New Sig p220 owner

[jeff1981]

I'm sure happy with mine- thanks for the holster tip!

Hello Jeff, i bought my first P220 around 1991 IIRC, and have owned several since. Mostly .45s, but a couple 9MMs too. I'd already been carrying a P226 for several years when I bought my first 220, so had no reservations about the quality of the 220. I sometimes used the standard factory sights, and sometimes added Trijicon night sights. I used several different holsters, but a favorite was the Gordon Davis 453 Liberty. I had him make holsters for the P220, 1911 and FN/Browning Hi power, must be 25+ years ago now. I still have them, and they are still good, serviceable holsters. As to magazines, I initially used the 7-round magazines for the .45. Seems to me there were some issues reported with the early 8-round P220 magazines. The 8-round magazines supplied with a later 220 I had performed flawlessly, as did the 8-round magazines used by some of my coworkers.

BTW, all my 220s had one thing in common.All reliable without any tuning, tweaking, adjusting, polishing,etc. Only wish I could say the same for some of the 1911s I've owned. Only have one P220 now, a 9MM. Haven't shot it much at all, but this far it has been just as reliable as the other P220s I've owned.

Enjoy your new P220. It is one of the very best IMHO.....

 

[Harkrader]

This is one of four that I've owned since 1978. I was issued two others. I was a dedicated M1911 guy until one of these was put in my hands. They are very accurate. My sons and I bounced golf balls out to 40+ yards routinely.

Sights: The one in the pic had "post-dot" and they suck. For me, anyway. You can get 3-dot from Sig for a reasonable price, or pick Novak Low-Mount sights, or Wilson. Novak and Wilson will set you back a bit more, and you may have to have the Novak sights fitted because of their proprietary dovetail cut.

The plastic grips that came with them worked well for me when I carried for a living. The wood ones you see are just decoration. I can shoot OK with them, but if I was shooting it a lot I'd look into Hogue. I really like Crimson Trace Laser Grips for my guns, but they do cost more.

For defensive ammo, I think you'll be happy with the lighter bullets. I like Hornady 185-gr Critical Defense for its easy recoil and excellent accuracy. I also really like Cor Bon 45 Auto 160gr DPX. I suggest avoiding +P, simply because you don't need it.

 

[Harkrader]

Oh, magazines. I had trouble with the 8-round mags so I load them to 7 rounds, and they work fine. Otherwise, stick to the 7-round mags. ACT-MAG work very well.

 

[Beauetienne]

A great pistol and it's fine reputation is what inspired me to get one (one so far).
I feel confident when I shoot it and it is a soft shooting 45.

Enjoy!

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I bought my first 220 used about 25 years ago. Somebody bobbed the hammer for pocket carry, and I left it like that. I bought my second about 6 months later and It is all original and I left it like that too! They brought out the 245 and then changed the name to 220 Compact about a year later. That is the last 220 I picked up. Had all 3 over 20 years and find them to be fantastic. I have around 15 holsters but enjoy the Galco "Small of the Back" holster to be my favorite when walking or sitting on a tractor seat with no back support. I had my last suit tailored to fit in a IWB at 4 O'clock (kind of a standard alteration at Men's Warehouse for around $25) The extra piece of cloth protects from snagging, wear and printing under even extreme conditions!

I have about 20 mags and can't get factory mags to fail in any way, with any ammo!

Ivan

 

[model3sw]

Internal laser for Sig ?

I have one with the very early laser, the type that replace the guide rod for the recoil spring. It is very old but even when new was a bit "finicky" but for the most part, OK.

It is a great design.

Does anyone manufacture a revised, more efficient and more reliable internal laser ?

 

[nachogrande]

MY TAKE ON IT.

Neuropathy/feeling loss in both hands, the shakes, just failed my 1st eye exam at the MV & have to drive with glasses. Having owned the regular alloy P220 45 acp & the heavier stainless version, I kept the stainless. Returning it to Sig for the stainless guide rod (? or maybe it came with that), short trigger, short re set, action enhancement package & night sites, I LIKE IT! Maybe not my best groups, but very close & my best double tap (VERY fast) to POA at 10 yards that holes almost touched. (200 gr cast with 6 gr unique). NO problems with the factory 8 round mags for me, other than the cost. I had the internal red laser on the alloy version & EH. It shows me AND any possible BG where to shoot with something else to potentially break/fail, not for me. IF wearing both wrist braces I have bumped the mag release a time or 2. Too big/heavy for CC, but MY most COMFORTING handgun. ENJOY.

 

[Krogen]

I bought my P220 back in the 90's after a fellow let me shoot his P220. After that, I had to have one. It's been unfailingly reliable. Never a malfunction of any sort with either handloads or factory ammo. Not one hiccup. My P228 is of the same vintage and has also never hiccuped. I comfortably trust my life to the two of them.

 

[C J]

Being a 10-round .45 kind of guy, that P227 really made me drool

I have a 10 round mag for my W. Germany P-220. It doesn't feed reliably though. I have never had a problem with the 8 round mags.

