SIG P226 MECGAR MAGS 15 vs. 18 RDS FOR CARRY/DUTY

[FreedomFries]

Yes, the two style mag catches are interchangeable on the 226.

On the QC question, not sure large scale wise. The 50 226 Legions we got did have the issue with the mecgar mags. A couple of guys also complained that the sights were wildly off. Quick confirmation zero by the range staff, and a reminder that Sig generally regulates their sights for a 6 o'clock hold at 25 yards "cured" that complaint by a couple members of the SWAT team. *sigh*

I do not believe that the new style magazine catches and frames are compatible with older generation frames and catches. The recess milled into the old frames for the magazine catch support plate is absent on the new frames. The new design uses a plastic magazine catch stop with a tab that engages the magazine catch inside. The end of the magazine catch is notched and the magazine catch stop slides into the void formed by the notch and frame. The new design appears similar to the P365/P320 series. It's very easy to remove with just a SIM card tool and I did it without having to even remove the grip panels.

I ended up buying 2x copies of the P226 Legion RXP with the new style magazine catch recently. On one copy, the Mec-Gar 18 magazines engages pretty positively. On the other, copy the click was pretty soft and did not take much movement of the button to disengage. I only have about 75 rounds through each for zeroing and testing so far, but neither one has dumped magazines inadvertently. I swapped the assembly with one from a P229 Legion RXP and now it clicks more positively, similar to the other example of P226 Legion RXP I have. I suspect that the geometry of the Mec-Gar 18 magazines very slightly decreases the engagement with the locking tab on the magazine catch. Also I think there is some tolerance stacking that occurs with the magazine catch, magazine catch stop, and frame. If my magazines start flying out during firing, I'm probably going to experiment with sanding down the magazine catch stop very slightly where it stops against the inside of the frame.

[stinx]

So I brought my gun up to the Sig experience center and an armorer looked at my gun. I was told that since the gun works without issue with the factory made 15 round mags they don’t consider the gun to have an issue. During my conversation with the armorer he said it’s a known issue and he mentioned a police/ military unit in Ireland that had the same issue. Iput 200 round through the gun yesterday and it worked flawlessly with the 15 round mags. I think it bs that the gun won run with the Mec Gar 18 rounders. All my Berettas run the 18 round Mec Gars without issue.

[billt460]

I've been carrying 18 and 20 round Mec-Gar magazines for my Beretta for over a year now without any issues.

I've been doing much the same. "Standard procedure" for all of my full sized Beretta's, including my new 92X Performance, is to install these 20 round Mec-Gars. I pick them up from Greg Cote. He's excellent to deal with, and ships within hours. I'm going to order a half a dozen more next month.

https://gregcotellc.com/cart/beretta...ps-p-2123.html

[LockedBreech]

I've been doing much the same. "Standard procedure" for all of my full sized Beretta's, including my new 92X Performance, is to install these 20 round Mec-Gars. I pick them up from Greg Cote. He's excellent to deal with, and ships within hours. I'm going to order a half a dozen more next month.

https://gregcotellc.com/cart/beretta...ps-p-2123.html

I've bought a lot of magazines from Greg Cote. He's solid as hell. He's one of the (sadly very few) companies I can order from without worry knowing my order is going to be perfect and well packaged every time. Offhand the only other companies I have had that kind of order consistency from are Magpul and SGAmmo.

I may eventually add Velocity Ammo to that list, I've bought 3 different lots of 250+ rounds from them recently due to some good sales, all were shipped and packaged fast and perfectly. But SGAmmo earned my trust over like 12-13 years, that's a high bar.

As for the 18-round Mec-Gar magazines, my only experience is with my Beretta 92FS (2013, Italy) and 92A1 (2017, Italy). Both run with the 18-round Mec-Gars just as well as they do with the stock ones. No issues ever. I consider them home defense/carry ready at this point. For what it's worth as a reference point, I exclusively run Speer Gold Dot 124-grain +P in my 92s. Both of them love that load.

Offhand, I also am nearly certain that the qualified purchaser Sig M17B I bought uses Mec-Gar magazines, they are stamped made in Italy, feel just the same, and load just as easy. Confidence-boosting for sure.

[SecondHandSmoke]

In Beretta 92 and Sig P226 (Later German made) I've used mec gar 18's exclusively and I find them to be well made and have never seen a stoppage in either type of pistol with 18 round Mec-Gars. Thousands of rounds through both type and have been lucky so far.

Mec-Gar generally either is or is as good as OEM in my mind. My old PPQ M1 is fed with Mec-Gar mags for some strange variant of Baby Desert Eagle.

[stinx]

MY Gut tells me Mec Gar is not the issue.

[billt460]

MY Gut tells me Mec Gar is not the issue.

Agree 100%. Mec-Gar is not the problem.... But rather the solution. They're the OEM manufacturer for many companies like Beretta. Their quality is second to none. I have never been disappointed in a Mec-Gar magazine in the last 20 years. Every one that I have purchased has functioned flawlessly. In Beretta's, CZ's, Browning's, name it and they'll run like a scalded dog on a Mec-Gar magazine.