1911 vs P220 reliability, concealability?

[joey93turbo]

My GF's buyin me a new $600-$700 gun for Christmas and I'm still deciding what to get. I currently carry a P220 .45 but I'm thinking of purchasing a 1911 cause I shoot my buddies so well. I'm looking at either Para LDA's or a Springfield Loaded. Since I'd be carrying this new gun I'm concerned with the reliability of the 1911 platform. I'm also curious to know whether or not the double-stack Para would be easier or more difficult to conceal than my P220 since I'd LOVE to have more than 8 rounds, but that's not a deal-breaker. I like the idea of a DA 1911 since I could then carry hammer-down with one in the pipe, right? I just don't trust safeties much I guess. Do you guys think a 1911 would be a good choice for me?

 

[P95Carry]

I am biased Joey because my 220 is just dandy! My daily carry is 226 but rig will happily accept 220 if I want - main loss is capacity. I don't think concealability is much of an issue here.

On balance - and trying to not be too biased - I would say the 220 has the edge overall on reliability. Depends of course on choice of 1911 platform.

I choose to carry full size and large so - 226 or 220 no problem. If I were to carry full size 1911 I'd be almost as happy tho - I have become used to DA/SA guns. My doubts would slightly increase with 1911 compact platforms as - it seems sometimes - out the box things not always absolutely perfect.

All that said - i just traded my P12.45 against a SIG 228 with a guy - seeing as I don't carry 1911 much at all. I am pleased with my decison but - will miss the P12 - I replaced the extractor with a Wilson and it ran beautifully so I know that at least was well reliable, tho supposedly it is a bit picky with HP's, something the SIG is not concerned with it seems.

 

[dsk]

I think I'm the only person on the planet to own a P220 that wasn't 100% reliable. As long as I avoided CCI "Flying Ashtrays" it was fine, but it just couldn't stand those. I eventually sold it to finance an alloy Colt Commander, which was one of the best pistol I ever had (and later stupidly sold).

Since you're asking about 1911's, my advice is to stick to a 5" pistol and avoid one with too many bells and whistles. The most reliable 1911's on the market actually tend to be the plain-jane ones.

 

[joey93turbo]

Anyone else? sounds like nobody's willing to touch this

 

[TexasRifleman]

I think DA 1911's are one of the worst ideas I've ever seen.

If you want the 1911 platform, and personally I think that's a great idea, go with the original design. Cocked and locked is something you can get used to quickly,it's not that big a deal. It's been a safe and reliable system for coming up on 100 years now.

Reliability wise, I have 3 1911's that I trust completely. Strangely enough, these are the same 3 that have NEVER been in a gunsmiths hands......

Buying a DA 1911 is like buying a Vette and replacing the V8 with a diesel 4 banger. It might look sort of like a Vette, but it's NOT a Vette......

 

[joey93turbo]

The more I read about 1911's the more I think SA is the way to go.

 

[Lebben-B]

I concur with the comment about "plain jane" 1911s. I have two basic 1911s and they fire reliably and accurately regardless of the ammo I feed them.


Mike

 

[joey93turbo]

but they're so... plain

 

[f4t9r]

1911 vs P220 reliability, concealability
Have both and like both , for me the 1911 is easier to conceal because of the slimmer design (i do not like the double stack in 1911)
reliability, I would lean towards the 220 but if you get a 1911 put a few hundred rounds through the gun and work out any probs if any (maybe polish the ramp or whatever , again if needed) I have a Kimber Gold Match that will out shoot the P220 hands down not even close and is very reliable. So depends on what you get in 1911 and you can get every opinion you want right here on which one. So I believe the 1911 out preforms the P220 at the range and is easier to handle and I just love the way they feel in my hand, for carry i would go with the P220 I like the double action and reliability of a SIG, never a prob and always go bang right out of the box. There you have it just a bunch of words that mean nothing.
YOU NEED BOTH !!!!!!!

