Sig P220 Opinions?

[DFM914]

P220 is built for a lifetime or two. Outstanding design, proven reliable and accurate! Can't go wrong with one.

[Snuffy308]

image.jpeg

I did this with one I bought from Buds used about six years ago. It's a German Manu. Circa 1996 I believe. I think I paid about $550 for it. The target was at 25 yards slow fire, off hand, all double action. Yes, they are quite accurate

[Joe_Pike]

Well, today I shot the one I bought last week and wasn't all that excited about it. Within the first 25 rounds I had a failure to fire. That might have been the ammo, but on the round that didn't fire I tried to eject it and the slide was locked up. I had to give it a pretty good tug to get it free, but I reloaded the problem round and the rest of the 100 rounds were fired with out issue. Then I was going to run some Hornady American Gunner (reboxed Hornady Custom) through it and those will not even fit into the Sig magazines. The mouth of the hollow point is too wide. Apparently Sigs will not feed everything. Anyway, kind of disappointed.

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by Joe_Pike

Well, today I shot the one I bought last week and wasn't all that excited about it. Within the first 25 rounds I had a failure to fire. That might have been the ammo, but on the round that didn't fire I tried to eject it and the slide was locked up. I had to give it a pretty good tug to get it free, but I reloaded the problem round and the rest of the 100 rounds were fired with out issue. Then I was going to run some Hornady American Gunner (reboxed Hornady Custom) through it and those will not even fit into the Sig magazines. The mouth of the hollow point is too wide. Apparently Sigs will not feed everything. Anyway, kind of disappointed.

Sorry to hear that. Yes I understand a few hollow points won't fit the magazine right. Mine accepts Sig 200 grain hollow points nicely (as it should) and I've not had any failures to fire yet, it runs great.

[bamaranger]

The outfit let me keep my old leather duty rig. I went down and unearthed it in the den. The quad pouch that we used was by :

A.E. Nelson Leather Co.
model # .... 14D or possibly 14D-O

[Model12Win]

Extremely cool. I've heard dandy report on these pouches. I will order one soon. Thank you!!

[bamaranger]

Just read the post regards certain ammo not fitting in the SIG P220 mag. In the same post it is stated that the pistol also locked into battery with a live round. The post concludes with the statement that apparently the SIG will not feed everything.

Considering the ammo issues combined, I am strongly suspect of cartridges themselves. Locked into battery hints at either improper or lack of crimp, or a cartridge that exceeds overall length. A cartridge too long could also be the culprit with failing to fit in the magazine. I wonder, do the rounds that fail to fit in the mag display the same issue with all mags present? Othewise, the P220 in question has multiple issues, a bad chamber and a funky magazine.

My experience with my own P220 and some half dozen others that I oversaw, not to mention being present on firing lines and training where many other P220's/ammo combo's were in use, is that the P220 is extremely reliable and not finicky about what it is fed. I've even handloaded some big, blunt, 250-255 gr .45 LC slugs, and the P220 just gobbles them up.

One caveat is that the early, blued, dovetailed rear seam 7 rd mags do indeed seem to have a life span. I've seen more than one instance where removing said type from service and replacing same with the more recent hardback, stainless MecGar variety resolved a feeding issue.

[Jim Watson]

My first P220 would not shoot the semiwadcutters I load for 1911s at all. I traded it because I wanted to be able to use common ammo for anything in the caliber.
I later decided the type was worth the trouble and bought another, had it gunsmith tuned. I don't ask it to handle SWCs, it is fine with RN, TC, and the JHPs I have tried.

[Joe_Pike]

Considering the ammo issues combined, I am strongly suspect of cartridges themselves. Locked into battery hints at either improper or lack of crimp, or a cartridge that exceeds overall length. A cartridge too long could also be the culprit with failing to fit in the magazine. I wonder, do the rounds that fail to fit in the mag display the same issue with all mags present? Othewise, the P220 in question has multiple issues, a bad chamber and a funky magazine.

I could not load the Hornady hollow points in either magazine and after a search I have found that this is a fairly common problem with certain ammo in the P220's magazines. The 230 gr ball ammo (Sellier & Bellot) was the culprit on the round that locked up the slide in battery. I suppose that it is possible that OAL was greater than it should have been thus causing the problem. It sure throws you for a loop though when you are expecting a stellar outing at the range and end up a little disappointed.

[TunnelRat]

*BIAS ALERT*

I would feel more confident in Model12Win's trade in West German SIG than I would a new SIG. I'd also feel more confident in the German marked ones and the earlier Exeter pistols. Frankly I wouldn't trust a new SIG out of box until I tested it. Though to be fair that's also true for most manufacturers.

