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Sig P226 Question


nhglyn

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Just got my first Sig, a P226 in 357 Sig caliber.

The manual shows disassembly only as far as field stripping. Can anyone point me to links on internet that show slide disassembly of firing pin, extractor etc. I'm pretty sure I could just go ahead and do it but thought I would seek information first.

Many thanks.

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My 226 (9x19) requires roll pins to be drifted out to do this so I have never bothered and it's been running fine for almost 20 years (got it in 1987).

Why do you feel the need to detail strip it? Mine has never needed it. Is there something radically different about the newer ones in this caliber?

--

Regards,

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There are two roll pins that must be pushed out before the slide can be broken down further. Sig recommends replacing these pins ( I can't recall the interval) as they absorb a pounding over time from the firing pin. They must be lined up a certain way in regard to the slide and each other. Each is not a complete tube but has a slit the length of the pin. These slits must line up with each other and in the proper way in the slide or they will cause problems (according to a SIG armorer). So before you remove them, take special attention to note the way the slits are lined up so you can install the new ones exactly the same way.

When I had mine replaced the first time, the outer pin was cracked and the last time both pins were bent slightly. Again, from the abuse by the firing pin.

The firing pin channel does get gunked up over time. Mine still worked but I was amazed by the amount of crud that I cleaned out of the channel and how nasty the firing pin looked.

While you have it apart, you may as well replace the firing pin spring. And the firing pin itself if you have over 10K rounds or so.

In 16 years and thousands of rounds, I have had two parts break on a Sig. Both were on my P226 that I carried on-duty and shot extensively in USPSA and IDPA competitions. One was the recoil spring, the original with maybe 15K on it. Brittle as a pretzel but the gun still functioned, even with the spring broken in two. I could snap pieces off the spring in my fingers.

Second broken part was the trigger reset spring under the right grip panel. Again, somewhere in the 12K mark it gave up. The gun will not function when it breaks as the trigger will not reset.

All the parts are cheap and nothing different than what we all replace normally in our 1911 guns (or should). They are worth having spares on hand just in case. I have a few spares of all the springs my SIGs need and some roll pins. I have never seen anything else on a SIG ever needing replacement. Oops, my night sights are getting dim on my P220 so I guess after 13 years I best replace them.

Personally, if the gun is new, don't mess with it. If used a little, it should be fine for a long time with regular maintenance. If used a lot for a long time, why not send it to SIG over in Exeter for them to go through it for you. Their shop can also do a pretty slick trigger job on it too, not that SIGs really need it.

Edited by spd522
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I decided to leave my 226 alone other than field stripping and it has been a real reliable gun Pretty much 100%, 100% of the time. I am somewhere over 7k and under 10 k on it. I guess your experiences are going to have me sending mine back to Exeter real soon. I always felt my 226 was the most reliable gun I owned, now I am rethinking that. Jeez!

Thanks for the good info on the 226 in long usage spd522.

BTW, I knew the slotted roll pins were not gonna' be my friends and decided that prudence was the better part of valor there. BrakeKleen and compressed air has always been my friend cleaning the SIG thoroughly. Just take the grip panels off first.

--

Regards,

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Just take the grip panels off first.

Excellent point. The plastic SIG grips and solvents don't play well together. I covered up my learning experience by spraying the grips with Brownells Spray Grit in black. It helped the grip traction quite a bit and covered up the solvent discoloration. Actually, I have used the spray grit on all my pistols with black plastic grips (Except my Glock and Kahr P9s). I even sprayed the entire HS Precision stock on my Rem 700 as the factory finish was a bit slick in wet weather. All are holding up quite well and even look more attractive in my opinion.

Craig

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The interval for changing the roll pins on the old style 226(stamped slide) is 4000 rounds.

The newer style machined slide uses tapered pins that if removed or inserted wrong, can damage the slide.

Its a good idea to send the gun to Sigarms to have the work done, Its reasonably priced, with the exception of the shipping. Always call first to discuss the work, and get an RMA, send it to the custom shop, specifically Mike Guarneri, He's a really talented gunsmith with a knack for a beautiful trigger job as well. And within Sig's minimum safety requirements.

-Neil

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I decided to leave my 226 alone other than field stripping and it has been a real reliable gun Pretty much 100%, 100% of the time.

--

Regards,

On my new 226R, the big cross pin in the slide is not a "roll" pin, it's a friction pin with a tapered head. It only can be driven out in one direction and I forget which way that is. And you will need a kryptonite punch BTW.

I got a Sig armorer's manual and it was for the older guns with the removable breech block assembly which are totally different than the new guns.

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