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Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:47 am
by azwe
Just bought this bad boy at a show and I'm having problems with it. Haven't shot it yet but chambering the first round is very difficult. I try to rack the slide back but it gets stuck. The only way I can get it properly loaded is to rack it back then forward with my hand. If I don't push the rack forward then the first round won't chamber.

Is that a common problem or should I send this gun in for maintenance? It's brand new.

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:29 am
by 68Charger
Did you properly clean it and lube it beforehand? What kind of mags?

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:35 am
by Redneck_Buddha
Once you've done this, you should be good to go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEGBRhf9n0A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:54 am
by Salty1
The 238 needs a good cleaning before anything as mentioned, Sig provides a small tube of gun grease for a reason, use it on the grooves on the slide and where it attaches to the frame. All it needs is to look wet, not caked on. Once you do that you will be amazed at the difference and once it breaks in the slide becomes very easy to rack, even for people with weak hands, good luck and enjoy.....

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:24 am
by johncanfield
Yes, the slide should rack very easily. No worries, give it a cleaning and lightly oil. The P238 is a very fun gun to shoot but you will find the short sight radius a challenge, you need to cover the bullseye with the three-dot sights.

You didn't say when yours was made - there are three generations of magazines, be sure yours look the left-most example in the below picture. Also, be sure your recoil spring is made from flat stock - that's the latest version.

Talon Training has some good IWB holsters either with or without trigger guard lasers.
Left mag is the latest generation
Left mag is the latest generation

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 12:55 pm
by 68Charger
My p238 doesn't have a flat spring. I haven't had any problems evn using a wide variety of ammo including some +p. I should call sig and have them ship me one though..

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:00 pm
by blackgold
We just picked up a P238 for my GF monday. I've cleaned it well (twice). We have not shot it yet but I've cycled some ammo through it smoothly. It has a flat spring in it though. I'm expecting a smoother breakin than my P938..
Good luck with it,
Brian

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:25 pm
by Rex B
I have one original mag and several Colt Mustang mags. They all work fine

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:25 pm
by azwe
Nothing is working except unloading the magazine to 4 rounds. It works perfectly when the mag has 1-4 but 5 and 6 jam up.

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:29 pm
by azwe
http://i.imgur.com/Nvk4erM.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i.imgur.com/XKxilRy.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i.imgur.com/RV2zjhe.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:34 pm
by DocV
azwe wrote:Nothing is working except unloading the magazine to 4 rounds. It works perfectly when the mag has 1-4 but 5 and 6 jam up.
Hmmm.... Try loading up a magazine to full capacity then let it sit for a couple of days. BTW, I bought some Colt Pocketlight mags from CDNN. They work just fine.

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:57 pm
by johncanfield
So.. do you have the gen 3 magazine?

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 9:04 am
by azwe
Gen 3 mags, both of them.

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:13 am
by 7075-T7
Are you trying to close the slide after the magazine is inserted with the slide open, or cycle the slide when the magazine is inserted with the slide closed?

Re: Failure to chamber a Sig P238

Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:30 am
by azwe
I've tried it both ways. I actually did a test last night and wrote down what happened.

Slide closed, mag full: failed 8 out of 10 tries
Slide closed, mag with 4: failed 1 out of 10 tries
Slide open, mag full: failed 10 out of 10 tries
Slide open mag with 4: failed 2 out of 10 tries