# SIG P226 Slide won't lock..



## jimmy

HI ALL:

Well today I shot 100 rounds in my SIG P226, I noticed that the slide was not locking after the last round, so I checked with the guys at the range and suggested to change the spring of the mag. I bought a new mag from the gunshop (where the range is located), still wouldn't solve the problem..Then it was suggested that may be I am puting my thumb on the slide release, I checked and with my small hands there is no way my thumb will reach there even if I wanted to. Another suggestion was my grip, and that wasn't the cause either cause the guy who suggested that shot my SIG and the slide didn't lock,,The gun is fine and it is shooting perfectly, but I am just all messed up that the slide is not locking..Is this common with SIGS or it could be that I need to change something..Would SIG take care of that or I have to get a gun smith to look at..it is still under warranty.

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## literaltrance

jimmy said:


> HI ALL:
> 
> Well today I shot 100 rounds in my SIG P226, I noticed that the slide was not locking after the last round, so I checked with the guys at the range and suggested to change the spring of the mag. I bought a new mag from the gunshop (where the range is located), still wouldn't solve the problem..Then it was suggested that may be I am puting my thumb on the slide release, I checked and with my small hands there is no way my thumb will reach there even if I wanted to. Another suggestion was my grip, and that wasn't the cause either cause the guy who suggested that shot my SIG and the slide didn't lock,,The gun is fine and it is shooting perfectly, but I am just all messed up that the slide is not locking..Is this common with SIGS or it could be that I need to change something..Would SIG take care of that or I have to get a gun smith to look at..it is still under warranty.
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated.


I like to look at these kinds of situations optimistically, and with any luck as a learning experience. Let's hope nothing has mechanically failed in your Sig!

I'm looking at my P229 right now. It's not a P226 but it's damn close. I'm assuming the internals are identical (they should be).

So, whatever the problem is, it's gotta be tied to the function of the slide release lever. Here's a few things you can check:

***make sure your weapon is unloaded, remove the mag (empty) and remove the slide***

-check the empty mag for issues

Place the empty mag on the table so that it's standing up on its own. Note the position of the magazine plug inside the empty mag. It should appear to be slightly more angled than the side walls of the magazine. In other words, the plug's rear should be slightly lower than the top of the mag walls, and the plug's front should be slightly higher than the top of the mag walls. The top-center of the left mag wall (the side with "Sig Sauer" stamped) should meet the same height of the plug at that position almost exactly. At this same position is where the both left mag wall side begins to angle down, exposing the potion of the mag plug which pushes up on the slide release lever when all casings are spent. Assuming all this checks out positionally, take your index finger and push down on the exposed part of the plug about half an inch. Doing this about a dozen or so times should begin to make tip of your finger sore. Also while doing this, see if you can feel some grittiness while the parts move. If your fingertip doesn't get a little sore, and/or you can feel grit in even the slightest downward movement of the plug, you've either got a weak mag spring, some serious crud which needs to be cleaned out, or both.

-check the slide release lever

Your frame should be somewhere around you without the slide or mag attached. Take a look at the slide release lever and push it UP a few times (the opposite direction of its intended use). The movement should traverse roughly an eighth of an inch before it stops. Again, see if you can feel grittiness in this motion. Also spot check the tension of the lever spring. If you slide your fingers off while the lever is in the up position, it should come down immediately and make a soft tap against the frame.

If there is any indication of grime on or around the lever, it probably needs to be cleaned thoroughly. The two "trouble" spots I am noticing right now would be the part of the lever which is flush against the inner part of the frame and the crevice into which the lever is inserted (towards the trigger housing). At the top of that crevice, you should be able to make out [BARELY] the end of a steel rod spring. It rests on top of the lever and also moves up when the lever is pushed up; it moves upward about a sixteenth of an inch. Again, if there is any evidence of grit, be generous with Hoppe's on both areas (or whatever you use), let it soak, then get some compressed air to blow out both areas after a couple minutes.

-check the mechanics of the mag working in conjunction with the lever

Insert the empty mag to the frame while the slide is off. Once fully inserted, the mag plug should be pushed down by the hook on the slide release lever by about an eighth of an inch. Pushing DOWN on the slide release lever should push the plug down about another eighth of an inch. Repeating this motion should cause the mag spring to rattle a bit. The lever should return to its rest position promptly everytime you remove your finger.

If all this checks out ok, my guess is the slide lever spring is weak (probably that same spring rod I mentioned earlier....sticking out of that crevice). I'm not sure how that would be replaced without involving a gunsmith. Still, Sigs make remarkable products and I would first do due diligence in checking everything I could before spending money to have it shipped, or locked away by someone else for several days.

