I'm a fan Sig's all metal pistol offerings. I have a P229 in .40s&w that shoots and handles excellent. I recently acquired a 1911 in .45 and wanted to add another pistol in the same caliber. Enter the P220. I've handled a few but never got to fire one. I have the option to buy one at a great price(current production). Hows the reliability, recoil absorbtion, magazine cost, and aftermarket support?
Sig P220: What to expect
- Thread starter Siggy-06
- Start date
MandolinMan
New member
The P220 is a very reliable, time tested design. A quick google search should answer your question regarding magazine cost and aftermarket support.
I have the newer basic Nitron P220 and an older ST model which is Stainless Steel. The ST is significantly heavier. I have never needed support. Both are your full size .45 ACP, and recoil is more of a push which I also find typical of my 1911's. If you like your P226, then you will also like the P220.
We are hearing a lot about the problems with the P320 and P365. Don't expect any of what we are reading with the P220 & P226. I own a couple of P226's and a P229. Never a problem with any of those great pistols. Enjoy~
We are hearing a lot about the problems with the P320 and P365. Don't expect any of what we are reading with the P220 & P226. I own a couple of P226's and a P229. Never a problem with any of those great pistols. Enjoy~
Siggy-06: said:
I once had a current production (Exeter) P220 that I bough brand new and it was a nice shooter and a very high quality gun. I personally think the earlier German built P220 pistols were of better quality and probably better range guns, and if I come across a decent older German P220 at a good price, I’ll snag it.
i have a P220 Elite DAO, old school gun without a light rail.... it is a great single stack .45 acp.
watch the grip thing, not all grips are created equal for this gun. http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/SIG-Sauer P220 Thin Stocks.htm
watch the grip thing, not all grips are created equal for this gun. http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/SIG-Sauer P220 Thin Stocks.htm
Steve in PA
New member
I love my P220’s. I own two; blued for duty and two-tone for practice, range and training use. In fact, I was shooting it today at the range with my wife.
My P220’s are the older, internal extractor style, but they have been flawless. Magazines aren’t cheap, but I was lucky to acquire about 20 of the 8-round magazines before the price started to go up!
The only issue with the older, internal extractor handguns, is finding replacement extractors. Sig no longer makes them. I do have some spares, but unless Sig or someone else starts making that part, it looks like I’m going to have to buy newer models!
My P220’s are the older, internal extractor style, but they have been flawless. Magazines aren’t cheap, but I was lucky to acquire about 20 of the 8-round magazines before the price started to go up!
The only issue with the older, internal extractor handguns, is finding replacement extractors. Sig no longer makes them. I do have some spares, but unless Sig or someone else starts making that part, it looks like I’m going to have to buy newer models!
I will add that a stamped slide German made P220 was my first duty pistol. I was pissed when the option for me to buy it from the pd fell through (pretty sure it was the firearms coordinators fault). At any rate a p220 is a good pistol. Pretty good da/Sa trigger... The DA is great out of the box, the SA better than average. Despite my fandom, I have been much more accurate with other pistols. It is not the da/Sa platform... That is actually my preferred action for carry. I just wasn't as good with it as with my CZ or 1911.
bamaranger
New member
issued same
I walked beside a P220 for about 20 years, first with the 7+1 mag, then the 8+1 Mec Gars. About the last 5 years, the pistol had a short reset trigger installed.
Stone cold reliable, although some of the early 7+1 blue steel mags went south after much use. For me the P220 had that mysteriously accurate quality. I made shots and time frames that I felt were beyond my ability, the gun just seemed to do it.
I will add though, that once I retired, I stopped shooting the P220 very much. Once during an ammo crunch, I did not have 9mm ammo for the G34 and shot a match with my personally owned P220. The DA/SA trigger pull gave me fits. The first shot seemed slow, the second, I often hammered the trigger. Clearly, I was out of practice with the system. It was me, not the gun....but my point is, the DA/SA system is demanding if one wants to shoot it well.
