# pistol jams



## Bhawkins (Feb 28, 2012)

I am mainly a target shooter. I have a pocket .380 (north american arms) and a Sig 232 in .380. The last couple of times I have been to the range I had bullet jams. This is scarying me. Since it happened before I switched to FMJ bullets to see if that helped but still had the problem, not every time, but once in each gun. I'm thinking about switching to a revolver! Any advice for this ole man, thanks


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

The simple term of "jams" is not very helpful. Does it jam while feeding a round into the chamber? Does it jam while extracting or ejecting the spent casing? Is it jamming on the 1st round, last round only? Is it only jamming with one particular magazine? When was the last time the magazine springs were changed? Do you properly clean, lube, and maintain these guns? 

There's a number of different things to check depending on exactly how the firearm(s) jam.

Are you a new shooter or experienced? Are you shooting at a club, or range where someone else can try the gun and try to replicate the problems?


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## Bhawkins (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks, fairly new shooter, the SIG 232 jammed on feeding the second round this last time, I wondered about the magazine, if they stay loaded for long periods of time (one or two months) is that a problem how often should you buy new magazines etc, appreciate your advice


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## chessail77 (Mar 15, 2011)

Sometimes it is not the pistol but a magazine feeding issue....clean all mags thoroughly and if you have some dry lube spray the insides during reassembly.....unless springs are defective , leaving them(mags) loaded for several months does them no harm....JJ


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

I use the dedution approach. Or, if it's above my head the Gunsmith approach, or call Sig. the following is a list I'd deduct from the equation. 1. replace magazine springs; 2. replace recoil spring; 3. clean and or inspect and or replace extractor and extractor spring; As I've bobbled around the internet it seems some people are experiencing magazine problems.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

I suggest looking closely at your own technique first.
It's a very small gun. Very small guns need to be held in a vise-like grip, with wrists and arms locked.
If you don't do that, a lot of the recoil force the gun needs in order to operate properly is lost in moving the gun in your hands, your hands around your wrists, and your wrists, elbows, and arms around as well.
That will result in "jams," misfeeds, and failures to extract or eject.

Lock everything up, and try again.

Target shooters I have known, especially those using revolvers, tend to hold the pistol somewhat loosely.
That doesn't work with very small semi-autos.


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## scooter (May 9, 2006)

+1 to what Steve said, Make sure you're not "limpwristing " it first then ,if it doesnt stop, start looking at the gun, but make sure its not you first.
Since you say it is happening in more than one pistol I am betting its you.


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## Bhawkins (Feb 28, 2012)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> I suggest looking closely at your own technique first.
> It's a very small gun. Very small guns need to be held in a vise-like grip, with wrists and arms locked.
> If you don't do that, a lot of the recoil force the gun needs in order to operate properly is lost in moving the gun in your hands, your hands around your wrists, and your wrists, elbows, and arms around as well.
> That will result in "jams," misfeeds, and failures to extract or eject.
> ...


Thank you!!


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## Bhawkins (Feb 28, 2012)

Thanks much, did not know that


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## Blade (Feb 23, 2012)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> I suggest looking closely at your own technique first.
> It's a very small gun. Very small guns need to be held in a vise-like grip, with wrists and arms locked.
> If you don't do that, a lot of the recoil force the gun needs in order to operate properly is lost in moving the gun in your hands, your hands around your wrists, and your wrists, elbows, and arms around as well.
> That will result in "jams," misfeeds, and failures to extract or eject.
> ...


Exactly why I recommend that small statured women looking for a small, easily concealable gun go with revolver rather than a pocket auto. Many just don't have the hand or wrist strength to resist the recoil enough to ensure the gun works properly.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Bhawkins said:


> ...I wondered about the magazine...if they stay loaded for long periods of time (one or two months) is that a problem?...


Keeping a magazine fully loaded will have no bad effect upon either the magazine's feed lips or its spring.
Springs wear out because of metal fatigue, not from mere compression. If you frequently load and unload a magazine, repeatedly compressing and relaxing its spring, the spring will eventually become too soft or too short to function correctly.
But if you compress a modern spring, and then leave it fully compressed, that will have no more deleterious effect than would leaving it uncompressed.


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## TedDeBearFrmHell (Jul 1, 2011)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Keeping a magazine fully loaded will have no bad effect upon either the magazine's feed lips or its spring.
> Springs wear out because of metal fatigue, not from mere compression. If you frequently load and unload a magazine, repeatedly compressing and relaxing its spring, the spring will eventually become too soft or too short to function correctly.
> But if you compress a modern spring, and then leave it fully compressed, that will have no more deleterious effect than would leaving it uncompressed.


+1 it is cycles of compressions not force of tension or lack of tension that weakens springs


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