Long story short, I have been considering getting a .45 cal. pistol and the P220 seems to fit the bill. So now I am wondering if there are other pistols in this caliber that I should consider. For a .45 cal, I have shot the following:

XD Tactical
G21
1911
P220

I have a friend who has a Walther P99 and he allowed me to fiddle with it for a bit. Haven't gotten a chance to shoot it though, maybe in the next few weeks.

The range I went to didn't have a very large selection of .45 cal. pistols, but there are more ranges I can go to within ~30 minutes and they may have more options. The range I shot at did have a Taurus .45, but I didn't get a chance to put some rounds through it since it needed repair work.

So now I am wondering what other pistols I should consider. I also figured the local gun nuts here would be able to let me know how a Sig holds up :bigthumb:

I've never tried it. What do you like about it?

One of the things I don't like about Glock, Walther, or Springfield is the hammer actuation is internal whereas the P220 is external. Sure, these pistols have a pin potrusion at the rear of the slide indicating it is ready to fire, but I like the fact that you can manually pull back on the hammer, possibly adding a level of intimidation.

I thought the ergonomics of the pistol were nice. The slide lock, magazine release, de-cocker, all within easy reach of my thumb and the grip itself was comfortable to hold. Also, it is an ambidextrous weapon. Kind of a minor detail if you ask me, but I think it's worth trying, shooting with both hands. Not sure if this is ergo related, but the slide springs on all the P220s I have held have been softer in comparison with the XD and P99. I have to hold the weapon in an awkward position to actuate the slide and slide lock on the XD and P99, not so with the P220. It felt comparable to the Glock .45s I have held.

My spread with the P220 was tighter than the XD and G21 I shot. I was shooting police targets (the big circle targets) and aside from the 1-3 random strays from learning each pistol, the P220 grouping was all in the black at 20 yds. The XD and G21 were all over the place and only the 1911 bested the P220 for accuracy. I also shot the P220 first and last to make sure it wasn't me just getting more comfortable. Each pistol I shot was done the same; 10 rds at 20 yds.

Of all that I like about the Sig, I still seem to find a couple of items of concern. The rear night sights on most pistols usually follows the three-dot setup (two dots on the rear sight, one dot on the front sight), whereas the Sig has one dot up front and almost the entire rear sight is covered in that glow-in-the-dark material, so it can be a little distracting. The safety is a little strange as well. If you close the slide without a round in the chamber, you have to pull and manually lock the slide before you can chamber a round. This caught me off guard as I repeadetly pulled back on the slide and a round refused to chamber and the slide refused to lock. The last thing I don't care too much for is the biggest magazine size I can get is a single stack 10-rd capacity mag for Sig's only .45 cal. offering. All the other Sig pistols, in either 9mm, .357, or .40 all can go up to 15 or so.

So I know what I like and what I don't like. I am still shopping though and will be going back to the local range to try out the Taurus .45 when it gets fixed and I found out that there is an H&K dealer within driving distance from my place, so I am going to check them out later on as well. I am just wondering now what other .45 cal. pistols I should consider.

p.s. sorry for the book, just didn't want to miss anything.

Book is fine, sounds like you're doin your research.

The good fit and good grouping are the two biggest reasons it sounds like to grab it :)

Only comment I'd add is that internal hammers collect less gunk and don't grab on clothes as easily :P

Only comment I'd add is that internal hammers collect less gunk and don't grab on clothes as easily :P

True, but that shouldn't be too difficult to get around. Probably a more meticulous cleaning around the hammer actuation and don't go ripping it out of it's holster if it's tucked away inside of your clothing.

Well, thats kinda the whole idea :)

Having the hammer area open usually exposes the sear to more gunk, not that that matters all that much.

Yeah, I will have to be a little carefull about getting stuff inside the hammer area since this is mainly going to be a carry weapon while I am out in the wilderness.

