How are the external extractor Sig 220's working out?

[seang]

Just curious if any of you have a Sig 220 with external extractor and if so, how reliable has it been?

I had a Sig 220 Carry with DAK trigger. Wish I would have kept it as my girlfriend really liked it. She has a Beretta 92 D Centurion she really likes, but we both miss the 220 Carry. We are considering getting one again as she missed it, but we wouldn't chance getting one with internal extractor. I haven't seen too many reports on the external extractors and would like to know your experiences? I would actually consider carrying a 220 on duty, but wouldn't as of right now because of past extractor issues.

I'm hoping you will chime in Todd, as I'm sure you still have contacts/friends at Sig that have an opinion. At least I hope.

Another question. A friend of mine had a 220 Carry that the slide would fail to go foward fully when the mag was down to one or two rounds. This would happen after about a box of ammo. The gun would get cleaned after each shooting session so being dirty wasn't an issue. Would this be an issue with the magazine or something different? Thanks

[ToddG]

I'm hoping you will chime in Todd, as I'm sure you still have contacts/friends at Sig that have an opinion. At least I hope.

All of my friends and contacts at SIG say it's perfect.

They also said the improved internal one was perfect.

They also told me the original internal one (back when it was only available on the P220ST), which I had fail on my own guns, was perfect.

I'm confident the new external extractor is at least as perfect as its predecessors.

[seang]

Thanks. I was hoping you would have better news, but I guess it's a wait and see.

[ToddG]

seang -- I'd definitely give it a full year before jumping to any conclusions good or bad. I'd be more confident if not for all the resistance the engineers had to doing an external extractor in the first place ... maybe they knew something we didn't. But the fact is that for most .45's the external extractor is a pretty simple and proven design.

[threeheadeddog]

I have a 220 combat tb with the external extractor. I basically bought it because it was the only non HK factory threaded .45 available to me at the time. I have put 400 rounds through it about 300 have been supressed(if that makes a difference). I have never put more than 100rds through it in an hour so it is IMHO still untested. To date I have never had a malfunction, and its accuracy is competetive awith my 1911's. I do have to watch it though, I have had issues where it did not go fully into battery with the suppressor on when initally chambering the weapon. I have never had this issue when the gun is chambering itself after a fired shot. I hope this is an issue that can be attributed to "break in" as I still don't have 500rds through it yet.

[ToddG]

threeheadeddog -- How are you dropping the slide to load the gun? If you're manually racking the slide, be very sure you let go before there is any forward movement. You do not want to "ride the slide" forward, as this will impede the motion and increase the odds of a feed failure.

[ToddG]

threeheadeddog -- It's possible the gun was just a little too tight from the factory somewhere. Could have been slightly out of tolerance in the frame, barrel, slide, or locking insert. If it's running now, I would just drive on. Try to be cognizant of how you're dropping the slide just to make sure you're not inducing any problem, and if it happens again then it may need a trip back to the mothership.