advice on a new gun.

-BEEF-

-BEEF-

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Dec 28, 2011
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my dad and i were out gun shopping the other day(he's buying his first handgun!!) i was really excited that he decided to finally get a pistol. anyway he was looking at a SIG P220. i had never seen one before but i know SIG has a pretty good reputation. was wondering if anybody out there has had a chance to use one of these and if it falls in line with the rest of the SIG pistols. any help would be great. thanks in advance guys.
 
The SIG P220 is a workhorse and is meant for carry & use under combat conditions. Guns & Ammo did a story once where they fired 10K rounds out of one with minimal cleaning (even cut a log in half with the rounds) and after the 10K, it was found to be more accurate than when brand new.

I doubt that you & your dad will get even close to that kind of use & abuse, it will be a great pistol for him to hand down to you one day.

Only potential issue I see is that it is a very large handgun, if you have smaller hands, then it won't be as easy to hold as some other designs.
 
It's an excellent weapon. I'm not a fan (glock FTW) but i owned one once, and it was a very accurate weapon that ate everything i fed it.
 
I have had several Kimbers. They were all sweet shooters. The SIG 220 would be a fine choice as well.
 
I'm a big big fan of the H&K USP Compact. It's an awesome weapon.
I can't say how it stacks up against the SIG though since I've only shot a Sig once 15 years ago.
But I've owned and shot a bunch of pistols and, in my humble opinion, if you buy something brand name that feels comfortable and is chambered in a round you like, then you can't go wrong.

What's your Dad going to use the pistol for? If it's just range time, it'll be different then if he wants it for carry or if he wants bear defense, hunting or something else.
 
Lycosa said:
Top three: Glock, H&K and Sig.
Click to expand...

Lycosa, this is only true if you are doing the award show count down, and counting backwards... :-)


Sig is a great gun. I think Glocks are great too, but they just do not feel right in my hand. I would recommend that you and your dad go to a range and see if you can rent a P220, H&K, Glock, etc. and then see which one feels better and you shoot better.
 
I wouldnt put glock in the same category is H&K and Sig.. Personal opinion.

OP - SIGs are great, I am looking at P226 MK25 myself.. Also check out FNH, I am really digging their FNX-45 tactical.. H&K are super work horses also.. Very heavy duty and are made to stand up to abuse and all sorts of weather and ocnditions.

Springfield XD(M) is a great cost effective option..



Lycosa said:
Top three: Glock, H&K and Sig.
Click to expand...
 
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-BEEF- said:
my dad and i were out gun shopping the other day(he's buying his first handgun!!) i was really excited that he decided to finally get a pistol. anyway he was looking at a SIG P220. i had never seen one before but i know SIG has a pretty good reputation. was wondering if anybody out there has had a chance to use one of these and if it falls in line with the rest of the SIG pistols. any help would be great. thanks in advance guys.
Click to expand...

I have a West German P220 - it has the stamped slide, not milled like the current production 220s - and I really like it. I also have a 225, 226, 2340, X5 and 210, and have had no real problems with any of them (other than a bad aftermarket magazine that caused feeding problems in one). The 220 is a single stack style, so has a thinner grip than a lot of others (Glock) and that is what makes it feel better for me.

If you are looking for a range gun, the stainless model is heavier and usually more comfortable to shoot, but the regular 220 does not have major recoil issues either.
 
Chris Pierce said:
I'm a big big fan of the H&K USP Compact. It's an awesome weapon.
I can't say how it stacks up against the SIG though since I've only shot a Sig once 15 years ago.
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Both the SIG and the HK are excellent products. Both are well made, very reliable and very accurate (at least the full size HK USP is).

The P220 is a single stack gun but still has a relatively fat grip. It feels good if you don't have small hands.
The only criticism I have of the P220 is that it has relatively small sights compared to contemporary semi autos, the P220 is a very old design. I haven't examined any recent ones so they might have better sights now. You see a lot of SIG's on television, probably the P226 (9mm) models. Externally the P226 and the P220 are very similar and from a short distance away would be hard to tell apart.

There are a lot of good brands worthy of consideration besides HK and SIG- S&W, Beretta, Glock, Springfield, Kimber, Colt, Ruger, even Taurus. These cover a variety of price ranges and a lot of different action types. The decision of which to buy should consider the action type, price, size and caliber, as well as brand. A person would certainly be well served by any of these, but just as there are people that like axis lock knives or framelocks or whatever, there will be similar differences in these brands and models.
 
amdmaxx said:
I wouldnt put glock in the same category is H&K and Sig.. Personal option.
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Glocks are functionally as good as anything, and probably made to a high quality level, but the aesthetics are less. I would not put them in the same category as HK or SIG either, but that is strictly because of aesthetics and I have extensive experience with all 3. In knife terms it is like comparing a Spyderco Military to a Sebenza. Most people would recognize that the Sebenza is a more expensive product, but in terms of cutting performance they will be much more equal.
 
My preference for glock is based upon pure functionality.

it holds more rounds than an HK or Sig (same caliber), will fire under any reasonable condition, and is lighter than HK or Sig

It's not really an aesthetically appealing weapon, but IMHO, it's functionally the best combat pistol made

YMMV

Sigs are purty, and rock solid. I prefer the stainless railed versions
 
I carried 1 on duty for about a year trusted my life to it and it never failed just my 2 cents.
 
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Lycosa said:
Top three: Glock, H&K and Sig.
Click to expand...

I have to make a slight change here:

H&K = FN > Sig >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Glock > Taurus(tore-ass) > Hi-Point

Sig makes a great pistol, I have fired their 229 in .357sig and .40 and both were nice. Several of my friends own Sig pistols and haven't had any issues. I own a Sig Mosquito, 556p, and a p238 and all work very well.

If he has his heart set on a p220 and it fits his hand, so be it. Its worth checking out the FN and H&K lines if he wants to go even higher. As it was said above, shooting all three would be a good idea if you have a range that lets you rent them before purchasing anything.

Glock is like an entry level Chevy/Ford/Dodge pickup. It works, gets the job done, but is nothing special.

(I know I am exaggerating a little on the Glocks, but I love to stir up the Glock fanboys :) )
 
The Sig P220 is an excellent choice; however, I would recommend three options that will GREATLY enhance your father's enjoyment of the pistol: 1) SRT short reset trigger, 2) stainless frame, and 3) adjustable sights. You will never regret the purchase of a Sig, and FYI, Sigs seem to maintain their value a little better than others if you ever decide to trade or sell. Good Luck!!!
 
Sig p220 is a good one.

There are a lot of good companies out there, everyone has their favorites. I prefer CZ or Glock myself. Most important thing is that he handles the gun prior to purchasing it, if he can rent it even better! Also keep the intended use in mind. If he plans on carrying it he might want to keep weight and width in mind, especially if its his first carry pistol.
 
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