advice on a new gun.

First handgun?

I think that's the operative statement...

Is this for fun, or self-defense?
For the sake of the rest of this reply, i'm assuming self-defense. If it's for investment, fun at the range, but NOT self-defense, ignore the rest of this ;)

So...

Is he willing and able to learn the manual of arms for the P220 and practice it on a regular basis weekly/monthly?

I like Sig's, and like 1911s, and H&K, and many S&Ws, and Rugers are great pistols, too. The Sig has several safety systems, including a decocking lever for the hammer. This means various carry conditions. Not trying to get fancy here, but keep in mind how much practice he will get.

For a very first handgun (for defensive carry), you should consider operation.

I don't know your father, but elderly often have trouble with firearm weight, slide tension, and detail manipulation of safeties.

If he's strong, willing to practice, then the P220 is great.

if he won't have a lot of practice time, is in any way frail or arthritic, i'd recommend a revolver (LCR or S&W).

If he's strong, but won't be practicing much, i'd recommend a Glock or other striker fired weapon without a hammer or manual safety (think point-and-shoot)

Just consider his ability to use the weapon, his willingness to practice the manual of arms before buying, and everything will work out.

Oh, and get him to a range to fire them! There are usually places to rent all of the different types.
 
let me help you all out here

Les Baer Customs > everything else!! My dad owns one and it is the sweetest freakin gun ever.

But since I dont have minimum $2k for a Les Baer custom 1911, I ended up buying a Sig P229. that gun is very accurate, well made and im yet to have jam. Sig's are great guns. Cant go wrong!!
 
First hand gun? .22 hands down. You only get good by practicing, check centerfire ammo prices. I can get 500 rounds of .22 around here for $12-$13. That's a lot of practice and fun. First centerfire handgun I'd recommend a .357 revolver, but I'm old school. The Sig P220 is a great gun. There is a reason it's been made for as many years as it has.
 
The Sig 220 is now available in a number of configurations. The original is a DA/SA with a de-cocking lever and no manual thumb safety as the half cock enables it to be carried safely but still able to be pulled when needed and shot without doing anything other than squeezing the trigger. Great for a defensive pistol and ideal for a first pistol as there is less to think about when you have to use it. The other options now on hand are DAO and SAO - the last one comes with a manual thumb safety.

Which version is he going for ?

They all have single stack mags and have a nice slim grip which gives the pistol great balance and feel. The triggers are usually silky smooth and whilst heavy in DA (9lbs) are still smooth and in SA they are a light crisp 5lb. The sights are fixed and can be "tapped" both front and rear to line up with your ideal load. They have a steel slide on an alloy frame and are as robust and reliable as anything out there. The sights in low light for a "house gun" can be improved upon with Novak fibre optic after market sights. This is about all you need or can do to improve the pistol. It is pretty spectacular on reliability and accuracy with the right loads as is.

Hell of a first pistol :thumbup:
 
Sigs have a great reputation.Never shot one myself but from what I gather they are rock solid.
Glock fan here(I have 6) so I am a little biased.:D
 
I own the Sig 220 and it's a real sweet shooter and extremely accurate. If it fits comfortably in your hand then you can't go wrong with that firearm, imo. I'm partial to the SA/DA firearms and have the H&K USP .45 and a CZ 97BD on the way. I'm starting to collect .45s like I collect knives...:eek:
 
PeterPHWS said:
The Sig 220 is now available in a number of configurations. The original is a DA/SA with a de-cocking lever and no manual thumb safety as the half cock enables it to be carried safely but still able to be pulled when needed and shot without doing anything other than squeezing the trigger. Great for a defensive pistol and ideal for a first pistol as there is less to think about when you have to use it. The other options now on hand are DAO and SAO - the last one comes with a manual thumb safety.

Which version is he going for ?

