update: may have screwed up new sig trying to strip it

K

Klein Helmer

New member
update:

So I still don't know what's going on with the previous issue I described, but I think I may have just made things worse. I thought I should learn how to take down the gun, so I was watching a video demonstrating a the process.

I pulled the slide back to the point that allowed me to pop out the slide lever, and I took the slide off the gun successfully. Then I put it back on, and pulled it back all the way until it locked in place - I'm not sure how this is possible with the slide lever taken out.

Anyway, now the gun is stuck like that, empty with no magazine, slide lever popped out, and slide pulled back to the point that the openings for the slide lever pin are aligned on the slide and the frame.

I should also mention that the barrel has moved back with the slide, and is not exposed as it should be when the slide is pulled back.

I can pop the slide lever back in, but the slide remains stuck in place. Now I'm concerned that the spring is going to be damaged, or some other harm will come to the gun resulting from what I've done.

Original Post:

I just got new a sig p2022 and I'm experiencing something strange with the slide.

When the gun was demonstrated to me at the store, the slide would lock in place when pulled back, and then the slide lever could be pulled to snap it back into place.

I brought the gun to the range and fired about seventy rounds. Each time I fired my final shot, the slide would remain locked back.

Now, I am sitting here with the gun, empty with no magazine, and when I pull the slide back, it does not lock into place. The only way I can get it to stay back is if I raise the slide lever manually while I pull back the slide.

This is bothersome because I don't under stand it, but it also makes me wonder if now when I complete a magazine, the slide will not stay back as it should, or that this could be indicative of an even more serious issue.

Would any of you be willing to help me?
 
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The magazine has a formed notch on the top of it that causes the slide to lock back. Without a magazine that's empty, it won't automatically lock back.

Be sure you use an empty magazine only or else you'll just be chambering a round and it will slingshot into battery. Use an empty magazine.
 
Alright, I just emptied my only magazine and put it in. When I pulled the slide back, it stayed, but I really thought that when I had previously pulled the slide back with the magazine out, that the slide had stayed back.

Is the slide not supposed to lock in place after being pulled back if there is no magazine in the gun?
 
So I still don't know what's going on with the previous issue I described, but I think I may have just made things worse. I thought I should learn how to take down the gun, so I was watching a video demonstrating the process.

I pulled the slide back to the point that allowed me to pop out the slide lever, and I took the slide off the gun successfully. Then I put it back on, and pulled it back all the way until it locked in place - I'm not sure how this is possible with the slide lever taken out.

Anyway, now the gun is stuck like that, empty with no magazine, slide lever popped out, and slide pulled back to the point that the openings for the slide lever pin are aligned on the slide and the frame.

I should also mention that the barrel has moved back with the slide, and is not exposed as it should be when the slide is pulled back.

I can pop the slide lever back in, but the slide remains stuck in place. Now I'm concerned that the spring is going to be damaged, or some other harm will come to the gun resulting from what I've done.
 
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Klein Helmer Alright said:
I just emptied my only magazine and put it in. When I pulled the slide back, it stayed, but I really thought that when I had previously pulled the slide back with the magazine out, that the slide had stayed back.

Is the slide not supposed to lock in place after being pulled back if there is no magazine in the gun?
Click to expand...

Most semiautomatic pistols, like the 2022, will only lock the slide back if you manually lock it with the slide release lever or when the slide opens on an empty magazine (either when the last round is fired or when you pull the slide back on an empty magazine). That is normal functioning for the weapon. If there is no magazine or slide release in the way, the spring will pull the slide forward once it has been released.


Klein Helmer said:
So I still don't know what's going on with the previous issue I described, but I think I may have just made things worse. I thought I should learn how to take down the gun, so I was watching a video demonstrating the process.

I pulled the slide back to the point that allowed me to pop out the slide lever, and I took the slide off the gun successfully. Then I put it back on, and pulled it back all the way until it locked in place - I'm not sure how this is possible with the slide lever taken out.

Anyway, now the gun is stuck like that, empty with no magazine, slide lever popped out, and slide pulled back to the point that the openings for the slide lever pin are aligned on the slide and the frame.

