[pedroarg]

Hello all. Im just an owner of a new P220 Elite. Yesterday I had some problems on my first day using it. I found a video in YouTube with that same problem. I used 3 different kinds of defensive amnos (on my first day on use in the shooting range), video: https://youtu.be/39BSX9ilb88.
The mags that came with the weapon are crimped in front. As a result the mags won't load.
Im start shooting with Remington UMC 230gr JHP (issues!) then Hornady 230gr XTP (issues!) and finally Magtech 230gr JHP Defensive Bonded (issues!), only works fine with Magtech FMJ.
I think its a very common problem with the P220 so
It's NOT an amno problem it's a P220 problem. Problems with most kind of hollow point amnos? Sorry but If I know that I cant use "deffensive" amno with a P220 I think I would not have bought one.
Someone try straighten the corners of the magazine?
Any solution?
Thanks in advanced.

 

[Malicious Compliance]

Interesting. The cartridges he is measuring in his video all fall within the SAAMI maximum length spec for 45 ACP, which is 1.275". I just grabbed 6 SIG 45 ACP mags, 3 for a P220 Compact/P245 and 3 for a full size P220. I loaded a wide variety of ammo into these mags with no issues. Winchester White Box, Fiocchi FMJ, Hornady Critical Duty, Federal HST, Winchester Ranger T, Speer Gold Dot. Measuring the lengths of these cartridges I loaded, I found lengths ranging from 1.206" (the hollow points except Critical Duty) to 1.266" in the others. I will continue playing with some cartridges and magazines to see if I can come up with this interference, might even assemble some to the maximum overall length. But at this point, I am finding nothing that would lead me to believe there is an issue with the mags I am using and own.

 

[GoneBallisticInAlabama]

There was a recent thread here that indicated (to me) that SIG has received some bad magazines from Mec-Gar. They are crimped much more than the P220 magazines have ever been crimped before. They are bad magazines. You need to let SIG know about it and tell them you want corrected magazines.

I saved a picture from the thread. The correct P220 mag is on the left and the bad is on the right.
Here is the thread.

 

[GoneBallisticInAlabama]

I have a new P220 SAS Gen 2 Carry coming.
I get to wonder if I get the bad mags with that one.

 

[Willard]

Hello all. Im just an owner of a new P220 Elite. Yesterday I had some problems on my first day using it. I found a video in YouTube with that same problem. I used 3 different kinds of defensive amnos (on my first day on use in the shooting range), video: https://youtu.be/39BSX9ilb88.
The mags that came with the weapon are crimped in front. As a result the mags won't load.
Im start shooting with Remington UMC 230gr JHP (issues!) then Hornady 230gr XTP (issues!) and finally Magtech 230gr JHP Defensive Bonded (issues!), only works fine with Magtech FMJ.
I think its a very common problem with the P220 so
It's NOT an amno problem it's a P220 problem. Problems with most kind of hollow point amnos? Sorry but If I know that I cant use "deffensive" amno with a P220 I think I would not have bought one.
Someone try straighten the corners of the magazine?
Any solution?
Thanks in advanced.

Welcome to Sig Talk, from the southwest corner of Indiana. Due to your location, any normal answer will not be welcome. It appears there were some magazines as you have noticed, that were made with too deep of crimps, which will cause some bullet profiles to hang up both in loading and feeding. Normally I would suggest contacting Customer service, but I don't know if that is a viable option for you.
If you had a good feeding magazine, to use as a guide, then you could attempt to modify yours. There is a question as to who actually makes the magazines for Sig. At one time I know Mec-Gar probably did, but another Italian company, Act-Mag, currently markets identical 8 round magazines, both blued and nickel plated, but not stainless, commercially. All of the components appear identical, to the Sig marked magazines, so I believe they are the manufacturer. Their blued magazines are available here from one vendor for $17.95 each SIG SAUER MAGAZINES : Greg Cote, LLC I don't know if they do international sales or not.

 

[Flash LB]

There was a recent thread here that indicated (to me) that SIG has received some bad magazines from Mec-Gar. They are crimped much more than the P220 magazines have ever been crimped before. They are bad magazines. You need to let SIG know about it and tell them you want corrected magazines.

I saved a picture from the thread. The correct P220 mag is on the left and the bad is on the right.
Here is the thread.

My mags will load every hollow point I have, around 6 or 7 different ones including the Remington the OP has troubles with, and my magazines all look like the magazine on the right, not the left, so that identification isn't true in all cases. For what it's worth, I have a dozen of the ones like on the right, and they all work fine.

 

[bearone2]

welcome from az

 

[GoneBallisticInAlabama]

My mags will load every hollow point I have, around 6 or 7 different ones including the Remington the OP has troubles with, and my magazines all look like the magazine on the right, not the left, so that identification isn't true in all cases. For what it's worth, I have a dozen of the ones like on the right, and they all work fine.