I almost picked up a P220. But I ended up purchasing an AR kit with the money. So now I think I am going to pick up an XD since the SIG's cost so damn much. I love the 1911's but they are heavy. I guess it all depends on what you want to do with it.

...since the SIG's cost so damn much.

Yeah, this is the one let-down for Sig's line-up. Cheapest I can get a P220 is ~$600 used at the local gun shop. I priced the P226 in .40 S&W in case I want to go that route and the cheapest I could find that, through an online dealer, was $760 new (almost $600 used).

the Sig is a first class gun, you can't go wrong with them imo...with that said, I picked the Glock because I like the integrated trigger safety and the way it feels

Not trying to start an argument or anything, but I really don't see the purpose of a safety integrated like this. IMO, I think a safety should be there to stop a trigger pull, and the way to disengage the safety on a Glock (and XD) is to pull the trigger. It's the same reason I don't like the slide safety on the XDs, just seems redundant and needlessly complicated. Just personal preference I guess.

I like the safety on my 686 - the safety on my firearm is me :P

that's what I want in a panic situation in the middle of the night...I want to pull the trigger and kill what I'm shooting at, zero chance for glitches

I here you there, it is just one of those little features that I scratch my head at. It is one of the things I like about the Sigs, the safety is your trigger finger. :bigthumb:

I'm planning on getting my XD sometime this week. If you decide to go that route make sure you get your free goodies.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/gearup/

I really would like to get the XDM but it's not available in CA.

I'm planning on getting my XD sometime this week. If you decide to go that route make sure you get your free goodies.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/gearup/

I really would like to get the XDM but it's not available in CA.

You're the devil, you know that right?

You're the devil, you know that right?

I get that a lot.:rock:

It all has to come down to what feels right to you. Youre gonna have to shoot it, so it has to fit your hand and you have to be able to reach all the controls easily. The one thing that really put me off about the Sig was the trigger pull, it just didnt feel right to me.

Glocks and safeties, well, thats a battle that wont ever end. The only thing I can say there is this--there must be a reason why there are so many aftermarket safeties available for them. Too many people who own glocks buy an add-on manual safety--maybe theres a reason why that happens, and maybe Glock should be putting one on the gun in the first place. Come on--think about it--how often do we ever hear of a guy who didnt get to defend his home because he couldnt disengage the safety on his gun? I am sure it has happened somewhere, but this is where education and practice are supposed to take place. Education and training should NEVER be replaced by simply removing the feature from the gun, especially when we're talking about a safety feature.

The Taurus line is very strong--try them out. You can get a brand new Taurus 24/7 Pro in .45 for less than $400. 12+1 capacity, a full lifetime warranty, and even some things you cannot get anywhere else, like their SA/DA trigger system. If you pull the trigger and you get a FTF, the gun allows you a second shot at it by just pulling the trigger again. Imagine a shooting scenario, when its you or him, and your gun FTFs. Would you rather have a second shot at shooting or would you rather have to clear your gun first?

I have this same gun but in .40, holds 15+1 and never gave me a hint of trouble. Its what I carry now. But like I said, the best bet is what youre comfortable shooting, what fits your hand, and what you can actually reach easily enough. Go with what fits you the best, what feels comfortable.

The Taurus line is very strong--try them out. You can get a brand new Taurus 24/7 Pro in .45 for less than $400.

I am going back to the range later today to try some more out, and hopefully they will have their Taurus .45s back from the shop. Might just try out some .40s while I am there, just to see how they compare.


12+1 capacity, a full lifetime warranty, and even some things you cannot get anywhere else, like their SA/DA trigger system. If you pull the trigger and you get a FTF, the gun allows you a second shot at it by just pulling the trigger again. Imagine a shooting scenario, when its you or him, and your gun FTFs. Would you rather have a second shot at shooting or would you rather have to clear your gun first?

