COMPLETE TEAR DOWN of Sig Sauer P238 (disassembly)

[jimlips]

Thanks for the video! I wish I had watched this before I broke my gun down to clean it the first time. When I tried to put the slide back on, I pushed the ejector down too far, and it got stuck. I was unable to get it back to the "up" position. I ended up forcing it, and it broke. I have two new ones on order. Sig has a Product Alert about this very thing if you go to their website and do a search for P238.

[leloup6989]

Is there a way to remove the trigger without removing everything else?

[JustinoFundido]

@leloup6989 The intricacy of the parts working in concert with one another don't allow you to easily remove just one part. The trigger is under tension from the mainspring which also houses the hammer strut. You can probably remove the mainspring housing but all the other parts would be in the way.

[JustinoFundido]

I like to use a small L shaped alen wrench. What's difficult is that the parts are so small. You need to to push back on the sear spring and push up with the mainspring housing at the same time all while keeping the other parts in line. And, holding your mouth just right works as well.

[45Pictures]

@JustinoFundido Both leaves of the spring have to sit behind the ejector and sear, correct? It's hard to illustrate, but if looking at it from the side, the setup would be TRIGGER BAR|SEAR AND EJECTOR|BOTH LEAVES OF SEAR SPRING

[JustinoFundido]

@45Pictures That correct. The sear and ejector are in the middle of the trigger/spring sandwich. This is why when the ejector is pushed down to far it will slip out of the spring.

[45Pictures]

@JustinoFundido Thanks, I actually did it a little different. I fit the sear spring in first and then finagled the mainspring housing in. That was interesting but it worked a lot better for me. Maybe I wasn't holding my mouth correctly. Maybe I was scrunching too much and needed to smile more.

[45Pictures]

I'm having a heck of a time setting both leaves of the spring behind the ejector and sear. Any tips?

[TheF250nation]

Very nice job.

[PresenceCreative]

Outstanding!

[01newbold]

This is great, I pushed the ejector down too far and thought "oh crap". Luckily all fixed now. Thanks for the video. 

[allrequiredfields]

Thank you

[kuchera89]

very helpful video. i used tweezers and held the sear in place til i got the pin half in then grabbed the ejector with them and held it in place as i pushed the pin in, had to do it many times because i kept putting the sear in wrong or i'd push the ejector down off the spring which is the whole reason i was doing this anyway.

thanks again for the vid

[TheRandomwit]

Check out many of the forums where people are installing the stainless triggers for their P238. The guy that makes them says the trigger is a snap to remove/replace.

I am very thankful for this video. I am going to be fitting the Mustang extended safety lever, along with 20 lb hammer spring and 12 lb recoil spring on my P238 (waiting for delivery). I needed some info on the hammer spring removal. Was told not to mess with the seer, but now will likely modify/polish it as well.

[1900WILLIAM]

VERY nice video, thanks for taking the time.... Its nice to have a great video like yours to fall back on, when/if needed!!!!

[JoeAndIAmJustMe]

How did you get the slide stop out so easily? Mine won't come out. Same gun.

[rogerl0527]

Oh, and to replace the plunger for the safety - use the grips. Line grip up exactly with the safety, press grip down so plunger is fully seated. Now, just rotate safety counterclockwise while holding grip down with thumb - grip will be pushed with the safety, giving the plunger no chance to pop out. It is important that the grip be parallel and fully against the safety - no gap, or the plunger can escape. Easy. 

[rogerl0527]

I find it much easier to insert the mainspring housing first, springs behind trigger bar. Then put the sear in place using needle nose pliers, making sure it is between the trigger bar and spring. Now push the pin in from right to left about half way. The leaf spring holds the sear in place with tension against the pin - pin will not fall out. now you can easily manipulate the extractor into position with the leaf spring behind it, then just push the pin the rest of the way.

[fragin228]

LOL if the sear falls out. Just go to church and pray to god to help you get that little fucker back in.

[Mikeharoldl]

Thank you so much for posting this video, it helped me greatly. I did attempt to replace the trigger and it wasn't as difficult as I imagined. Sadly the aluminum trigger i had was poorly made so i ended up putting the original trigger back in. I wouldnt have been able to do it all without this vid, thanks again.

[vikingsguy24]

excellent video, saved me from having to send it to Sig Sauer and now I am intimately familiar with this gun, thanks!



