Stove piping (FT eject)

[spleify]

I would guess this has been discussed here before, so if there is a good thread please feel free to drop a link for me.

I have had the Sigma SW9VE for a few months now. I reload all my own ammo, and have for years and years. This is the only gun I have an issue with and it just wont eat anything I feed it. I have worked up at least a dozen different loads and I am still experiencing stove piping.

Or, if you have a proven load that you would like to share, please let me know. I load with SR4756 and W231.

Any and all help/suggestions would be greatly apprecaited.

Thanks

 

[Walthernut]

What does it do with 'store bought' ammo?

 

[marlin.357]

Favorite load is 4.5 gr of W231 behind 115 gr FMJ or Berry's or Rainier plated at 1.10 OAL works for me. Have gone down to 4.2 gr of W231, and the brass kinda falls at my feet, but still no FTE's.

 

[OKFC05]

Usual routine on a Sigma problem is:
1. Clean thoroughly and lightly lube per S&W manual. Too much lube, lube in the wrong place, or heavy grease will slow the slide.
2. Shoot with factory ammo, and check for full slide travel: put one round in the mag, and see if the slide locks back after the shot. If a clean gun won't shoot standard factory ammo, it needs to go back to S&W.
3. Shoot the same test with your reload. If the slide does not lock back after the shot, too wimpy a load.
4. Be sure you are not touching the slide with your hand when shooting, as this causes mysterious failures.

 

[spleify]

I've only shot a handfull of factory ammo, so I dont really have much experience with it, seemed ok if I remember correctly

 

[spleify]

Favorite load is 4.5 gr of W231 behind 115 gr FMJ or Berry's or Rainier plated at 1.10 OAL works for me. Have gone down to 4.2 gr of W231, and the brass kinda falls at my feet, but still no FTE's.

Marlin, I tried that load, I even worked up a batch with 4.9 grains of W231, no difference.

 

[spleify]

Usual routine on a Sigma problem is:
1. Clean thoroughly and lightly lube per S&W manual. Too much lube, lube in the wrong place, or heavy grease will slow the slide.
2. Shoot with factory ammo, and check for full slide travel: put one round in the mag, and see if the slide locks back after the shot. If a clean gun won't shoot standard factory ammo, it needs to go back to S&W.
3. Shoot the same test with your reload. If the slide does not lock back after the shot, too wimpy a load.
4. Be sure you are not touching the slide with your hand when shooting, as this causes mysterious failures.

I clean all my guns very well, never over lube just a light wiping.

I am not very impressed with this gun at all what so ever. It's for sale in the for sale forum if anyone wants it......

 

[OKFC05]

Any and all help/suggestions would be greatly apprecaited.

Call S&W customer service or repair center and they send you a call tag for shipping.
All shipping and repairs will be free to the customer.

 

[rcflyer]

I'm shooting 4.5 gr of Bullseye and 125 gr LRN with no problems at all. Eats everything I have put through it.

 

[Backon4]

No offense but it sounds like your reloads are the problem. I say go to a heavier bullet and see how it does.

 

[blastfact]

Check the extractor, Check the ejector to see if it's stripping your brass.

I've shot several thousand reloads of my own making through my 9VE with only one issue. The extractor broke. I will take the blame on that issue. I had put some major hot loads through it.

It has to be something very simple.

 

[spleify]

Well, I tried calling S&W today, and the message said to to high call volume they recommend you call back another time, or you can leave a message. I left a message and got no return call.

I suppose it could be my loads but I load 9 different callibers for countless guns, and a number of different 9mm's and have been hand loading for almost 12 years, and I have absolutely no issues with any other gun or caliber but the Sigma. I can take these same loads and shoot them in 4 other guns, and I dont have an issue.

S&W is falling fast on my list......

