Thoughts on the SIG P 220 CARRY..

[ditrina]

I have really no knowledge of this gun.. other than it's a .45 ACP.. Trade in.. There is one for sale at the LGS.. all the usual stuff Box, Paper, three mags..

Not concerned about the price as I am about the gun.. Reliable? Easy to carry?.. all the " Stuff" needed to make a good decision.

I'll be able to get some range time before hand.. to see if it fits.. but always welcome input..

Thanks

 

[Derosa]

Stone reliable. A bit heavy by polymer standards, but, well able to handle the recoil. Use a quality belt & holster & you will be good to go. I say the same for any third gen S&W, too. Just my two cents.

 

[federali]

Good Guns

Based upon my extensive experience carrying SIG 226s, 228s and 225s, I would not hesitate to own and use a SIG 220.

 

[SC_Mike]

I owned two used P220 Carry's. A SAS model and the Carry Elite Dark. I put new springs in both and wouldn't hesitate to carry either into a bad situation. I found both a little heavy to carry but they both were flawless and more accurate than I. Also the Carry and Full size share the same 8 round mags, just an fyi.

I kept the P220 standard, all German full size because it was made the same year my son was born. KC=1992 shown here with test target.

 

[gutterman]

I had a p220 stainless and sold it. Now I wish I hadn't. It is still at the LGS with a $895 pricetag. The only reason I did sell was it is a bit big and heavy to carry. I opted for a compact 45 but the 220 is an awesome weapon.

 

[okiegtrider]

I carried one as duty gun for a few years. Great pistol. Accurate, reliable and tough. Hardly a hideout gun or my first pic for concealed carry, but one darn good pistol. Like another or two others said here, wish I still had mine.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have two 220's and a 245, now called a 220 Compact. To prove a point, I carried the 245 in a Galco Small Of the Back and both 220's in a belly band at the same time to church on Sunday. That was more weight than I like, but nothing like a book bag or heave woman's purse! But, several of my friends know I carry at church and keep on the lookout, they never noticed! BTW just to further prove the point I carried 3 spare mags, 2 in the band and one in a belt pouch!

My preferred ammo is Federal 230 grain Hydra-shok. These guns have fed it without stoppage for 22 years on the first 220, 19 on the second and 19 on the 245. Accuracy has exceeded me constantly, I have gotten 1.5" full mag groups at 10 yards. They shoot my cast target rounds very well also. Ivan

 

[fyimo]

Sig's are extremely reliable pistols and the P220 Carry has a shorter slide and barrel than the regular P220. I have both a Sig P220 and a Sig P220 Carry SAO (Single Action Only) and they are both excellent shooters and accurate. The P220 Carry is the most accurate of the two and it is actually my most accurate Sig as I own 7 Sig's total. The SAO trigger contributes to the accuracy as it's the best trigger Sig offers.

Sig P220 with a few Mod's

Sig P220R SAO

 

[colt_saa]

Since 1977, if the choice was mine, a member of the P220 family was in my holster.

I do own a couple P220 Carrys. They are agency guns that were built on the SAO Elite frame with the beaver tail. My only photo is of my unfired one.

My preference is for the longer barrels, but they are all great pistols. The fact that you can shoot before buying is a great thing, I am certain you will enjoy it.

 

[tops]

My son has one and it feeds all kinds of ball and hollow points that we have tried but it is not reliable with our reloaded SWCs. He just uses ball and HPs and it is very reliable. The decocking lever is only a decocking lever and not a combination safety and we like that. We also like the first shot DA so it is as safe to carry as a revolver. Neither or us have a problem with the first shot DA and the rest SA. We both think it is a super pistol. Larry edit: The one my son has is a regular 220 and not the carry.

 

[Stirling]

I would have no hesitation carrying a P220. I've found the .45 very accurate.

colt_saa, is that a 10mm SIG with the MP5 and is it also in 10mm?

 

[colt_saa]

colt_saa, is that a 10mm SIG with the MP5 and is it also in 10mm?

Yes, they are both 10MM

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

It's a good reliable TDA .45 that I would not hesitate to use for SD or range fun. Personally I'd go with the compact or full size, but the carry is not bad either. I have a friend who prefer's it over the full size.

 

[Arik]

Generally they are reliable. They can be picky about mags so stick with OEM, no Promags or similar.

The 220 is like the S&W 4566

I'm not sure when the 220 carry came out. There was about a decade, between 04/05 & 13 where their quality dropped across the board. You either got a good gun or you didn't. There was restructuring, outsourcing of small components, faster and cheaper manufacturing. If you were the type to shoot a box or two every month you wouldn't notice the problems. But if you did high volume shooting they showed up pretty quickly. At one point the Secret Service dropped all Sigs when they started experiencing frame cracks around 5-10k rounds. The Sig Patrol rifle V1 was desester, even for the casual civilian shooter.

