SIG P220 vs 1911's

Mr AR15

Mr AR15

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I sure would like to get some input from the SIG owners who shoot both the P220 and 1911's. I'm looking to purchase my first SIG, more specifically a P220 Tactical in .45 and have no experience with this gun other than I like the looks of it and the way it fits my hand. I shoot mostly 1911's (.45) and wheel guns. I will be using it for PPC and IDPA only. Recoil, accuracy, and cyclying are the big questions. I also don't want to have a pistolsmith tune it for me, if thats possible for an out of the box handgun.

Thanks
 
I have Colt & Kimber 1911s and a P220 in .45. All great guns. The 220 is extremely reliable and accurate. You will loose nothing to a tuned 1911.
The only thing I would recommend is getting some Act 8rnd mags.
 
Recoil: Way different. The aluminum Sig frame causes a little more flip
Cycling: With factory loads my P220 fed and fired everything but got finicky with 185gr. Same with my Colt 1911's.
Accuracy: I love 1911's, but my P220 was the only gun I ever grouped under 2" at 25yds with.
Trigger pull: P220 double action is bad. It's a service pistol. SA is much better.

I don't compete. These are just plinker obsevations.
 
prproulx said:
Recoil: Way different. The aluminum Sig frame causes a little more flip
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Definitely agree with this. I think I shoot my steel framed Para SSP better because of its weight. Less snappy, ie. less felt recoil. The stainless version of the 220 is slightly heavier and I sure wouldn't mind trying one out. I've owned my 220 since the mid 80's (heel magazine release version) and I am still very happy with it. It has never misfed or jammed with factory ammo or reloads using 230g FMJ. I recently dressed it up with Coco Bolo stocks and hex screws. :) The stainless 220 was going to be my 'next' purchase but I had an itch to get a 1911 and bought the Para SSP. No regrets as it, too, is a very nice pistol.
 
prproulx said:
Recoil: Way different. The aluminum Sig frame causes a little more flip
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+2.

I noticed this when I had my P220.Muzzled tended to flip up & to the left.

I eventually sold it off and bought a Colt 1991-A1.The steel frame helps with the muzzle flip, plus I always wanted a Colt .45.;)

The Sig was a nice shooting gun though.Never had a problem with it.

In the future I will look at buying another Sig.probably a P226 in 9mm.

SKBY.
 
Ernest Langdon won 'Custom Defensive Pistol Division' at the IDPA US Championships a few years back. He was up against high end 1911s almost exclusively.....
 
I would have sworn there is no real difference in the recoil between a 220 and 1911, but I've never actually shot them side by side . I'll have to give that a try.
 
Everyone that shoots a P220 .45 is amazed at how accurate it is. It's always the first handgun I get my friends to shoot when they join me at the range because it's so accurate anyone can feel like a pro shooting it. I love it and everytime I think about getting another handgun I think why not get another P220. But that's just my opinion. When I bought my P220 the runner up was the 1911. The main thing I noticed between the two as a new shooter was the trigger.
p220-large.jpg

1911.jpg

I shot both and decided I liked the feel of the Sig better and bought it. It's got to come down to personal choice.
 
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Anyone tried the Stainless Steel models (p220st)? I bet they help this muzzle flip flaw in the regular 220. Just wish they made one in blue instead of SS.
 
if I wanted a .45 I'd go with a 1911, if it was 9mm I'd go with a Sig, but you allready have 1911...

Sig has a high(er) bore axis so has more muzlle flip
 
I really loved my SIG P226R, but after shooting in competitions with 1911's and Browning HP's, I got spoiled by the Single Action trigger. I'm a #####. LOL

I just could not shoot or group with the SIG even if that SIG was a very tight grouper sandbagged on the benchtop at targets 25 meters away. When I shot the pistol in a Weaver or Isosceles stance, I sucked big time.

Yet, when I shoot any 1911, I kick butt especially all the high zoot polymer bangsticks (and I shot a Norinco NP29).

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the SIG's. I would buy another one after I learn to shoot one properly (It's my technique that is shzt). I really loved the way my P226R fit my hand and how it shot. But now I truly love my Springfield Armory Loaded 1911 Parkerized .45.

