Earlier in the year, I was shooting a match and came to a forced reload. I dumped the old magazine on my trusted, well worn and favorite 226 and inserted a fresh one. I pressed the gun back out and broke a clean shot to the A box. The magazine promptly fell out. Thinking I didn't for whatever get the magazine seated, I pulled another and inserted it, chambered a round, and broke another shot. That magazine fell out. The RO brought me to a stop and I looked at my pistol. The mag release was hanging out of it. I showed it clear and bagged it.

When I got home I found something I had never seen before. The small plunger in the mag catch had sheered itself, allowing the spring to go who knows where, and left metal chunks in the frame. I tried to pick it out, but couldn't get it out. My LGS said they could get it no problem, so I dropped it off.

Fast forward several months, and some parts issues, the shop had a devastating fire to where most of the gun department was a total loss. My 226 was far from my thoughts because a good friend lost his livelihood. As things started to improve, I inquired about my pistol. He stated that it made it through, but was covered in a pile of ash and soot. The fire didn't get into the room that this gun was in, but a lot of ash was still in the room as well as soot. The gun was field stripped, cleaned, promptly repaired and returned to me today.

For what I can tell, it is no worse for the wear. No real signs of heat damage, and it still shoots like a top. The only downside I can find is that it still reeks of smoke. And whatever solvent they used to clean it up trashed the skateboard tape on the front grip.

I have no idea the round count on the gun, but it has been my primary training pistol for some time.

So, they fixed the mag catch problem before the fire, obviously.

Yep, all better.

To Hell and Back!

It was sad driving by PSS each morning on the way to MOAC. Glad they are in the recovery/rebuilding phase and that your 226 is back in your hands. To hell and back reliability!!

Good stuff!!! Good to know it is still working and not torched up. I wonder if eventually the burn odor will go away? I supposed over time with shooting and cleaning it will.

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:
Good stuff!!! Good to know it is still working and not torched up. I wonder if eventually the burn odor will go away? I supposed over time with shooting and cleaning it will.

I hope so. I hit it with a good cleaning this morning and it still stinks afterwards.

Another detailed strip and ultrasonic bath may be needed.

One less intensive method - use this product:
https://www.amazon.com/One-Dro...-4&keywords=one+drop

Many years ago, the only hotel room available during a trip was a room that had been used by smokers. I took about 20 or so cotton balls, but a drop of the liquid on each arrayed around the room. I turned the air conditioning on low and went out for a meal. The smell was GONE when I got back. I put the cotton balls into a bag, turned the air conditioning to full for a few minutes, and the room was again habitable.

For this, I'd recommend a cardboard box - put some newspaper or paper towels down, put the gun and magazine in the middle, then put a couple of cotton balls in there with the liquid. Put the lid back on for a bit (you might open the action and disassemble the magazines, and take off the grip panels as well).

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:

quote:

Originally posted by 357fuzz:
Good stuff!!! Good to know it is still working and not torched up. I wonder if eventually the burn odor will go away? I supposed over time with shooting and cleaning it will.

I hope so. I hit it with a good cleaning this morning and it still stinks afterwards.

If that gun had a long extractor it probably would not have survived the fire.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
I hope so. I hit it with a good cleaning this morning and it still stinks afterwards.

Is it the metal, or the plastic grips?

Quite a story. Glad she made it back. This must be why Sig uses the motto "To Hell & Back Reliability"?

Put some frog lube on it, that'll change the smell. But then you gotta get that stuff off...

quote:

Originally posted by hrhawk

If that gun had a long extractor it probably would not have survived the fire.

Solid gold right there