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P938 issues

36K views 72 replies 46 participants last post by  AimHigh 
#1 ·
Purchased a brand new P938 Nightmare Oct. 22. Took it home and cleaned and oiled it just like normal Shot it 3 days later. I could not get through a single 6 shot clip without some sort of issue. Failure to feed, fire or eject. Three other friends shooting with me had similar issues with this pistol. Switched from reloaded and then brand new ammo three times that day. Went through 150 rounds before I had enough.

I have shot plenty of guns in my time and have never seen it before. Upon dis assembly I saw galling, peening, coined metal, interference fits and very uneven wear on almost all moving parts of this pistol. I am positive that I did everything possible to correctly break this gun in. I have pictures of everything stated. I sent it back to Sig for evaluation.

I know I am new here but I am not new to guns or forums. What do you guys think happened? I have complete and total faith that this is, and will be, one of my favorite guns. It just got off to a rocky start. Thanks guys.
 
#3 ·
Seems odd to have this on a newer 938. I've seen problems with earlier one's. Do you happen to have the serial # handy? Be nice to know if maybe it's an older model that sat on a shelf for awhile.

I'm sure SIG will make it right for you. Just isn't a pleasant experience to go through. I had to send my Nano back for ejection issues. I know how you feel.
 
#4 ·
Sorry to hear your story. I bought my Nightmare on October 15th. I did what you did.....took it home, cleaned and oiled it, then took it out for its paces. Put 200 rounds of Walmart whitebox through it. Not one problem. Hope they fix your issues, because I agree with you......you're gonna love this gun!
 
#6 · (Edited)
I was an early adopter (July) and it was a mistake.
FTF, FTE, dropping the extended mag, empties coming directly back and hitting me in the forehead, etc. After I sent it back for the 3rd time they sent a replacement 938 made in October and it is much better. I had one failure on a 147gr mag but that was it. Only other problem (same as my previous one) was that it shot high at 7 yards. Sig sent a #6 to replace the #8 rear and now it is ok.
It wasn't a pleasant experience but Sig paid for all the shipping and I am sure it wasn't pleasant for them. I also got an extra magazine out of it but I still wasted a lot of ammo. Based on what I have seen on many different threads/forums there was a high rejection rate on the early pistols.

Btw, the only wear I see on the new 938 is a little bit at the top of the frame rails (blueing worn). Not really any wear.

Just stay on them to fix it right.

I am also curious if it was an early 938 that sat on the shelf...

Both 938's were very accurate.
New one at 7 yards offhand; one full clip:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lw53je1zja8iss5/20121104_134617.jpg
 
#7 ·
SN 52A0068XX. Built/Shipped on July 3 2012. I am very optimistic that everything will come out fine. I just hope that it won't take more than one return trip back to Sig. Either way, I am going to make 100% sure that this gun ultimately lives up to the Sig Sauer image in my opinion.
 
#8 ·
Hang in there. Mine had an August 9th build date and I had extraction issues from day one. Sent it back to Sig and they installed an upgraded extractor, polished the feed ramp and replaced the recoil spring. Turn around time was 3 weeks to the day and it now runs like a champ. Over 500 rounds fired since I got it back without a single hiccup. I now have the utmost confidence in my P938 and never leave home without it.
 
#10 ·
If you check the previous "938 tracking" post, you will see serial numbers below 88xx appear to be the ones with these problems. After that number, they started polishing the feed ramp, upgraded the extractor and recoil spring during manufacture. Mine is a 18xxx with a sept bday, and I have not had problems other than when I tried a +p corbon load dbl tapping, that really kicked more than I expected, ending up with a fte. I felt it was more my not holding steady than the gun, I don't use +p due to the excessive kick, using hornady critical defense when carrying with no problems tested at the range.
 
#26 ·
#11 · (Edited)
My Extreme was born 8-1-12 with a very high 88xx. I suggest fill out a detailed letter with any and all info for the gunsmith. I sent mine in for fail to close, and included that it light striked Herter ammo. I stated that all other ammo struck fine and Herter is not the best stuff out there.
Two weeks to the day it came back with a new extractor, recoil, and guide rod.
No mention of firing pin. It now is a sweet shooter and with Herter ammo - all ammo tried.
Also I heard lots of comments on trigger pull. my trigger is very good and I have no need to change it. All around it is a great little gun now. Good thing since I lusted after a 938 since I saw it at the NRA convention last spring.
 
