SIG P220 Carry Review

[crebralfix]

Years ago, when I first started shooting handguns, I purchased a SIG Sauer P220. It was an excellent gun and I learned much about shooting and reloading. Over the years, guns have come and gone. Some were sold to get the "latest and greatest" gun heralded by the gun rags, and others were discarded as quickly as possible. Shooters can be fickle, and that fickleness landed me a SIG Sauer P220 Carry--a gun I had been eyeing in the store for a few months.


SIG Sauer P220 Carry

I liked this handgun because I have switched my carry method from strong side carry (behind the hip) to appendix carry. The long slide of the P220 can be problematic at times, especially while seated. The P220 Carry is a full half inch shorter than the standard P220. Hopefully, the gun would be a bit more comfortable to carry in front.

The P220 Carry offers many of the same features as the SIG P220. As stated before, the barrel is a half inch shorter for a total length of 3.9 inches. It is fully double action, with a long, heavy double action first shot. Subsequent shots are fired in single-action mode. My particular gun has a smooth double action trigger and a very nice single action trigger. The trigger reset is the same as a P220; it is short but has a bit of slack. This peculiarity does require some shooting time to get used to. The basic model that I have has SIG Sauer's standard "bar-dot" fixed sights that can easily be replaced with night sights. It does feature the new style SIG grips, which I do not like. All standard P220 magazines fit in the gun because the grip is identical to a P220.


Business end with integral rail


The P220 Carry uses the same lock up mechanism as the SIG P220

My first shots with the gun were promising and the gun functioned as expected. I am not a target shooter and therefore shoot with self-defense in mind. Four inch groups are perfectly acceptable at any distance; tighter groups are nice, but I'm really after "minute of man" accuracy. If I had bothered to shoot the gun from the bench rest position (or a Ransom Rest), I'm certain my groups would have been very tight. However, I don't have that much patience, so I just blasted away.


First shots all fired double action. Note the short trigger the previous owner installed.


Rapid fire at 15 feet produced this nice little group


Seven shots fired quickly using single-action.


The P220 Carry point shoots nicely. Groups will tighten up as I become familiar with it.


A nice group fired double action only.

In shooting this gun, the felt recoil was a bit more snappy than with a standard P220. The standard model tends to have a bit more roll than the P220 Carry. However, the gun was controllable and the full sized grip assisted with recoil management.


Double taps with the P220 Carry

The P220 Carry shoots well. I enjoyed the 120 rounds or so that I fired from it. Remington Golden Sabre (230 grain) and Federal Hydrashok (230 grain) ammunition fed well. I used 230 grain Winchester USA FMJ ammunition for the bulk of my testing. There were no jams. Both the old seven round magazines and the newer eight round magazines functioned well. I noticed no problems in feeding or ejection.

I believe the P220 Carry to be a very good defensive pistol. It is a bit more compact in overall length, but maintains the same dimensions in other respects as a standard P220. Accuracy was combat acceptable and I'm sure the gun is capable of more than I was willing to do. Function was flawless. If you're looking for a reliable pistol chambered in 45 ACP, I urge you to try the SIG Sauer P220 Carry.

 

[crebralfix]

It's been awhile since I did the review and posted it on another forum.

I attended a two day course this past summer and managed to leave the Glocks at home. The gun performed well with Winchester White Box 230 FMJ. There were no failures in the class (or ever). FPF Training's DHS-2 course includes shooting while moving at a moving target. The short trigger works wonders and the gun is very controllable even during movement.

I added recheckered Hogue grips to it:


I like these grips. They are "sticky" but don't cut into me. Hogue did a very nice job in cutting them, but they did cost $45.

 

[crebralfix]

I carry it exclusively in an appendix carry holster. I'm contemplating getting a Milt Sparks holster for it, but building one means no wait and no hefty bill. The shorter slide works well and carries comfortably.

 

[SwampWolf]

I carry my Carry in a iwb holster slightly behind the hip. Mine looks to be exactly like yours and I too like it alot. Comfortable to carry, reliable to shoot and is chambered for a proven man-stopper cartridge.

 

[wtfd661]

Don't know if you looked at them, but for my P220 that I carry for duty gun, I replaced the stock grips with the Sig slim grips. I really like them, they do noticeably slim down the grip and they have much less "slick" feel then the stock grips, I got mine for $21 from top gun supply.

 

[Frandy]

Thanks for the review. Mine has the "short" trigger and standard grips. I also have the slim grips, but found that along with the "short" trigger, my finger reach was to close. I tried all combinations and settled on what I now have. And, I carry in a Mitch Rosen Presidential Express. I'm very pleased with this Sig.

With the slim grips:

 

[iyn]

short trigger for sig 220

I had problems with the trigger reach on sig 220's. because of this it prevented me from buying it. does the short trigger and slim grip help? where do you order this?

 

[Frandy]

I had problems with the trigger reach on sig 220's. because of this it prevented me from buying it. does the short trigger and slim grip help? where do you order this?

Yes, indeed. Each helps to reduce that reach to the trigger.

 

[varoadking]

I like both of mine...both with short triggers as well...

DAK:



Stainless Elite:

 

[crebralfix]

Yes, the short trigger really helps. The thin grips help even more.

 

[franconialocal]

Every Day

I carry a Sig P220 (BRAND new!!! Tritium night sights!!! Rail!!! THANKS CHIEF!!!)
for duty and I absolutely love it.

My former duty weapon was also a P220 but with regular sights and it was about 11 years old. Still worked great though.....just had finish problems and pitting (e.g. VERY ashamed of whoever had it before me/ cleaning) on the front of the slide so our armorer just decided to purchase me a new one then send the old one into rotation again after SIG inspects it and factory re-blues it.

One of the best sidearms I've ever been issued/owned IMO.

 

[crebralfix]

I don't know why people don't take care of their guns. It's so simple to just pull it out of the holster and wipe it down with a cleaner and reoil.

 

[TexasGunbie]

hmm... should I get one? is this highly recommended? but the XD is a high capacity 45...

 

[Viper]

hmm... should I get one? is this highly recommended? but the XD is a high capacity 45...

I have both - a 14 year old nickel P220 and an XD c 45. The XD is a bit easier to carry, but I much prefer to shoot the SIG. Either can be belt carried with a jacket. Oddly enough, the larger P220 is actually lighter than the XD when both are empty, and even more so loaded. I guess this is because of the rolled steel slide vs a machined SS one, and the SIG's alloy frame is about the same as a polymer, steel reinforced frame.