The “I need a .45 but do I need a 1911?” thread

[Jim Watson]

SIG, Taurus, and Para Ordnance copied the Colt Series 80, the timing seems like they waited for the patent to expire.

Kimber's is a very close copy of the 1930s Colt Swartz. The SW1911 linkage is different, I have seen the designer's name but do not recall it.

They all require "timing" of the action, the hammer block has to clear before the sear releases the hammer. Not all did, but they seem to have the bugs out by now.

[JTQ]

The SW1911 linkage is different, I have seen the designer's name but do not recall it.

Richard Mochak, an S&W Engineer

https://patents.google.com/patent/US6374526B1/en

[JonInWA]

You know, it's hardly on anyone's radar anymore, but an excellent, but chronically underrrated non-1911 DA/SA (and maybe the unicorn DAO).45 ACP semi-auto is the Ruger P90. The accuracy, durability and reliability are generally outstanding, and the ergos surprisingly good. I haven't checked, but I assume that decent guns and OEM magazines are both available and reasonably inexpensive. Just a thought.

Best, Jon

[John Hearne]

Anyone have experience with the P220 Super Match? Five-inch barrel (long slide for a P220), adjustable rear sight, SAO. The P220 version of a Government model. I remember one of the 1911 dorks on one of those forums saying it was more accurate than his 1911s, at least in his hands.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/936306842

@John Hearne

I carried a variant for a long time. I had an Elite stainless frame and one of the small number of 5" slides with fixed night sights. Loved shooting it but the stainless frames eat small parts. I swapped to a P320 when I broke another breach block. That particular model has the HD takedown lever which is highly recommended.

[TheNewbie]

How is the durability and reliability of the P220 these days? Of the magazines?

[Evil_Ed]

I carried a variant for a long time. I had an Elite stainless frame and one of the small number of 5" slides with fixed night sights. Loved shooting it but the stainless frames eat small parts. I swapped to a P320 when I broke another breach block. That particular model has the HD takedown lever which is highly recommended.

Hmm, which small parts? I have a P220-SBSS (steel frame, standard 4.whatever" slide/barrel) that I love but haven't shot/carried much...it's a bit of a tank, but man does it calm a 45 down. Not quite as much as a CZ97, but still...

But, in the interests of science...maybe I should stock up on known wearables for it? This one btw has the 'modern' stainless/milled slide; not the pressed/folded with a separate breach block.

[OlongJohnson]

Hmm, which small parts? I have a P220-SBSS (steel frame, standard 4.whatever" slide/barrel) that I love but haven't shot/carried much...it's a bit of a tank, but man does it calm a 45 down. Not quite as much as a CZ97, but still...

But, in the interests of science...maybe I should stock up on known wearables for it? This one btw has the 'modern' stainless/milled slide; not the pressed/folded with a separate breach block.

Factory P220-1 mags are generally regarded as uber-reliable, which is one of the nice things about P220s I pointed out earlier. There isn't any question of what mags to use.

This is the P226 diagram, but I believe the parts John intended to describe were # 19 and #36:

https://www.sigsauer.com/sig-sauer-s...6-parts-picker

I've seen both billet and MIM versions of #19 and there are several variants of #36. My recollection is that "circle-dot" versions of #36 are the way to go if you can find them. I'd be interested in a chromoly steel version from the aftermarket.

There's another post around here where John lays out his recommended maintenance intervals for classic Sigs. I suggest finding it and PDFing it.

The long-slide, steel-frame versions of the P220 were redesigned and beefed up to handle the additional stresses of 10mm when production was moved to the U.S. The exaggerated beavertail that can be seen on German-made Super Match guns was also reduced, allowing the frame to fit in the IDPA "box." I'm not aware of any of those US-built, steel frame, long-slide guns being chambered for .45 Auto. I've handled them, and they are tanks. I really like the long slide/aluminum frame combo of the Super Match, and a standard-length steel frame P220 or P226 is pretty nice, too. Wish I could find one of those fixed-sight long slides, but John has mentioned in the past that there were only about 75 (if I remember right) made.

Somewhere on this site, TLG mentioned that he thought the steel-frame Sigs would be amazing, but he wasn't any faster or more accurate through a stage with them than with an aluminum frame gun. Still, an all-steel P226 or P229 in 9mm should be an excellent "old man gun." But that's for another thread.

[awp_101]

How is the durability and reliability of the P220 these days? Of the magazines?

I tend to forget about the 220. I'd be interested how the recoil "feels" compared to a 1911 with plain old 230 ball.

[HeavyDuty]

I tend to forget about the 220. I'd be interested how the recoil "feels" compared to a 1911 with plain old 230 ball.

I really like mine. It may go into rotation.

[ccmdfd]

I really like mine. It may go into rotation.

Wish I hadn't sold my two; an older stamped slide and one of the first generation ST series. That ST model had one of the nicest factory triggers.