Advice on buying used gun ( Sig P228) What to look for?

E

ExMB

New member
Hello all.
I am a bit new to semiauto handguns. My local shop has a used Sig P228 that I'm interested in, but I'm not sure what to look for as far as condition. Any advice in what to look for in a used handgun would be greatly appretiated.

The protion of the slide that covers the ejection port has some of the blue rubbed off, other than that the external appearance is 99%.

With the slide locked open if you grab the barrel it will jiggle a little. Is this normal? Also if you hold onto the slide and twist in a horizontal plane there is a very small amount of movement. Is this normal?

The gun was owned by a former LEO (backup weapon). The deal includes 2-13 rd mags for a touch over $500. How does that price sound.
Thanks for any help.
 
It's a good deal. The barrel movement at slide-lock and the slide to frame movement are both normal. My 228 has a very loose slide to frame fit, but it's still very accurate and 100% reliable.

Since it was a cop's back-up gun, it probably was carried a lot and shot little.

13 round preban magazines are going for as much as $100 each, maybe more. Just make sure the mags aren't marked with any restrictive phrases like "For Gov't/LE Use Only".

I'd definitely grab that sucker. :)
 
Same deal I've seen twice before in Phoenix. Last time around it was a factory refurb with 2 13 rounders and for $500. My wife bought a used cop P228 with nightsights, and we like it very much ;).
 
The Sig P series sometimes experience a "rubbing" or "wearing in" about 3/4" from the end of the frame on the rails. According to the Sig gurus this is nothing to worry about. It usually rubs off a little finish and then goes no further. If the slide has actually removed frame material, "galling" I think some call it, this may be a red flag that something isn't jiving between the slide and the frame.

Also, Sig barrels often sit uncentered in the end of the slide (usually low). While this doesn't usually affect functioning, sometimes there can be a little blueing wear near the end of the barrel... a little wear is no problem, more than a little could be a barrel fitting issue. It's a good idea to keep the barrel lightly oiled to minimize any wear in this area.

Sig decockers can vary widely in their smoothness of operation. Some will allow for a nice, smooth, slow decock, while others are more abrupt. Either way, the operation is safe due to the way the safety intercept notch is designed, but an abrupt hammer fall during decocking can be a bit disconcerting for some folks.

$500 is a great price, especially with 2 standard cap mags.

Generally speaking for any pistol... mags should seat fully and positively, and eject smoothly with no hang ups. Check mag lips for uniformity and no damage. Mag springs should offer good resistance. Slide should lock open on an empty mag. With slide closed, barrel should lock up solid with no play. A little play between the frame and the slide is acceptable. Bore should be in good shape with no rust or pitting. Safety devices (if present) should work as advertised. Trigger pull should be smooth and crisp though this is subjective and varies widely from handgun to handgun.

If allowed, try before you buy... this will tell you all you need to know. :)

Sub
 
You might try the following to verify that the safeties are working properly. Remove the magazine and lock the slide open. Visually inspect that the chamber is empty and manually inspect it with your finger. Check again that the chamber is empty. Check one more time.

Now, lower the slide. Pull the trigger and hold it all the way back. Rack the slide and release it (yes, let it slam forward), while keeping the trigger back. At this point, the hammer should still be cocked. Release the trigger. You should feel the sear reset. Now pull the trigger, the hammer should fall.

Now, verify the functioning of the decocker. With the gun pointed above horizontal, drop a pencil into the bore, eraser first. Cock the gun and pull the trigger. The pencil should jump. Now cock the gun and use the decocker to lower the hammer. The pencil should not move.

M1911
 
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