[bamaranger]

I saw your other post regards that misbehaving SIG was a recent purchase for you, and I am sorry to hear that. But I hope to encourage you by re-stating that I believe you had a cartridge issue on the lock up problem.

S&B makes affordable ammo, and I suppose we've all shot some of it at one time or another. But I do not see S&B the equal of domestic, U.S. produced ammo. If your new SIG is not exhibiting "lock up" with other cartridges on a frequent basis, the problem may well have been that one S&B round.

I stated earlier a "cartrige" too long could be the source of that problem, but what might be more correct is a "case" too long. The .45 acp headspaces on the case mouth. A case to long could get rammed into the shoulder of the chamber, so too a case with improper crimp.

Regards the HP's not fitting in the magazine, that's a new one to me, but I did find another reference to a certain brand/slug causing an issue in P220 SIG in another on line source. From memory, it may have been with the Gold Dot projectile. I see that as an ammo problem too. Hornady (?), Speer (?) must not have doen their homework, if their cartridge/projectile combo will not fit in the magazine of a handgun as popular and common as the SIG P220

What type of mags do you have? Stainless steel 8 rd Mec-Gars, or other?

[bamaranger]

Another mag issue with the P220 was the SIG supplied "8 rd follower" that converted the original, dovetailed, blue steel mags from 7 rd, to 8 rd capacity.
We bought a bunch of those folowers and plunked them in our 7 rd mags when the piece/modification first came out. Generally speaking, they were a source of problems from the onset. I pulled them from every magazine I encountered so modified, and reinstalled the original 7 rd follower.

The stainless, hardback Mec Gars, standard with later SIGS, were intended as 8rd mags from the onset, and are a better product.

[Joe_Pike]

What type of mags do you have?

Whatever the gun comes with new. They are stainless, and I bet Mec-Gar does make them. I've looked online a little the last few days and the XTP bullet does seem to be a problem for the P220's magazines.

[TunnelRat]

Yea again I've seen the same issue with HK's and XTP as well, at least in terms of feeding.

FWIW I've run hundreds of rounds of S&B without issue. Frankly the brass is cleaner than any of the cases of Winchester, Federal, or Blazer I've gotten lately. Does tend to be a bit dirtier in the residue but it's run fine.

[dgludwig]

I wonder if any of these reported magazine idiosyncrasies also apply to magazines supplied with the Model 227? I've had no such problems with mine but, then again, I don't recall having any magazine quirks with the Model 220 I used to own before I traded it.

[TunnelRat]

But were you using cartridges with the XTP bullet? To me the bullet itself is the issue, not the magazine.

[745SW]

There are a few things about the P220 I dislke. The grip does not fit me well, too long front to back width. Use of a roll pin for firing pin retension, this has caused substantial downtime for use as a range rental gun. Reliability issues related to having to run wet.

[Joe_Pike]

But were you using cartridges with the XTP bullet? To me the bullet itself is the issue, not the magazine.

Yes, I was using cartridges with an XTP bullet. And, it has to be a combination of mag + bullet to create the issue. The cartridges fit just fine in an 8 round single stack 1911 magazine.

[TunnelRat]

Yea. Again if it bothers you might be worth calling SIG and see what they say.

[Joe_Pike]

Again if it bothers you might be worth calling SIG and see what they say.

From what I have read, Sig is aware of the issue and blames Hornady. I suppose it's just one of those things where you have to know what ammo to feed it. Not a big deal over all as long as the ammo that works in it works every time.

[ccr]

Very nice gun. Sigs are great

[ZuluWarrior]

Sigs ARE great!! I had a P220 that was an absolute joy to shoot. I don't know what it was that I traded mine away for, but I know I sure miss my 220!

Mine was from the early 90's, and if I remember correctly it was made in West Germany.

I have a single mag for one if any of you guys are interested. It is listed in the Gun Show section.

Thx,
Todd

[Hammerhead]

Very nice, congrats

[otasan]

Originally Posted by Model12Win

I have the opportunity to buy a police trade in Sig P220 in .45 ACP in excellent condition for under $500.

From what I understand, it is an 8+1 pistol, like a 1911, but is DA/SA which I like and supposedly very reliable like most metal frame Sigs.

Interesting that these were law enforcement guns, I'd of thought the capacity would not be good enough compared to a Glock 21 etc. but I will be using it for range use only so it doesn't matter too much.

Anyone know anything about the Sig P220 in .45 ACP?

Just realize that most LEO pistols stay in their holsters.

[44 AMP]

Sig is aware of the issue and blames Hornady.

I'd say probably rightly so.

If you have a gun, and it runs about every load in the world BUT ONE, the problem isn't the GUN.