I should also mention that the barrel has moved back with the slide, and is not exposed as it should be when the slide is pulled back.

I can pop the slide lever back in, but the slide remains stuck in place. Now I'm concerned that the spring is going to be damaged, or some other harm will come to the gun resulting from what I've done.
Click to expand...

Without pictures, I can only make guesses, but I would guess that you did not align the slide on the rails properly, and then tried to force it on. That's the only thing I can think of that would cause what you describe without catching the barrel and tensioning the spring that allows the barrel to be exposed. If you can add some pictures, we might be able to give you some more suggestions.
 
I don't think you have damaged your gum. Have you read the disassembly and assembly instruction manual that came with your gun????

I'll take a shot at trying to describe the process. Take the magazine out. Remove the slide. Make sue that any firing pin safety levers are flush with or below the top of the frame. Make sure the barrel recoil spring assembly are properly positioned I the slide. Holding the frame vertically and right side up start to slide the slide on to the frame. Look through the hole that the slide lock lever came out as you slide the slide backwards on to the frame. At some point you should see the barrel link line up with the hole. Insert your slide lock lever in to the hole and apply slight inward pressure to it. It may only go in partially but as you move the slide to the disassembly location the slide lever lock should click in to place.
 
https://youtu.be/P3hewVvi2ZU

Here is a short video relating to proper assembly and disassembly. Stay safe and enjoy. It's highly unlikely you've damaged the gun in any way, probably not even cosmetically. It's just a tad locked up, happens sometimes :cool:
 
The chances of permanently damaging the gun without using tools is pretty low. Of course, that still leaves the matter of getting it unstuck (probably with tools) without damaging the gun. On the plus side, the chances are a part small enough to be damaged is easily replaceable, and a field strip is covered under the warranty.

Can you break down exactly what you did on each step? When you put the slide back on, were the barrel and recoil spring still in the slide? Are the rails aligned on both sides? How far back did you pull the slide? Is there any give on the slide if you try to rock it back and forth?

To answer your original post, the slide is not supposed to lock back except when the slide lock is pressed upwards (which is also why it locks back on an empty mag - the notch pushes the slide lock upwards when there isn't a round to push the follower down). If it locked back every time, the gun could not chamber the next round after firing.
 
Take it to someone who knows what they are doing. From your description of your actions, I think you omitted at least one step, and that the problem is easily solved.
 
but you need to take an introductory firearms course badly.
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I CONCUR!!!!!! and a reading of the owners manual over and over again until the info in the owners manual is understood/comprehended. Tis the problem with You Tube video's and watching instructions on the PC. Not everyone on the PC is an expert at what they are demonstrating.
 
IMHO, a beginner needs a personal contact with an instructor or at least a more experienced person. While U-Tube has some benefits, most gun disassembly videos I have seen consist of some guy running his mouth in the first person singular about his expertise, and then covering up what he is doing that the viewer is supposed to emulate.

Some manuals are good, but all manuals should be read through before using them as step-by-step tutorials.

Jim
 
James K said:
IMHO, a beginner needs a personal contact with an instructor or at least a more experienced person. While U-Tube has some benefits, most gun disassembly videos I have seen consist of some guy running his mouth in the first person singular about his expertise, and then covering up what he is doing that the viewer is supposed to emulate.
Click to expand...

That, and muzzling their own hands during disassembly...
 
Well there's videos and then there's videos.

Ruger put out a video on the disassembly and reassembly of the Ruger single action Blackhawk. They out lined and showed every step and reassembled a Blackhawk in about 6 minutes explaining each and every step in detail...using that as a guide I was able to reassemble my first Blackhawk in about 4 and a half hours. Actually I could have done it in less time but I took 15 minutes out of the process to chase women and children away from the house so I could use the language I needed to use.

So yeah, videos are great and I love them but nothing could replace a mentor there with you to show you what to do.

(Also I believe a more gun literate person would have been able to use the Blackhawk video to reassemble the revolver in something more reasonable like 20 or 30 minutes instead of 4 and a half hours.) Personal problem that I reluctantly admit to.
 