They all have single stack mags and have a nice slim grip which gives the pistol great balance and feel. The triggers are usually silky smooth and whilst heavy in DA (9lbs) are still smooth and in SA they are a light crisp 5lb. The sights are fixed and can be "tapped" both front and rear to line up with your ideal load. They have a steel slide on an alloy frame and are as robust and reliable as anything out there. The sights in low light for a "house gun" can be improved upon with Novak fibre optic after market sights. This is about all you need or can do to improve the pistol. It is pretty spectacular on reliability and accuracy with the right loads as is.

Hell of a first pistol :thumbup:
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Peter, i think you make my point, too... ;)

Determine the manual of arms of any particular firearm of interest, determine Dad's willingness to practice, match them up.

But most important, and where i have to stress disagreement with everyone here who says "it's great, buy it!", if it's a purposeful firearm, make sure it fits that purpose for that individual... go with him, rent some firearms at a local range, see how he does, give him advice (if he needs it) based on his abilities.

And just GO DO IT!

Be safe, have fun!
 
The P220 is a nice pistol, but IMHO, you can find an equally good pistol for several hundred $$ less.

Personally, I've owned/shot HK, Glock, SA and S&W and out of the polymer semi-autos, the Smith & Wesson M&P line had the best ergonomics and better pricing than Block, HK or Springfield. Sigs are great guns, but like I said, that's a lot of money for something that won't do anything better than a S&W or a Glock.

And like others have said, figure out his intended use, let him try out a few at the range, then go from there. Don't buy any gun without shooting the same model at the range beforehand.
 
Sigs are great, and their customer service is top notch as well... Is he used to shooting .45ACP? If not, I probably wouldn't start with that until at least a few practice sessions with something lighter, like 9mm.

The P227 is debuting at SHOT show and will be a double-stack .45. But if it's anything like the Scorpion series, it probably won't be actually available to the public until many months after.

Another thing to consider when buying a Sig is the CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) option. Heck of a value on a very lightly used gun, in most cases. Either way, good luck in your search for a new gun!
 
P220 is a great gun but if you ask me, "HK all the way."

Seriously though, the number one most important part of choosing a hand gun is the fit. Pick up, hold, and if possible shoot as many different handguns as you can. If it is not comfortable you will never be able to shoot it well.

Garth
 
I love my colt stainless commander above all others, but a Browning Hi Power is on my short list.
There are some really awesome revolvers out there too, especially on the used market. I still miss my
tuned 6" Smith 19. . .:(
 
Garth Reckner said:
P220 is a great gun but if you ask me, "HK all the way."

Seriously though, the number one most important part of choosing a hand gun is the fit. Pick up, hold, and if possible shoot as many different handguns as you can. If it is not comfortable you will never be able to shoot it well.

Garth
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Garth epitomizes why the Busse knives are soooooo gooooood...

"If it is not comfortable..."

Think of handguns in the same way :cool:
 
Wicked Sharp said:
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!!!
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1.SRT trigger is good if available on your particular model, pretty sure an armorer can install one if it doesn't come from the factory (I would have to check my armorer book to tell you for sure.), 2.SS frame only if it is not going to be a CCW piece as it is a lot heavier, 3. I don't have adjustable sights on any of the 20 or so Sigs I have had and never felt the need for them.

It all comes down to how the grip fits ones hand and how well he controls recoil. Borrow one from somebody if you can and shoot it first. I have been shooting and carrying sigs for 17 years. If this is his first pistol I would definately suggest he get a 226 9mm instead of a 226 .40 or the 220 .45.

Huh, just remembered, that is me rocking a Sig 226 in the picture above.

From my experience I trust any Sig or Glock. One fits my hand though and one rips skin off due to my uber high grip.
 
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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.
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Buy with confidence. Personally, I hate Sig handguns (I'm left handed with freakishly long fingers), but the pistol itself is solid.
 
Garth Reckner said:
P220 is a great gun but if you ask me, "HK all the way."