#12 · (Edited)
My 938 Nitron was born 8/30/12, serial 134xx and while I still have FTEs every once and awhile I also experienced a firing pin failure around round 581. Somehow the hammer end of the firing pin mushroomed to the point that it could not move in and out through the firing pin retainer plate at the end of the slide. Sig sent me a new firing pin and all has been well since with the firing pin.

1305 rounds fired to date.
 
#13 ·
Got it back already.

Gunsmith comments:
Inspected the pistol.
Replaced the extractor and the disconnector.
Staked the slide stop spring.
Function checked and test fired with no malfunctions.

What exactly does the disconnector do? I bought American Eagle 124 grain, Remington 115 and Herter's 115. Been shooting Blazers 115 and Federal 115 up till now. All FMJ. Am I headed in the right direction for ammo in your all opinion? I just want this thing to work. Thanks all.
 
#15 ·
MRTIMSTIK- How did you get this information? I'd like to find out the manufacture/ship date of my P938 but Sig wants $50 just to tell me. I picked mine up Thurs. Nov. 8th.2012 but was on back order since Aug. 19th. It is a brand new firearm so it's not like they'd have to do a whole lot of digging to find out.
 
#21 ·
I have one on hold for me SN#52A0308xx model # Model Number: 938-9-BG-AMBI
UPC# 798681437566 but I don't have the box on hand, so I have two questions:

1. Can the build date be decoded from the serial number only?

2. After which date were the "good ones" built with the updated extractor?

Thanks in advance.
 
#22 ·
on the case there is a serial number sticker, a build date sticker (with a date) and the model sticker. ask your seller to see the case that matches your serial number on the 938 (right hand side of the slide.

mine is an Oct 2 build date and it's serial number is about 6,000 pistols older than yours....I would guess yours to be in the Nov, Dec range, which is well into the updated versions. there were no specific notices by Sig that XX date was when they did updated extractors, etc.
 
#23 ·
I asked a Sig CS rep if he could tell by the serial number that the 938 had the upgraded extractor or not........he said no, that they didn't build a database of which serial numbers got the new extractors. Sounds like BS to me but I suspect that if you call Sig with your serial # they can tell you when it was made. Also if your not having lots of FTE then yours has the newer extractor.
 
#24 ·
I bought my 938 at the end of November and it now has about 1000 round through it. During the first 500 rounds I had several FTF and mis fires where I recocked to discharge the chambered round. During the first 500 rounds the misfires (firing pin marking the primer but not hard enough to fire) was about 10%. Once during the first 500 rounds after firing the pistol the firing pin retainer plate, spring and firing pin ejected themselves from the slide. I cleaned and reassembled and continued shooting. This same issue occurred around 900 rounds with the firing pin, spring and retainer plate ejecting themselves. Also the misfires continued but with less frequency (still in the 5% range). I had a armor look at the 938 and compare it to another 938 that had only experienced a few FTF issues. He noticed that the vertical pin in the slide that is a keeper for the firing pin was turned 180 degrees to the 938 that had not experienced the firing pin issues. He turned mine to match that one. He also suggested that the firing pin and spring should be replaced. My wife has a 238 with about 15,000 round through it and this issues has not occurred on her 238. This seems to be unique to the 938 (based on our experience). I have ordered the new firing pin and spring based on reading other scenarios and what the armor told me.
 
#25 ·
Another interesting thing about the P938 blackwood

A pleasant surprise was the color of the grips.
All of the online stock photos of the blackwood show the grips with a definite warm/tan/brownish look to the grips. As a result, I was going to look at other models.

Turns out my blackwood has no warm tone at all in the grips: Instead it's a a very smoky gray--almost black, which is much more indicative of the name "blackwood".
The color threw me off so much, I initially couldn't figure out what model it was because I was convinced it wasn't a blackwood. Turns out it is.
It does have a hint of brown in the textured part of the grip, but it's more like an espresso color.

Here are two unfiltered pics. It's a very sexy looking gun for sure!
 

