[wittlescwappy]

Just purchased a .22 LR conversion kit for my 229. Didn't know that the slide wouldn't lock back at the end of the mag..

I am wondering if these aftermarket mags from GSdesigns P229 .22LR Magazines
will solve my problems?

I called Sig and they said something about how the .22 LR kit was DESIGNED to not lock back... Am I going to risk hurting my pistol by using these aftermarket mags that don't lock the slide back? has anyone here used the mags successfully for an extended period of time? I really don't want to hurt my Legion...

Thanks for any responses.

 

[sideburn]

Many people use them without issue and I've not heard of anything negative to the pistol in terms of damage, etc.

Personally it doesn't bother me that much, but you should be fine if you want to use them.

 

[loadedround]

FWIW, my P226 22LR conversion kit doesn't lock my slide back either.

 

[wittlescwappy]

Yea - they said it was intended that way. Something about the 22LR slide being so much lighter than the 229 stock slide.... I can't remember exactly - but it scared me enough to come here and ask questions. I am going to order a few of these mags I think. Please continue to chime in with experience if anyone has any. I like to be really assured ;-)

 

[wittlescwappy]

Many people use them without issue and I've not heard of anything negative to the pistol in terms of damage, etc.

Personally it doesn't bother me that much, but you should be fine if you want to use them.

Thankyou sir - this is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[nhpaddler]

Hold Open Follower

For ~$10 you can get a hold open follower from GS Designs to use with your Sig magazines. SIG P226/P229 Last Round Hold Open Follower Three packs are cheaper than individual followers.

You will replace the factory follower with the GS follower and the slide will remain open after the last round. It will NOT be locked back, but be resting on the follower. I usually count to ten, but if I miscount, I don't slam the firing pin on an empty chamber.

 

[wittlescwappy]

I saw that follower - but I would much prefer to have mags that lock open like they would on 9mm (my carry load). I am buying this conversion kit for cheap training - and also silenced 22, so I want it to function as normally as possible.

 

[flwing]

Sig Sauer clearly states there is no 'hold-open' slide feature on the .22 conversion kits, so you shouldn't have been surprised.

 

[EdJG]

Sig Sauer clearly states there is no 'hold-open' slide feature on the .22 conversion kits, so you shouldn't have been surprised.

I'm not sure how "clearly stated" it is! Here's the narrative from Sig's website

Details

Save on ammunition costs, hone your shooting skills, and just have fun. The .22LR Rimfire Conversion Kit features a hard coat anodized slide machined from solid aluminum billet. A complete replacement assembly, the Rimfire Conversion Kit installs as easily as field stripping the pistol. Simply remove the standard slide assembly, slide on the Rimfire Conversion Kit, add the included .22LR 10rd. magazine, and you’re ready. The Rimfire Conversion Kit features adjustable target sights and comes complete in a hard carry case.These do not work with California compliant models (or models with a mag disconnect).​

When I first called Sig about my conversion kit the CS Rep didn't know it wouldn't lock back and started the process to have me return it until he asked "Tech Support" about it.

I finely found a brief line about it in the FAQ section - not the first place I'd look when buying something.

 

[SteveAikens]

I saw that follower - but I would much prefer to have mags that lock open like they would on 9mm (my carry load). I am buying this conversion kit for cheap training - and also silenced 22, so I want it to function as normally as possible.

I have two .22 conversions for P220's. They've both been shot a lot. Squeezing the trigger on the empty chamber has not hurt either of them.

I did pick up the 3-pak of followers to try out. I took them back out of the mags. Waste of money IMO. They do hold the slide open, but they do NOT "lock" the slide open. It's an interrupt system that simply blocks the slide from closing on the empty chamber. You still must lock it open to remove the magazine - which is a pain in the butt to manipulate at that point. It's easier to simply manually lock it open and not worry about the FP on an empty chamber.

I'm not familiar with what Sig has "said" regarding why they don't hold open but to me - it's not an issue since no damage has occurred thus far.

 

[Fardoche]

I have two .22 conversions for P220's. They've both been shot a lot. Squeezing the trigger on the empty chamber has not hurt either of them.



I did pick up the 3-pak of followers to try out. I took them back out of the mags. Waste of money IMO. They do hold the slide open, but they do NOT "lock" the slide open. It's an interrupt system that simply blocks the slide from closing on the empty chamber. You still must lock it open to remove the magazine - which is a pain in the butt to manipulate at that point. It's easier to simply manually lock it open and not worry about the FP on an empty chamber.



