My new to me Sig P229 in 40 S&W dates to 2006 by serial number. Wear on the barrel indicates that it has been broken in with what would appear to be normal use over the years. It is extremely difficult to rack with the hammer down. It's like a wall that you have to overcome before it finally breaks loose. This condition makes it impossible to press check. With the hammer cocked back, it racks easily. Not sure if there is a connection but it also has a trigger that doesn't break until it's almost all the way to the rear in single action. Double action is the usual long and heavy. Any thoughts?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: les45,

Yep, sounds like a P229 to me. Try depressing the decocker with your thumb to ease the hammer back when you do a press check. These guns generally require man hands when doing admin functions.

Agree that P229 .40 has a lot of resistance when press checking with hammer down. I never noticed it was impossible though, just difficult. However, following Q's:

1) Any idea if the recoil spring is new? If so that will lighten up a little after the gun is shot a few times.

2) The hammer spring can be replaced with a Wolff reduced power(RP)spring. Factory is 20/21. Their pack has three springs, 17, 18 and 19#. The P229 .40 can be reliably used with the 19#, that weight is what GrayGuns uses. I have used the 18# for years with no issues on both the P229 and P226 .40's.

https://www.gunsprings.com/SIG...229/cID1/mID4/dID253

3) It's also possible the prior owner installed and Extra Power hammer spring. Unlikely, but possible.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Yep, sounds like a P229 to me. Try depressing the decocker with your thumb to ease the hammer back when you do a press check. These guns generally require man hands when doing admin functions.

I've tried that but it doesn't help. The major resistance starts at that point as you try to push it on back to full cocked. You can feel it when thumbing the hammer with or without the slide. It does feel like an extra stiff hammer spring. I've owned several 229's in 9mm and 40 S&W and never experienced one this stiff. It may be that Nipper's comment above about the previous owner installing an Extra Power hammer spring may be possible. I've tried to contact him on the issue but he doesn't respond to my emails.

quote:

The major resistance starts at that point as you try to push it on back to full cocked.

Well, yeah, that sound about right, based on my memory. I’m confused. I don’t recall ever needing to fully cock a Sig pistol to do a press check, just edging the slide back enough to show brass or not. Are you fully cocking the pistol and then pushing the slide back, or pushing the slide back enough to actually fully cock the pistol? If so, it’s not necessary. Unless I’m not understanding you correctly.

I guess if you feel like it’s possibly an extra power hammer spring, that’s a cheap and easy thing to rule out. A quick look shows $4 for one on Wolf’s site.

Note that Jerry Jones illustrates a press check by first cocking the hammer on a 229 in the below video.

That said, with effort, you should be able to pull the slide back partially with an uncooked hammer. But, it can be difficult to exert just the right amount of effort to overcome the resistance without inadvertently pulling the slide back too far. I suspect that led Jerry to teach the method of first cocking the hammer on a TDA Sig?

https://youtu.be/39QoVxWbwWo

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

quote:

The major resistance starts at that point as you try to push it on back to full cocked.

Well, yeah, that sound about right, based on my memory. I’m confused. I don’t recall ever needing to fully cock a Sig pistol to do a press check, just edging the slide back enough to show brass or not. Are you fully cocking the pistol and then pushing the slide back, or pushing the slide back enough to actually fully cock the pistol? If so, it’s not necessary. Unless I’m not understanding you correctly.

Pushing down on the decocker does create a slight movement of the hammer but it does not allow the slide to move at all. The slide will only move once the hammer starts pushing on the mainspring and that is the wall that I'm talking about. You can't simply push it gradually with normal force like you can on most guns. You have to push hard to get any movement and then the pressure simply opens the slide all the way. You can't push it just a little bit like you would for a press check. I've ordered the Wolff Spring Pak and plan to start with the 19# spring to see if that helps.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: les45,

Update - finally got my 19# Wolff spring in the mail and got it installed today (not nearly as much of a PITA as I thought it would be). It definitely makes a big difference in the overall racking of the slide. Much easier and smoother but there is still a wall when the slide hits the hammer that makes it almost impossible to do a press check without cocking the hammer first. That's not a big deal with me so I'll live with the 19# spring if it proves to be reliable.

Sorry for the thread drift, but have you ever noticed how easily all of the pros are able to rack their slides in their videos? Either my hand strength has gone down the tubes or these guys have slinkies for recoil springs. Or Popeye forearms.