Good luck, I hope this helps!


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## DevilsJohnson

If you pull the slide all the way back with an empty mag will it lock then?


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## Todd

Where's you thumb in all this? Are you accidentally riding the slide release and therefore, the slide will not lock back? It happens to a lot of people and is a quick fix before you go tearing your gun apart..


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## jimmy

DevilsJohnson said:


> If you pull the slide all the way back with an empty mag will it lock then?


Hi DevilsJohnson:
Yes, if I pull the slide when the mag is empty it will lock...but it won't after the last round.



Todd said:


> Todd Where's you thumb in all this? Are you accidentally riding the slide release and therefore, the slide will not lock back?


Hi Todd:
Someone suggested that at the range and they looked at my grip, with my small hands, there is no way my thumb would reach the slide release lever, even if I wanted to. So that was ruled out from the equation.

Hi Tolerance: Thanks for the thorough explanation man ... you sounded like a pro, and I have learned alot, i can't wait till I go home this evening and go over the checklist you sent..Hopefully I will learn more and pinpoint the failure mode..So according to your checklist, the worst case scenario (I mean the worst worst thing) is that the slide release lever spring needs to be changed, right? I will try to go thru the checklist first and if that happened to be the problem I will check with SIG if they can cover the shipping charges since I purchased the gun for a month now and this is the 3rd time I use it..So it is not fair..Anyways, let's see how it goes from here..But now at least I have a much better idea of how things work inside and what are the possible failure modes.


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## literaltrance

jimmy said:


> Thanks for the thorough explanation man ... you sounded like a pro, and I have learned alot, i can't wait till I go home this evening and go over the checklist you sent..Hopefully I will learn more and pinpoint the failure mode..So according to your checklist, the worst case scenario (I mean the worst worst thing) is that the slide release lever spring needs to be changed, right?


I should probably enter a disclaimer here; I am NOT a gunsmith. I do what I can with grips, barrel swaps, the occasional slide spring upgrade, a LITTLE trigger/hammer work on a single-action revolver, and a LITTLE custom work on the mechanics of a lever action rifle, but I am no professional. I don't want that kind of responsbility LOL 

But yes, those areas I mentioned could be causing friction. If there is grit between the inner frame wall and the flush/flat side of the slide release lever, or if there is grit in the crevice where the slide release lever meets the trigger housing, either of these inhibit the motion of the lever. I'm not saying it couldn't be something else, but I was doing what I could last night to inspect the mechanics of the parts involved, and those seem to be the most logical points of failure.



jimmy said:


> I will try to go thru the checklist first and if that happened to be the problem I will check with SIG if they can cover the shipping charges since I purchased the gun for a month now and this is the 3rd time I use it..So it is not fair..Anyways, let's see how it goes from here..But now at least I have a much better idea of how things work inside and what are the possible failure modes.


I'm getting the impression you only have one mag for this thing. Is that the case? I'm asking because if this happened on multiple mags, this greatly decreases the likelyhood that the mag spring is undersprung.

Lastly as you said, if it's under warranty then you always have the option to send it in. I hope I didn't give the wrong message that you should be able to fix this. I gave the detail I did as a means of providing verifcation...to make sure there are no visible parts which are bent or broken. At any rate, ff you're not comfortable with checking out the firearm's internals or any part of this inspection, then by all means send it in.

Let me know what you find, if anything...!


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## Growler67

Yeah, check your grip. You may be inadvertantly putting pressure on the slide release, thus it doesn't "catch" like it's supposed to. It's actually a pretty common problem that can be rectified easily once identified.


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## DevilsJohnson

If it locks when you pull the slide on an empty mag and not the last round I would have to think grip or ammo is not cycling the weapon correctly. Weak ammo can cause this problem too.

So if it was me I'd be checking some different ammo out as well as how I'm holding the weapon. Especially when it is being fired. A weak wrist can cause this issue as well. And it can be a combination of all these leading to your issue.


