American P210

[MattyD380]

This is the only pistol from Sig I've been interested in, for a while. So... disappointing.

Are you referring to "Sig Talk"? I read about the guide rod/screw issues. Also saw someone complaining about the gun not going back into battery when he didn't rack it forcefully.

On the sample I handled, the slide would indeed hang-up just out of battery. Sales guy said it's because "the fit was tight." Apparently. But I dunno--I question whether or not it was that tight "on purpose."

I've long felt that Sig USA is no longer producing their guns to professional/military standards. I thought this might be an exception. But... if they can get the issues worked out and I read some favorable reports of long term reliability... I'd still be tempted.

[OlongJohnson]

On the sample I handled, the slide would indeed hang-up just out of battery. Sales guy said it's because "the fit was tight." Apparently. But I dunno--I question whether or not it was that tight "on purpose."

I have a P220 where the slide had a machining defect that led to an interference fit between the barrel hood and slide when it went into lockup. Apparently, not enough that the inertia of the slide couldn't overcome it, but the amount of force on the frame rails was significantly increased. Which could be the reason it appeared to be a well-broken in upper on an as-new frame. (It was a police trade gun.) I was able to correct the machining defect, and the lockup is pretty nice. So there is precedent in my sample of just a few for improperly fit guns.

I've long felt that Sig USA is no longer producing their guns to professional/military standards. I thought this might be an exception. But... if they can get the issues worked out and I read some favorable reports of long term reliability... I'd still be tempted.

Personally, nothing will surprise me anymore from Sig. I wasn't shooting it, but I was present when one of their factory demo MPXs started going full-auto at a local range.

So far, I haven't heard of any problem with the P210 American that a good gunsmith couldn't solve. In the world of P320s, a P210A is crazy expensive. In the world of 1911s, lots of people wouldn't be totally surprised to have to have a gun at this price point worked on a bit before it runs.

A sorted-out Sig works for me like nothing else, but I assume a competent person must go through it 100 percent, like with a lower-price 1911, and ensure everything is as it should be. Out of the box to range doesn't apply.

[Rock185]

What parts are falling out routinely?

[OlongJohnson]

Slide stop spring.

https://sigtalk.com/p210/366188-anyo...ml#post5156048

[OlongJohnson]

I have a P220 where the slide had a machining defect that led to an interference fit between the barrel hood and slide when it went into lockup. Apparently, not enough that the inertia of the slide couldn't overcome it, but the amount of force on the frame rails was significantly increased. Which could be the reason it appeared to be a well-broken in upper on an as-new frame. (It was a police trade gun.) I was able to correct the machining defect, and the lockup is pretty nice. So there is precedent in my sample of just a few for improperly fit guns.

So...today's fun. Happened to be up in the part of town where there's a Sig "Master Dealer" or whatever. I'd called previously and they have a "standard" P210 under glass, so I took a small detour and stopped in.

Ironically enough, it wouldn't go into battery with just the recoil spring pushing it. I took a substantial force on the back of the slide to get it to go the last ~2mm. There is some significant interference fit in the lockup somewhere. It might eventually "break in," but what this means is just that the least hard parts with the smallest contact areas will get hammered until they become sufficiently worn (which really means damaged) to relieve the interference. And there's no obvious reason to assume that those are the parts where the interference really lives, or where material should be removed to make it right.

Bottom line, for this thing to function without eating itself will require it to go and be refit by a competent gunsmith who knows the ins and outs of these obscure guns. (And of course it's possible that it can't be done, depending on where the problem is.) Making it right could cost as much as just buying a German or Swiss gun.

Furthermore, the contouring on the back of the frame was a mess. It didn't even come close to matching up with the back of the slide. Not just a longitudinal offset difference at lockup, which is typical, but the shapes were in some places made to match, and didn't even come close to matching in other places. I don't know whether it's just a machining offset error on certain cuts/setup, or if they really designed it to be the way it is, but either way, it looks like they didn't even try. Private Pyle stuff.

I've previously suggested this might be a reasonable alternative to a 1911 at the price point, but that was before handling one. I can buy a much better-fitted 1911 9mm for this much money.

Given how deeply recessed the end of the guide rod is relative to the slide, there is no reason I can see for the screw that captures the guide rod spring to not be replaced by a little brass button held on with an actual machine screw.

The grips are weirdly shaped. Nice at the top, but then they get very square on the back corners for the bottom 2/3 to 3/4 of their length. Nothing like the awesomeness that is a Hogue G10 grip for a P226 or P220. But you can see the Hogue engraving on the wood inside the magwell. Frustrating how they get it so wrong.

Overall, it felt OK, but slightly nose-heavy. I might like a 4.4-inch (hmmm, same as a P226 and P220) version a little better. Between the balance and the grip, it failed utterly to produce that locked-in, extension-of-my-hand, let's-get-to-work feel that I get from any P226/P229/P220 with good grips. (ETA: One of the German-made "Legend" versions was 4.7-inch and has grips that are rounder on the back. That might be the one I keep an eye out for, along with the SBSS.)

Think I'll keep looking for that P226 SBSS.

[Totem Polar]

Man, Sig could fuck up a wet dream, clearly. They have one job: make and sell guns. Turns out they are preternaturally good at the latter part, by all evidence, at least until the former part starts catching up with them.

[OlongJohnson]

I was thinking on the drive home that the best deal on a significantly nice 9mm single stack is probably a barely-used Wilson Combat; you can find them often enough with a few thousand rounds (or even a few hundred) for $1000-1500 less than new. Detailing on them is enough better than a Dan Wesson that with the barely-used discount, they're probably worth stepping up.