Sig Sauer P220 Elite (10 MM) - First Impressions

T

the357plan

New member
I've been wanting a P220 in 10 MM since I first saw one (in 45 ACP) at a gun show many years ago. I almost went as far as getting one converted, but couldn't get over more than doubling the price of the gun. So I was more than happy when back in September 2014, it was announced that Sig would make them. At the beginning of May I found out they had been shipping since March. I immediately ordered one and finally picked it up a couple of days ago.

They're not listed in the Sig Sauer catalog. This is a Lipsey's exclusive.

LIPSEY'S Announcment

LIPSEY'S 10 MM Sig P220 Guns

My new Sig Sauer P220 Elite (10 MM):
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I wanted all steel, at least a 5" barrel, rail, night sights and a traditional DA/SA trigger. This one was exactly that. I like the two tone finish, but it wasn't necessary.

Out of the box, everything worked and looked fine.

The grips are G10 and although they may look aggressive, they feel very comfortable in my hand (sized just right - border of medium to large).

It's slightly bigger (including width) and heavier than my full size Kimber 1911s.

It came with 2 magazines. I've ordered more.

Double action trigger felt real good. Not too heavy and didn't experience any stacking (not that I could really tell - would need a gage).

Single action trigger felt okay (meaning not bad). It's not as good as my Kimber 1911s but acceptable (a slight amount of creep that most people would hardly notice). If ever it bothers me, I'm not beyond jumping in and smoothing it up myself if time/usage doesn't do it for me.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the gun and have no regrets. I've already been to the range and will talk about that in a bit (I'm a very slow thinker/writer).
 

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I just purchased one of these myself and have had two flawless range trips so far. Love the gun.

BTW, if you purchased that this month. Sig is having a rebate right now and you can get two free mags and a pistol bag. I sent mine in last week and already received notice the pistol bag was on the way. It may be 30 days before the mags ship.

The rebate form is on their Website.
 
I'm not a fan of DA/SA myself but even I have to admit that is one bada** pistol! :cool: And why can't all gun manufacturers hang a removable RTFM tag off the trigger instead of plastering it on the barrel (cough, Ruger, cough) or adding useless "safety" features (cough, Smith, cough)?

What, you didn't like the Kryptec Camo? :D
 
Range Impressions

I took the following to the range on Saturday in the process of checking the new gun out. All three are 10 mm: the new Sig P220 Elite (top), S&W 610 (middle) and Kimber Stainless Target II (bottom).

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All shooting was done on the 50 ft (16.67 yd) range.

On this day I averaged 3 inch core groups (throwing away a couple flyers) with each gun, shooting off hand.

Right at the start, the new Sig P220 Elite impressed me. The first 5 rounds (Hornady Critical Duty 175 gr) went inside of 3" at POA. In my experience, seldom has a new gun shot to POA with (relatively) fixed sights. Off a rest, I got little under a 1" group @ POA with Winchester Silvertips. So I'm pleased that it's unnecessary to drift or swap out any of the sights.

As for recoil, it had the least of the three in this picture. So much so, I considered it comfortable. The S&W 610 pounds your hand and the Kimber is somewhere between the two (closer to the Sig). To be fair to the Kimber, it seems the recoil went up a little when I swapped from an 18 to 24 lb recoil spring.

I shot Hornady, HPR, Remington and Winchester through the Sig. There were no malfunctions of any kind.

Again, I'm pleased with this gun.

Sig is having a rebate right now and you can get two free mags and a pistol bag.
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Thanks, I'm going to do that right now!
 

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Ah, missed that. I agree with your choice then. If there's anything that would spook me more than DA/SA it would be SAO. :)
 
Nice new addition. It's nice to see the P220 resurrected as a single stack 10mm. Since the P227 came out, I like it better than the P220 in .45ACP.

10mm is the best excuse to start or continue reloading, the factory ammo will surely set your wallet on fire!.
 
Congratulations!! I've always loved the P220 and of course 10mm is my most favorite auto pistol round of all. Seems like a great combination. Seems they could have easily managed double-stack without changing much, but who knows?

Anyway, I'm always very pleased to see another 10mm offering on the market, and it's especially pleasing to see one from Sig. If Glock and Sig can provide some motivation for Smith to try it again, I'd be thrilled.

Congrats again and enjoy!
 
Oh I think your gonna REALLY like that one ...

iwas over to a little local shop a couple of weeks ago to speak with the Sig rep while they were there. I had just ordered a P226 Tac Ops, and he handed me one of those after hearing my bud talking about my Javelina.

I was VERY impressed, but not enough to throw down on it just then, along with the 226. I must say though, the want has been stirred and the saving has already started....

Enjoy, hopefully things will settle down for a while and I might find my way into one before years end.

