Interesting feeding behavior for P220

[Robotron2k84]

Trying to figure this one out...I decided to swap out my bedside 1911 for my P220r3 that mostly sits in the safe. I’m a fan of .45 HD rounds for living situations where there are shared walls.

The P220 doesn’t get shot all that much, and last time it went out to the range, no issues. About 200 rounds through.

However, in loading the gun for HD use, recently, I put one round in the mag, insert into the gun and cycle the slide, then remove the mag and fill the other 8 for 9 in the gun.

This last time around the magazine wouldn’t engage completely with a single round, but would with two, and attempting to load the gun with just the single round had the mag sitting too low to strip the round from the mag.

If I lock the slide back first, with just one round the mag seats and works fine, if there are two rounds or more in the mag, it works fine. If there is a round already in the chamber, and one in the mag, it works fine. Just the one in the mag on an empty and closed breech hangs up.

On an AR this is an issue where the bolt needs to be back with a full mag, but unsure about a nearly empty mag not seating. This doesn’t happen on any of my other Sigs.

Thinking this was a mag-related issue, I tried another six mags, all with the same result. Also tried three different kinds of ammo, HD, +P and standard JHP, and all did the same on all mags.

This is the only Sig that I have had the SRT installed on, and it was done by Sig in New Hampshire, along with their action enhancement.

Does the gun need to go back? Do I trust it for HD? Try newer mags?

What say you?

[Robotron2k84]

Should also add that all of my 220 mags are the P220-1-45 8-round variant from Mecgar, circa 2016.

I seem to remember that there was a mag-catch issue with some mags, in the past.

[sigstroker]

German mag springs? German springs go soft almost overnight. I noticed it in my guns and my BMW's. Just get some Wolff mag springs, dirt cheap.

[Robotron2k84]

So I’m not so sure on that.

The mags are made in Italy for one, but the 220 is the only gun that I absolutely have to use the Uplula to load the last two rounds.

It is a freaking heavy duty spring and if I don’t use the Uplula I’ll actually dent the cartridge case trying to feed the round into the magazine. The Uplula pusher/finger flexes, worryingly like it will snap, when doing this. Maybe the spring is too strong.

None of the rounds lately are dented.

By comparison, the 1911 is a Sig as well, and has 8-round mags. It doesn’t take anywhere near half the effort to load 8 into those magazines.

[JTROKS]

The follower might be the culprit. Some followers tilt as they reach the top/feed lips. Check the edges for sharp edges as it might be hanging up when rubbing on the inside wall of the mag.

[Robotron2k84]

[Robotron2k84]

Went through all of the magazines today and all have the bend / ramp.

Looking at the pictures of the suspect mags from the SigTalk posts indicate that mine should be working.

Hmm.

Since all of my mags are of the same vintage, I may order a couple new ones and see if that makes a difference. I may also disassemble and play around checking how they fit in the grip.

My biggest concern in this is doing a reload under duress and having the gun malfunction due to a misbehaving mag catch. Not the best for a reliable HD gun.

[SigSauerP226]

Maybe post to Sigforum, I'd bet you get the answer there fairly quick.

[Barang]

may not be related but check your magazine lips anyway. are they higher or pushed up if you compare to a new/good magazine?

[Robotron2k84]

[Barang]

ahhh! hope you get this one figured out. good luck.

[Erichp]

It seems to me you have already answered your own question, and found the culprit. But in reality, its primarily a non issue.

The manual of arms around loading a semi auto with mags containing only round probably has very little reason to exist. I would characterize it as more a quirk than problem unless you want to identify an updated follower that is relieved for single round loaded mag drills.

Personally, I'd not bother. And for your use case, I do it the other way around in practice. Load full mag and bring extra round. Load and drop mag to add round.

The only thing I would look for in this case, would be if the follower could be caught as it fires round 2 and cause a misfeed on the final round. But you would see rub marks I think.