Kenny D

I took my Sig 2022 to a gunsmith which I won't name names but they are located in a city located next to South Houston, Tx. The guy only charged me $25 to install some Siglite night sights that I purchased from another vendor and evidently he did not have the correct sight pusher and decided to remove the original sights and install the night sights with a punch and hammer. I used their range right after install and the aim was good but after returning home ( I live an hour away and I made the trip after leaving work) about 7 pm and commenced to clean my weapon, I noticed that he had left several dings in my slide near the rear sight. Nothing too bad to affect functionality but before that it was cosmetically flawless. I was slightly upset but it's too late now the damage is done. I guess my question is how thick is the Nitron coating that Sig puts on the slide? I would like to try to repair the dings but I am afraid that I will end up with shiny stainless spots where the dings are. I supposed the only two options are to have the slide blasted and remove the dings or leave as is. Maybe I am being a little anal about the small dings but the carelessness of this so called "gunsmith" just eerks me. Needless to say I will be willing to drive further to have better quality workmanship next time I need something done. Thanks for letting me vent my frustration to you guys.

Reliable

I know you have just discovered this . . . . buy that is why I spent the money to buy a sight pusher. At $25 a sight change, it has already paid for it self.

Sorry to hear about the dings. Are they actual dings or are they just brass rub marks from the punch used to move the sight? (I say brass assuming the gunsmith used the correct type of punch). Brass marks can scrubb out with CLP and a tooth brush. If they are actual 'dings' you may have to live with them until you get a full blown slide refinish. Probably not what you wanted to hear. A saying I read once may apply. .You'll have to remind yourself that your gun is a tool, not a Faberge egg.

It's ultimately your call on how you want to handle this and whether or not you choose to confront the gunsmith about making it right. Consider this though, If he does not have the proper tools to install sights, he may not have the proper tools to fix/finish your slide.

gs9

That is disappointing. The least they could have done was inform you of the method they were going to use to do the job. I would be irritated about dings on one of my firearms too after paying a pro to work on it.

sigp229r 

I would be irate if that happened to me... I would probably contact the gunsmith to see if he will correct the damages he made on your SigPro...

txshurricane

Kenny, was that the place we were discussing earlier? If so, I'm slightly embarrassed that I spoke well of them. I thought they'd have better sense than that.

Kenny D

Yes. Don't worry about it. How would you have known. Now you know not to trust their workmanship. I made my choice on the distance from my job and I own that decision. I agree with you that the price of the shooting lanes beat my local range but I wouldn't make the drive to save $3. They're small enough that I have decided to just live with them. It adds character I guess. You wouldn't notice them unless you looked for them.

txshurricane

Which range? High Noon or Sportsman's Paradise? I haven't tried either.

Kenny D

High noon. Just discovered sportsman the other day on the web but haven't been there yet. " They are small" are the dings not the range is what I was referring to. Just wanted to clear that statement up. The range is easy to spot. Lol.

txshurricane

Oh, yeah, I didn't realize you had reverted back to the dings.

I'll try High Noon...I just don't like that they have a brass-only rule. I like to shoot steel-cased ammo for plinking.

As for the dings: it's like you said. You can't keep a finish perfect forever. My SIG556 has the scrapes at the ejection port where ejected shells bounce off of the receiver, and while it bugged me at first eventually I just decided that the more I get the more it means I've enjoyed myself.

Kenny D

Its probably a "brass only" rule because even though they offer for you to collect your spent brass I believe they sell it for reloading or recycling purposes but that is just speculation on my part. Seems logical anyway.

Siggybaby  

Sorry to hear about your slide. Have you tried rubbing it out with isopropyl alcohol? Obviously if the finish is gone, that won't help, but it's worth a try. There are also a few bluing touch up pens on the market that you could try to make it look better. A black sharpie always looks better as a temporary fix for very small marks. I used one on my old 10/22 a few weeks ago. lol

As anal as I am about my guns, I'd probably have to have it refinished unless it wasn't that bad, or if it was my carry gun.

Kenny D

Its actually deformation of the metal but the nitron finish is still intact. There is no bare stainless showing. I have accepted to chalk it up to character marks cause it is really not that noticeable. Now if it were a top of the line p229 or the such I would be furious and be talking to the owner of that establishment. (If I would of actually trusted someone other than Sig to do the work on it) But it being such minor blemishes I can live with them. She still shoots fine and now she shoots in the dark. LOL.

MOUNTAIN WILLIAM

One possible problem that hasn't been mentioned yet, are the night sights working properly?
Side impacts are almost always detrimental to night sights, Trijicon won't warranty their sights if they aren't installed with a sight pusher.

bearone2

shells being ejected off receiver is normal wear & tear, this was different.

kenny d:
a punch & hammer, you could've done it yourself.

that gunsmith was a poor choice.

Sgt Ed

+1. Nitron is very thin.I am in the process of refinishing a P-6 in stainless cerakote and got it a bit thick inside the slide and it has things locked up.Ended up reblasting and redoing with a different spray equipt.

roostershooter

This is why I always keep a 1/2" delrin rod on hand. I learned the hard way when I ruined a set of Meprolight Sights on my Kimber. Not to mention the fact that the pipes in night sights aren't shock proof! You're lucky one didn't rupture and leak tritium everywhere.

bearone2

a lesson learned

THE CONQUEROR

Hello to all!

My shop did the same thing. But the little brass markings went away very quick after a couple cleanings with CLP.

Sorry to hear about your experience.

the real diehl

Unfortunately, people who work on machines for a living don't care about them like some
owners do. I was an auto mechanic for many years and am shop manager for about 17 more years. I never liked to work on custom cars because to the owners it's like some part of their personal anatomy. They have way too much rapped up in them. To me it's just a car. After all, I was just trying to make a buck. Having said that, I know how I feel about my own stuff, and understand the frustration.

Hence the old adage, "familiarity breeds contempt."

Hiram

sorry to hear about the dings. when you pay someone to do something you expect them to do a professional job.