"CLICK" - Not a warm fuzzy feeling with your carry gun

[HiPowering Along]

My smaller carry piece is a Sig P232ST in .380. I change out ammo in the mags every year just to be on the safe side. When I changed it out, I "retired" the old ammo during IDPA practice so I could also run a few mags of a new brand through it just to be absolutely certain it feeds properly. I also like to shoot it at least every couple of weeks, but with so many new "toys" that I've accquired over the last year, it's been stabled too long - this is the first op I've had to shoot it in several months.

"Beep!'

Draw, front sight, target, pull steady to rear, 'click'.

<insert your favourite swear words here>

Tap, rack, bang. Bang, bang, bang,.....etc. to end of stage.

Looked at the live cartridge on the floor that was ejected during the TRB, and it has a very light primer strike. First shot with it is fired double action.

With this being my carry piece, it did not give me a warm, fuzzy feeling of confidence. Reloaded the mags, shoved 'em in the mag pouch, and went to the line again.

"Beep!"

Repeat of above, with different combination of swear words. Double action first shot - CLICK - clear it, now single action, no problems.

Grabbed another mag, shot every one double action. Two failures in seven. The ammo is good - if struck again, it fired - no misfires.

This puppy's going to the hospital, i.e. back to Sig for a good going over. It's been maintained very well, as specified by Sig's recommendations. It's cleaned religiously, lubed with Breakfree CLP or on occasion Hoppe's gun oil in a pinch.

Only thing I can figure is the firing pin area has some excess gunk in it from the lube, or a spring has gotten weak. Either way, it was a reaffirmation of a lesson from a range buddy - shoot your carry piece often, and always run at least a box of any new (to that gun) type of ammo through it before trusting it to defend your life.

 

[cloudcroft]

You don't mention ambient temperature, but maybe the cold weather in PA has caused the lube you use to gel a bit and slow down the firing pin. You might try no lube at all or a dry lube to see if that makes any difference.

I mean, if it worked before, it should work now. It's real hard to believe that a spring -- especially for an expensive quality brand gun like SIG - can't hold up longer than one year.

As you may know, there are .45ACP mags that have been kept full for 20 years or more and still work...those GI mag springs didn't suffer, and I would think SIG would use even better quality springs nowadays for their firing pins.

-- John D.

 

[timothy75]

Yep I know the feeling. There really are forces against you when want something to go right, so be dilligent in your preparation. This is the exact reason people push backup guns, testing your carry ammo, shooting weak handed, etc. Murphy's Law is the most painfully true statement ever made. Remeber if you find yourself in a defensive encounter the gods of bad luck have already taken quite a notice to you.

 

[HiPowering Along]

Murphy is a relative of mine...

Cloudcroft - don't think temp had anything to do with it - went from warm house to range bag, warm car to warm indoor range. Only cold thing about the entire scenario was the cold feeling of "click" instead of "bang"....

As for the comment about "Mr. Murphy", I'm his cousin. Sucker's DNA runs rampant in my family, hence not much shakes us up when the fecal matter hits the rotating assemblies because we're already expecting it...

Local gunshop has a certified Sig Armorer - might give him a call this weekend. In the meantime, oversized shirt and the Browning when out the door!

 

[cloudcroft]

Being a serious Christian, I don't worry at all about "Mr. Murphy."

If I am in a SD situation and my gun suddenly doesn't work, then it's "an act of God" and it's my time to exit, stage right.

We do our part to keep our guns, ammo and tactics working...the rest is up to God.

-- John D.