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## jimmy

Hey Literance...As soon as I got home this evening I went thru your list step by step..



literaltrance said:


> -check the empty mag for issues
> 
> Place the empty mag on the table so that it's standing up on its own. Note the position of the magazine plug inside the empty mag. It should appear to be slightly more angled than the side walls of the magazine. In other words, the plug's rear should be slightly lower than the top of the mag walls, and the plug's front should be slightly higher than the top of the mag walls. The top-center of the left mag wall (the side with "Sig Sauer" stamped) should meet the same height of the plug at that position almost exactly. At this same position is where the both left mag wall side begins to angle down, exposing the potion of the mag plug which pushes up on the slide release lever when all casings are spent. Assuming all this checks out positionally, take your index finger and push down on the exposed part of the plug about half an inch. Doing this about a dozen or so times should begin to make tip of your finger sore. Also while doing this, see if you can feel some grittiness while the parts move. If your fingertip doesn't get a little sore, and/or you can feel grit in even the slightest downward movement of the plug, you've either got a weak mag spring, some serious crud which needs to be cleaned out, or both.


checked..I noticed little friction between the plastic pusher part of the mag and the mag walls..Dissassembeled both mags, cleaned and added lubricant to the contact surface between the plastic pusher part and the wall mag.



literaltrance said:


> -check the slide release lever
> 
> Your frame should be somewhere around you without the slide or mag attached. Take a look at the slide release lever and push it UP a few times (the opposite direction of its intended use). The movement should traverse roughly an eighth of an inch before it stops. Again, see if you can feel grittiness in this motion. Also spot check the tension of the lever spring. If you slide your fingers off while the lever is in the up position, it should come down immediately and make a soft tap against the frame.
> 
> If there is any indication of grime on or around the lever, it probably needs to be cleaned thoroughly. The two "trouble" spots I am noticing right now would be the part of the lever which is flush against the inner part of the frame and the crevice into which the lever is inserted (towards the trigger housing). At the top of that crevice, you should be able to make out [BARELY] the end of a steel rod spring. It rests on top of the lever and also moves up when the lever is pushed up; it moves upward about a sixteenth of an inch. Again, if there is any evidence of grit, be generous with Hoppe's on both areas (or whatever you use), let it soak, then get some compressed air to blow out both areas after a couple minutes..


Follwed the instructions step by step..I sprayed hoppes generously in the critical area between the slide lever arm and the frame, cleaned with a compressed air can (and made a mess all around the table and my shirt ) then added lubricant between the lever arm and the frame.



literaltrance said:


> -check the mechanics of the mag working in conjunction with the lever
> 
> Insert the empty mag to the frame while the slide is off. Once fully inserted, the mag plug should be pushed down by the hook on the slide release lever by about an eighth of an inch. Pushing DOWN on the slide release lever should push the plug down about another eighth of an inch. Repeating this motion should cause the mag spring to rattle a bit. The lever should return to its rest position promptly everytime you remove your finger..


Checked and working fine..

Now I will stop at the range tomorrow to try out the outcome..and if all of this doesn't work, I am sending it to SIG.

Thanks for all the help and tips from all.

-Jimmy


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## gnet158

If your slide locks with an empty mag then it has to be your grip or the slide release lever is defective. Call Sig and ask, don’t they have a lifetime warranty?

Did it ever lock after the last round was fired? Are you using different ammo?

Dumb question, is your slide removal lever up all the way?


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## babs

There ya go.. probably a little grit where it didn't need to be in that slide-lever and mag. I'm betting it's just crud impeding the slide lever movement a bit.. as you can see it's not the most complex mechanism.. but gunk gets in there.


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## jimmy

jimmy said:


> Hey Literance...As soon as I got home this evening I went thru your list step by step..
> 
> checked..I noticed little friction between the plastic pusher part of the mag and the mag walls..Dissassembeled both mags, cleaned and added lubricant to the contact surface between the plastic pusher part and the wall mag.
> 
> Follwed the instructions step by step..I sprayed hoppes generously in the critical area between the slide lever arm and the frame, cleaned with a compressed air can (and made a mess all around the table and my shirt ) then added lubricant between the lever arm and the frame.
> 
> Now I will stop at the range tomorrow to try out the outcome..and if all of this doesn't work, I am sending it to SIG.
> 
> Thanks for all the help and tips from all.
> 
> -Jimmy[/COLOR]


Hi All:

After going thru the list suggested by Literance, I went to the range this evening on my way home from work and bought 3 boxes of 9mm (50 rds each). I got the Winchester 124 gr, FMJ 115 gr and a box of cheap reloads..I shot all three boxes with 5 rounds in each mag, I wanted to see if the slide will lock when the mag is empty..And guess what, it worked..It locked every single time the mag was empty..I even started putting one round at a time just to test the slide, and it always locked..I shot 150 rounds with no issue of whatsoever..From now on I will make it as part of my cleaning routine to pay atention to the area between the slide release lever arm and the wall of the frame..That thing can get messy easily..I came home with a big smile on my face and with a big "thank you all" in my heart for all those who pitched in with opinions..Specially, Literance who took the time and effort to provide a detailed description of what the problem might be, and I guess he was right about that..My hat off for you Liternace, I salute you.:smt1099

-Jimmy


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## Dougsboy

I love it when a plan comes together! This is great. Liternace, I know who I'm getting in touch with when I have a situation.