 

[colt_saa]

I had long wanted a P220 (I have a P226 & P229)... right up until they came out with the 10-round P227! Then things got very confused. Being a 10-round .45 kind of guy, that P227 really made me drool (and it wasn't just old age!).

I didn't know at the time that the P227 was never destined to make the MA approved handgun roster. Had I known that fact at the time (we were continuously misled otherwise), I would have just gone for a P220. But now, I have waited so long that only a P227 is going to satisfy me... ... or maybe not. I keep going back and forth.

The P220 would be easier, quicker and cheaper. The P227, more costly if I can find one at all. By the time I decide, I'll probably be too old to shoot either.

My late Grandmother once told me "If you can't decide, take one of each"

Here is the other side of my P227 for you

BTW modifying the locking plate, or using a P226 locking plate, allows the original P227b factory mag to hold 11 rounds. It also increase the 14 round extended magazines to 15 rounds.

I really like the pistol, but not so much that I will part with any of my
P220s.

 

[TTSH]

I have a 10 round mag for my W. Germany P-220. It doesn't feed reliably though. I have never had a problem with the 8 round mags.

Oh, I understand 10-round extended magazines. I have some for my 4506 and 4566TSW pistols. I'm talking about 10-round flush magazines like for my M&P45, HK45, 1911A2, etc.

It's a Massachusetts thang.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I switched from Colt 1911s to a W. German Sig 220 in about 1988 or so....... it will shoot cloverleafs at 50 ft.... in the right hands .

It was my winter carry for a number of years..... till Sig introduced the 245 ...... a compact 220 6+1 w/ a 3.9" barrel/slide....... so a bit more concealed carry friendly....... with an X-grip adapter it can use the 8round 220 mags as backups.

Like the de-cocker ...... and for "carrying a lot and shooting a little" it's much lighter than the S&W 4566


Also have an all stainless 220......it was going to be an IDPA gun ; but kids and soccer got in the way....... so it's still a safe Queen.

 

[rockquarry]

I bought a new one close to twenty years ago. I only shoot cast bullets in it as I do my other .45s. The Sig is quite accurate; it shoots better than the one S&W 4506 I had and as well as any of my Colt 1911s, maybe even a little better. Good gun-

 

[TTSH]

My late Grandmother once told me "If you can't decide, take one of each"

Your grandmother was a wise woman. Unfortunately, my wallet is not that fat. Sigs do not come cheap, even the ones that are officially state & AG approved here... so it will be one or the other.

The truth be known, after such a long and hopeless wait, I was all set to settle for a P220 when I found a used "as-new" P227 for relative cheap down in Little Rhody. Unfortunately, I was not able to import it, but it renewed my interest to the point where I decided I was willing to wait even longer for the right (10+1 round) gun. And, of course, I'm still waiting.

 

[C J]

it shoots better than the one S&W 4506 I had and as well as any of my Colt 1911s

I actually went to buy a Colt 1911 the day I got my Sig. The guy who owned it asked a ridiculous price for it (he ended up selling for less than I offered him once his head came back to earth) so I went to a LGS and bought the Sig instead. I thank that guy for being ridiculous because I have a better pistol because of it.

 

[forrestinmathews]

Thanks to this thread I pulled mine out of the safe and fired it for the first time in four years yesterday. Thanks for that! 24 rounds of perfect shooting. I enjoy my ST and it's very accurate.

 

[Fishslayer]

Just got a p220 in .45 acp. I have rheumatoid arthritis, and the 1911 just wasn't working as well for me- the sig felt wonderful the first time I held one, so here I am.

I don't believe you'll be disappointed. I own 3.

Give the Hogue rubber grips a try. They seem to tone down the recoil a bit. I'm told they aren't optimum for carry since they grip clothing as well as hands. Since I live in San Diego I wouldn't know.

 

[JayFramer]

I love the P220. Mine is highly reliable with the 7 round and 8 round magazines. I'd venture to say that, buy and large, they've more reliable than many 1911s out there. Accuracy is superb. Mine is an ex-police gun in top shape:

My guess?

You're going to love your new pistol.

 

[Bat Guano]

Way back when I took the SIG armorer's course, and eventually when I had the coin I sprung for a P220 .45. For whatever reason I never COULD shoot the thing for beans. I know they could shoot well as a friend of mine got an "E" ticket with one at Gunsite and even the Colonel was impressed.

As for me, I gave my 220 to the same guy. He had bought me a lot of Chinese lunches when I was broke all the time.

What I find interesting, odd, and gratifying is that my .45 Shield, which is sort of a bobbed 220, shoots very well for me.

Live and learn.

 

[Rock185]

colt_saa, very nice SIG. I have to admit I thought is was interesting that SIG went to the trouble and expense to produce a new frame to create a pistol that would hold only two more rounds in it's standard magazine than a P220. Possibly because with extended magazines, the capacity gap would widen between P220 capacity and that of the P227?

Great looking grips BTW, Hogues?