I'm new to sigs and have about 750 rounds through my 226 tacops. I have read ALOT of cleaning and lubing threads, and it isn't my first handgun. I've come to really like the Lucas oil sample that came with my 226. I've been using that and I'm either going to get more of that or just start using mobile 1 synthetic.

My question is about how and when to clean the action and lower portion of my 226. The reason I ask is because when I bought the gun, the guy at the LGS said to shoot 500 rounds and bring it back to him and he will dunk it in the ultrasonic cleaner for me and then we will only lube the parts that need it. He showed me his legion and he runs it fairly dry in my opinion, compared to other pictures and videos I've seen of sigs after being lubed. But he said by doing this, breaking the gun in with all the factory lube for 500 rounds, and then cleaning it in the ultra sonic cleaner, then lubing only the necessary parts, my trigger and action will be butter smooth.

It's not that I don't trust this guys opinion or method, I just want to make sure the right lubes are going in the right places. When I take my slide off and look down in front of the hammer it looks like a white milky residue. Hard to tell if it's grease or oil in there.


I love this gun and it is my first da/sa and I'm getting really comfortable with it. I just don't want to screw anything up.

Thanks in advance!

The SIG factory used to use Mil-Comm TW-25B grease in the guns. That may be the white stuff you see.

I do not think it is necessary to deep clean you gun very often. If you do a deep clean, I think it is better to do a detail strip rather than dunk in cleaner. SIGs are relatively easy to detail strip.

It is generally accepted here that SIGs like to run wet, i.e. well lubricated. Pay particular attention to the slide and frame rails. To quote Bruce Gray: "Get some damned grease."

You will find many diverse opinions here, so standby.

Detail stripping the frame of the Classic line guns like the P226 is easy once you learn how and learning how is easy; just pick up one of the DVDs made by people who know what they’re doing.

After you’ve disassembled the gun, lube the friction points and then put it back together properly lubricated.

Running guns “dry” seems to be something that some people take pride in for some perverse reason. In my opinion it’s because they feel they must justify to themselves why they don’t maintain their firearms properly. I believe that just running an assembled frame through an ultrasonic cleaner and then trying (note that word, trying) to lube what needs it is stupid—not to put too fine a point on a peeve of mine.

You've read Flork's Lubrication Recommendation thread?

Maybe I am paranoid, but the whole ultrasonic cleaning done by someone else scares me. What are they using for solution? Is water being forced into areas it should not be? Are they following with a water displacing lubricating solution?

I'll detail strip, clean, and lubricate appropriately myself. Sometimes shortcuts cause issues.

quote:

Originally posted by RC Fan:
Maybe I am paranoid, but the whole ultrasonic cleaning done by someone else scares me. What are they using for solution? Is water being forced into areas it should not be? Are they following with a water displacing lubricating solution?

I'll detail strip, clean, and lubricate appropriately myself. Sometimes shortcuts cause issues.

Nothing really to worry about. Also not necessary to do. I have an ultra sonic cleaning and found it does not do that great of a job. You can do better with Qtips and the same time it sits in the machine. Where it saves time is you can do stuff while the machine is going. So two tasks are going on at once.

With my machine it heats the solution up to 140 degrees so water evaporates out. I follow up with a compressed are blast out and a Q tip to check for wetness (never found any)

This sounds like a gun shop trying to get repeat business.

Thanks for the insight. After reading the comments so far, I think I'll do a detail strip once a year or so and clean everything myself a lube appropriately. It will help me become more comfortable with my 226 and I'm sure it's something I can handle myself.


I did read and watch florks clean and lube video. I haven't run grease on my sig yet, but I have on other guns in the past. I think I'm going to throw some grease on the rails and give it a go.

Thanks for the help and everything that's been said I agree with and should of known myself, but hearing what the guy at the LGS said made me question my methods.

I tend to lube my Allround very liberally for competition use. I only detail strip it when I can feel the trigger pull start to change, like getting gritty from dust buildup.

I lube my 229 carry gun less liberally, and detail strip it when field stripping shows a lot of lint buildup in the action.

OP - VERY good decision on the detail stripping. Every serious pistol shooter should be able to detail strip.