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## literaltrance

I'm glad to have helped.

I'm not sure which of my suggestions ended up working out for you... my guess is it very well could have been a combination of things. But I think it's worth noting...taking the time to clean mags IS VERY IMPORTANT! I'd bet this is the by far the most neglected part of handgun cleaning, and just as assuredly, leads to most general failure-to-feed issues.


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## jimmy

I agree Literance..I couldn't pin point the problem, since I did all the steps at once, but I will sure include the mag cleaning and the special attention to the slide release lever arm in my cleaning routines..That's something I advise everybody to follow..


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## babs

Tadaaaaaa!!!! 

There ya go.. Good to hear it. Your Sig is a world class weapon, and as with all, they like to be clean. Sigs in particular like lube as well. :smt023


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## mviolahnl

*Re: Slide not locking back...*

I have a P226 and had the same problem. I was shooting 165 g .40 S&W. Then I tried a little higher 180 g. That seemed to be the problem. Although I read in another forum that the Sig has a break-in period. Anyway with the 180 g load it helped lock back the slide. And by the way it brought my groups in a little tighter.


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## gnet158

Haven't had any issues with my 226, I've only put about 200 rounds thur her so far. I'll keep my eye open.


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## louierocco63

*slide catch lever*

I have the same problem. I was told that my sig p226 9mm has a "slide catch lever" for high cap mags. Since I live in Calif., I'm limited to 10 rnd mags and it will not lock after the last round. There are three thing I can do: 1 - use high cap mags, 2 - replace the slide catch lever for ten rnd mags from the sig factory, or 3 - take it apart and bend the slide catch lever to reach the mag properly. Hope this helps.



jimmy said:


> HI ALL:
> 
> Well today I shot 100 rounds in my SIG P226, I noticed that the slide was not locking after the last round, so I checked with the guys at the range and suggested to change the spring of the mag. I bought a new mag from the gunshop (where the range is located), still wouldn't solve the problem..Then it was suggested that may be I am puting my thumb on the slide release, I checked and with my small hands there is no way my thumb will reach there even if I wanted to. Another suggestion was my grip, and that wasn't the cause either cause the guy who suggested that shot my SIG and the slide didn't lock,,The gun is fine and it is shooting perfectly, but I am just all messed up that the slide is not locking..Is this common with SIGS or it could be that I need to change something..Would SIG take care of that or I have to get a gun smith to look at..it is still under warranty.
> 
> Any advice would be appreciated.


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## Growler67

BEFORE you go bending or otherwise altering your firearm, VERIFY it's not the shooter. By that I mean it's a fairly common mistake for the shooters grip to be affecting the slide release. Make triple sure that your gripping the firearm isn't the cause because of a thumb that is touching the release causing it to not lock back. Simple training with an adjusted grip has solved this problem for many that have reported having it.


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## unpecador

louierocco63 said:


> I have the same problem. I was told that my sig p226 9mm has a "slide catch lever" for high cap mags. Since I live in Calif., I'm limited to 10 rnd mags and it will not lock after the last round. There are three thing I can do: 1 - use high cap mags, 2 - replace the slide catch lever for ten rnd mags from the sig factory, or 3 - take it apart and bend the slide catch lever to reach the mag properly. Hope this helps.


Well obviously you cannot legally buy high cap mags so that shouldn't be an option, and unless you know what you are doing in regards to bending the slide catch lever, and you have confirmed that the problem is not shooter related, then the only option left besides doing nothing would be to have the slide catch lever replaced with one that is intended for 10 round mags.


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## louierocco63

unpecador said:


> Well obviously you cannot legally buy high cap mags so that shouldn't be an option, and unless you know what you are doing in regards to bending the slide catch lever, and you have confirmed that the problem is not shooter related, then the only option left besides doing nothing would be to have the slide catch lever replaced with one that is intended for 10 round mags.


You are right, I'm staying away from the high cap mags. Option 2, I took apart the sig and there's no way I can bend the slide catch lever without heating it for the metal is pretty hard. So I'm going with option 3, I called sig today and the part cost $40.00. It's best to do it right by replacing it. Thanks.


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## louierocco63

Growler67 said:


> BEFORE you go bending or otherwise altering your firearm, VERIFY it's not the shooter. By that I mean it's a fairly common mistake for the shooters grip to be affecting the slide release. Make triple sure that your gripping the firearm isn't the cause because of a thumb that is touching the release causing it to not lock back. Simple training with an adjusted grip has solved this problem for many that have reported having it.


