Mag Release on a Sig Handgun

xaman · June 7, 2011, 07:42 PM

Hello,

I've got a sig P290 with about 500 rounds through trouble free. These rounds were all fired through the factory 6 round mag.

Today I received a factory 8 round mag with the extension, but the mag wanted to drop after about 50 percent of the rounds fired. I went back to the 6 rounder and it was fine again.

I came home and started inspecting the mag, and it definitely sits slightly different in the magwell.

BUT here's what concerns me after looking closely --- both the 6 and 8 rounder drop VERY easily. I'm not talking about pressure, but distance the mag release button moves before disengaging. I don't think it's the spring, because it's plenty straight, and it seems to have plenty of tension. The problem seems to be that there's not much holding the mag in the first place. To put it into perspective, I only have to move the mag release button the slightest distance (perhaps between 1/32 for the 8 rounder and 1/16 of an inch for the 6 round mag -- seriously a minuscule distance).

So far the 6 round mag hasn't disengaged, but I'm concerned after this closer inspection that it's only a matter of time...

Can anyone here tell me if the mag release should engage more than that, be less sensitive? I compared it to a couple Glocks, a Walther, and my Sig p238, and they all take substantially more movement in order to drop the mag. Any thoughts?

Thanks

James K · June 7, 2011, 08:58 PM

I don't have a 290, but in many pistols the mag catch engages only the thickness of the magazine wall, which is in the .02" - .03" neighborhood. Even allowing for tolerances between the magazine and the magazine well, 1/16 inch is .0625" which is more than adequate and even half that should be sufficient. The new magazine (factory or after-market?) may not fit the magazine well properly, but correcting that problem in the gun may cause others.

Did you buy the gun new? If not, see if you can try some other guns of the same model. A previous owner might have reduced the magazine catch engagement or spring tension to fit his own needs.

Jim

June 7, 2011, 07:42 PM	#1
xaman Member Join Date: August 20, 2006 Posts: 28	Mag Release on a Sig Handgun Hello, I've got a sig P290 with about 500 rounds through trouble free. These rounds were all fired through the factory 6 round mag. Today I received a factory 8 round mag with the extension, but the mag wanted to drop after about 50 percent of the rounds fired. I went back to the 6 rounder and it was fine again. I came home and started inspecting the mag, and it definitely sits slightly different in the magwell. BUT here's what concerns me after looking closely --- both the 6 and 8 rounder drop VERY easily. I'm not talking about pressure, but distance the mag release button moves before disengaging. I don't think it's the spring, because it's plenty straight, and it seems to have plenty of tension. The problem seems to be that there's not much holding the mag in the first place. To put it into perspective, I only have to move the mag release button the slightest distance (perhaps between 1/32 for the 8 rounder and 1/16 of an inch for the 6 round mag -- seriously a minuscule distance). So far the 6 round mag hasn't disengaged, but I'm concerned after this closer inspection that it's only a matter of time... Can anyone here tell me if the mag release should engage more than that, be less sensitive? I compared it to a couple Glocks, a Walther, and my Sig p238, and they all take substantially more movement in order to drop the mag. Any thoughts? Thanks

June 7, 2011, 08:58 PM	#2
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I don't have a 290, but in many pistols the mag catch engages only the thickness of the magazine wall, which is in the .02" - .03" neighborhood. Even allowing for tolerances between the magazine and the magazine well, 1/16 inch is .0625" which is more than adequate and even half that should be sufficient. The new magazine (factory or after-market?) may not fit the magazine well properly, but correcting that problem in the gun may cause others. Did you buy the gun new? If not, see if you can try some other guns of the same model. A previous owner might have reduced the magazine catch engagement or spring tension to fit his own needs. Jim