This intrigues me a little, but I have heard (from a friend mind you) that Taurus handguns tend to have more "failures" I guess you can say. Friend of mine said something about the firing pin not fully engaging or something. Probably not quite what he said as I was a little :40oz: at the time, but it gave me something to think about. Can you clarify on this point?

wel, I currently own 2 taurus autoloaders, the 24-7 in .40 and the PT-92 in 9mm. Neither one has FTF'ed or FTE'ed on me. And I have put everything from Winchester flat-nose target rounds, to Aguilla HP's, to Speer Black Dot defense rounds through them. Have yet to find anything that they wont feed. The 24-7 is my carry gun. In .40 it holds 15+1, the PT-92 holds 17 rounds of 9mm. The warranty is about the best in the business, seriously. And the 24-7 just fits right, it just feels about perfect in my hand. even the DA trigger pull is nice on that one. I bought it brand new for $349, came with two 15-rd mags in the box. It also already has the key lock on it, which in my state we are required by law to have a child lock of some sort on any handgun brought into a home where children live. that key lock satisfies the law. It is not a Kimber or anything but these are two of the best, most reliable handguns I have ever owned. And I have owned plenty. If youre gonna get a .45, why spend more now, when you can spend a lot less, get a very hgh quality handgun thats reliable, and then have some cash left over for the increasingly expensive ammo?

So i went ahead and purchased an XD yesterday. I went with a .40 cal, 4" barrel, and night sights. I'll post pics when I get it (stupid Cali 10 day waiting period).

yeah, i need to change out the sights on my 24/7 too, now that you mention night sights.

What kind of night sights?

Here is another noob question. What sort of cleaning gear do you guys use?

Trijicon Night Sights. This is basically what I got.

http://www.impactguns.com/store/706397866419.html

What kind of night sights?

Here is another noob question. What sort of cleaning gear do you guys use?

Basic kit from Wal Mart for $9 plus a massive thing of HOPS #9 that I'll never use even half of.

Also some rem-oil. real basic.

Thats how I started, now I have a bunch of kits combined that I use.

Trijicon Night Sights. This is basically what I got.


Found out where you can buy them separatly

http://www.trijiconnightsights.com/item/10121_Trijicon_Sights__Lasers_Trijicon_Tritium_Nig ht_Si.aspx

Compatible with the P226 and less than $100, hmm...

Basic kit from Wal Mart for $9 plus a massive thing of HOPS #9 that I'll never use even half of.

Also some rem-oil. real basic.

Thats how I started, now I have a bunch of kits combined that I use.

Cool, thanks for the info.

Man you have your research down pat. The other comments were great to fill in the blanks. There is one thing the P220 has that is the most important.
It does not misfire. A P220 with good quality ammo has had a 10,000 round test, if I am not mistaken the P220 only misfires once and that was because of a mag loading error. I have had my P220 for 10 years and it has always loved me and did its job every time. Oh and its not plastic. Good shooting!
Big Joe Dee

:wavey:

Hai newb

I don't remember if I posted this, but I wound up getting a P226 over the P220. Pretty much identical except for the different size caliber and the P226 is able to carry an extra 4 rds vs the P220 and still keep the magazine fully concealed in the frame (P220 has an 8 rd capacity, 10rd cap magazines stick outside of the frame). So far, I've put about 500 rounds through it from Blazer Brazz, Winchester, MagTech, and some other brand I don't remember the name of and it just keeps feeding, firing, and ejecting. Think I might start reloading my own, or get the 22LR conversion kit so I can practice more without it costing me $0.50/rd...

Still might get a P220 later on though. I do enjoy the feel of a 45 auto being fired :D

What caliber 226 was it? the .40 or the .357SIG?

.40 S&W, but technically both, I just don't have the .357Sig barrel. I need to do some more research on the 9mm conversion though, supposedly the .40 caliber frame can shoot 9mm with a Bar-Sto conversion barrel, but not .40 caliber in a 9mm frame.

Here we go, I knew I had a picture of it somewhere...

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k207/derickg123/personal%20pics/DSC_0718.jpg