I took it to a local shop, and they provided the high cap mag and it worked fine. I need to replace the slide catch lever. Thanks.


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## MAG_RN

Todd said:


> Where's you thumb in all this? Are you accidentally riding the slide release and therefore, the slide will not lock back? It happens to a lot of people and is a quick fix before you go tearing your gun apart..


I shoot with both thumbs forward and my dominant hand as high on the gun as possible. I cannot avoid my thumb resting on the slide catch unless I hold my thumb verticle. Any good grip suggestions? 

Thanks in advance.


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## Higgy Baby

Sorry, but don't expect an answer anytime soon- as the last post on this thread was over 12 years ago.


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## SSGN_Doc

MAG_RN said:


> I shoot with both thumbs forward and my dominant hand as high on the gun as possible. I cannot avoid my thumb resting on the slide catch unless I hold my thumb verticle. Any good grip suggestions?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


My 226 has E2 grips and I switched the slide lock to a low profile lever. fairly simple part to replace, My thumb no longer holds the slide release down with a thumbs forward grip.


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## pkronfield

literaltrance said:


> I like to look at these kinds of situations optimistically, and with any luck as a learning experience. Let's hope nothing has mechanically failed in your Sig!
> 
> I'm looking at my P229 right now. It's not a P226 but it's damn close. I'm assuming the internals are identical (they should be).
> 
> So, whatever the problem is, it's gotta be tied to the function of the slide release lever. Here's a few things you can check:
> 
> *make sure your weapon is unloaded, remove the mag (empty) and remove the slide*
> 
> -check the empty mag for issues
> 
> Place the empty mag on the table so that it's standing up on its own. Note the position of the magazine plug inside the empty mag. It should appear to be slightly more angled than the side walls of the magazine. In other words, the plug's rear should be slightly lower than the top of the mag walls, and the plug's front should be slightly higher than the top of the mag walls. The top-center of the left mag wall (the side with "Sig Sauer" stamped) should meet the same height of the plug at that position almost exactly. At this same position is where the both left mag wall side begins to angle down, exposing the potion of the mag plug which pushes up on the slide release lever when all casings are spent. Assuming all this checks out positionally, take your index finger and push down on the exposed part of the plug about half an inch. Doing this about a dozen or so times should begin to make tip of your finger sore. Also while doing this, see if you can feel some grittiness while the parts move. If your fingertip doesn't get a little sore, and/or you can feel grit in even the slightest downward movement of the plug, you've either got a weak mag spring, some serious crud which needs to be cleaned out, or both.
> 
> -check the slide release lever
> 
> Your frame should be somewhere around you without the slide or mag attached. Take a look at the slide release lever and push it UP a few times (the opposite direction of its intended use). The movement should traverse roughly an eighth of an inch before it stops. Again, see if you can feel grittiness in this motion. Also spot check the tension of the lever spring. If you slide your fingers off while the lever is in the up position, it should come down immediately and make a soft tap against the frame.
> 
> If there is any indication of grime on or around the lever, it probably needs to be cleaned thoroughly. The two "trouble" spots I am noticing right now would be the part of the lever which is flush against the inner part of the frame and the crevice into which the lever is inserted (towards the trigger housing). At the top of that crevice, you should be able to make out [BARELY] the end of a steel rod spring. It rests on top of the lever and also moves up when the lever is pushed up; it moves upward about a sixteenth of an inch. Again, if there is any evidence of grit, be generous with Hoppe's on both areas (or whatever you use), let it soak, then get some compressed air to blow out both areas after a couple minutes.
> 
> -check the mechanics of the mag working in conjunction with the lever
> 
> Insert the empty mag to the frame while the slide is off. Once fully inserted, the mag plug should be pushed down by the hook on the slide release lever by about an eighth of an inch. Pushing DOWN on the slide release lever should push the plug down about another eighth of an inch. Repeating this motion should cause the mag spring to rattle a bit. The lever should return to its rest position promptly everytime you remove your finger.
> 
> If all this checks out ok, my guess is the slide lever spring is weak (probably that same spring rod I mentioned earlier....sticking out of that crevice). I'm not sure how that would be replaced without involving a gunsmith. Still, Sigs make remarkable products and I would first do due diligence in checking everything I could before spending money to have it shipped, or locked away by someone else for several days.
> 
> Good luck, I hope this helps!



This is quite an old post, but thought I would add, I was having the same trouble. I read this post and oiled the slide release lever, and now the slide locks back with every last magazine round.


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