished.

 

[PPGMD]

Part two

Two views of the overtravel stop.



The frame is stripped, now to move onto the slide.



Stripping out the barrel, guide rob, and spring. The bottom guide rod is the Tungsten guide rod, the top of the replacement from GGI.


A picture of the polished feed ramp. It's a little dirty, like I said it's been a while since I cleaned it.


The extractor, pin, and spring. Note that the extractor is polished.


The firing pin, firing pin block, firing pin block spring, firing pin spring, and firing pin position pin. Also pictured is the upgraded firing pin block, and the new springs from the Competition upgrade kit.


Here is a picture of the springs, and parts that were replaced. Note the firing pin position pin, that is the what it's like after a few thousand rounds, and a crap load of dry firing.


Assembled and ready to grease. I intended to do another set of grease instructions, but the grease just isn't that visible on the stainless gun.


Assembled and ready to go to the range.



Initial dry fire impression of the parts: I can definitely feel the difference in single action, it was already crisp with little stacking. Now I almost don't feel the firing pin block being disengaged.

Also the new stainless guide rod is a lot easier to insert into the gun with a Wolff recoil spring compared to the older tungsten design. Previously I dreaded field stripping the gun because it took forever to get the guide rod and spring in, now it's not nearly as much trouble.

Range Report:

7 Yards, 50 rounds, 6 double action trigger pulls, rapid fire after the first 10 rounds.

The trigger pulls is fantastic, I don't shoot this gun as much as I should (it's just too heavy I find myself practicing more with my alloy framed Sigs, and just pulling the ST out for matches).

As I mentioned in the initial impressions, you can't feel the lifting of the firing pin safety at all during the range, unless I stop and that is all I concentrate on.

The Double Action is what you would expect from a GGI gun, smooth, and relatively light.

Accuracy, well I was using range reloads, and firing rapid fire, I wish there were less flyers outside the red zone, but it's well within my accuracy zone. Well within the area of a lower A zone. on an IPSC target.

 

[Retro]

excellent pistol... great pictures.