Bare with me as I explain the story. So I bought this Sigma SW40VE about 1.5 years ago. I'm pretty new to the intricacies of firearms although I've shot quite a few different types growing up. First or second time to the range a year and a half ago, I fired off a FMJ round and the gun failed to eject the casing. After manually ejecting, I had no problem with FMJ ammo during that session. So then I tried JHPs and had another ejection problem after firing the round. After doing some research I found that if you do not hold the firearm firmly enough, you can make it so the weapon doesn't eject the casing properly. I figured that was what happened with the FMJ ejection failure. Furthermore, I found out that Sigmas don't really like JHPs and to get Pow'rball for the Sigma if I wanted expansion rounds. I don't know how true either of those statements are, but I know that since holding the firearm more firmly and using Pow'rball ammo I did not have a misfire... and it's been about 600-700 rounds since then. Every time after going to the range I would clean the firearm by just field stripping it, wiping some lubricant around the mechanisms, and cleaning the barrel and main spring.
During this time period I noticed all along that the trigger pull was rough, and saw online that many other people noted this problem and had solutions: simply change out the trigger spring or whatever it's called. Anyway, one boring day I decided to actually attempt to change the trigger spring to loosen it up some. I replaced the trigger spring with some pen spring as the online tutorial noted that I would not need to buy a Wolf spring and that I can just use a pen spring and be just as effective. So after successfully doing so, I noticed a great improvement in the trigger pull. Off to the range...
First 50 or so rounds, no problem. Then I hear a 'click.' Tried to manually eject it and I could not. The round was somehow stuck in the chamber and there was no way I could get it out. Tried for like 5 minutes before I embarrassingly left the range with a half-cocked firearm in my bag. Once I was home, I was able to use a hammer to tap the part of the barrel that says "40 S&W" and finally dislodged the barrel from the metal rack and then got the round out. After inspecting it I noticed that the primer wasn't struck in the middle of it like all the other casings I randomly inspected after they fired properly. The indentation that was made into the primer of the misfired round seemed to equal the indentation that was made into the successfully fired rounds but it was just off-centered. I figured it was just because the rounds were reloads (not loaded by me obviously) and that they may have been underloaded or whatever. This was about 5 months ago and I haven't been to the range since then until today, to try it again.
Bought factory Winchester FMJ ammo and went to the range, first clip everything was fine. Second clip, 10th round, "click." My girlfriend is like, "Hey let me reload the clip for you." I'm trying to play it off like, "Hold on I was just checking something." Sigh. I manually eject the round and keep firing the rest of the 3 left in the clip. After inspecting the round I notice it, too, had the primer indentation off-centered just like the other round 5 months ago. My girlfriend shot some rounds. I wasn't looking but she pulled the trigger, and said that the rack was stuck back but nothing fired. I saw that the rack was in the back or cocked position and I was staring at a round that didn't make its way into the chamber. Manually ejected and kept firing. Everything was fine for the next 80 or so rounds that we finished off.
I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on?! Is it really because of the trigger spring that I changed? I didn't think that had anything to do with the firing pin or ejector messing up. Do I need to "fully" disassemble it in order to clean the firing pin and ejector or something? I apologize for the long post but I felt it is necessary to try and come to some sort of resolution for this problem with my first firearm. Thanks.
During this time period I noticed all along that the trigger pull was rough, and saw online that many other people noted this problem and had solutions: simply change out the trigger spring or whatever it's called. Anyway, one boring day I decided to actually attempt to change the trigger spring to loosen it up some. I replaced the trigger spring with some pen spring as the online tutorial noted that I would not need to buy a Wolf spring and that I can just use a pen spring and be just as effective. So after successfully doing so, I noticed a great improvement in the trigger pull. Off to the range...
First 50 or so rounds, no problem. Then I hear a 'click.' Tried to manually eject it and I could not. The round was somehow stuck in the chamber and there was no way I could get it out. Tried for like 5 minutes before I embarrassingly left the range with a half-cocked firearm in my bag. Once I was home, I was able to use a hammer to tap the part of the barrel that says "40 S&W" and finally dislodged the barrel from the metal rack and then got the round out. After inspecting it I noticed that the primer wasn't struck in the middle of it like all the other casings I randomly inspected after they fired properly. The indentation that was made into the primer of the misfired round seemed to equal the indentation that was made into the successfully fired rounds but it was just off-centered. I figured it was just because the rounds were reloads (not loaded by me obviously) and that they may have been underloaded or whatever. This was about 5 months ago and I haven't been to the range since then until today, to try it again.
Bought factory Winchester FMJ ammo and went to the range, first clip everything was fine. Second clip, 10th round, "click." My girlfriend is like, "Hey let me reload the clip for you." I'm trying to play it off like, "Hold on I was just checking something." Sigh. I manually eject the round and keep firing the rest of the 3 left in the clip. After inspecting the round I notice it, too, had the primer indentation off-centered just like the other round 5 months ago. My girlfriend shot some rounds. I wasn't looking but she pulled the trigger, and said that the rack was stuck back but nothing fired. I saw that the rack was in the back or cocked position and I was staring at a round that didn't make its way into the chamber. Manually ejected and kept firing. Everything was fine for the next 80 or so rounds that we finished off.
I'm trying to figure out what the hell is going on?! Is it really because of the trigger spring that I changed? I didn't think that had anything to do with the firing pin or ejector messing up. Do I need to "fully" disassemble it in order to clean the firing pin and ejector or something? I apologize for the long post but I felt it is necessary to try and come to some sort of resolution for this problem with my first firearm. Thanks.
