Guys

Cleaning my 226ST after a range day and pulled my locking insert to really clean it and lube trigger pivot points. Reinserted insert and now it is jamed and the trigger will not move. Assuming the trigger is stuck against the insert. Tryed tapping it forward toward muzzle with a rubber mallet. ANY help is appreciated. Done this on other P-Series with no issues... Thanks Officer Dave

My experience is the locking insert has to go in just right or it will stick. Shouldn't have to force it. I've had to play with them for awhile and it felt like I needed to use force more than once. Finally it always just slides into place once to get it just right. Can be a PIA sometimes.

Is it all the way inserted? Did you get the takedown level back through the hole?

The locking insert will stick on the trigger pivot pin when the pin is 180* off.
If the take-down lever won't go back in then the locking insert is stuck on the 180* off trigger pin.
It'll take considerable effort to pop the locking insert off the 180* off pin.
Good luck.
Also you do have the hammer de-cocked don't you?

I once took the slide latch out of my X5 Comp to clean and lube it. To my surprise, the locking insert loosened. I took the opportunity to take it out, to see if anything needed cleaning there. It came out easily. Then I spent two days trying to get that sucker back into place.

What finally worked: I got the locking insert as nearly into position as I could manage. At that point, its front was slightly raised. I set a wooden dowel against its raised front edge, then tapped it straight back with a light wooden mallet. It popped right into place. I plan to never take it out again.

Right about now, PB Blaster (or similar penetrating lubricant) is your friend. I did this to my P228 once. I did it again to a P226 about three years ago and almost again to a P220 a bit more recently, perhaps a year and a half ago. With the P228, after reading comments from this kind forum and other sources around the web, I liberally sprayed PB Blaster in and around the jammed locking insert and let it sit for about a day. Came right out on the first try. However the AROMA of PB Blaster took a few days (or maybe it was a few weeks) to go completely away.

Remembering which way the notches in the cross pin in question are supposed to be pointed is the thing I keep forgetting. I just don't shoot my P-SIGs frequently enough to warrant regular detail stripping to burn this knowledge into my gray matter.

thanks guys... nope hammer is cocked ..... can not get it to decock.... if I release the hammer spring and take the tension off the hammer, will I be able to de-cock it then? I have taken the insert out in my other 226 and never had an issue.

Re: "if I release the hammer spring and take the tension off the hammer, will I be able to de-cock it then?"

I don't know. Might be worthwhile to take the locking insert out, then try gently (!) decocking the hammer with the slide off the frame. If that works, reinstall the locking insert with the hammer down.

thanks guys for the help.....got it out and all is well . This group always comes through

Glad you finally got the issue fixed.

For those who may encounter this issue, in addition to the previous suggestions and lubing the area round the locking insert, try exerting alternating forward and back pressure against the locking insert with your fingers while at the same time lifting upwards and out away from the frame. Essentially you are using a zig zag outwards motion using significant finger pressure to remove the stuck Locking Insert. While I haven't had to do this often, the few times that I have have always resulted in success with this method.

The exact alignment of the trigger pivot pin notches (10 O'clock to 11 O'clock slot position) are critical in reinstalling the locking insert properly. A lot of dynamics are in play during this process because not only the exact rotational placement of the trigger pivot pin notches effect the reinstall, but also the lateral placement of the trigger pivot pin, as well as ensuring that the SCL is resting completely against the left side of the frame to allow proper clearance for the insert to reach the Trigger Pivot Pin notches...all while maneuvering the Locking Insert with the SCL spring oriented correctly.