I just checked my box of SIG P220 mags. I have some variation but none are as severe as that. And his bends look more forward than on the corner where it counts for the mag catch.

 

[GoneBallisticInAlabama]

Welcome to Sig Talk, from the southwest corner of Indiana. Due to your location, any normal answer will not be welcome. It appears there were some magazines as you have noticed, that were made with too deep of crimps, which will cause some bullet profiles to hang up both in loading and feeding. Normally I would suggest contacting Customer service, but I don't know if that is a viable option for you.
If you had a good feeding magazine, to use as a guide, then you could attempt to modify yours. There is a question as to who actually makes the magazines for Sig. At one time I know Mec-Gar probably did, but another Italian company, Act-Mag, currently markets identical 8 round magazines, both blued and nickel plated, but not stainless, commercially. All of the components appear identical, to the Sig marked magazines, so I believe they are the manufacturer. Their blued magazines are available here from one vendor for $17.95 each SIG SAUER MAGAZINES : Greg Cote, LLC I don't know if they do international sales or not.

Only Mec-Gar supplies magazines for the P220 and they are stainless.
The ACT mag is visibly different in that it does not have the detent in the sides of the magazine tube (body) near the top-rear corners of the magazines. Those detents in the Mec-Gar mags grab the case rim and helps prevent the second-from-top round from being pulled halfway out as the slide strips the top round. Makes it more reliable should you need to drop a partially-loaded magazine. It was something that competitors found shooting the P220 at one point. People like the ACT mags but I've never used any. I may buy some for the range but I use the SIG factory mags for defense.

 

[GoneBallisticInAlabama]

My mags will load every hollow point I have, around 6 or 7 different ones including the Remington the OP has troubles with, and my magazines all look like the magazine on the right, not the left, so that identification isn't true in all cases. For what it's worth, I have a dozen of the ones like on the right, and they all work fine.

Even "good" SIG factory mags have cause problems, as in the case of the SIG factor P220-1 magazine in the attached that won't feed crappy Golden Saber. This is why SIG, on the advice of Bruce Gray, left off those crimps on the P220 10mm mags.

 

[SheepdogIHS]

Welcome from Florida.

 

[Willard]

Only Mec-Gar supplies magazines for the P220 and they are stainless.
The ACT mag is visibly different in that it does not have the detent in the sides of the magazine tube (body) near the top-rear corners of the magazines. Those detents in the Mec-Gar mags grab the case rim and helps prevent the second-from-top round from being pulled halfway out as the slide strips the top round. Makes it more reliable should you need to drop a partially-loaded magazine. It was something that competitors found shooting the P220 at one point. People like the ACT mags but I've never used any. I may buy some for the range but I use the SIG factory mags for defense.

GBIA, my Sig factory 8 round magazines are a few years old, I'd almost say I got them right after they were first introduced. The Act Mags I got from Greg Cote this past week.

My factory magazines don't have the "detents" as yours do, so everything I see is very close to being identical. There are minor differences, but except for the Sig spring being older and compressed therefore shorter, but contains the same number of coils. They may not be "identical twins" but I would say "fraternal twins".

I understand why the detents were included, as you explain it, and it appears that Sig may need to incorporate that feature on all single column magazines.

 

[GoneBallisticInAlabama]

GBIA, my Sig factory 8 round magazines are a few years old, I'd almost say I got them right after they were first introduced. The Act Mags I got from Greg Cote this past week.

My factory magazines don't have the "detents" as yours do, so everything I see is very close to being identical. There are minor differences, but except for the Sig spring being older and compressed therefore shorter, but contains the same number of coils. They may not be "identical twins" but I would say "fraternal twins".

I understand why the detents were included, as you explain it, and it appears that Sig may need to incorporate that feature on all single column magazines.

The old ones used to look like that with no detent.

It is possible that you have some older ones before SIG started making them with the detents. But that has been a while.

If my new P220 SAS Gen 2 that is coming (my third P220 and fourth I've ever owned) come with ACT Magazines...well, I'm glad I have a stock of the ones that they were using.
I ordered some extra mags just a couple of years ago and they are as the ones I showed with the detents.

 

[pedroarg]

.... Those detents in the Mec-Gar mags grab the case rim and helps prevent the second-from-top round from being pulled halfway out as the slide strips the top round. Makes it more reliable should you need to drop a partially-loaded magazine. It was something that competitors found shooting the P220 at one point....

