Sig 220

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Marquezj16

New member
Stopped by gun shop to browse and found a used Sig P220. Made an offer and ir was accepted. So I know it has a lot of wear but really I'm just hoping for a good functioning and hopefully reliable gun. The store does stand behind each sale and will fix if any problem. Will post pics later.
 
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Marquezj16

New member
Don't know if it was a steal. Don't know what year either. Got it for $500. Is there a way to find out manufacture date?
 
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wgsigs

New member
Not date of manufacture, but year of proof, which is usually close enough for government work. If the gun is German manufactured, which yours probably is, there will be three proof marks on the bottom front of the slide. The two letter date code is the bottom proof mark of the three and is the year of proof. It is two letters "XY" where X and Y are letters between A to K, and A=0, B=1, C=2,..., H=7, no "I", J=8, and K=9; for example, a date code of "JD" translates to "83" which means the gun was prooofed in 1983 and is probably the year of manufacture since German guns are usually, but not always, proofed within a month or so of manufacturing.

If the grips are original, then you possibly can get another estimate for date of manufacture because a lot of times there is a circle of numbers 1-12, like a clock, on the inside of the grips with an arrow pointing to the month the grips were made, and the two digit year on either side of the arrow.

Or you can go here:
http://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/430601935/m/7320040262
where there is a better explanation along with a list of serial numbers so you can get an idea of contemporary pistols in the range of your gun.
 
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Marquezj16

New member
No proofmarks

There are no proofmarks on the lower portion of the slide. The grips have the date 11/03 and the serial number on the frame is G356 xxx. It would seem from the link that this was made 2004.

I cleaned and lubed it lightly. Will not be able to shoot until next Friday. I'm hoping it's good to go. Here's a few pics.
 

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bsg1

New member
congratulations on your P220. i've got a few variants of the w german P220. over time... the P220 has become my favorite Sig.
 
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bamaranger

New member
looks fine

My issue/duty P220, which I have walked beside for near 15 yrs now, "looks" a lot worse than that, and runs fine.

Looks like you have one factory mag, and one aftermarket, I think. I would immediately be suspect of the non factory mag.

Pay attention to the recoil spring. During reassembly "tight is right". One end of the spring has a smaller mouth, than the other, and the tight end goes over the recoil spring first. I have seen this effect function. Also, my recoil spring compacted over thousands or rounds and lost about 1/4" of length. I should have changed it much sooner, but it still ran fine.

If it does not run quite right with the factory mag do not despair. I Sig rep told me that most pistols (like 90%) returned for failure to function, were resolved by a detail strip/clean/lube by a trained armorer.

Mine and all I have worked with on the line and on the job, have been very accurate and reliable.
 
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Marquezj16

New member
@bamaranger - both mags are Sig - one is a 7 rd and the other an 8-rd bought new from LGS. I did notice the recoil spring opening during reassembly. Gotta remember that one. I need to download the owner's manual and read up more on it.
BTW, I noticed that the extractor on the new ones are different.
Thanks for the info.
 
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dgludwig

New member
BTW, I noticed that the extractor on the new ones are different.
Click to expand...

There has been some debate as to the merit of internal vs external extractors, with some people claiming that the internal extractor can be trouble prone. I can only speak to my personal experience with my SIG Carry model that has an internal extractor and to the reports of two friends of mine who have SIG 220s with the internal extractor: after several hundreds of rounds, all of our pistols have performed flawlessly.
 
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wgsigs

New member
The internal extractors on the older SIGs with the folded carbon slides are fine. There were some internal extractors when SIG went to the milled stainless slides that had problems. I believe they were with P220 Compact models, but I could be wrong. That may have been one reason SIG went to external extractors on all subsequent stainless steel slides and have not had any problems, as far as I know.
 
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chris in va

New member
My 1996 220 didn't have 'proof' marks either, just a S/N.

Word of note, go ahead and get a pack of the trigger return springs. Mine snapped, rendering it INOP. They're a very cheap, easy to replace part.
 
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Marquezj16

New member
thanks Chris in va. I was looking at some extra parts last night, mostly springs and such. Where do you get yours from? Midway was mostly out of stock.

About the proofmark, anybody know if not having one signify a change in the manufacturing process of the P220? Maybe they switched location or stopped it at a certain year?
 
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mes228

New member
SIG 220

My favorite Sig is the 220. I feel they are the BEST Sig's ever produced. Contrary to most, I also much prefer the folded metal slide on the old ones than the machined slide. You will find yours a great pistol I suspect.
 
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Marquezj16

New member
I have been dry firing (with snap caps) everyday, waiting for Friday to come along. I just love the way it feels in my hand.

Has anyone ever had Sig service theirs? What was the turn around time?
 
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Robk

New member
Nice P220. Looks like a police turn in. They look worse than they function. Most were carried often but fired little. You should be fine. However, the Sig Service plan is the best bang for the buck, and if you can afford it, I recommend it. That said, I also had a similar vintage P220 once, it also did not have any proof marks on it. As mine, yours was probalbly assembled in the US with German parts, thus negating the need for German proof marks. They are wonderful pistols and it will service you well. Welcome to the Sig fold :).
 
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wgsigs

New member
About the proofmark, anybody know if not having one signify a change in the manufacturing process of the P220? Maybe they switched location or stopped it at a certain year?
Click to expand...
That is exactly the case. Proof marks are required either by German law or industry regulations for guns manufactured/assembled in Germany. SIGs that are assembled in the U.S. from German and/or American parts will not have the German proof marks.

Some time ago, I believe it was the late '90s ('98 or '99?), P220s started to be assembled in Exeter, NH from frames and barrels, and maybe slides, made in Germany. The assembly site change may have actually occurred when SIG switched to the milled stainless steel slide, which was made in the U.S. by the way, for the P220.

P229s, which were introduced with the stainless slide in the early '90s ('93 or '94?), were already assembled in the U.S. and never had German proof marks - unless you are lucky enough to get a hold of one assembled in Germany that was brought into the U.S. not through normal channels, i.e., SIGarms, or one of the recently imported run of German P229s.

Also, if you want to DIY spring kits are available from Top Gun Supply.
http://www.topgunsupply.com/sig_p220-45_parts-kit.html
 
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