P226 returned to factory for new slide!?!

A

advrider29

Inactive
Ok, please bare with me as I try to make this long story as short as possible. I took my P226 (<9 months old) to my local gun shop to have adjustable sights installed (which I bought from MidwayUSA).

The gun shop evidently installed them with a punch or something instead of the normal tool. As soon as I shot the gun the sights came loose. I took it back twice, even bought another pair of sights think the first ones where bad. After 3 trips and 2 set of sights, I still did not have sights that worked. I took the gun to another shop for a second opinion, who showed me where the dove tail cut out has been damaged and that nothing was going to fit correctly.

I took the gun back to the shop that did the work, spoke to the manager, and after 20 minutes of going back an forth where the manager and gunsmith wanted to use a sight with a set screw and I wanted them to give me a new slide. After speaking with the owner, they are going to get me a new slide.

Now for the question. When I called back and asked how long it would be, they said 4-5 weeks! "Why so long", I asked? They said that Sig Sauer suggested they return my gun to the factory to have a new slide "fitted" to the gun. I have never heard of a slide needing to be fitted. I can buy slide/barrel combos on their website, what is there to fit?

Does that make any sense? Is there such thing as a slide needing to be fitted on a gun?

Thanks for any help!
 
sights

terrible, terrible, I worry about work done by today's gunsmiths. I took my BHP to have work done and it cost $50 and really it was the same after. Stovepiping continued. I have decided to sell guns that give me problems. In the last few weeks I have sold 4 guns that have given me problems. Night sights on Glocks have been the best for me but the pins sometimes keep popping loose. Went to a local gun shop to get an estimate on night sights and Cerekote and here is what I got for the estimate on my BHP:
Night sights - $120.00
Installations -$ 70.00
Cerekote -$ 250.00
That is $440.00 which is more than I spent for the Israeli turn in BHP.
I will stick to the Glocks I think.
 
I can buy slide/barrel combos on their website, what is there to fit?
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Of course the slide has to be fitted, or at least thoroughly checked, if it's to be warranted by the factory.
You do want the gun to work like new, don't you?
And, dare I say it, if you even have to ask this question, it's best to send it to Sig.
Ya' know?
Now, put away that dremel tool and them files.
 
Of course the slide has to be fitted, or at least thoroughly checked, if it's to be warranted by the factory.
You do want the gun to work like new, don't you?
And, dare I say it, if you even have to ask this question, it's best to send it to Sig.
Ya' know?
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That doesn't make sense. So you're saying if you buy a factory slide and barrel combination from SIG and use it on your SIG pistol, the factory won't warranty the pistol? These are production pistols, not custom guns.

Now, put away that dremel tool and them files.
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The OP isn't the one that messed up the dovetails.
 
Of course the slide has to be fitted, or at least thoroughly checked, if it's to be warranted by the factory.
You do want the gun to work like new, don't you?
And, dare I say it, if you even have to ask this question, it's best to send it to Sig.
Ya' know?
Now, put away that dremel tool and them files.
Click to expand...

Its a production pistol there was almost know "fitting" of the original slide to the original frame.

Also he did not bugger his gun a "gunsmith" :rolleyes: did.

They want to function test it not fit it IMHO. Most likely if the shop is a Sig Dealer then they are getting some "help" making their mistake right for you. If I had to guess they are getting it done under warranty.
 
We're discussing putting a new slide on a used frame, yes?
And for a Sig 226, a model that has had quite a few changes in its history, especially including slide designs.
It's not much of a stretch to imagine quite a few possible anomalies that would require some expert assembly.
Fitting, checking, function testing, call it what you will, but something other than just slapping that new slide on that used frame.
And obviously not by the same guy who did the sight buggering.
Nor by the OP, as tempting as it might be.
I can buy slide/barrel combos on their website
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Sending the gun to the folks who created it seems rational enough, in this situation.
 
We're discussing putting a new slide on a used frame, yes?
And for a Sig 226, a model that has had quite a few changes in its history, especially including slide designs.
It's not much of a stretch to imagine quite a few possible anomalies that would require some expert assembly.
Fitting, checking, function testing, call it what you will, but something other than just slapping that new slide on that used frame.
And obviously not by the same guy who did the sight buggering.
Nor by the OP, as tempting as it might be
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Guns less than a year old. No changes to the P226 slide to frame specs in that timeframe IIRC.

Again I believe this is being handled under warranty which is why Sig wants the pistol back. To verify the issue and to retain the damaged part in return for the new part and warranty work.

We have not seen pics of the slide or the sights but IMHO it would be hard to damage the sight cuts with a punch. I can see damaging the sights themselves but using a punch to drive out or drift a sight should not have changed the sight cuts dimensions unless I am missing something.
 
Sometimes a punch is used in the base of a dovetail to raise some material in an effort to tighten a loose sight.
Or maybe even along the upper edges displacing material over the sight.
Maybe that's what was meant.
Pictures would surely be of help here if the gun isn't going to be sent to Sig.
 
