kinda disappointed...need advice please...

H

hjm

New member
Well, in December, 2001, I bought a SIG P226 9mm Stainless-Nitron, based upon its reputaion and general industry acclaim. When I first got it, I met with a friend who is an NRA certified gun safety instructor. I learned the basics quickly, as I have been shooting revolvers, shotguns, and rifles for years. The SIG was my first semi-auto, and I was extremely impressed.. High quality, great accuracy, even for me.

Well, Last night I was cleaning it after an hour and a half shoot. I was using a cleaner/lubricant/protectect (G96?, I think), and when I was wiping the slide down with a cotton patch, I noticed that the Nitron has started to "flake" off of the slide. Currently, it is a small speck, but it is starting to flake more.

This should not happen to a gun that only has 400 rounds through it and is less than 2 months old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I paid $720 for this "high quality" gun. I Glock can be had for $250 less!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, I have to send it back into SIG. I should not have to!!!!!!!!!

Where is the initial quality?? Where is the quality assurance??

I have literally done nothing to it. It has been cleaned properly, stored with the proper protectant, etc.


Pain in the butt! Iknow it is a small thing, but this should not happen!!


My only options are to keep it and let it flake more, or to send it in - both are bothersome.

Any advice, sympathy, comments about quality vs. price??

Thanks,

hjm
 
NOPE

Over-rated.

IMNSHO disregard finish; it's cosmetic and I don't personally care about cosmetics.

Or send it to Accurate Plating & Weaponry or Robar for correct finish.
 
Its unfortunate to hear of the flaking. Sig generally makes good quality handguns but sometimes things happen. Its a cosmetic flaw and if your displeased then by all means send it back. Im sure Sig will do good by you. Eventually every handgun manufacture has problems of some sort and most of the time will correct the problem to your satisfaction. Im sure you feel shortchanged since you paid so much for the Sig.
 
I'm very sorry to hear of your bad experience with the
Nitron finished Sig P226.:( I do know that this has been
a problem for the "K-Kote" finished weapons; but was
unaware that this was happening to guns finished in
Nitron. I will agree, you expect the highest of quality
when you plunk down those kind'a hard earned dollar's.
As pointed out by Lennyjoe, I believe that SigArms will
do everything humanly possible to correct this problem.
Remember, the cosmetic appearance can be corrected;
in the mean time enjoy your new Sig.:cool: :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, Life Member N.R.A.
 
oh well...

I guess I will wait awhile to see how much flakes off. I am not concerned with appearances, but just the quality. Everything else about this SIG is top notch, though, Great accuracy and component quality. Obviously different from other guns. If I can get this small problem resolved, i think SIG will be the only manufacturer for me.

Would it be better to send it in to SIG for refinish/warranty work or just send it in to an outside company that does refinishing?

hjm
 
It's a little disturbing to me too since this thread
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=94938
shows in good detail a problem with a P226 like mine. I'm fortunate to report that I've had no serious finish problems after 2000 rounds.

While still in the warranty period, I'd return it to the dealer and give Sig a chance to make good. Unless they're more generous than I give them credit for, they're not going to pay for a third party finish job.

Keep us posted on your progress that I hope you have. I have to agree with Ala Dan about Sigs. They are just fine.
 
I am unimpressed with the general fit and finish of SIG products. While they might function well, it is simply ridiculous that such high-priced guns should come with such low-class finishes. Indeed, I would love to purchase a SIG 232 (one of the most beautiful guns ever made), except that the slide serrations on every stainless model which I have held are sloppily cut. I'm sorry, but when I am spending my hard-earned money I expect a product that looks as good as it works.
 
Just send it back and have it refinished under the warranty. No sense in throwing hard earned money after hard earned money.

I can accept a blemish that I put there, but If I pay that much for a weapon it had better be perfect. Nothing is worse than bad paint on a new car or a bad finish on a new weapon.

Good Shooting
RED
 
$750? That's only because it's German

and they take advantage of you. Man,look at what Charles Daly wants for a 1911 that's made in the Philippines, ferchrissakes! $400, and they pay guys less than $5 a DAY over there. Springfield's 1911's are made in Brazil, where they pay no more than that, I am sure. I THINK (but am not certain) that Kimbers are made here in the US. Sorry to tell you this, but $750 just isn't all that much to spend on a gun, and it's only possible because the Sig is mostly cast and stamped parts. Just compare your Sig to the price of a Sig P210, sometime! More like $3000, most likely. If you want top value for your $ spent on a handgun, buy a used, "fully-loaded" Kimber 1911 (with all the "mods" already done to it) for under $500, put a few thousand rds of swc reloads through it, then have a good smith do any minor "tweaking" that may be required. Then you will have $700 or so in a gun that is top-flight, and you will always be able to get $500 or more for it. I just paste wax the blued exterior surfaces, so that I need not pay any extra for chroming, nor worry about it flaking off. I also favor using very tiny amounts of LokEase lube on the areas where heavy friction occurs. Then there is no oil to drip off or hold crud.
 
I have recently been able to compare older (pre-2000) Sig pistols; mostly classic p220, p226 & a p225. These examples were NICE! I say this because in 2001 I bought a p220 that just left me unimpressed. I have been told that newer sig models are not what they use to be because (A) they were looking for new ownership and where trying to maintain a healthy bottom line and (B) new ownership trying to figure out how to survive in the gun industry (the new owners are from the textile industry in Europe)
Kinda explains ( at least for me) why there is such discrepency between older and new Sigs...Hope it turns around, I'd like to own a nice example of a 225 :)
 
Contact Sig first.

If just the slide needs to be refinished there is no reason to pay a small fortune in shipping the entire pistol. They may just swap out the slide for you.
This is what Glock suggested when I wanted the old adjustable sights updated to the new style on my Glock 19.
Good luck, hope all goes well.
Take Care
 
hjm:

You said "Well, Last night I was cleaning it after an hour and a half shoot."

That's why you should NOT clean your guns.
It only leads to trouble.;)
 
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