What's the Difference Between a SIG P220 Generation 1 and Generation 2

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Delta Wing

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Hi ALL!:D

Greetings from Geneva!

I just want to know some information about the title since I've seen an advertisement in one of the gun dealers here and planning to buy a SIG 220. Now which of the two would you prefer to be the best. Thanks.

Best regards


Delta Wing:rolleyes:
 
Just my opinion but I think the best ones are the ones made in the mid 90's.
 
I'm not sure what would be marketed as a difference between gen 1 and 2 SIG 220's in Geneva. In the US the the primary difference would be in the slides. Gen 1 slides would be made from a folded steel sheet with a welded portion forming the barrel guide and a breach block pinned into place. Gen 2 P220's would use a CNC machined Stainless Steel slide with an integral barrel guide and breach.

My understanding is that EU guns are still being made with the GEN 1 slides. Perhaps SIG USA slides are making their way to EU guns now?
 
usp fan,

Thanks for the info. I think I've read what you said somewhere. Yeah, I guess I'll stick to the Gen 2. Thanks too to Rinspeed and Christcorp your input would also help a lot.

Best regards,

Delta Wing

P.S.

I'll post it once I've been successful in purchasing it.
 
...the hammer and the newer hammer has an additional safety as do the other P series pistols...I wouldn't worry about the spur or the rounded hammers...(I have a 1994 W German P220 with the newer hammer and I believe 1993 or early 1994 was the end of the spur hammers...and yes, I do know that Germany reunited before 1994 but my slide is still marked that way :p)...I believe the rounded hammers have the safety intercept notch so the hammer does not rest on the firing pin but it's been a long time since I went to armorers school...:D

Bill
 
The 220 was changed over the first time in 93 or 94. The new 220 starting at serial number 219166 had three changes. The frame was made stronger, the trigger group was totally changed because the 220 was the only one out of the three (226,228) that couldn't be converted to DAO and lastly the recoil spring weight was increased to 20#. These new ones had a more rounded hammer and the recoil spring was painted green. The sheet steel slides all say made in Germany or West Germany because they never brought the tooling over here to make these slides. They started to assemble the 220 in the states around 1995. If your 220 doesn't have date codes and proof marks then it was made (assembled) here in the US.
 
mine has the date code KE (1994) and is triple serial numbered (slide, frame and barrel)...good luck with yours...considered by many to be the BEST double action (Double/Single action) .45ACP made...
Bill
 
Good luck with the purchase. I have two West German made 220's (one HG and one HH date code) and a 220ST. They're great guns.
 
maybe i'm off a bit here, could someone help me out with a clarification on the generations. here's my take on it.

1st Gen - spur hammer, machined in front sight, controlled hammer drop to rest, mag release on butt (European, later changed to American release (Gen 1.5?), folded/stamped/welded slide
2nd Gen - rounded hammer, dovetailed front sight, safety intercept hammer
3rd Gen - forged and milled stainless steel slide, railed frame
 
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there are first gen with the American mag release...2nd has the safety intercept notch (that keeps the hammer off the firing pin)...newest models (3rd gen?) are the ones with the stainless slides and not the folded steel slides of gen 1 and gen 2...you got it pretty much right...:D
Bill
 
then what do you call the one's with the spur hammers, machined front sights and the european mag releases?
Click to expand...




I guess those would really be the first generation. When Sig Sauer started sending them to the US they were not a Sig 220 but Browning BDA. I'm not sure but I think all of them were with the American mag release. When Sig Sauer decided to cut Browning out the 220 was called the 220A for the mag release.
 
all the Browning BDA's (rebadged 220s, not the Beretttas) had the heel release, even the first Sig Sauer imported 220 had the heel release...there was quite a market at one time to custom fit a 1911 mag release to the 220
 
I guess those would really be the first generation. When Sig Sauer started sending them to the US they were not a Sig 220 but Browning BDA. I'm not sure but I think all of them were with the American mag release. When Sig Sauer decided to cut Browning out the 220 was called the 220A for the mag release.
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to disagree with you there. This is my HG date code (1976) SIG 220 9mm with Euro release. The serial number is in the 104XXX range. This gun was a VERY early import by Hawes. Hawes imported them as SIG 220's and Browning imported them as BDA's.

aahtms.gif

I have an HH (1977) date code .45 imported by Hawes as well in the same configuration. The serial number on this one is in the 109XXX range. The spots on the end of the slide are oil.

a2vosg.jpg
 
I guess I was speaking of generations in general terms as SiG made the heel and the American release at the same time for different customers and the pistols are nearly identical...if you look at the Hawes Import above and many Browning marked BDA .45ACPs (I think Browning also had them in 9MM) the slides have a different profile...
Until this thread I had never heard the P220 having generations but that's how the thread was started...I find the big changes from original to be the hammer change with the safety intercept notch (and others reported frame changes) and then the change to a stainless milled/forged/whatever slide from the stamped, folded and pinned to the breach block of the earlier P series pistols...
Bill
 
thanks bryanZ06 - that was the importer i forgot

i kept thinking it was Harrington & Richardson, but they were the original importers of the H&K 91 family
 
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