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Thanks!

Thanks for the replies everyone! I agree, not that I think about it I bet they are warrantying (is that a word) it. They are a Sig dealer adn where I bought gun. And who know maybe there is something wrong with the dovetail, but I shot it for over 6 months (1500 round+) without an issue.

I am glad it seems reasonable for them to send it back, because I think they messed it up in the first place they were not getting my "benefit of the doubt".

Well at least my other guns will be happy I don't have my 226 for a month, as they will get more attention.

Thanks again!
 
I wonder whether the reason for SIG wanting the gun returned is more basic: on the only SIG I have at the moment, the slide doesn't have a serial number. (Or, more correctly, I haven't found it...)

There may be ways of telling the model, etc., but there may not be any way to tell whether the slide in question is truly from a weapon covered under warranty or not.

Sending in the whole gun sort of helps resolve the issue. (It's not an absolute proof that slide on the gun sent in is the slide from the gun sold by the dealer and, perhaps, registered by the owner, but is makes it less likely that is isn't.)
 
We have not seen pics of the slide or the sights but IMHO it would be hard to damage the sight cuts with a punch. I can see damaging the sights themselves but using a punch to drive out or drift a sight should not have changed the sight cuts dimensions unless I am missing something.
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The problem with the sight cuts is not that they used a punch, which is a time tested way to drift sights. The problem is that SIG uses a funny sight cut which is larger on one end and narrows down toward the opposite end. If you don't realize this, you might drive the sight out through the narrow end, which widens the entire sight cut so your sight will always come loose. If you drive it out through the larger end of the cut: no problem.

You could conceivably fix the problem by gently peening the lips of the sight cut down again, or by building up your sight base with silver solder, or as has been previously stated, by punching the underside of the sightbase with a centerpunch to raise metal divots which effectively raise the sight base to make it tighter in the sight cut. Of course, none of this beats a new slide fitted by the factory and purchased by the guy who screwed it up.

You might check with SIG about which way the sight cuts are tapered. I think it might be in the owners manual, and IIRC the big side of the cut is on the right side of the weapon.
 
Oh brother, be glad that sig will give the gun a once over and what dolts!!!

There are a number of checks they likely want to do and a replacement slide is likey just that... Slide only, no internals etc. so they have to change and check a number parts unless you wanted the idiots who messed up the sights to mess up your firing pin, barrel, extractor and????

Furthermore they guy on the phone likely heard the story and wanted to put your gun right. A well spoken smith / armorer can get much out of the factory, I have seen it, a dolt will get told to mail the gun to the folks who have a clue
 
Given the circumstances I can see why they'd want the whole gun back. You are fortunate in one respect, they agreed to send it back for a new slide. I suspect most shops I have dealt with, no matter how many guns I'd bought from them, would just tell me to pack sand. BTW, probably not technically fitting, but assembling and making sure the slide fits and functions properly on your frame. Been there and done that with some of these "gunsmiths". I have seen all manor of horrors inflicted on firearms by these idiots. This would include many examples of dovetailed sights apparently installed with a sledge hammer, damaging both sights and slide. FWIW, There are no requirements of any kind for any Bubba to call himself a gunsmith. None! In the first Remington armorers class I attended, the the proprietor and and one of the employees of a well known custom shotgun outfit were fellow students. The guy was obviously already quite knowledgeable about Remington, but had the desire to learn how and why the factory did what they did with Remington shotguns. The instructor remarked that he was the first guy in the Remington customizing business who had ever attended an actual factory armorer's class. I respected that already successful guy for attending the factory class and perhaps learning a thing or two. I have a strong suspicion that many or most individuals labeling themselves gunsmiths have never attended a factory armorers class to learn the basics about the guns they profess to be experts about.....
 
I wonder if they tried taking the sight out the wrong way, from what I remember they should be removed right to left.
 
Sig also has to do something about matching the serial numbers, I would guess.
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There is no serial number on barrel or slide for US made Sigs. Only the old W German made Sigs has triple serials. Current production are on the frame only.
 
I still say it's the obvious: Liability. It can't be assumed that you, the consumer, has the ability to properly fit your barrel into the new slide, then fit the whole assembly back on the gun and ensure it works properly and safely. In today's society, I find it strange that any company would send a critical part to anyone whom they perceive as an unqualified person.
 
gyvel said:
still say it's the obvious: Liability. It can't be assumed that you, the consumer, has the ability to properly fit your barrel into the new slide, then fit the whole assembly back on the gun and ensure it works properly and safely. In today's society, I find it strange that any company would send a critical part to anyone whom they perceive as an unqualified person.
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SIG's production practices typically make such parts essentially drop-in parts. Precision in manufacture (a lot of it automated, CNC, etc.) makes hand fitting unnecessary for most (if not all) parts.

I suspect you might have found the reasons with your second point: "let's see what else was screwed up by the moron who messed up the sights." They will end up with a satisfied customer.
 
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