------Issue solved---main thread in Sig Pistols.

Original post:

A longtime friend who worked for me at Dallas PD and is now a sergeant at Tarrant County S.O. (I retired from TCSO not quite three years ago) is having a strange issue with his P226 sidearm.

He went to qualify yesterday and everything was going low. Not just a little low, but WAY low---between 15 and 18 inches at 25 yards, at least 10 inches at 15, and even at seven yards he was low.

The rangemaster, who I also know well, tried and he had the same issue. Although he's not a Sig armorer, he is with other brands and inspected the pistol pretty thoroughly. I assume he checked the barrel for burrs, proper seating, and inspected the frame for any cracks or uneven wear.

The pistol is about 15 years old and has been well-maintained.

I told him to bring it to me and I'd go over the barrel and frame to see if I could find anything with my magnified work lights.

With this information, do any of our Forum armorers have an idea as to what else I might look for?

Thanks!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: snoris,

With John M. Browning's delayed unlock, the breach is camming down as the bullet is travelling down the barrel. The sights are chosen to compensate for this. A lighter faster bullet, say changing the barrel from .40 to 357 Sig, will shorten the amount of time the barrel tilts before the bullet exits, and this will have the bullet hitting lower.

Not saying the above is the cause, but it can be a factor.

I responded in your post in the Pistols section.

I've been a LE armorer for over twenty years. I've maintained hundreds of guns and am factory certified right now for SIG, Glock, S&W, Walther, FN, Colt, and Remington.

If the gun shot fine before and is now shooting low, there is a mechanical problem with the gun. My best guess without seeing it is damage to the barrel or to the locking insert in the frame.

Ammo, even from a quality manufacturer like Winchester, has exhibited quality control issues in the last few years and the likelihood of a squib followed by a normal pressure round causing a pressure spike and damaging a barrel is within the realm of possibility.

As an armorer, I know my limitations. My job is to get guns back up and running. Since it is a LE duty pistol you need to call SIG, get a RMA, and send it back to them.

Let them fix it.

quote:

Originally posted by KevH:
I responded in your post in the Pistols section.

I've been a LE armorer for over twenty years. I've maintained hundreds of guns and am factory certified right now for SIG, Glock, S&W, Walther, FN, Colt, and Remington.

If the gun shot fine before and is now shooting low, there is a mechanical problem with the gun. My best guess without seeing it is damage to the barrel or to the locking insert in the frame.

Ammo, even from a quality manufacturer like Winchester, has exhibited quality control issues in the last few years and the likelihood of a squib followed by a normal pressure round causing a pressure spike and damaging a barrel is within the realm of possibility.

As an armorer, I know my limitations. My job is to get guns back up and running. Since it is a LE duty pistol you need to call SIG, get a RMA, and send it back to them.

Let them fix it.

Hi, Kev:

Robert Burke here in north Texas is a longtime Sig armorer and my go-to guy for problem-solving. He diagnosed the issue as too much play in the mating of barrel and slide over 15 years of wear and tear on the barrel.

Robert ordered a new barrel and will fit it when it comes in. My friend should be set for another decade or so.

Thanks for your input and expertise. You and the many other excellent armorers out there keep the good guys up and running.

Glad to hear it!

Robert is a great guy and I'm glad he took care of you and your friend.

Anxious to see the outcome of the change.
I am curious why it would (if it does) only shoots low? and was it consistently accurate otherwise?
Would have thought that if it was a barrel the shots would have been all over the place.
Guess we'll see....