Either way the old CEO is out, a new one in, quality has seemed to be getting better and consistent. I tend to stick with the old German ones.

I have shot every 45acp ammo (standard pressure) I could get my hands on and the gun just eats them up, including steel case. My only complaint about the steel case is that the mag won't fit more than 4 or 5. I'm not sure if it's the mags or the dimensions of the steel case or both but they stop at 4 or 5 (can't remember) and you can't fit any more, which doesn't bother me since it's range ammo

One more thing. If it's the older German one you should stay away from +P ammo.

 

[Stirling]

Yes, they are both 10MM

That my good man is very cool!!! I've read about 10mm SIG P220 conversions in the past but I believe they're now being made by SIG. The MP5 must be quite a heavy hitter.

 

[Mainsail]

The P245 (no longer made) is pretty much the same gun as the P220 Carry, only it used a folded slide vs the milled slide on the P220. The folded slide is a bit lighter, and that makes the P245 more desirable to some people.

I had looked for YEARS for a P245 in decent condition for a fair price- saw one in a local gun shop that looked like it had been used as a wheel chock and they wanted over $800. Bite me. Summit just got a few P245s in but I think I'm going to let them pass- liking the P320 series for their greater capacity and lighter weight.

The P220 will not disappoint- they're solid reliable pistols in a strong caliber.

 

[colt_saa]

My son has one and it feeds all kinds of ball and hollow points that we have tried but it is not reliable with our reloaded SWCs. He just uses ball and HPs and it is very reliable. The decocking lever is only a decocking lever and not a combination safety and we like that. We also like the first shot DA so it is as safe to carry as a revolver. Neither or us have a problem with the first shot DA and the rest SA. We both think it is a super pistol. Larry edit: The one my son has is a regular 220 and not the carry.

Larry,
Where is your reliability issue? Feeding, Ejecting? Cycling?

I have found the opposite to be true.

Every P220 that I have owned or my family has owned shoots my hand loaded 45ACP SWCs with no problems. Straight out of the box, no mods to the firearm.

Now I have been loading the H&G #68 since the late seventies. I have never tried a different SWC. The projectile is seated so the driving bands are just at the case mouth (as you can see in the picture in my previous post) and then a very slight taper crimp is used.

The load is 5.5 grains of 231.

 

[loc n load]

+1 for the 220

I have a lot of duty carry/training with and instructing experience with the Sig pistol....228,229. I have three personal 45 Sig's, a 220 DA/SA, A SAO & a 245 ( I haven't carried all three of mine simultaneously like Ivan has, but it's a thought. ) I have owned them for years and ran a considerable # of rounds thru them. If I am going to carry a metal frame pistol, then it will be one of my Sigs. The Indiana State Police recently transitioned to the Sig 227 which is the double stack version of the 220. The troops I have talked to regarding it are most happy.
The Sig 220 IMO is a great pistol and will serve you well.

 

[JayAychOh]

I don't own a P220, but have shot and carried P226's of comparable size and weight off and on for 25 years. I'm carrying the slightly smaller M11A1 today. I wouldn't hesitate to trust a P220.

 

[M29since14]

Every P220 that I have owned or my family has owned shoots my hand loaded 45ACP SWCs with no problems. Straight out of the box, no mods to the firearm.

Now I have been loading the H&G #68 since the late seventies. I have never tried a different SWC...

Same here. Even the #130 has worked fine for me. I've never seen a SIG 220 that would not feed #68s. It would be an oddity, IMO.

I've never fired a 220 Carry. My only objections to the 220 (in general) are the high-ish bore axis, which most people don't seem to care much about or even notice, and the lack of a thumb safety. To me, compared to having a 1911 in your hand, the 220 seems like you are shooting a railroad trestle.

Nevertheless, a good gun.

 

[tops]

Larry,
Where is your reliability issue? Feeding, Ejecting? Cycling?

.

The empties eject so I guess it is feeding and cycling. I have a Pre 70 Colt 1911A1 that works good with the same load. I have a S&W 1917 and he has a M625-? and both of them use the load with and without clips with out a problem. The bullet is a 200 gr. Oregon SWC and I use 6 gr. of Unique and he use 6.5 grs. If we changed the crimp it might make a difference but since it feeds ball and HPs he is happy. Larry

 

[Texas Star]

SIG P-220 will be along soon, I guess. But he's carried his as a FBI special agent for about 30 years and is delighted with it. The Bureau is mostly Glockland these days, but his gun is grandfathered-in.

