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Normal wear... or damage to my gun?

Dispatcher

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
311
Location
Virginia, , USA
imported post

I was at the range earlier today firing some Blazer .40 cal ammo and I noticed that my Sig p239 does NOT like this particular ammo. I had a jam once every reload at least. Just to make sure it's the ammo and not my gun I bought some PMC .40's and fired.... Fired like a dream.

Anyways, I get home from the range and sit down to clean my Sig P239 and noticed this:

Here is probably the best one I can give: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3661/3388848019_f489e298ee.jpg?v=0

And the one on the front of the slide:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3463/3388848029_ebb362e315.jpg?v=0

Overall picture: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3423/3389583478_aaf21d50b8.jpg?v=0

That's a pic of my P239 grip assembly. You will see where somehow the black coating was ripped away. The gun still fires ok, I'm just wondering is this something I should be concerned about? Is there a way to repair it? Do I even need to repair it?

Thanks.
 

IanB

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2006
Messages
1,896
Location
Northern VA
imported post

Nothing to worry about. That's normal slide / frame wear for a Sig. You will also notice what's called "smilies"where the slide drags on the barrel during breech unlocking due to the barreltilt.

One note of advice: I carry a little ziplock bag with oil and q-tips when I take my Sig to the range. Before I shoot, I field strip the sig and use the q-tip to apply oil to the top and bottom of the rails where the slide rides them. Never shoot your sig with dry rails. And don't overdo it on the oil, just a light coating is necessary and will last for 300 rounds or so, then you can re-apply more oil.
 

darthmord

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 10, 2008
Messages
998
Location
Norfolk, Virginia, USA
imported post

Keep in mind that some jams that occur like yours can be the result of too little lubrication. I was having a hell of a time with one of my handguns until I oiled it a bit more than I thought was necessary. There after, as long as I kept it well oiled, it shot fine.

My expectations of 'enough oil' was less than what the gun liked.
 

T Dubya

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
914
Location
Richmond, Va, ,
imported post

nakedshoplifter wrote:
SNIP: That's normal slide / frame wear for a Sig. You will also notice what's called "smilies"where the slide drags on the barrel during breech unlocking due to the barreltilt.

One note of advice: I carry a little ziplock bag with oil and q-tips when I take my Sig to the range.


So much for SiG being a SHTF gun.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
imported post

Sigs like to be run "wet" - significantly more lube than you think ought to be there. This is just what makes them happy.

For range work you can drip your favorite liquid lube on the rails and along the top of the barrel before you start, and maybe every 100 rounds afterwards, and not see much of what you experienced.

For "social" work and day-to-day carry there is not much damage done by wiping off a bit more lube and keeping your holster from getting stained, or if you use plastic from having it run down onto your pants.

Another way to avoid the problem is to switch from liquid lube to grease. Not as much is needed and it lasts longer. Just be sure to check at least once a week to see if you are picking up lint or other "stuff" on the grease.

stay safe.

skidmark
 

Walleye

Regular Member
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
309
Location
Manhattan, Kansas, USA
imported post

Standard wear for SIGs. My 226 has most of that wear at the rear of the slide rails; it's typical for almost all pistols. My S&W M39 has similar wear on the rails as well.

I probably use too much oil, but I'll put a few drops of oil on the rails, put the slide back on, and cycle it a few times, then wipe off the excess. I don't tend to baby my pistols a lot, but SIGs are service pistols - mishandling is to be expected! ;)
 

PT111

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
2,243
Location
, South Carolina, USA
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T Dubya wrote:
nakedshoplifter wrote:
SNIP: That's normal slide / frame wear for a Sig. You will also notice what's called "smilies"where the slide drags on the barrel during breech unlocking due to the barreltilt.

One note of advice: I carry a little ziplock bag with oil and q-tips when I take my Sig to the range.


So much for SiG being a SHTF gun.

+1

This thread really makes me wonder why anyone would want a Sig if you have to baby them that much.
 

redlegagent

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2008
Messages
201
Location
, , Tajikistan
imported post

Birchwood-Casey moly lube spray works nice on rails etc. Spray it on to a q-tip and apply along the rails etc. It drys to a gray, slippery coat which lasts a while and won't attract dust. ;)
 

deepdiver

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
5,820
Location
Southeast, Missouri, USA
imported post

PT111 wrote:
T Dubya wrote:
nakedshoplifter wrote:
SNIP: That's normal slide / frame wear for a Sig. You will also notice what's called "smilies"where the slide drags on the barrel during breech unlocking due to the barreltilt.

One note of advice: I carry a little ziplock bag with oil and q-tips when I take my Sig to the range.


So much for SiG being a SHTF gun.

+1

This thread really makes me wonder why anyone would want a Sig if you have to baby them that much.
I certainly haven't experienced any of that with my P228. If I haven't fired it lately, every few weeks I just field strip, wipe it down, use some gun butter on the contact points, reassemble, cycle by hand a few times and go. When I take it to the range I take it as is for carry adding no extra lube (if I can't just pull it from the holster in "carry condition" and put rounds through it I don't want to be carrying it). I usually shoot about 200 rds on range days without adding lube and have not had a single FTF or FTE with it.
 
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