I'm not familiar with what Sig has "said" regarding why they don't hold open but to me - it's not an issue since no damage has occurred thus far.

Oh so it jams the follower against the back of the slide (by the firing pin hole) ?

Issh, glad I read that ! Not getting those.

I have a feeling that a follower wide enough to press on the slide catch lever would be unbalanced and lead to all kinds of magazine jams. The 22LR are already prone to jams, i would want to add to it.

 

[SteveAikens]

That's correct. Since I have a couple minutes, I took some photos [not too great from phone but better than nothing] so you can see the issue. I have one mag that still has the follower in it.

With the slide properly locked open, there's more than 1/4 inch between the follower and the breechface.

Check it out here.


May work ok for some but not for me.

Hmm. Looks like someone didn't clean the slide last time out...

 

[sideburn]

That's correct. Since I have a couple minutes, I took some photos [not too great from phone but better than nothing] so you can see the issue. I have one mag that still has the follower in it.



With the slide properly locked open, there's more than 1/4 inch between the follower and the breechface.



Check it out here.





May work ok for some but not for me.



Hmm. Looks like someone didn't clean the slide last time out...

Thanks bud. I see no value in the slide hold open that then must be manually released. The way it is is fine for me.

 

[Shotar]

I know I'm reviving a year old thread but I thought I'd offer some insight here. There is a reason that full sized duty pistols with .22lr aluminum slides do not lock open like standard centerfire pistols.

The reason is that the slide lock is steel and probably a bit on the sharp side. The manufacturers do not want them gouging the relatively softer material of the aluminum slide. This is the reason that they don't want them locking. This was an issue on many of the earlier 1911 conversion units. Simple solution is to remove the last round slide lock feature thus no slide slamming into the slide lock with each mag fired.

As to firing on an empty chamber, probably non optimal for extended dry fire, but all modern .22s, Sig included, have a firing pin limiter that should not allow the firing pin to impact the chamber. This is the cross pin that holds the firing pin in the slide. If it becomes worn over time, it is easily replaced.

 

[PALongbow]

I bought the P226 22LR a while back and noticed that the slide did not lock back. Called Sig CS and they told me to count the rounds while shooting so I didn't dry fire the pistol.

Ron

 

[Doug DeGraves]

I got a magazine from GS Designs for my P226. They are printed on a 3D printer and you can see the layers. I had to smooth mine out a little on the inside as it was not totally reliable at first. Then after about 1000 rounds the lock notch chipped out and it would not function. I sent GS Design a photo and they sent me a new magazine body no charge.

I got my P226 22 used with my pistol and it looks like it had been dry fired a bunch as there was a dent just above the chamber and a small protrusion into the chamber that led to unreliable extraction. I got a 22 chamber iron from Midway to solve that problem.

I count my shots when using the SIG mag but also found that if you load a grey dry wall anchor in the mag first and lose count, the plastic anchor take the hit and you bolt face does not. You can get about four dry fire strikes per anchor (turn them in the mag after a strike) and they are cheap at the hardware store.

I also find that the 22 Caliber conversion kit can be quite ammo sensitive. Above 1200 FPS works great but my pistol does not like the Winchester 1435 FPS as much. One surprise on my pistol the the Federal Auto Match ammo does not always work well, from box to box. Yet the Federal Premium HV Match works flawlessly yet it's slightly slower then than the Auto Match. The Aguila 22 SSS (60 grain bullets) also function flawlessly and are accurate but the bullets tumble.

Hope this helps.

 

[flwing]

You may find this informative - it modifies a 10-round magazine so it will hold 15 rounds. I've done it to 5 magazines and they work fine after a year of use in a P228 with the Sig-made conversion kit.

NOTE: It still does not lock the slide back after the last shot.

http://sigtalk.com/sig-sauer-pistols/130721-modifying-sig-22-conversion-kit-magazine.html

 

[hitmissone]

I have a conversion for my 229 and it doesn't lock back after last round. It's designed that way

 

[hitmissone]

I have a conversion for my 229 and it doesn't lock back after firing last round.

 

[Sigarms228]

I bought one of those magazine followers to use to hold the slide back on my conversion kit and it works well enough. I started seeing peening damage to the barrel after not that many dry fires which convinced me to try it. IMO counting rounds is ridiculous, at least for me.