Rubbery buildup in P226

[ArgentFix]

(Didn't know where to post this, feel free to move it.)

I found a curious gummy deposit on my P226 locking block. Unfortunately I didn't take a "before" picture, but it was here where the red is:

29470

It wasn't oil, grease, or carbon but something resembling burnt-on rubber. It was tacky/sticky and had to be scrubbed off with a brush. It was very specifically in this area and nowhere else. The gun has 1975 rounds on it, all mine. Most recently Winchester 124gr NATO (Q4318). Lubed with Slip 2000 EWL and I do very lightly lube this area. Never used any grease or paste on this gun, just BreakFree and EWL I believe. I doubt it's some original coating but I don't recall ever "detail cleaning" this specific area.

Any guesses? The Q4318 is dirty stuff I've only rarely used but surely it's not THAT filthy. I had 1 stovepipe in 200 rounds last outing so I'd like to blame it on this buildup and move on :)

[Lon]

Ive gotten a build up of crud there on every 226/229 I’ve ever owned. Usually have to use a dental pick to get it off. I wouldn’t worry about it.

[Sero Sed Serio]

Never seen anything that color, but I did have some of the original Slip 2000 (not EWL) that got really gummy when left to sit for an extended period (as in months). The guns were in a climate-controlled environment, but being AZ it was very low-humidity.

I’ve had no issues with the EWL, but I’ve also switched from only using oil for lubricant to a very light wipe down with oil for rust prevention, and grease as the actual lubricant for moving parts.

[ArgentFix]

Ive gotten a build up of crud there on every 226/229 I’ve ever owned. Usually have to use a dental pick to get it off. I wouldn’t worry about it.
Good to know. I likely just somehow neglected this area. It was definitely concentrated here.


Never seen anything that color [...]
The red was added by me using the power of MS Paint! I should have been clearer :)

[Sero Sed Serio]

The red was added by me using the power of MS Paint! I should have been clearer :)

That makes more sense! I was wondering why you were lubing your guns with goth candle wax...

To second Lon, I get a lot of gunky buildup there, as well, and usually resort to a toothpick to scrape it away.

[nate89]

I shoot a 226/229 almost exclusively and have the exact same build-up. About once a year or so I will disassemble the frame and clean all the gunk out, and part of that involves scraping whatever that is off (i'm assuming a mix of lube and bullet residue/carbon). I've never had it cause issues, so I'd say forget about it and clean it off when you detail strip the guns down.

[HCountyGuy]

Totally normal in my experience with the P229. Keep on keeping on.