Some philosophy:

The lube wars are not something I've ever been interested in. There are probably a hundred different ways to lube...all good. The key is to match the technique and lubes to the conditions the gun is operated in. If you're going to be taking a high round count course in the Southwest in summer, you may lube different than routine range trips in a state like PA, OH or NE. Likewise, if you will be shooting in extreme cold, you would want to lube accordingly. I lived in Syracuse, NY for 25 years. During that time, it wasn't cold until it hit single digits and the snowfall was in feet not inches.

Frequency is another factor. I've been a pistol shooter for 50 years and have always followed the same practices.
After each range session, I field strip, clean, INSPECT and lube. If somebody wants to torture test their own guns, that's their business. I just believe that a clean gun is a happy gun. Based on usage, I'll periodically detail strip and do the same. In both instances, it's important to inspect all components to see if any future trouble may be brewing. Doesn't catch everything, but it at least makes me feel better.

My own lube technique is simple...a quality liquid lube on everything except hammer/sear contact surfaces. Grease on those two. Don't over lube. I've never had any abnormal wear on any gun I've owned.

Welcome to the forum.

Get to know your P226. It's really not that complicated and, if you're minimally mechanically inclined, not at all difficult to take down 100% and put back together.

The current rage with ultrasonic cleaning can be a bad thing. I've seen some nice guns ruined with ultrasonic cleaning with the wrong solutions.

Regarding lubrication, I've used Wilson light grease with good results and used Lubriplate for a while but it smells. TW-25 is the old standby for the classic series.

Cleaning...clean however you like. Deep vibrating type cleaning, a spray cleaning or just with swabs...keep'em clean.

Lubrication...ALL parts that rub, rotate, slide...otherwise develop friction, NEED to be lubricated...just like your car, boat, motorcycle engine, trans., and axle(s).
I've got an early BDA (.45) with a LOT of rounds thru it with just a good oil, and no galling, or metal transfer problems. A little surface coating rubbed off the rails...sure. But the rails still look good.

Now, on my new P226 Scorpion, I may try a synthetic grease on the rails.

But again... ALL...surfaces that rub or rotate on other parts, do need at least a good oil.

Mike

BE CAREFUL with anodized aluminium and sonic cleaners. People have ruined aluminium Sig Sauer frames by leaving them in the sonic cleaner too long.

Ok, that being said, all you really need to do to "deep clean" your P226 is to do a normal field disasembly, take the grips off and give the frame a good spray with "Gun Scrubber" Then give it a normal cleaning.

I'm pretty sure it probably doesn't mater what gun oil you use as long as it's a "Gun oil" from a reputable maker. It's more important that you do use oil and grease than which brand you use.

I'll probably get a sonic cleaner at some point in the future but you can be sure I'll do A LOT of research on the proper cleaner to in it and what settings to put the cleaner on as well as how long to leave items within it it before I ever use a sonic cleaner.

the last two sigs I purchased were hard to remove the slide The last time was a week ago at which time the person at CS said during th.e conversation when I told him the gun was bone dry he said they don't ship with lube because the gun may stay in a warehouse or dealer shelf for months. Thats why they include a sample size lube. A Glock armorer told me I had put too much oil in the trigger module of my Glock. I told him I only used one drop. He said use a smaller drop. One orop on each steel tab on the frame. New glocks come from the factory with a bead of that copper grease along the length of the slide. Sounds reasonable alternative to the sig bone dry approach.

quote:

Originally posted by lawrad:
the last two sigs I purchased were hard to remove the slide The last time was a week ago at which time the person at CS said during th.e conversation when I told him the gun was bone dry he said they don't ship with lube because the gun may stay in a warehouse or dealer shelf for months. Thats why they include a sample size lube. A Glock armorer told me I had put too much oil in the trigger module of my Glock. I told him I only used one drop. He said use a smaller drop. One orop on each steel tab on the frame. New glocks come from the factory with a bead of that copper grease along the length of the slide. Sounds reasonable alternative to the sig bone dry approach.

That copper solution is anti-seize, not grease.

This should help - directly from the Sig Sauer Academy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKs-7iy5Ui4