SIG SAUER P226 VIDEO - Nothing but problems

General Firearms Handguns - Semi Auto
1

This is a shooting demonstration of the Sig Sauer P226, and, unfortunately, also a look at the issues this pistol has been having. Fail to feeds, and front sight is off. I know the Sig P226 is a great pistol. My friend, who loaned me this pistol, and I, are trying to get to the bottom of why he keeps having problems with this P226

Here is the video. I welcome, no, covet, all comments and suggestions about what you think is going on. I bought my son this pistol for his 21st birthday and it has been nothing but a total PITA since then.

It malfunctions, frequently, with cheap bulk and more expensive ammo. It works great through several magazines, but then goes bat crap crazy with other magazines. I never have this problem with my Beretta or HK, not to mention my Glocks.

OK, here’s the video:

http://youtu.be/KX3RzuMhnng

2

This is indicative of the pistols being manufactured since Cohen took over - sacrificing quality and reliability in the name of profitability.

P.S. Get that pistol up into your workspace when clearing malfunctions! Never take your eyes off the threat. :wink:

3

I watched it three times and saw one stovepipe - apparently with low quality WWB ammo. I did see you try and drop the slide without success, reseat the magazine, then drop it as it should. With regard to the sights, you are aware Sig are regulated so that you cover the poi with the front dot?

I was hoping for a better demonstration of all these problems.

4

Yet another example of Sigs failing quality control that some refuse to admit is happening.
Pat

5

Have you tried to isolate which mags it works well with and which it does not with yet ?

One thing I’ll say about Sig is that they will try to help you with issues. They will pay for shipping both ways when you have problems and they generally have really fast turn around times for repairs. I wouldn’t give up on it just yet.

6

Thanks, that is reassuring, appreciate it.

7

Well…bummer for you. If you have something constructive to add to this conversation, please do.

8

Funny, the paper target bad guy never moved.

:dirol:

9

Just our of curiosity were these USA made magazines or Italian Mec Gar’s ?

If they are Mec gar are they 18 or 15 rounders ?

Also how many rounds through this gun so far ? Have you tried a new recoil spring ?

The reason I ask is one of the P226’s I bought a few years ago had a recoil spring that was shorter than the replacement springs brand new.

10

How many magazines do you have for the pistol?

In the video it sounded like you stated there was one magazine.

If that is the case as someone else mentioned, I would purchase a couple of Meg-Car magazines or a German made factory equivalent.

Also, how much lubrication was placed on the pistol?

The majority of SIGs and Beretta’s that I have seen having problems feeding/ operating were not adequately lubricated.

Suggestions:

  1. Lubricate the pistol very well (I use grease on the rails and barrel hood and wet lubricant as well).

  2. Purchase or borrow at least two or three different known quality magazines.

  3. Replace recoil spring

  4. Try a different brand of ammo (I shoot almost exclusively CCI Blazer Brass and aluminum cased ammo through my 226 9mms)

If that does not work as someone else said, send it back to SIG and let them trouble-shoot the problem.

As with many semi-auto firearms, often the case is that the malfunctions are caused by a defective magazine a large majority of the time.

Good Luck,
SkiDevil

11

Yep. After our last batch of 2010 P229s consistantly stripped out grip screw frame threads, Sig sent us E2 grips for the stripped out guns, and torx screws for the P229s that hadn’t been stripped out yet. For some reason Sig insisted that the problem was non armorers taking the grips off and over tightening the screws, but our 1990s P229s NEVER stripped out their threads. I guess the torx screws are supposed to prevent an officer from being temped to tighten the screws since only an armorer would have a torx wrench.:rolleyes: That’s Sig customer service for ya. Absolutely abysmal for police agencies. We have ordered new Sigs three times since 2006, and each order seems to be worst than the one before it. Now days, we usually send back 1/4 to 1/3 of our new Sig orders within the first couple of months. From what I remeber, we only sent back a couple of 2004 P229s that we got off the DHS contract(we bought around 75 guns on that one).

12

Thanks for all the good advice and suggestions.

13

I was hoping your video was going to add something constructive, maybe demonstrate, your litany of complaints. Here’s something constructive: tell your friend to send it to Sig if there’s a problem. Giving to someone who admits he isn’t familiar with the platform, who comes to a board that is unabashedly and openly hostile to the Sig brand, to diagnose his problems seems unwise.

14

thanks for the video. I’m really glad to say that all my Sigs were made Before 2005, I’m never selling them.

15

Sig replaced my check-mate mags for my TacOps twice. Finally, the guy just sent me 2 Mec-gar 20 rounders and I never had an issue. On the last set of checkmate mags I took them apart, cleaned & sanded inside & out and I never had an issue again.

The gun itself also had to go back to Sig for a bent trigger bar at under 1k rounds.

I bought 4 new sigs last year and 3 of them had to go back to Sig for repair.

I’ll buy Sigs again after the current CEO is their Former. It’s really too bad too, because I really want a Sig 1911.

Till then, I’ll just buy Hk’s. I’ve bought 4 Hk in the last 8 months, put 10k rounds through a P30L and I haven’t had a single issue.

16

I fail to understand all the bashing of sig’s CEO??? Sure he makes rainbow pistols… But they are also making I’m sure a shit pile of money which is what counts. I bet none of you ever buy GM or Chrysler vehicles either because obviously their CEO’s where fucking idiots as well (Bankruptcy) I am probably about to resign myself from this board due to uneducated childish rants on the manufacturer of many of our VIP’s Seals- Secrect Service handguns!!! Guess they have no idea how to make a handgun I mean really I just din’t get it!!

Someone somewhere denied a Sig franchise??? Really

17

So it’s just a coincidence that Sig started to have reliability issues when he came on board. I could give two shits if they make rainbow pistols if that’s what it takes to make money and keep them running. What matters to me is if the guns I do buy run. 3 of the 4 that I purchased last year did not. That’s where my “hate” comes from.

18

I’m just trying to get mine to run properly, I, for one, have no interest in bashing any CEO. If there are quality issues, let’s blame the people making the pistols.

19

So the ceo has no responsibility over the people? Wires crossed

20

The workers are just mindless robots?

Do they have no pride in their work?

They just say, “Screw it, we are going to be idiots and not care about our work?”

Enlighten me on why the guys on the line are not to blame.

Typical blue collar/union mentality: blame the boss.