Now, I am sitting here with the gun, empty with no magazine, and when I pull the slide back, it does not lock into place. The only way I can get it to stay back is if I raise the slide lever manually while I pull back the slide.
Click to expand...

Is the slide not supposed to lock in place after being pulled back if there is no magazine in the gun?
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone really answered your questions.

With most semi-autos, the slide locks back if you push the slide lock/release up when the slide is pulled back, or when the follower in the empty magazine in the gun pushes the slide lock/release up from below. It will only do that with an empty magazine in place. (If the mag is loaded, nothing is pushing the slide stop/release lever up, and the next round is pushed into the chamber.)

If there's not a mag in the gun and you DON'T push up on the slide lock/release lever, there's nothing to keep the slide locked back.

You'll learn this and other basics over time, but you may want to look into a basic firearms safety/handling course to SPEED UP the learning process. You'll feel better about your gun handling skills, and you'll certainly be doing things more safely.
 
Helmer,

Is the barrel still properly seated in the slide, or has it perhaps dropped down a little into the frame of the gun?

Look at the pictures on p. 40 of the manual:

http://www.sigsauer.com/upFiles/CmsContent/documents/SIG_SP2022MiniManual1600097REV01_LR.pdf

In the Step 2 picture, if you look at the top of the slide (which is actually on the bottom in the picture because the slide is positioned upside down), you'll see there's a rectangular opening in the slide. In the Step 3 picture, the barrel has been fully inserted down into that opening.

What I suspect has happened is that you have pulled the barrel back past where it is normally supposed to go, and it (or the recoil spring beneath it) has dropped down into the frame of the gun and is holding up the works. The slide won't be able to move forward again until both barrel and recoil spring are in the positions shown in the Step 3 picture.

It's a long shot, but try using a flashlight to look up into the magazine well of the gun (the opening where the magazine goes in. You should be able to see all the way up to the slide, and maybe see (and hopefully correct) the hang-up from there. It's possible the barrel lug (the part of the barrel to the right of the arrow in the Step 2 picture) has fallen down into the magazine well. If so, you may be able to push it back up into place. If that doesn't work, I'd recommend taking it to a gunsmith.

I'll also second the recommendations others have made to get some education. When I got into handguns, both myself and my wife took the NRA Basic Pistol Shooting course. It was money well spent!
 
Good work, to you who have been trying to help the OP.

Let's give him (assuming it is a him) credit for coming to this forum and asking for help. That is a positive step which puts him ahead of lots of others.

Klein (doesn't that mean small in German?), don't be put off by anybody who seems to be critical of you for having a problem. We all have been there, in one way or another. And please reply sometime to tell us of the solution, since we can all learn by that.

Bart Noir
 
Thank you everyone for the advice.

I believe the situation was as gothcopter suspected, and I was able to unlock the slide by holding the gun upside down, and allowing the barrel to fall into place. At this point I was able to take it all the way apart.

I know that the slide spring has to be put on in a certain way on some pistols, is this the case for the 2022?

I think I can get it back together, in fact, I'm going to try to right now and I'll let you all know what happens.

Based on what I've said to this point, do you think the gun should be alright, or might it have been damaged? Is there anything I can do to make that determination once it's put back together?
 
It is VERY UNLIKELY that your weapon has been damaged.

All of the parts you've handled are very durable and designed to take a lot of abuse. You shouldn't worry.

--------------

Putting a Browning Hi-Power back together, if you're unfamiliar with a BHP, can be challenging if done wrong. Unlike the SIG, the end of the BHP guide rod has a small loop (where the slide stop slides through), and if you install the guide rod with the loop DOWN rather than up, things get all out of position inside the gun when the slide stop is installed and the slide is closed. I don't remember how I got the gun back apart and the guide rod reinstalled correctly, but I was very worried for a while. There wasn't, as with your case, an intuitively obvious solution. (I never made that mistake again ... and found that others had been there and down that. ;) )

I wasn't new to semi-autos when THAT happened, and I did read the manual before I did the first field strip, but somehow overlooked or missed that critical small piece of information.

Stuff happens.
 
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