Good shopping !

Barney
 
Take a look at the upper group that was shot using my custom Argenine Ballester-Molina (variation of a 1911). I gauarantee you the Sig P220 I sold did not shoot this well. I own a bunch of 1911s but I no longer own a Sig P220. I am honest when I say I do not care for Sigs other than the P228. The full sized Sigs are all too large for their calibres. Regards, Richard :D
15.jpg

27.jpg
 
richardoldfield said:
The full sized Sigs are all too large for their calibres.
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I have no idea what that means? :rolleyes: :confused:

Regardless...I love shooting both the P220 and the 1911 but I prefer the fit and feel of the SIG.

You defnitely can't go wrong with either...but as many have said before get the one that feels the most comforatble...and the end of the day that will be more important.
 
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I started out IPSC in 1995 with a 220 and learned fairly quickly that I was hamstrung by the 7 round mag capacity (definitley not a concern if you are going to shoot PPC or IDPA, and now it is easier to get 8 rounders). I kept my 220 and bought a Para in .45 which I later switched over to .40 then I bought an STI in .40 (both 1911-type platforms).:)

I must admit that I really like the feel of both the Sig and 1911. I don't prefer one over the other though.:cool:

As Hungry mentions above, single action only is a little nicer for accuracy when trigger press is an issue but this can be over come with lots of dry fire, a spring swap and verifying dry fire practise with live fire. You can't go wrong in IDPA with a 220 (or any Sig for that matter... or Glock or Beretta).

My 220 has a horrendous DA trigger pull but the SA is very nice. I also own a 226 that has a very nice trigger pull and I have carried both the 229 and 226 for LE/SWAT work. I have managed to actually wear out a 229... 90 000 rounds of factory through it. It was still ticking but the dept. armourer was worried about the trigger spring locator hole becoming more oblong than round:(

From having shot, trained and carried Sig's I have learned that they break in very nicely with use and become more slick (even trigger pull seems to lighten up... probably just smooths out).

My opinion.... Sig's are awesome and need no work maybe other than springs(mainspring only) right out of the box. Very accurate pistols, awesome ergonomics, never finicky (except with 185's as mentioned above). With 230 FMJ or 200 Semi wad it always goes bang! ;)

Oh, I was an adjunct instructor for the Sigarm's Academy and I'm a Sig armourer (for what that's worth)... if you need some help, feel free to PM me.

Just my 2/100th's of a dollar!
 
nashorn, a P220 feels a lot fatter in my hand than a 1911. If I wanted a handgun that large I would own a Glock 21 (G21). Why? The G21 is one hell of a lot cheaper and shoots every bit as well as any Sig I have fired. Again, the only Sig I like the feel of is P228. Do I own other Sigs? Yes, I have a 9mm P226, P230, P239, and a P245 plus my P228. In reality I am sure there is a lot of snob appeal to owning a Sig but they are not for me. I sold my P220 to a friend and the last time I shot it my Ballester-Molina kicked its butt. Regards, Richard :D
 
richardoldfield said:
nashorn, a P220 feels a lot fatter in my hand than a 1911. If I wanted a handgun that large I would own a Glock 21 (G21). Why? The G21 is one hell of a lot cheaper and shoots every bit as well as any Sig I have fired. Again, the only Sig I like the feel of is P228. Do I own other Sigs? Yes, I have a 9mm P226, P230, P239, and a P245 plus my P228. In reality I am sure there is a lot of snob appeal to owning a Sig but they are not for me. I sold my P220 to a friend and the last time I shot it my Ballester-Molina kicked its butt. Regards, Richard :D
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No offense Richard, but to say that Sigs are only good for snob appeal is silly. Sigs are very accurate pistols and fit the vast majority of shooters just fine. Just because the P220 does not fit your small hands does not make it a bad gun. ;)
 
Sig already has what everyone pays money to have a 1911 upgraded to:
Ramped barrel, bushingless barrel, cam instead of swinging link, etc........:)
 
IF you can do it, try shooting a few pracitice courses of fire with each type and see which you prefer. That's really the only way to know which one works for you.
 
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