p220 vs 1911

[ZonedOut]

Which one would you guys choose? I am on the fence on this one bad!! I know ultimately its up to me, but what are your guys experiences with them.

[RHGregory3]

I love sigs. But I'm 1911 on this one. Maybe even sigs 1911. :-D

[Svickstc]

1911 after carrying and handling both

Are we talking full size to full size here or p220 carry vs 3''-5'' 1911 etc

[ZonedOut]

full size to full size

[DHR27PA]

Both are great guns.

What kind of 1911 are we talking about here? Manufacturer? Barrel length? Rail or no rail?

P220 advantages are the double action, the decocking lever, easy to disassemble and clean. The P220 Carry models are very nice and have a 3.9" barrel but full sized frame.

1911s are sexy handguns with a lot of history and character, very accurate but kind of a pain in the ass to maintain and pretty large to carry. The 4" and especially the 3" models have a lot of feeding issues so I personally wouldn't rely on one to carry. if you intend a full sized 1911 to be a carry gun be ready for something relatively heavy, bulky and hard to conceal


For practicality I'd say go with the Sig but I am a big 1911 fan as well and I think you should probably purchase both!!

[ZonedOut]

I was Looking at the springfield mil spec, kimber custom II or anything around the 600 range and I would love to get both but Im running out of stuff to sell and work is not gonna give me that huge raise I want lol

[ZonedOut]

and rails are nice, not a necessity but are welcome as well.

[87hurricane]

I had a 1911, a really nice 1911, Colt Gold Cup NM to be exact. After shooting it several times back to back with my brothers P220, I put it up for sale and bought a Sig. I got a P220 Compact, and I couldn't be happier with it, preforms just like every other Sig I've shot. Accurate, easy to break down, etc. 1911s are nice, and I do like them, however, for me at least, a P220 is better. Your results may vary....one more thing to note, I have found Sigs to be less picky on ammo, they pretty much shoot anything and just don't care.

[Grunt33]

Either.

Or both

I own and shoot both. I prefer the 1911. Read that again. I (me) myself, (EYE) prefer the 1911. Doesn't make the 1911 the superior pistol.

But, for the sake of argument, I'll get into detail....

Feeding-
Any "reputable" 1911 will eat hardball all day long. Reputable meaning Colt, Kimber, Springfield, Sig and I hear the Remington is a good pistol as well, but I don't own one of those. 1911's are designed to run ball ammo, and any 1911 that doesn't is a sick puppy indeed.

That being said, each and every 1911 I own and have owned has problems with certain hollow point ammo. Be prepared to test and find what works.

A 220? That pig eats anything and begs for more. Sig wins this one, hands down.

BUT!!! BUT!! Be honest, 99% of what you're going to shoot is going to be bulk-pack hardball.

Care-
1911's, assuming they're blued, will rust. A little care and they are great. Also, while they will run "dry", a drop or two of whatever you have laying around (motor oil, 3-in-1, spit) on the rails keeps them happy.

I've never seen a Sig rust, and I own two older 220's as well as a new Elite. They're simply tough pistols, inside and out. I don't run mine dry, but I'm very anal about maintenance.

Both are true combat handguns, but the Sig is a more current design. Either way, they're designed for combat and hard use, and you'll get plenty of miles out of either. You just need to wipe down the 1911 now and then.

Maintenance-
Both have recoil springs that need replaced. It's a wear item. Both take down very easily in the field, and are a snap to assemble and clean. Sig mags are ungodly tough. 1911 mags are as well, but expect to pay Sig mag prices for GOOD 1911 mags. No, those $6 mags you buy in bulk aren't very good. Also, buy two mags at a time from a new manufacturer. Wilson mags might not run well in your 1911, where a powermag might run like a top. It's rare that a good mag won't work, but I've had it happen (I have a Kimber that refuses to run on Wilson magazines, go figure)

So, if you're thinking "1911 mags are cheaper" as being a selling factor, it's not. A good 1911 mag and a Sig 220 mag are about the same price.

Grip is a big thing as well. I find factory 220 grips too slick, but a cheap and easy replacement is available from Hogue that patches up that minor flaw. 1911 grips... well, if you can't find some you like, you need help.


In all, it's personal preference. I like 1911's, but I accept I need to maintain it a little. Not a big deal, because I'm big on maintenance and my guns, whether they're shot or not, get a field strip and oiling regularly.

I like 220's. Hands down one of the finest combat handguns to come into production. There are very few handguns I will blindly rate as a sure thing. The 226, the H&K USP and HK45/9 series, the Beretta M9, and the Sig 220. I've never had any of these fail me.

My opinion? Considering your finances are a bit tight, I'd say get a good used 220. 45 isn't a cheap hobby, believe it or not. A 220 will last a lifetime, so it's a worry free investment if you get one that hasn't been neglected. After you have that under your belt, save and get a nice 1911. Too many times I've seen guys tight on money drop cash on a 1911 in their price range and get burned because it's what they could afford and they bought junk. Get a known factor. Save money. Under NO circumstances sell the 220, not even to buy the 1911.

Shoot the hell out of them both and smile knowing you own two fine handguns.

[DClan]

Well, my thoughts are...both are great, reliable, tough guns. Both guns are available as 45acp , both are generally single stack mags, both are available in different configurations. The Sig can be had with either a decocker or thumb safety, the 1911 is thumb safety only ( ambi available ). The Sig can be had in DA/SA, DAO ( Dak ), or SAO ( thumb safety ), the 1911 is typically SA only ( ignoring colt/para variants ). Both can be had in steel or alloy frames, both can be had in blued, stainless or cerakote finishes. Both are available in full size or compact variants. What all this means is both can be had or customized to suit the user.

The biggest differences then can be nailed down to just a few categories. The 1911 is a thinner pistol with a shorter trigger reach, making it more comfortable for smaller hands ( this can be tuned to the shooter by using different length triggers). The 1911 is a simpler, more modular design, offering more "off the shelf" parts for ease of customization or repairs. On a da/sa decocking P220, I would be hesitant to try a home repair or trigger tuning. On a 1911, tuning or home repairs are easily accomplished. I'm not saying this can't be done with the 220, just that its a more complex design. So...which is better? That depends on you. If you are looking for a da/sa or dao type of pistol, or a reliable, accurate, combat/ self defense pistol , then the 220 is a good solid choice, if you are looking for a sao pistol, a good combat/self defense pistol , or a pistol with a short trigger reach, then the 1911 is a good choice. If your looking for a pistol that can be fiddled with, from long slide conversions, to caliber changes, to match grade triggers installed for a weekend shoot (and then swapped back to stock), then the 1911 is a better choice. It all comes down to the shooter, and what you want the gun to do.