I walked beside a P220 for about 20 years, first with the 7+1 mag, then the 8+1 Mec Gars. About the last 5 years, the pistol had a short reset trigger installed.
Stone cold reliable, although some of the early 7+1 blue steel mags went south after much use. For me the P220 had that mysteriously accurate quality. I made shots and time frames that I felt were beyond my ability, the gun just seemed to do it.
I will add though, that once I retired, I stopped shooting the P220 very much. Once during an ammo crunch, I did not have 9mm ammo for the G34 and shot a match with my personally owned P220. The DA/SA trigger pull gave me fits. The first shot seemed slow, the second, I often hammered the trigger. Clearly, I was out of practice with the system. It was me, not the gun....but my point is, the DA/SA system is demanding if one wants to shoot it well.
I will agree with this for many people. I learned to shoot pistols in the Marine Corps with an M9 Beretta, so I kind of "grew up" with the platform. Never bothered me, and despite having pistols in the superior "striker" category, I must say I can shoot my CZ P07 much better than a Glock. I did briefly get away from the DA/SA world for SAO ala 1911 for a couple of years before I became a cop. Going back to it was a little adjustment, but nothing that a couple weeks and a few range sessions didn't fix.
I don't know why I simply wasn't as good with the Sig. I can't explain it. I know it's not the pistol, as it is quite capable of wonderful accuracy. I just seemed to shoot 15 or 20 rounds in one ragged hole with it at 7-10 yards, but somehow out of that 15 or 20 one would fly... but I mean it would fly way out into the 7 ring. I still always scored 99% or so on average with it... so I guess "not as good with it" is relevant. But I would score 100 on firearms qualification every time, all day, every day with a CZ or 1911. Or even a Glock most days
Hammerhead
New member
I liked my P220 stainless, very accurate, great ergo's, but I had trouble getting SWC's to feed 100%. With all other ammo it was 100%.
I bought a Browning BDA 45 (the original P220 design, heel clip magazine release) in 1980. I'm not a cop, don't carry a "duty" handgun, and don't shoot thousands of rounds through it per year. To date, I haven't needed to buy another.
It has had several thousand rounds through it, over the years (I never kept count) but its far from worn out, in fact there is very little visible wear at all, other than the barrel bluing, which happened very early on (within the first year) and is entirely cosmetic (and only seen with the slide locked back
)
Mine has been very reliable, accurate for a tilt barrel duty class gun, and feeds everything. (though I will admit I've never tried to feed empty cases..) It handles loads that crater primers in 1911a1s, without any pressure signs, and also cycles with light loads that my 1911s won't. Might just be my gun, your's might not be the same, but I would expect it to be close...
I'm very fond of mine, can't imagine anyone having one and not liking it...but I'm sure there are some...
It has had several thousand rounds through it, over the years (I never kept count) but its far from worn out, in fact there is very little visible wear at all, other than the barrel bluing, which happened very early on (within the first year) and is entirely cosmetic (and only seen with the slide locked back
)Mine has been very reliable, accurate for a tilt barrel duty class gun, and feeds everything. (though I will admit I've never tried to feed empty cases..
) It handles loads that crater primers in 1911a1s, without any pressure signs, and also cycles with light loads that my 1911s won't. Might just be my gun, your's might not be the same, but I would expect it to be close...I'm very fond of mine, can't imagine anyone having one and not liking it...but I'm sure there are some...
223 shooter
New member
Owned one of the German made P220s bought new around the 1995 time frame. An extremely accurate out of the box pistol. Accurate with reloads , factory ammo , jacketed bullets or lead bullets - it fed and fired them all with a high degree of accuracy. Very good trigger.
The only drawback for me was the fact that the 220 simply was not the best fit for my hand. Adding the Hogue grips helped. If the P220 fit my hand as well as my newer P226 I would probably still have it.
The only drawback for me was the fact that the 220 simply was not the best fit for my hand. Adding the Hogue grips helped. If the P220 fit my hand as well as my newer P226 I would probably still have it.