Thank you all for your answers and for your welcome grettings.
Thanks GoneBallisticinAlabama for your explanation. if I understand well, the grab on the case rim prevents an eventual failure in the release of the magazine when it still has ammunition on it. Generally it can happen in competition when you want to change your magazine even if you still have ammo. Thats right?
Apparently the whole new range of Sig magazines come out with that crimp and Sig has no plans to change it.
Considering that I dont need to discard a magazine that still has ammunition inside, I think that if I modify that crimp, there would be no problem. Is that ok? I prefer to have the possibility of use hollow points amno than prevents an "eventual" failure in the release of the magazine when it still has ammunition on it.
Like I said, with the P220 magazines I have the same issue with all kind of hollow point amno that are selling in my country. I also have a Ruger 1911, a Glock 21 and no issue using hollow points, only with my new P220 Elite cant use hollow point amno.

 

[Willard]

pedroarg, I hope you hav not confused the two different subjects. Your problem is resulting from the indented areas at the front of the magazine (Orange Arrows), the magazine with feeding problems is the one on the right. The one without feeding problems should be the one on the left. The indent (Purple arrow) that prevents the cartridge from moving forward under recoil, just happens to be on the magazine with the too deep indentations.

The front indented area are necessary to allow the magazine to slide past the magazine catch, but not so deep, as to interfere with feeding some profiles of bullets, such as most hollow point projectiles.

Adjusting yours to look more like the magazine on the left, than the one on the right should help you with your problem.

 

[pedroarg]

pedroarg, I hope you hav not confused the two different subjects. Your problem is resulting from the indented areas at the front of the magazine (Orange Arrows), the magazine with feeding problems is the one on the right. The one without feeding problems should be the one on the left. The indent (Purple arrow) that prevents the cartridge from moving forward under recoil, just happens to be on the magazine with the too deep indentations.

The front indented area are necessary to allow the magazine to slide past the magazine catch, but not so deep, as to interfere with feeding some profiles of bullets, such as most hollow point projectiles.

Adjusting yours to look more like the magazine on the left, than the one on the right should help you with your problem.

Thanks Willard, first I will try to adjust one of the three factory magazines to test it. If works ok, I will do the same to the rest.

 

[Penna shooter]

Welcome from Gettysburg Pa

 

[winterwar]

I have a new P220 SAS Gen 2 Carry coming.
I get to wonder if I get the bad mags with that one.

It will include Sig mags with the extra crimp.

I ordered some new mags from Greg Cote, they came in sealed Sig parts bags and have the same crimp. I don't believe the Sig mags are made by ACT, there are too many minor differences.

I haven't tried modding one of mine yet, but it doesn't look like it would take much to gain the needed clearance by tweaking the top of the crimps with a piece of 5/16" - 3/8" drill rod or something similar.

 

[GoneBallisticInAlabama]

It will include Sig mags with the extra crimp.

I ordered some new mags from Greg Cote, they came in sealed Sig parts bags and have the same crimp. I don't believe the Sig mags are made by ACT, there are too many minor differences.

I haven't tried modding one of mine yet, but it doesn't look like it would take much to gain the needed clearance by tweaking the top of the crimps with a piece of 5/16" - 3/8" drill rod or something similar.

I picked up my new P220 SAS Gen 2 Carry today.
Build Date: 11 February 2017.

It came with two standard 8-round magazines.
They did have the detent. On that issue, I am convinced that the ones you purchases a while back were new-old stock of the original P220 mags.

But these two mags do indeed have the more severe crimp on the front-right corner that pushes the magazine catch aside. I compared them to the stash of SIG factory standard-capacity 8-roung mags I have in the safe. These two that came with the SAS are crimped much more just like those from the other thread. Which means that they are COMPLETELY unsatisfactory to me. Especially if they have any hint of an issue with my Federal 230 gr HST JHPs which have a fairly wide mouth.

I didn't bother getting the container of my SIG factory 10-round extended mags out. I know that they are properly crimped like my standard 8-round mags.

I am going to contact SIG and send them the photo of the top of the two mags borrowed from the other thread. Or I may take my own pics. See if I can convince them that they have bad mags.

I'm glad I have plenty of good mags stocked up.

If SIG sends me replacements and they are screwed up, then I'll re-shape the corner.

But I love that gun! Almost the same size as my P239 SAS Gen 2 9mm, the same number of rounds, but a much bigger bore.

 

[winterwar]

I picked up my new P220 SAS Gen 2 Carry today.
Build Date: 11 February 2017.

But I love that gun! Almost the same size as my P239 SAS Gen 2 9mm, the same number of rounds, but a much bigger bore.

My P220 SAS Gen 2 has the same date. They must have been in the same batch.

I have a list of other issues to call Sig about concerning some recent purchases. The mag issue is on there too. I haven't tried modifying one yet either.

My 10 rounders work fine and have the smaller crimp.