SIG P220 info

[sigp220.45]

I carried this one for my whole 25 year career. I got it on my Dad’s FFL when I was still in the Academy, qualified on it as soon as I got to my first office, turned in my issued P226, and never had another Bureau issued handgun. Six months after I retired all .45s were disapproved for carry. I’m the only guy I know who carried the same gun his whole time on the job.

The only issue I ever had was when Sig offered an 8 round conversion kit for 7 round mags. They never worked right and I just carried 7 rounders after that. It took a pile of them to get through a 60 round qual course.

I know it cost $533 in 1991 because my wife said: $533! Don’t they GIVE you a gun??

I gave it to my oldest boy when I retired. Mine was marked “Made in W. Germany”. I’m not sure if the new ones are of the same quality. Prices seem to hover around $700 used, more new.

 

[FPrice]

Here is another source of prices for Sig P220s.

Just a moment...

 

[PALADIN85020]

I've had this 220 for 25 years and it's never failed to function with anything I've fed it. Look up "reliable" in the dictionary and you may find a picture of one...

John


(Click for larger image)

 

[old tanker]

I have a 1994 vintage German P220 and can't say anything bad about it. It goes bang every time and the bullets go in to neat and tidy clusters. There is no SA/DA .45 caliber pistol I like better.

 

[Rock185]

I have nothing bad to say about the 220s. Over the last 30 years or so, I've had the German/W. German guns, all stainless, Match, .45 and 9mm versions, etc. All fine, reliable pistols. Just never had a bad one. I'm not up on current prices.

 

[majick47]

OP where you want to be looking at is a classic P series W.German Sig P-220 blued 45auto with the original W.German 7rd Sig factory zipper back mags, figure $40-50 each. A nice one on average will set you back $750-800 and will do nothing but appreciate in value.

 

[LVSteve]

I’ve had several P220s and I like them, and I still have several, but I always go back to the Commander. The 220 “appears to me” to have a rather high bore-axis - at least for how I hold the gun, which is as high as possible. I have been told by various people no doubt much smarter than I that this is not so, it is my imagination, etc. Well, that may be.

Sigs generally have a higher bore axis than other modern designs. However, in my experience of shooting them, I have not found it to be that much of an impediment. I think it's because they run heavier slides for caliber than other designs. This might affect split times for those that care, but for most of us I don't see it as a big deal.

 

[sheepdawg]

I shoot my P220 Equinox more than my Colt Government Model. It was one of those deals you keep cash handy for. I stole it. Reliable, accurate, good ergonomics. Got three factory mags and three ACT mags that are quite good too.

 

[mckenney99]

Many years ago (1998), CDNN had a bunch of Demo Sig's pop up and I picked up a P220 that looked to have been unfired for $439. When my agency made the transition to semi-auto's, (Beretta then Sig's) they specified DAO actions and so I got used to the DAO triggers and had no choice but to learn how to shoot them pretty well. I sent the P220 back into Sig and had it converted to DAO and while they had it I had them do an action job. The P220 came back with one of the smoothest DAO triggers I've ever felt that rivals a really good revolver trigger. While I don't carry the P220, I have shot it a bit and it shoots really tight groups and I don't recall ever having any type of malfunction at all.

 

[Fishinfool]

Lots of experience with the Sig P series, but not the P220. Several months ago, I found a police distributor here in PA that was selling Ct. State Police turn in P220R's in VG to Excellent condition, with good night sites and 4 mags for $525.00.

Picked one up, and have had it to the range several times since. I like it, a lot. Pic of the gun - I added the wood grips.

Larry

 

[Golddollar]

I picked up a P220 from a gun shop over in Coatesville, PA as a law enforcement trade-in. It looks to be a first class piece of machinery and barely used. If you go back through this section you might find the thread where the store was mentioned.

 

[Golddollar]

I picked up a P220 from a gun shop over in Coatesville, PA as a law enforcement trade-in. It looks to be a first class piece of machinery and barely used. If you go back through this section you might find the thread where the store was mentioned.

Being a Luddite I don't reach for the internet device first thing. The store that had the LE P220s is the Officer Store in Coatesville, PA, phone number 800-852-6088 to call to see if they have any left.

 

[Narragansett]

Being a Luddite I don't reach for the internet device first thing. The store that had the LE P220s is the Officer Store in Coatesville, PA, phone number 800-852-6088 to call to see if they have any left.

Thanks Randy, I will give them a call. I did not see anything on their website. Just some 9mm, but they are out of stock. I have been in Coatesville many times, but never to this store

 

[LostintheOzone]

I've had several P-220's, none presently. Reliable and accurate. Sig service is top notch. Don't know about current pricing. Mine always leaded the barrel with .452 bullets. I suspect the bullets needed to be .453 but instead of buying different bullets (I shoot .452 in my other 45's) I just sold it.

I replaced my last P-220 with an HK45 which I like much better.

 

[cowboy4evr]

About 2 yrs ago I had the chance to buy a Sig P226 in 40 S&W . It had 3 mags and a Sig conversion barrel to 357 sig . It looked great , no holster wear .and I got it for $350 . It has had an action job . The DA trigger is light and crisp . I feared maybe " light " primer strikes in DA mode but that has not been the case using CCI 500 primers in my reloads . I am considering getting a 45 acp in semi auto , SA / DA type . I like Sigs and if it took an action job to correct a real heavy DA trigger I will be fine with that . I appreciate all the comments above . Regards Paul

 

[majick47]

A lot of informative responses both on and off subject. Might of been more focused if Narraganset mentioned the intended purpose, range/target, self defense, collector, investment etc.

 

[Oldsalt66]

I've got several P220s, both DA/SA and SAO, and they've all been perfectly reliable, very accurate , as well as extremely durable, and my highest round count pistol is an aluminum frame P220 Super Match with just over 52,000 rounds through it.

When you hear about rust problems, you're hearing about the German folded steel slide pistols rather than the American built stainless slide models.

If you're buying used, beware of some older pistols with the scalloped "mud rail frames" since they're notorious for cracking.

You can be comfortable using Mec Gar magazines as well as those marked SIG because Mec Gar manufactured the best SIG branded magazines as the OEM for SIG.

I've fired an ungodly number of rounds through my SIGs and they've been as reliable as the ammunition fired through them.

I can't recall a single pistol related stoppage or malfunction in the many tens of thousands of rounds I've shot them.

I'm fastidious about lubrication and proper maintenance which probably helps.

 

[Narragansett]

A lot of informative responses both on and off subject. Might of been more focused if Narraganset mentioned the intended purpose, range/target, self defense, collector, investment etc.

Self defense would be my intention. Sorry, forgot to mention that

 

[Doug M.]

You have probably read about early P220s that discharged when dropped. They had the old-style spur hammer and I think the users were dropping the hammer manually instead of using the decock lever. On any P-series SIG with decocker, the lever should always be used, I guess.

***
I don't recall hearing of them firing when dropped, but that doesn't mean it was not a known problem. SIG is and as far as I know always has been very clear that the only safe way to drop the hammer after cocking/firing is with the decocker. As far as I know, that is true of any DA/SA platform with a decocker.

 

[scott1970]

This particular 220 was my issued patrol handgun from 2012 until they were retired in 2017. It was supremely reliable and a really nice shooting .45 acp, and I would have happily carried it for the remainder of my career had it been an option. Fortunately, I was able to bring it home for something around $425.

I will add, I did see a very small number of them choke during qualifications. Upon being inspected by the department's range master and armorer, they were found to be bone dry. After properly lubing them, they ran perfectly.