Question on West German P220s

[Yujun]

There are a couple West German P220s for sale around my area on online listings. Does anyone know if the SIG 10-round extended magazines are compatible with these? How about the E2 grips?

While I'm on that note, if I happen to get a current production P220, would the old 7-round magazines work in them?

 

[rbernie]

The extended magazine should work fine. As far as I know, there have been no changes to the magazine pattern of these pistols over their production run.

The E2 grip will probably not work as a direct swap without also changing the main spring retainer and maybe a few other bits. I have not tried it on the P220, but that was my experience with a West German P226.

 

[bannockburn]

Yujun

Older P220s used a magazine release that was located at the heel of the frame so current P220 magazines that have a pad on the bottom or are extended magazines will not work with them. If they have the magazine release located on the side of the frame near the trigger guard then the magazines will work just fine. SIG does offer the E2 grip for the current production P220 for $68.

 

[JTQ]

This article from the late Stephen A. Camp discusses the mainspring issue with grips, though it doesn't specifically mention the E2 grips.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/SIG-Sauer P220 Thin Stocks.htm

 

[CapnMac]

There are a couple West German P220s for sale around my area on online listings. Does anyone know if the SIG 10-round extended magazines are compatible with these? How about the E2 grips?

While I'm on that note, if I happen to get a current production P220, would the old 7-round magazines work in them?

As pointed out above, the magazine release location is the dividing line.

This photo may help:

At the top is the original magazine that came with my W.German, heel release P-220.
The ones below that are OEM Sig P-220-1 magazines. Note that they will work with either magazine release. These are not easy to find--it helps to find one of those "magazine guys" at a gun show who actually knows what they are about. The middle mag only coest me $25; the bottom one was $30+8.625%. Browning BDA mags will (quite naturally) also fit, but they are rarer than hen's teeth.

None of the extended mags will fit in a heel release P-220 unless you Dremel or mill a slot in them.

They are nice arms, sometimes a really good value because of the issue with magazines (or just not being "new").

 

[Yujun]

Thanks for the info.

I guess I'll be okay, I double-checked the photos of the 220s I'm interested in and they all have the side-button magazine release.

 

[9mmepiphany]

How about the E2 grips?

Since we've figured out your magazine situation, lets move onto your interest in the E squared grip panels.

Since you are looking at 220 models with the "American" magazine release, it will already have a "boot" retainer for the mainspring. The question then becomes if it has the Long boot/seat or the Short one.

If you really want to use the E squared panels, you'll likely have to replace the mainspring boot, the mainspring strut and the mainspring.

I'd personally advise shooting the 220 you select before changing panels. The E squared panels are more contoured (fit smaller hands) but the will force your hand lower on the frame

 

[1KPerDay]

There are also two frame sizes that may interfere with grip choice. The original German frames are slimmer than recent ones.

 

[rbernie]

The extended magazine should work fine. As far as I know, there have been no changes to the magazine pattern of these pistols over their production run.

I guess that I could not have been more wrong! Sheesh.....

 

[Yujun]

Since we've figured out your magazine situation, lets move onto your interest in the E squared grip panels.

Since you are looking at 220 models with the "American" magazine release, it will already have a "boot" retainer for the mainspring. The question then becomes if it has the Long boot/seat or the Short one.

If you really want to use the E squared panels, you'll likely have to replace the mainspring boot, the mainspring strut and the mainspring.

I'd personally advise shooting the 220 you select before changing panels. The E squared panels are more contoured (fit smaller hands) but the will force your hand lower on the frame

Thanks. I did get a chance to shoot a 220 at the range that did not have the new grips. I think I'll stick with whatever comes with the gun.

 

[JR24]

Thanks. I did get a chance to shoot a 220 at the range that did not have the new grips. I think I'll stick with whatever comes with the gun.

I much prefer the "old" style P220 grips over the E2 nonsense.

I still have the E2 on my [wife's now] 229, because they do work better for smaller hands.

 

[bannockburn]

JR24

I still have the E2 on my [wife's now] 229, because they do work better for smaller hands.

I would second that notion as well as I have very small hands and while my P226 and my brother's P228 were both comfortable enough to use, the E2 grips on my P229 took grip ergonomics to the next level for me.

 

[Michael A Ferber]

The current Sig P229 Nitron is what I would call a perfect gun for all occasions.

 

[CapnMac]

I think I'll stick with whatever comes with the gun.

Back when I had an "American" I swapped the thin plastic Sig grips for a set of Pachmyr wrap-arounds. Those offered a touch more "give" and felt better . But, in full disclosure, I did have to get the xacto out to shave the area at the disconnector a touch as it did not want to lay flat neatly.
I had tried out a set of Hogue wood & neoprene (over the backstrap)--looked spiffy, worked with no problems, but, just felt "wrong" to me.
Which is one of the cool things about this thing we do, we can each suit our tastes and needs.