Seriously though, the number one most important part of choosing a hand gun is the fit. Pick up, hold, and if possible shoot as many different handguns as you can. If it is not comfortable you will never be able to shoot it well.

Garth
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HK SMGs, LMG/GPMG, and machinepistols:p
HK pistols :barf:
 
Greetings,

The 220 is one of the mainstays in the DA .45 market, and with good reason...it is relatively simple to operate (just need to train yourself on the decocker) and maintain, comfortable to shoot, tends to be very accurate, and by and large, very reliable, tho there has been some 'issues' when SIG switched from the original stamped slide/internal extractor to the newer milled slide/external extractor versions. Those bugs seemed to have been worked out for the most part. And if purchased new, they come with a lifetime warranty, so that's nice.

I've handled numerous SIG 220's, including the alloy frames, the ST, ST Elite, German models, and fired the .45 and the 38 Super versions (haven't put any downrange thru the 9mm). Never fired the compact models or the the SAO's (not a fan of the control arrangements on that particular version)...never had a problem beyond a mag or two that had a bug in it, which is easily resolved (you get a new mag)...I tend to find the thinner single stack 220 much better fitting to my average sized hands than the double stack versions...

What is the intended purpose? Range gun? Night stand gun? Competition? Concealed Carry? For concealed carry, its BIG, but with dedication and proper carry gear it can be done. For competition, you can use it, tho some things like IDPA have weight limits that may disquality the ST versions (you can thank Ernest Langdon for beating all the 1911's a few years back with a 220ST for that). For a home defense or general range use, its great. I would give the nod to the ST versions if weight (ie carrying it) is not an issue...you'll get better durability and reduced recoil (its a very soft shooting .45). Otherwise, you can go with the alloy framed guns, that are lighter, but won't take a high round count (say going well over 10-15K rds) like the ST versions will, particularly if you step up to +P rounds.

I've said many times, $ for $, the 220ST is one of the very best .45's on the market, topped maybe only by Springfields 'Loaded' Models. It is IMHO, the best DA 45 out there (and the ST Elite is even better). And if you're going to be strictly range-gun, look at the ST Match, that one's been on my short list for quite awhile.

I'd suggest trying to find a rental range that has one in the rental case and take it for a spin...just keep in mind, rental guns sometimes aren't the best representatives of the breed due to sometimes lackluster maintenance and handling by alot of people, some much better than others...

Hope this helps.

BOSS
 
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I cannot believe NOBODY has mentioned the H&K P30.....:rolleyes: Hands down the BEST engineered pistol on the market currently.:eek::D

If you can't afford the $1,000 price tag for it, might as well go for a Glock or M&P.;)
 
FNH FNP45 (by a long ways for comfort, accuracy to 100 yds+, sights, capacity, ambidextrosity and my only choice for a polymer frame 45), followed by the Sig P220, Ruger/Colt 1911 are my choices in that order for .45 ACP handguns. The top two have night sights, haven't yet added them to the 1911's but plan to, and they all weigh about the same. I've been seriously looking at a simpler non-tactical FNP45 with night sights for concealed carry, I like the gun that well. I've shot all of the others mentioned here (except a CZ) that friends/family/acquaintances had spent their money on, but those are the ones that got my $ vote. HK was very nice but took second choice to FN in that price range for me.

The P220 is a great gun with a grip halfway between the 1911 & FNP45 for size/thickness and can be had used for a fair price which I would highly recommend over the new cost... a scratch or two isn't going to affect how it shoots. ;) If the FN didn't exist, the P220 would be my first choice in a sub $1k 45.
wkochv.jpg

 
I have a few Sigs, they are nice guns had some issues with the 226 but that's all sorted. I love the 516(not a handgun but meh). Like has been mentioned there are some great HK's S&W's Brownings and so on. You're better off going to your local gun shop and seeing how you like them rather than asking people on the internet, because everyone likes a different gun.
 
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