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#29 · (Edited)
Problem with my new P938 as well

I purchased a P938 with black annodized stainless metal parts and rosewood grips (serial no. 52A031xxxx) on 30 Dec 2012 from Academy Sports and Outdoors. I've never owned a Sig Sauer before but I am a real fan of the 1911 platform and I was looking for a small carry pistol. When I found the P938 it felt right in my hand and was just an incredibly beautiful little gun. I do wish I would have done a little more research about the gun before I bought it. Upon getting it home, I disassembled the gun, cleaned it up and gave it a light lube and then took it out to test it. I was shocked and disappointed at the incredible number of failure to ejects I got with this gun. At least once every clip, it would not discharge the spent casing before trying to feed another. I didn't get any stove pipes - I knew to hold the gun tight since it was so small. I tried a variety of ammo including Winchester "white box" 115gr FMJ, UMC 115 gr FMJ, Federal 115gr, as well as several others. It also seemed to shoot hard to the left. I also noticed that the clip was extremely hard to insert the rounds into and seemed to really cut up the primer end of the brass - It looked like the round had been through a garbage disposal!

I took it home and cleaned everything up thinking, maybe Sigs have a different break-in period than some of the other guns I have owned. I left the rounds in the factory 6-round clip for a few days and worked the slide a few hundred times. I then took it to the range a few days later and had the same experiences. I even had a live round fail to fire and jam in the barrel. I have never had a brand new firearm do this before and I am very disappointed in the gun, especially given the cost. I can't believe a gun manufacturer would turn out a gun with such problems in the litigious society in which we live. I'm not the type to file frivilous lawsuits, I'm just sayin'.

I called up Sig Sauer and the customer service rep I spoke with was friendly (albeit overly rushed to deal with my call it seemed) and sent me by e-mail a pre-paid Fedex label to send the gun back for reworking. I think they must know the drill by now with the P938's.

I should get the gun back in about two weeks and I certainly hope what returns is a better firearm than what I sent back...we'll see.
 
#30 ·
I purchased a P938 with black annodized stainless metal parts and rosewood grips (serial no. 52A31xxxx) on 30 Dec 2012 from Academy Sports and Outdoors. I've never owned a Sig Sauer before but I am a real fan of the 1911 platform and I was looking for a small carry pistol. When I found the P938 it felt right in my hand and was just an incredibly beautiful little gun. I do wish I would have done a little more research about the gun before I bought it. Upon getting it home, I disassembled the gun, cleaned it up and gave it a light lube and then took it out to test it. I was shocked and disappointed at the incredible number of failure to ejects I got with this gun. At least once every clip, it would not discharge the spent casing before trying to feed another. I didn't get any stove pipes - I knew to hold the gun tight since it was so small. I tried a variety of ammo including Winchester "white box" 115gr FMJ, UMC 115 gr FMJ, Federal 115gr, as well as several others. It also seemed to shoot hard to the left. I also noticed that the clip was extremely hard to insert the rounds into and seemed to really cut up the primer end of the brass - It looked like the round had been through a garbage disposal!

I took it home and cleaned everything up thinking, maybe Sigs have a different break-in period than some of the other guns I have owned. I left the rounds in the factory 6-round clip for a few days and worked the slide a few hundred times. I then took it to the range a few days later and had the same experiences. I even had a live round fail to fire and jam in the barrel. I have never had a brand new firearm do this before and I am very disappointed in the gun, especially given the cost. I can't believe a gun manufacturer would turn out a gun with such problems in the litigious society in which we live. I'm not the type to file frivilous lawsuits, I'm just sayin'.

I called up Sig Sauer and the customer service rep I spoke with was friendly (albeit overly rushed to deal with my call it seemed) and sent me by e-mail a pre-paid Fedex label to send the gun back for reworking. I think they must know the drill by now with the P938's.

I should get the gun back in about two weeks and I certainly hope what returns is a better firearm then what I sent back...we'll see.
You may have heard this already, but I noticed 2 things right away in your description that I would change to improve the performance of your 938. First, I wouldn't "lightly lube" this gun. It has a pretty heavy recoil spring and I would try a more liberal lube job. I use a small bead of Mil-Comm grease down both the frame rails and the rails in the slide itself. I also apply a thin coat to the barrel, guide rod, and even very lightly to the spring itself. Using Sig's theory of "If its shiney, lube it". The next thing I would change would be switching to 124gr ammo for the first few hundred rounds until the gun is broken in.

I think you were on the right track with leaving the mags loaded to break in the springs.

Please take these suggestions with a grain of salt, your results may vary. I'm thrilled with my 938 Extreame which has run perfectly without any issues.
 
#32 ·
Mine is a Blackwood 52A018XXX , 23 - Aug - 12 .

aprox. 300 rounds thru ,and one failure to eject , this was on the second mag.
flawless since..

this 938 is a replacement to the Kimber Solo that is in New York ,, again , for the 5th time ...

I have a 238 , that has run great also..

good luck to you all with getting you's to run..
 
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