Greetings everyone.
I have a Sigma that consistently fails to extract fired cases. This is what happens:
Everytime, the spent case is left in the chamber. It's essentially a single shot pistol. Occasionally I can fire two rounds, and rarely three, before it jams.
I bought the gun new about 12 years ago. In the first few years thereafter I fired several hundred rounds without any problems, except for one instance where I had this very same issue. At the time I was shooting Remington UMC in the yellow box. I switched to the white-box Winchester and the gun returned to normal function. The Sigma then sat idle for quite a while and I've just recently began shooting it again. I've shot it four or five times in the last year and have experienced this extraction problem on each occasion. It occurs when the gun is clean & lubed and when it's dirty. Oddly, the problem only seems exist with brass cased ammunition. It will fire and cycle aluminum cased Blazer perfectly.
Yesterday I took the gun to the range and fired several varieties of brass cased ammunition along with some CCI Blazer. I used Remington UMC in the yellow box, Remington in the green/white box, Winchester white box, and Federal American Eagle. The extraction problem occurred with each brand, except for the Blazer. When I cleared the gun immediately after the jam, the spent case would always fall free from the chamber with it's own weight & gravity. I collected some of the cases that wouldn't extract, and all of them had the same damage to the case rim shown here:
The extractor appears to just be tearing through the rim. The few brass cases that did extract and all of the aluminum cases looked relatively normal. They had markings you'd expect from cycling, but none of the damage shown. I probably should have photographed some of them, but there really isn't anything to see with them.
The extractor seems to be in good shape. I think it has good tension, as it will hold a case securely against the breach face with the barrel removed. The extractor spring feels stout when it's depressed to reinstall the cover plate at the back of the slide. It does look as if only a part of lip is engaging the case rim based on the brass markings seen in the second photo. Though that may be perfectly normal.
The gun was completely stock when this problem began. I installed a 20 lb. Wolff recoil spring (and metal guide rod) in hopes it would help, but it didn't make any difference. Switching between the stock spring and the Wolff, the problem exists just the same.
I've considered changing the extractor and spring, but I'm not sure it would do any good. Those parts appear to be in good shape and the gun hasn't been shot enough that either should be worn to a significant degree. Not that I can find an extractor available for sale anyway.
Is there any point in pursuing this issue further myself, or is it something best left to S&W?
I have a Sigma that consistently fails to extract fired cases. This is what happens:
Everytime, the spent case is left in the chamber. It's essentially a single shot pistol. Occasionally I can fire two rounds, and rarely three, before it jams.
I bought the gun new about 12 years ago. In the first few years thereafter I fired several hundred rounds without any problems, except for one instance where I had this very same issue. At the time I was shooting Remington UMC in the yellow box. I switched to the white-box Winchester and the gun returned to normal function. The Sigma then sat idle for quite a while and I've just recently began shooting it again. I've shot it four or five times in the last year and have experienced this extraction problem on each occasion. It occurs when the gun is clean & lubed and when it's dirty. Oddly, the problem only seems exist with brass cased ammunition. It will fire and cycle aluminum cased Blazer perfectly.
Yesterday I took the gun to the range and fired several varieties of brass cased ammunition along with some CCI Blazer. I used Remington UMC in the yellow box, Remington in the green/white box, Winchester white box, and Federal American Eagle. The extraction problem occurred with each brand, except for the Blazer. When I cleared the gun immediately after the jam, the spent case would always fall free from the chamber with it's own weight & gravity. I collected some of the cases that wouldn't extract, and all of them had the same damage to the case rim shown here:
The extractor appears to just be tearing through the rim. The few brass cases that did extract and all of the aluminum cases looked relatively normal. They had markings you'd expect from cycling, but none of the damage shown. I probably should have photographed some of them, but there really isn't anything to see with them.
The extractor seems to be in good shape. I think it has good tension, as it will hold a case securely against the breach face with the barrel removed. The extractor spring feels stout when it's depressed to reinstall the cover plate at the back of the slide. It does look as if only a part of lip is engaging the case rim based on the brass markings seen in the second photo. Though that may be perfectly normal.
The gun was completely stock when this problem began. I installed a 20 lb. Wolff recoil spring (and metal guide rod) in hopes it would help, but it didn't make any difference. Switching between the stock spring and the Wolff, the problem exists just the same.
I've considered changing the extractor and spring, but I'm not sure it would do any good. Those parts appear to be in good shape and the gun hasn't been shot enough that either should be worn to a significant degree. Not that I can find an extractor available for sale anyway.
Is there any point in pursuing this issue further myself, or is it something best left to S&W?