 

[spleify]

Well today went by also with no return phone call. I can't wait to sell this piece of junk and move on to something better. S&W has lost all my respect. I have more than a few of there fire arms, and most of them I have issues with. Bought a brand spankin new 15-22 and had nothing but with issues with it. 3 different types of ammo, and 4 different mags and nothing but issues, failure to fire, failure to feed, failure to eject....I will be selling all my S&W guns and not purchasing any more. There are way better fire arms and companys with much better customer service out there.

Junk, thats all I have to say.....JUNK

 

[ChrisKalan]

So how much do you want for it? Private message me with a price, and we can discuss it.

Cheers,

 

[Sleddog30]

Well today went by also with no return phone call. I can't wait to sell this piece of junk and move on to something better. S&W has lost all my respect. I have more than a few of there fire arms, and most of them I have issues with. Bought a brand spankin new 15-22 and had nothing but with issues with it. 3 different types of ammo, and 4 different mags and nothing but issues, failure to fire, failure to feed, failure to eject....I will be selling all my S&W guns and not purchasing any more. There are way better fire arms and companys with much better customer service out there.

Junk, thats all I have to say.....JUNK

Just don't turn into a "Sigma Hater". Just kidding... Hopefully SW will call you on Monday. I would send it to 'em. It does have a life time warranty. But, if you want to sell it, you can PM with the price!

 

[spleify]

So, just so everyone knows I called and left a second message with S&W and yet again absolutely zero response. I then sent them an email last week, again zero response. I sent them another email tonight explaining to them that I am thouroughly fed up with there company and I will be dumping all of my S&W firearms, which is way more than one, and will be replacing them with something of quality from a company that respects there customers.

I will never, ever own another piece of crap made by S&W, what a horrible disapointment they have been. I here people all over this board saying how great they are, and how well they were takin care of. Well I call BS on all that. I feel like I have been let down by an old family member. I have been buying and shooting S&W firearms for over 27 years, and it all comes to an end today. I will sell every last piece of crap S&W firearm I own and never return.

What a joke of a company!!

 

[Ceapea]

You didn't mention if it was a new or used gun. If the gun is new, put 500 or so rounds of (any, quality) factory ammo through it to make sure it's broken in. Then try your reloads. I too am thinking about reloading this year, so take that into consideration when you read this next statement. If your Sigma shoots factory ammo (try a bunch more if you didn't already) correctly, without any problems, then the gun CANNOT be the problem. As the manual says to shoot only good factory ammo from a quality manufacturer, you should try that first before condemning the gun. If factory ammo works, you will have to look at YOUR rounds as the problem, and most people won't want to hear that. It doesn't matter if your loads work in any other gun, how could it?
As far as S&W service goes, they're one of the best out there. Try waiting the few minutes to talk to someone live. I call them all of the time for info and never had to wait more than 5 minutes, usually much less. I called a few weeks ago to tell them about a timing problem with my 13 yr old 686+, they sent me a call tag in about 3 days. I sent it out and exactly 2 weeks later I had my gun back in perfect condition. So I'm speaking/writing from very recent experience. It sounds like you might be a tad short on patience.

Ceapea

 

[Backon4]

Try calling first thing in the morning or call frank smith at LSG. He will get you taken care of. You can even email him and he usually responds within 24hours.

 

[DHENRY]

Lots of shooters beat the 'loads' and 'ejector' issues to death when it comes to stovepiping.
Spring problems should be at the top of your list, particularly if the stovepiping occurs with only one pistol.
Don

 

[7shooter]

The above comments probably are correct but another possibilty is operator error. I never have problems with steel semi autos but have had the problem you are reporting with my Glocks. It was occuring when I was shooting in matches where I had to shoot over the top of a barrier with a target semi buried in the ground . This caused me to break my wrist which resulted in a jam. I corrected this problem by making sure my hand was aligned with my arm when shooting over barriers. My grandson has been having a similar problem with a Glock. He has just started shooting in USPSA and IDPA matches and was having problems with ejected cases hitting him in the head instead of out to the side . He was breaking his wrist slightly when shooting. He was able to correct this by concentrating on keeping his wrist straight.