Slide / frame play on P226?

[Padawan]

I was at my local shop the other day shopping with my father for a 1911. They happened to have a couple of pre-owned SIGs there also, and I decided to take a look at them just for fun. What I immediately noticed was that both weapons seemed to have quite a bit less "play" in the slide to frame fitment than my own P226 does. My question for those of you who own a SIG is, how my play is present in your gun?

Mine can be felt by either grasping the gun and simply shaking it side to side, and also by trying to rock or wiggle the slide with the gun in the other hand. There is no visible scoring or wear present, and it has always been well cared for. Only about 1200 rounds have passed through it, all 115 gr. range ammo.

I contacted SIG customer service, and as I anticipated, the rep said that what I was experiencing was "normal" for a combat gun and shouldn't affect accuracy or cause any problems. Even after explaining how my gun felt different than the others I handled, I was still told it wasn't an issue.

If I want to send it back in to be inspected, I'll have to pay for shipping (I was expecting SIG to send out a return box, considering the cost of the weapon and the fact that other manufacturers offer such a service) and I'll be without the gun for at least a month. I'll also be charged for return shipping if the issue is deemed "normal" by the service department.

Any suggestions?

 

[IanS]

I've heard less than tight slide to frame fit with some P239s over at SIGForum. I wouldn't worry about it since other owners with less than tight slide to frame fit (but with good barrel to slide lockup) have logged thousands of rounds rounds without any noticeable degradation in performance or accuracy.

I know this isn't any help but some people just aren't bothered by it and keep shooting them. People over at 1911forum talk about their old 1911's that rattle like a bag of rocks but still love the way they shoot.
And I have yet to hear of any serious consequences because of loose slide to frame fit. Just a lot of conjecture about the meaning of quality and some "bad feelings" because their gun isn't as tight as the next gun.

And without seeing the gun its hard to tell if it is excessive or within reason.

 

[Black Majik]

My personal P226 is tight during battery, only time it rattles is with the slide locked back.

Shouldn't worry though... its nothing like the rattle of my Colt.

Slide to frame fit isn't as important as barrel fit when in battery.

 

[Destructo6]

Mine rattles like crazy, but the slide to barrel fit is tight and the gun is accurate and perfectly reliable.

 

[clu]

Some prefer the older Sigs with the sheet steel slides, they claim the older models have a tighter/higher quality fit than the newer stainless slides. There maybe some truth to these claims as every accuracy test I have seen the P220 with sheet steel slide out performs the P220ST with stainless slide (the P220ST also has a stainless steel frame so this is not a "apples to apples" comparison) I have read of no comparison tests of older P226 vs. newer P226. Although a loose "Rattle Trap" fit doesnt hurt anything (unless it would cause strange and uneven wear?) it is keeping, though, with the fluctuating quality levels throughout the industry.

 

[Gixerman1000]

My brand new P226 slide to frame rattles, I started to send it back to Sig but after reading up on this on the Sig forum it seemed to be almost normal for P226’s so I decided to at least shoot it before I did anything, I have put 500 rounds through it and it's one of the best shooting service 9mm's that I have shot and totally reliable.

 

[N.H. Yankee]

Barrel to slide fit and lockup is more crucial for accuracy than slide to frame fit. Reliablilty is the most critical and I would rather have a little slide rattle and boom everytime I squeeze trigger than a tight gun with less than 100% reliability. I have had guns with slides so tight movement was almost negligable but the gun shot poorly due to a bad barrel to slide fit and lockup. I wouldn't worry as long as the gun is accurate, and reliable. I have owned a few Sigs and still do and some rattle but shoot great.

 

[Jkwas]

I have a Ruger p89 and the slide fit is excellent. No play. I was looking at P95 at the gun shop, and the thing rattled from side to side. It was brand new. I wonder if it was defective or if that's just the way they are. It was a turn off for me. But you folks are saying with some guns this is normal. Interesting.

 

[NarcSgt]

I'll tell you from a personal perspective. I carry the 226 as a peace officer and have put 1000s of rounds through it. All the 226s that I have seen including my partners and my own duty weapon rattle and it is normal, in fact good. Your more combat oriented guns will rattle because that is what makes them never foul when dirty (note the Sig motto, "To hell and back reliability"). You can shoot them dirty clean dipped in sand and mud what ever and they work. That is why the 1911s all rattled. Your competition guns, custom guns, do not rattle but they are more likely to foul at the slightest abnormality, but they are smmoooooth as silk.

Like the others have said when the gun is at battery it will be tight, and that is what counts. Hope this has helped.