[tarrski]

This video was a stress saver. I over extended the ejector and it seperated from the sear spring. Needless to say, I was quite upset after I did this as I had only owned the pistol for a few days. Of course I was kicking myself in the rear and hated the prospect of having to take it to a gunsmith. After watching your video, the procedure seemed within my capabilites and after about thirty minutes I put it all back together correctly. Thanks again for your great instructive video.

[dadinanm3]

Awesome!

[danjiray]

You just saved my Sig! My sear somehow got out of place and I was freaking out. You did an awesome job with the steps, and I can't thank you enough!

[nemisispain]

Well done video my man....

[UtahGunSmith]

Hello,

I will do that .

I want to change the trigger out for a metal one on my own p238. I don't think the plastic is really going to fail,

I would just like to do it for fun and so I can do this for customers I have requesting it done on their own P238's.

Even my $200.00 Volquartsen trigger assembly for my Ruger 10/22 has a plastic trigger. Many STI $2000.00 plus1911 pistol's have a plastic trigger.

[UtahGunSmith]

Great Job very helpful and detailed. Slow enough to follow and perform while watching. Much needed as there is still not allot out there on the 238. I need to find one now on the trigger. Any details about why the trigger is so hard to remove?

Thanks Good Job

[JustinoFundido]

@UtahGunSmith The trigger is under a spring tension. The pin holding it in is pressed in with a press at the factory (or so I'm told). I actually tried to hammer out the pin. It wouldn't budge. I didn't want to scratch the frame. If you find info on the trigger please let us all know. I would love to see pictures or a video!

[336WhiteBoy]

@UtahGunSmith Great job! Thanks for the video.

[Dunnit1911]

@justinofundido thanks man appreciate the info I just picked mine up did you sell your cause you disliked the gun

[Dunnit1911]

Thanks for the video great after I pushed the ejector too far down could you do a function test video I can release the hammer in the half cocked position not sure if it's the gun or my assembly thanks

[JustinoFundido]

@Dunnit1911 I called SIG about the hammer dropping at half cock. Even with safety on it will drop. This is the original design from the Colt Mustang. That's all this gun is anyway. It is supposed to do that. I tested this at the range with a live round. The hammer hasn't enough inertia to fire in half cock. You did good.

I have since sold this gun, so I cannot do another vid with it. So don't fear if the hammer drops in half cock. It's good to go.

[bmorrison33]

This Helped me out greatly after the extractor and sear came out of position. Thanks for saving me 60.00 on shipping sir.

[JustinoFundido]

@bmorrison33 I sure am glad this video is helping all of y'all with the P238. Spread the word about this vid. I am slowly thinking of other videos I need to post.

[theKGB65]

This is a very high quality production. Looking forward to future videos like this.

[MrTwizzler]

Should this occur, the ejector will not return to the normal position. This condition is not correctable at the operator level - the pistol will have to be returned to SIG SAUER for repair.

OBVIOUSLY, they didn't count on Justin being able to provide such a help in fixing this re-assembly slide issue.

[JustinoFundido]

@MrTwizzler Thanks for the good words. I want to do more videos like this. The voice over thing was an experiment. The lighting wasn't that great since this was a last minute documentation of the tear down.

[Crash2759]

@MrTwizzler I just purchased this firearm and after shooting it I cleaned it only to push the ejector 2 far down. I can tell you I was able to return the ejector to its correct position by removing the left grip and then using a 90* bent pick I was able to jam it behind the sear and ejector. this allowed the ejector to come back 2 its origional position. I did it while watching this video so it only took a few moments. I do have to agree this video is awesome!

[MrTwizzler]

As already mentioned by OGFenning, this is an OUTSTANDING help for owners of this Sig .380.

It's quite difficult for me to understand, how such a highly acclaimed company could release this gun with such a glaring design flaw.

Here's what they say about the ejector on their website: The ejector should be depressed only far enough to provide clearance for the slide during assembly. Depressing the ejector beyond the point required for reassembly may cause the ejector to bind in the frame.

[OGFenning]

Thank you for excellent guide. I copied this video to Favorites; should be a "Gift with Purchase," from Sig Sauer!

I bought two of these pistols and it seems impossible that they were made by the same company!

My Two-tone with Black wood grips has a Jan 2010 build date and has only managed to "work" or "fire properly" about 55% of the time! This pistol also received a new magazine and firing rod spring. The gun has had approximately 384 rounds fired through the barrel; FTF, FTE & DBL Loads on