My son and his wife have several SIG's and really like them. That says a bunch, as he is especially a Colt Govt. Model .45 and Browning HP fan.

Both the Euro and American P-220's fit my hand VERY well, about as well as any pistol ever has. I think I slightly prefer the American grip frame. The rounded hammer will not jam you in the ribs like the older pointed one might, given appendix carry in an inside the waistband holster.

I prefer the older, basic gun. I hate those big duck - tailed tangs on any guns, inc. 1911's.

There were slide rusting issues with some SIG's. Others here know more about that than I do. Doesn't apply to stainless slides, though.

I'd stay with the 4.4 inch barrel. The .45 needs barrel length to do its best, and you're already at less than the original 5" length of a 1911.

If the high bore axis doesn't bother you and the slide doesn't rust, you should be very happy with the P-220. And if the slide rides higher than on some guns, you are less likely to get the recoiling slide trapped in the cuff of your parka, as a Browning 9mm once did to me. I went back to revolvers for cold weather carry. Thank God, that didn't happen in a fight; it was on the range. Took awhile to get the slide/tang loose and I had to remove the parka.

 

[ditrina]

Ok Ok OK....

You all convinced me.. I'm headed to the LGS tomorrow and the SIG will be mine tomorrow..

Soooo Is this like waiting on Christmas Eve?? Pic's up as soon as I can..( with a range report )

Thank you all for your input..

 

[M29since14]

Both the Euro and American P-220's fit my hand VERY well, about as well as any pistol ever has...

I prefer the older, basic gun. I hate those big duck - tailed tangs on any guns, inc. 1911's...

Hey, T-Star, I hope your ranting about 1911 duckbills doesn't turn off the supply. One of those done right helps me get my hand as high on the gun as possible while avoiding hammer-bite. I like the good ones, but I do admit, some of them done wrong are "way too much of a good thing" and thus unsightly.

As to the P220 ergonomics, I agree that they have the basic shape down properly (mainly because they did not deviate too much from the 1911-angle) but the surface of the stocks and lack of frontstrap checkering allows a P220 .45 to fly around in my hand, necessitating adjusting my grip all the time. Hogue stocks cure that, but change the feel of the gun. The Hogue Handall and standard stocks is my solution. It's a shame they couldn't be bothered to give us some frontstrap checkering. The new-design "improved" SIG stocks are even more slippery than the older ones with molded checkering. Progress...

 

[Arik]

Just too add something completely irrelevant to the question but Sig related. ..... I bought a beautiful W. German 228 right after new years. Beautiful gun, deep bluing. Just nice all around German craftsmanship. Grip felt a little too wide (and I like wide grips) but I thought I could get used to it. Nope! My shots were all left of POA, I was fighting the gun. Well I ended up selling it. The good thing about these type of guns is they never really loose value so I got my money back. The whole thing was just weird because the 228 is just a short 226 and I like the grip of the 226....weird.

After I sold it I happened to walk into a lgs and what do you know? They have the original P220 in 9mm with heal release. Dates back to 1977. So now I have that on layaway and from the looks of it the mags are unubtainium! May have to do layaway on mags if I can find any!

 

[M29since14]

Top Gun Supply will usually have the mags, but they are not cheap wherever you find them.

 

[BAM-BAM]

My W Ger 220 will shoot cloverleafs at 50

My 2 245s are my carry 45s.

 

[MOONDAWG]

When the SIG P-220 first made it's US debut it was as the "Browning BDA" and came with the European "heel clip" magazine release.

I bought one of the first one's to hit the Florida Gulf Coast in the late 1970's.

The Spousal Unit got too "jumpy" around the condition one (cocked & locked) Colt 1911 I carried off duty at the time; so I switched to the BDA. If one "dressed around" it there was no more of an issue than the 1911. Except finding holsters for in back in 1977.

The cell phone photo of an "old photo" isn't too clear, but you can plainly see the European "heel clip" that slowed reload times by half.

 

[Arik]

Top Gun Supply will usually have the mags, but they are not cheap wherever you find them.

I've heard. Mucho $$$$$

My W Ger 220 will shoot cloverleafs at 50

My 2 245s are my carry 45s.

My W. German Sig P220 will out shoot my Springfield TRP 1911 and my 4566

 

[john1950]

As I recall, Any Sig P-220 seven round magazine (the older style one with the metal floor plate) will work. The heel catch locks to the floor plate.
Loves the Sigs. Owned many 220's. Now have a P-220 from 2001 and a P-245 from 1999.
EDC lately has been a Sig P-938. Fantastic.