Issue with my SIG 239 .40. Seeking input.

cas700850 · July 29, 2013, 07:13 PM

New member. Nice forum.

I was shooting over the weekend, and that included my SIG P239 SAS (1st generation). After 4 mags, I started to have issues. Failures to feed. It happened with both magazines, sometimes while loading the first round, but also on other rounds in the magazine. I was shooting a box of Winchester white box ammo (target flat nosed bullets) I had purchased the day before at Gander Mountain. First few times it happened I tried smacking the back of the slide to help the slide go into battery, which did nothing to help. I had to eject the magazine and retract the slide to allow the round to drop out through the magazine well. I set the rounds aside until I noticed it had been six different rounds, so it wasn't a bad round or two. Examining the rounds showed no obvious issues. Taking the gun apart later to clean, I found no obvious issues with feed ramp or the chamber. I had just installed a Hogue grip on the gun, but I saw no sign that the grip was intefering with slide movement in any way.

I've never had this issue before with either ball or hollowpoint ammo, though I don't remember shooting flat nosed bullets before. I bought the gun used from a trusted friend, who had put less than 500 rounds through it, and my round count is also under 500.

Any suggestions or observations are appreciated.

Dixie Gunsmithing · July 29, 2013, 09:18 PM

It sounds like it just wont handle flat nosed ammo. Has the feed ramp ever been polished, etc., before? If there is a lip where the ramp and the barrel meet, the bullet could be hitting this, and jamming it up.

**4V50 Gary** · July 29, 2013, 10:22 PM

Exterior of the barrel oiled?
Any burrs on the breechface?
Feed ramp smooth?

cas700850 · July 29, 2013, 10:50 PM

Well lubed. Didn't see any burrs on the breech face, and the ramps are smoth, thouhh I noticednthatbthe frame ramp and barrel ramp don't line up perfectly. Is that normal to have a slight gap? I just ran two mags of Golden Saber hollow points through hy hand (racking the slide) and had no issues.

**4V50 Gary** · July 30, 2013, 01:15 AM

Slight gap is normal.

If those are factory magazines and the lips are not damaged, then I suspect your gun doesn't like flat nose boolits.

cas700850 · July 30, 2013, 12:45 PM

Just checked the mags, which are factory SIG mags. No damage to the lips or the follower. Guess I'll need to watch the bullet profile of ammo from now on.

thanks.

g.willikers · July 30, 2013, 06:08 PM

The flat nose rounds are probably slightly shorter over all.
And the gun needs the longer length of the other types of ammo to function.
Just to see if that is the problem, if they are shorter, use an impact bullet puller to increase their length equal to the others and retry.

comn-cents · July 30, 2013, 06:20 PM

How many rounds since it's last cleaning, before the jamming? It might have just need the cleaning & lubing you just gave it. I'd try it again with the same ammo and see what happens. Good luck.

July 29, 2013, 07:13 PM	#1
cas700850 Member Join Date: July 22, 2013 Posts: 22	Issue with my SIG 239 .40. Seeking input. New member. Nice forum. I was shooting over the weekend, and that included my SIG P239 SAS (1st generation). After 4 mags, I started to have issues. Failures to feed. It happened with both magazines, sometimes while loading the first round, but also on other rounds in the magazine. I was shooting a box of Winchester white box ammo (target flat nosed bullets) I had purchased the day before at Gander Mountain. First few times it happened I tried smacking the back of the slide to help the slide go into battery, which did nothing to help. I had to eject the magazine and retract the slide to allow the round to drop out through the magazine well. I set the rounds aside until I noticed it had been six different rounds, so it wasn't a bad round or two. Examining the rounds showed no obvious issues. Taking the gun apart later to clean, I found no obvious issues with feed ramp or the chamber. I had just installed a Hogue grip on the gun, but I saw no sign that the grip was intefering with slide movement in any way. I've never had this issue before with either ball or hollowpoint ammo, though I don't remember shooting flat nosed bullets before. I bought the gun used from a trusted friend, who had put less than 500 rounds through it, and my round count is also under 500. Any suggestions or observations are appreciated.

July 29, 2013, 10:22 PM	#3
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	Exterior of the barrel oiled? Any burrs on the breechface? Feed ramp smooth? __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

July 30, 2013, 01:15 AM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	Slight gap is normal. If those are factory magazines and the lips are not damaged, then I suspect your gun doesn't like flat nose boolits. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

July 30, 2013, 06:08 PM	#7
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	The flat nose rounds are probably slightly shorter over all. And the gun needs the longer length of the other types of ammo to function. Just to see if that is the problem, if they are shorter, use an impact bullet puller to increase their length equal to the others and retry. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

July 30, 2013, 06:20 PM	#8
comn-cents Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2008 Location: Pac.N.W. Posts: 1,804	How many rounds since it's last cleaning, before the jamming? It might have just need the cleaning & lubing you just gave it. I'd try it again with the same ammo and see what happens. Good luck. __________________ Be Smarter Than A Bore-Snake!

July 29, 2013, 09:18 PM	#2
Dixie Gunsmithing Moderator Emeritus Join Date: April 27, 2013 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,923	It sounds like it just wont handle flat nosed ammo. Has the feed ramp ever been polished, etc., before? If there is a lip where the ramp and the barrel meet, the bullet could be hitting this, and jamming it up.

July 29, 2013, 10:50 PM	#4
cas700850 Member Join Date: July 22, 2013 Posts: 22	Well lubed. Didn't see any burrs on the breech face, and the ramps are smoth, thouhh I noticednthatbthe frame ramp and barrel ramp don't line up perfectly. Is that normal to have a slight gap? I just ran two mags of Golden Saber hollow points through hy hand (racking the slide) and had no issues.

July 30, 2013, 12:45 PM	#6
cas700850 Member Join Date: July 22, 2013 Posts: 22	Just checked the mags, which are factory SIG mags. No damage to the lips or the follower. Guess I'll need to watch the bullet profile of ammo from now on. thanks.