Extractor, springs and mag help needed

[Peter M. Eick]

I posted a long review of this over in the handgun section, but I figured I would go to the smiths.

What would cause a new gun to do this?

I have a colt gov 380, so I pulled it down and here is a comparison of its spring (bottom) and the 238’s spring

I was having extraction problems so I tried the 45acp tension test:

There is barely enough tension on the extractor to hold a round. It took me many times to get this picture because it would fall off every time. Thus the extractor probably needs more tension.

I then pulled my gov 380 and 238 extractors to see if I can see some differences:

The gov 380 is on the bottom and it is 100% reliable. The sig 238 is on the top and it is well about 33% reliable.

Note the differences.

The sig extractor is rounded, lacks the bevel at the bottom and is somewhat negatively cut in terms of the angle to the base. This is very pronounced in the second picture. See the bottom one is undercut and the sig (top) is at a negative angle so it actually is not catching the round, but is pushing it away.

So advice on the extractors. I assume my gov 380 is what they are suposed to look like correct?

Finally mags.

The one on the top is a new style mag, the one on the bottom is the old style. Old style works, new style does not. Failure to feed jams. Any thoughts or comments on what I should do on the mags?
Suggestions, comments, ideas?

 

[rcmodel]

SIG must have built that one on Monday morning, after a three day holiday weekend.

Send it back under warranty & let them make it right.

Too many things wrong with it to even begin trying to fix it yourself.

rc

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Thanks for the advice. Someone else pointed out that at the slide stop cut out on the slide, it is peening metal. I pulled the gun out of the safe and looked closely.

Yep, I have a soft slide. Bummer.

Now I will definately just send it back.

Between the soft slide, weird spring, bad extractor I got a lemon.

 

[BBBBill]

I would send the pics of the extractor back with the gun, too.

 

[AZ_Rebel]

It looks like the recoil spring was installed backwards causing the smaller end to buckle inside the rest of the spring.
But the suggestion is correct... send it back to SIG.

 

[BBBBill]

It looks like the recoil spring was installed backwards causing the smaller end to buckle inside the rest of the spring...

Good catch!

 

[Peter M. Eick]

What is interesting is how thin the wire is of the sig spring when compared to the colt springs.

Anyway, SIG took it back and it is on its way to them for repairs. They said 3 weeks. The word over on the sig forum is that it is a problem with the HD models. Many have soft slides and spring problems. I bought the "heavy duty" version so I could shoot it more. Oops.

 

[45auto]

I believe I recall reading your past posts on the Colt 380's, and along with this one, despite the retail prices, the 380's as designed don't seem to hold up. That's actually a "question", not a fact!!

Meaning, for $500-$600, I would think Colt or Sig could make a durable 380?

Or someone should make a 380 1911 style that's durable.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I think your analysis is true. I know my Gov 380 is one of many that did not have much engagement in the lugs and the soft steel allowed it to peen up the lugs. This is a known problem on certain series of Gov 380's and I think one of the MODs here or at the Firing Line had it happen to him and there was a long discussion of it there.

I bought the SIG just for that purpose. So I could retire my Gov 380 and park it. I like the Gov 380 and it is fun to shoot just I don't want to destroy it.

I agree we need better 380's. My 84F and BDA are working great and the 84f have run thousands of rounds. So 380's can be made well, just you have to do it.

 

[BBBBill]

The three pillars (or legs on the stool) -
1. Good design
2. Quality materials
3. Proper execution
If any one of those is missing, you're toast....