 

[TexasRifleman]

but they're so... plain

Yeah, and that's half the fun. Later you can get grips, magwells, sights, all kinds of goodies that you won't have to mess with the actual function of the 1911 to change. It's the erector set of handguns

 

[perception]

but they're so... plain

Yes they are. but in my opinion, a carry gun should be as plain as possible. You want one so boring that it will never suprise you.

If it is a range gun, then by all means go all out, and get all the bells and whistles and bling that gun out as much as you want.

But for carry, the only thing that gun should do is go bang every single time the trigger is pulled, without exception.

 

[gudel]

Anyone else? sounds like nobody's willing to touch this

Well the answer is obvious. If not, see this thread: Why can't somebody just step up and do it?

 

[AK103K]

I just recently switched from my 1911 Commander to my P220. I've carried 1911's, and mostly Commanders, on a daily basis for about the last 30 years or so. The P220, for about a month now.

I use the same (model) Blade Tech IWB for the 220 that I carried my Commander in, and although I got the same type double mag pouch, the 220 mags will also fit in the 1911 carrier.

Everything being pretty much equal, the 1911's carry a little more comfortably. The Commander and 220 are pretty much the same size, with the 220 being slightly fatter, especially in the grip.

The 1911's can be just as reliable as anything else, and I've also had the best luck with plain jane, stock guns, and specifically Colts.(watch Springfield, their QC has been hit or miss of late) The couple I've had that were "souped" up, were the least reliable and had the most problems. A basically stock gun with decent sights and a clean trigger on the heavy side, is the way to go. If it rattles when you shake it, your on the right track. My newer Colts have been fine out of the box and have shot everything I've put in them, from my LSWC reloads to HP's and Federal EFMJ's. The older guns usually do better with a "reliability package" tune up. Some of the Colts have plastic triggers and MSH's, which I swap out for steel, but I do it with most of the newer guns anyway, as I dislike the new flat MSH/long trigger combo's. I like the arched with a lanyard loop and short trigger.

Both are good guns, (if you stick to good 1911's) its all going to boil down to what your most comfortable with. If your accustomed to the heavier DA trigger first shot of your SIG, you may want to practice more with the 1911 before you carry it, otherwise it may be going off before you expect, especially if you go more towards the lighter "game" triggers that a lot of people seem to desire.

 

[MarshallDodge]

1911 vs P220 reliability, concealability
Have both and like both , for me the 1911 is easier to conceal because of the slimmer design (i do not like the double stack in 1911)
reliability, I would lean towards the 220 but if you get a 1911 put a few hundred rounds through the gun and work out any probs if any (maybe polish the ramp or whatever , again if needed) I have a Kimber Gold Match that will out shoot the P220 hands down not even close and is very reliable. So depends on what you get in 1911 and you can get every opinion you want right here on which one. So I believe the 1911 out preforms the P220 at the range and is easier to handle and I just love the way they feel in my hand, for carry i would go with the P220 I like the double action and reliability of a SIG, never a prob and always go bang right out of the box. There you have it just a bunch of words that mean nothing.
YOU NEED BOTH !!!!!!!

+1...... I have both My Gold Match is very reliable and so is the Sig but the Gold Match is more accurate.

 

[1911austin]

I don't like DA 1911s. Given you choices I would pick:

1. Sprinfield Loaded
2. Sig P220
4. The Para LDA.

 

[Ala Dan]

I'll chime in and say that my West German SIG-SAUER .45 caliber
P220A is just dandy also~! Like my friend Chris, this has been
my daily carry piece for a long time; cuz its utterly reliable.

 

[glocker1911]

You could always wait a few months until Sig comes out with their new single action version of the P220. I can't see it replacing my 1911, but I am interested to see how they end up marketing this one.

 

[MadMercS55]

I recently purchased a P220 and would recommend it in a second. I chose it because I didn't want to have to work on a NIB 1911 to get it up and running properly, which in my experience, has been more often that not. My P220 has been 100% reliable, albeit I've only fired 750rnds through it in the last couple weeks. Not one hiccup of any sort. I have personally never owned a 1911, never will. But alot of my friends have 1911's and I've tried them all, none were without issues from the get-go.

