Total non-Sig guy qualifies with a department-issued Sig 226

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I just qualified with a Sig 226 .40 caliber pistol. I've shot a friend's Sig .40 at the range, so I am familiar with them, but all of my do-it-yourself training has focused on the Colt Government model. I didn't know how the transition to this very different pistol would go. The training deputy was running short on time, so we didn't get any practice, either. Just picked up the 226 and went straight to qualification :what: . Here are my thoughts:

The double-action pull really sent some flyers. In the first stage we were required to draw and fire seven rounds at four yards in five seconds. The first round (DA) went high and right, almost impacting the shoulder of the "man with gun" target we were using. All others went into a 4" (approx.) group in the critical area. The lone DA flyer was about 12" off from the rest of the magazine.

When I drew the pistol and came on target, there seemed to be a slight delay between when I decided to pull the trigger and when the pistol fired. No doubt due to the DA pull of the first shot. It went something like this:

My mind: "Alright, shoot!"

<pause>...

*BANG*!

My mind: "Well that only took forever..."

I could really feel the long, heavy DA pull. The slight delay that it forced was insignificant on the range, but I suspect that it could equal an eternity in a situation.

The wierd overly-long trigger reset and subequent slack didn't screw with me as much as I thought it would (although I am still baffled as to why Sig made the trigger system this way). At the longer distances (7yd, 10yd, and 15yd) I was able to use "flash sight picture", as the NRA calls it, and the trigger broke when I wanted it to. I do feel very strongly, however, that the strange trigger reset tends to make the shooter "slap" the trigger.

In the academy I fired the Glock 22. The first thing I noticed was the tremendously snappy recoil and muzzle blast. I was expecting this with the 226 as well. Not so. Recoil and muzzle flip were not excessive. Perhaps that's in part because Sig actually seems to care about the shape of the pistol's grip vs. a human hand, unlike brand G.

In conclusion, I feel adequately armed with this pistol and was pleased with my abilities with it, seeing as how I have never trained on it. With some practice, I am confident that I can overcome the awkwardness of the long, heavy DA pull and the mind-boggling trigger reset.

Really though, should one have to "overcome" difficulties designed into one's pistol? I wish I could carry my Colt, since that's what I'm used to and that's what I prefer...

As far as that additional training goes, we get 30 free training rounds per month :rolleyes: . The good news is that a case of el cheapo .40 ammunition is now a legitimate tax write-off for me!!!
 
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Adapt, Improvise, Overcome. I remember when my department switched from revolvers to automatics. We had to adapt to new loading procedures, improvised on the different grip and finally overcame it all to qualify. Nothing to it.
 
Ya I'll get used to it. I was actually pretty happy with how I did, considering that I've never trained with a Sig before. Only missed the silhouette once from 4 out to 15 yards. Once out of about fourty isn't bad.

Like I said, ammunition is now a tax write-off
 
Sigs in SA are quite accurate.

It's that hideous long DA trigger pull that makes the DA/SA something less desireable.

Good job.
 
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