Sig P220 Extractor tension?

J.R. Bob Dobbs · July 20, 2002, 09:12 AM

My new p220 occasionally has a "weak" ejection, about every 25rds or so, where the empty comes back and hits me in the head, or goes straight up in the air. There have been no failures, with about 350rds of assorted ammo.

Carefully checking everything, I notice the extractor tension is very very light. There's barely any resistance to sliding a case under it. If I slide a loaded cartridge into place, it will remain thru a light shake, but will come out with a hard shake. It's MUCH looser than a 1911, or p95 that have similar (non coil-spring) extractors.

Anybody here have a 220 (folded slide) to check the tension?

**4V50 Gary** · July 20, 2002, 12:25 PM

It should hold it snugly. May have to be removed from the gun and tweaked to give it more "bite" on the cartridge. Generally though, for service firearms, they're replaced and the old one trashed.

J.R. Bob Dobbs · July 20, 2002, 12:49 PM

I suspect it needs to be a little tighter than it is.

I'm comfortable doing this on a 1911, but I don't know the 220 detail strip procedure. I presume that if I remove the roll pin(s), it will all come apart logically? I've had no luck searching the net for the procedure.

Nukem · July 20, 2002, 02:28 PM

AGI has a good VHS tape on the SIG pistol series.

**4V50 Gary** · July 20, 2002, 02:39 PM

Get a 2x4 block of wood and drill a 1/2" hole in it. That's your bench block. Take a roll pin punch and punch out the two roll pins.

This allows the breechblock to fall out. Flip the breechblock upside down and you see the extractor claw. Use a flat end screwdriver and sticking it into the base (all the way in the back), tweak it such that the extractor comes out. Don't apply the screwdriver to the blade itself. We're talking about that block of a base for the extractor.

Place the extractor in a vise and place a straight rule against it. This is to give yourself a visual mental image. Tweak once with a soft mallet. Check w/rule. Reinstall into breechblock by pressing in the base first. Reassemble slide by placing breechblock into slide and pinning w/fresh roll pins.

J.R. Bob Dobbs · July 20, 2002, 03:52 PM

Done! (except for the new pins) Thanks for the info; it turned out to be a very easy job. I made a pencil tracing of the extractor to guage my progress.

I bent it as little as I could, about .02" at the end. It now takes a little finger pressure to insert the round under the extractor, and it won't shake loose. Not as tight as my other guns, but noticeably tighter than it was.

Off to the range in the next day or two to test it out.

July 20, 2002, 09:12 AM	#1
J.R. Bob Dobbs Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2002 Location: Atlanta Posts: 221	Sig P220 Extractor tension? My new p220 occasionally has a "weak" ejection, about every 25rds or so, where the empty comes back and hits me in the head, or goes straight up in the air. There have been no failures, with about 350rds of assorted ammo. Carefully checking everything, I notice the extractor tension is very very light. There's barely any resistance to sliding a case under it. If I slide a loaded cartridge into place, it will remain thru a light shake, but will come out with a hard shake. It's MUCH looser than a 1911, or p95 that have similar (non coil-spring) extractors. Anybody here have a 220 (folded slide) to check the tension?

July 20, 2002, 12:25 PM	#2
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	It should hold it snugly. May have to be removed from the gun and tweaked to give it more "bite" on the cartridge. Generally though, for service firearms, they're replaced and the old one trashed. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

July 20, 2002, 02:39 PM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	Get a 2x4 block of wood and drill a 1/2" hole in it. That's your bench block. Take a roll pin punch and punch out the two roll pins. This allows the breechblock to fall out. Flip the breechblock upside down and you see the extractor claw. Use a flat end screwdriver and sticking it into the base (all the way in the back), tweak it such that the extractor comes out. Don't apply the screwdriver to the blade itself. We're talking about that block of a base for the extractor. Place the extractor in a vise and place a straight rule against it. This is to give yourself a visual mental image. Tweak once with a soft mallet. Check w/rule. Reinstall into breechblock by pressing in the base first. Reassemble slide by placing breechblock into slide and pinning w/fresh roll pins. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

July 20, 2002, 12:49 PM	#3
J.R. Bob Dobbs Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2002 Location: Atlanta Posts: 221	I suspect it needs to be a little tighter than it is. I'm comfortable doing this on a 1911, but I don't know the 220 detail strip procedure. I presume that if I remove the roll pin(s), it will all come apart logically? I've had no luck searching the net for the procedure.

July 20, 2002, 02:28 PM	#4
Nukem Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2000 Posts: 709	AGI has a good VHS tape on the SIG pistol series.

July 20, 2002, 03:52 PM	#6
J.R. Bob Dobbs Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2002 Location: Atlanta Posts: 221	Done! (except for the new pins) Thanks for the info; it turned out to be a very easy job. I made a pencil tracing of the extractor to guage my progress. I bent it as little as I could, about .02" at the end. It now takes a little finger pressure to insert the round under the extractor, and it won't shake loose. Not as tight as my other guns, but noticeably tighter than it was. Off to the range in the next day or two to test it out.