Oh wasn't it one of the ones on this list?
http://sigsauer.com/Promotions/rebate.aspx

If so download the coupon and send it in with a copy of your receipt and you get a bag and two free magazines like come with the pistol.

Oops, missed that above..
 
interesting

Seems like from the pics that at least the model shown is using the stamped slide with rollpin, instead of the milled slide with knurled pin.

Just guessing now, but I had thought all the stamped slides were old news and milled, blackened stainless were the way of the future.

So, does that 10mm shown in the pic have a stamped slide with breech block retained with a roll pin???
 
So, does that 10mm shown in the pic have a stamped slide with breech block retained with a roll pin???
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Sig's stamped slides (at least for the big stuff) went away a long time ago. This is a milled, blackened stainless slide. Ignoring the take down lever and magazine catch, the only two pins you see are the Trigger Pivot Pin (solid) and the Firing Pin Positioning Pin (rolled, on the slide behind the breech).

This is a linkless system (forgot the name) and doesn't use a pin for breech lockup. It uses a Locking Insert (as Sig calls it) mounted in the frame where a link (and pin) system would normally be.

I think it's pretty much a solid gun.
 
Thanks for the heads-up on this new variant. I'm really interested, but I know nothing about the SIG pistols.

How is the single action only pistol configured? I assume it's a lot like a 1911, but the photo isn't clear to me.

That is a good looking pistol. Congrats.
 
Lucky me took delivery of the same gun as 357 and fired mine on May 14. My first 10mm, want to add a 610 at some point. Similar in weight/feel to my Match Elite in .45acp. Thanks for the info on the case & mags rebate.

Shot some Hornday 180 XTP, 1180 fps - easy recoil, Double Tap 135 JHP, 1600fps - fun recoil, and some Sig Sauer 180 FMJ, 1250fps - slightly stout, more fun.

Off-hand groups at 25 yards were poor. Got better with more shooting. Can't be the shooter?

Benchrested, the Hornady XTPs were low & left, approx 4 inches. Somewhat surprised at that distance, assumed the factory sights would be sighted at 25 yards minimum for 10mm. I'll bench the Sig rounds and some loads I'm working up for 155, 165, & 180grs.

Not trying to hijack 357's thread, but can anyone practice recommend powder for target or hunting loads?

Also, I did use my 10rd .45 mag in the 10mm, worked fine when loaded with 9 or less, failed to feed when loaded full.

This will be my new hunting/hiking sidearm.
 
How is the single action only pistol configured?
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The only single action Sig I have ever fired is my P238 and the 10mm SAO is radically different. So I wouldn't really know, but I too am curious about it.

Benchrested, the Hornady XTPs were low & left, approx 4 inches. Somewhat surprised at that distance, assumed the factory sights would be sighted at 25 yards minimum for 10mm. I'll bench the Sig rounds and some loads I'm working up for 155, 165, & 180grs.
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The manufacture tries to set the sights for the average Joe (or Jill). And if you don't fit that profile, you're out of luck (almost anyway). You can adjust these by drifting them for windage or swapping out the rear blade or front post for one taller or shorter (an expensive proposition, but you've already paid a pretty penny for this gun). Sig Sauer sells them. However, I wouldn't fool with the sights until you settle on a load and you're good enough at 25 yds (or 50) without a rest to know where it's really shooting.

My gun was on when shot close up with moderate-to-mild stuff like Hornady Critical Duty 175 gr. (designed to meet the FBI test but not much more). The next time I bring this gun to the range, I'll step up in power, move out to 30 or 50 yds and see how it does. I'll have to let the newness wear off before it's taken out when hiking or do any thing that might skuff the finish.
 
Not trying to hijack 357's thread, but can anyone practice recommend powder for target or hunting loads?
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I really can't recommend anything in particular, but I've loaded a lot of 4756, 800X and HS-6. None of these has really stood out as being all that great, even though I'm a huge 4756 enthusiast for sd loads. At the moment, my main attraction is No 9 and Power Pistol 300-MP...I think AA9 is going to be a good experience--at least it looks good on paper. Other that 800X, which is a pain for me to load (just a bit too tedious for me to trickle-charge one case at a time), I have yet to load a powder that would nicely fill the 10mm case and still be a reasonable max load or less. So, that's why I'm in eager anticipation of working up loads with No 9 and 300-MP (when it gets here).
 
Congrats on the P220 Elite, that is a fine looking pistol. I have been looking occasionally to see if I can find a SAO with the adjustable sights. I have a P220 Match Elite in 45 with adjustable sights and the sights are first rate.

As far as powder, I have had great luck with Blue Dot over the years in 10mm. It is bulky so it fills most of the space giving consistent velocity. If you are going for absolute velocity it is not the very best but it does well in accuracy. 10 grains of Blue Dot with a 180 XTP gives 1252 fps in my 1911 10mm and is very accurate. You could safely raise that if you want more speed but that load works for everything I need.
 
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