 

[BullfrogKen]

but they're so... plain

And a Sig isn't? What can you do to a Sig besides rubber grips and night sights. A short trigger perhaps? Back to your original question:

I'm also curious to know whether or not the double-stack Para would be easier or more difficult to conceal than my P220 since I'd LOVE to have more than 8 rounds, but that's not a deal-breaker. I like the idea of a DA 1911 since I could then carry hammer-down with one in the pipe, right?

Anytime you have an internal locking lug design the slide is going to be slimmer than one with external locking lugs, or A locking lug in this case. A double column magazine Para-Ordinance will approximate the grip width of a 220; the original 1911 single column design will be slimmer. I don't feel I'm giving anything up with a single column magazine. In fact, I think the slimmer profile and better reliability of the original magazine design are advantages.

The double action triggers on the Para-Ordinance are . . . ughhh . . . weak. The hammer down carry issue? You will get used to cocked and locked; you've just haven't been around it enough.

Since I'd be carrying this new gun I'm concerned with the reliability of the 1911 platform.

Look, this 1911's aren't reliable crap is . . . crap. Sure, there are ones that don't work. But, I've seen Sig's not work, Glock's not work, even S&W revolvers that don't work. My 1983 Colt LW Commander was 100% from the first round, up to around 1000 6 months later when I had it worked over to make it the way I wanted it. And it still chugging along fine . . .

There are so many 1911's on the market its dizzying. There are more of them in the hands of John Q Public than any other handgun design. With so many around, it doesn't take long before you come across someone who has one that won't work. Why won't it work? Is it a tricked out game gun? Did the fella do some "I've seen this on t.v. gunsmithing" and dick it up? I can screw up your Sig like this, too. Is it a gun that needs a spring change, but the old codger had the thing for 50 years and won't change a thing on it? These things will work, don't believe these internet rumors. Its always, "They don't work. . . I've never gotten one to work right for me . . . My buddies all have them, their's doesn't work . . . ", but they don't own one, and probably never have.

Do you guys think a 1911 would be a good choice for me?

Only you can answer that.

 

[MarshallDodge]

You could always wait a few months until Sig comes out with their new single action version of the P220. I can't see it replacing my 1911, but I am interested to see how they end up marketing this one.

It's here, they are calling it the X5. It's a really nice looking gun with a hefty feel due to the stainless frame. Trigger is SA only and had some takeup.
The Sig rep was at the range this weekend but I couldn't make it to try it out

The price was pretty hefty too $2500.00

 

[joey93turbo]

What about the Sig GSR? any good? So far I'm leaning toward an SA Loaded.

 

[glocker1911]

I'm not talking about the X5. Sig just announced they are going to be making the 220 but in a single action version. Price should be in line with traditional DA 220s. As far as the new Revoltuon goes, well that is my new ccw. Best non custom 1911 I've ever seen. A ton of features , and as nice as most Springers are, the Sig is very close price wise but is built with no MIM parts.

 

[Seraph]

First - There is no such thing as a double action 1911. Forget about that silliness.

I think there is too much made of trim level on 1911's. A beavertail grip safety will make no difference in reliability versus a traditional grip safety, except in that it might make some people more able to reliably engage it. Novak/Heinie "ski jump" type sights bear no impact on reliability, except in that they might make some people more able to reliably acquire a good sight picture. The reliabilty of a 1911 has little to do with how "Loaded" or "plain Jane" it might be in these regards, and has more to do with how well the major components are(n't) fitted together. It doesn't take a genius to see that moving parts which are fitted too tightly may fail to move.

 

[fedlaw]

I think I'm the only person on the planet to own a P220 that wasn't 100% reliable.

And I thought I had the only P220 that wasn't 100%. Obviously I now know mine was a twin. Any other siblings out there?

 

[thorazine]

Anyone else? sounds like nobody's willing to touch this

I have had too many reliability issues with the nineteen eleven platform and I will never own one again. My collection consists of almost entirely SIG and I have never had a single reliability issue with any of their pistols.

I do routinely carry my P220ST. It is extremely accurate and reliable. A bit heavier than the standard P220.

I usually carry it in an old beat up Galco holster (IWB).