Gun Lust of the Day: SIG P220 Compact SAS

Full of Want

The SIG P220 Compact SAS.   It’s all I want for Christmas… just this…

In all seriousness, I’ve always wanted a compact P220 and have never had one.  My respect for the P220 goes so far that I could almost forgo the companionship of 1911’s, in favor of the P220’s.  I’ve had several full sized SIG P220’s.  One was a duty weapon for me in Richmond, VA.  Fantastic gun.  However back then, compacts were just not around.   If you wanted one and were flush with coin, there were a couple top level gunsmiths that could do a chop job and make you one.  It was the stuff of dreams.  Then there was the P245, a factory cut down.  I don’t know the difference between the P245 and the P220 Compact, if there is any.  But it’s still the gun I’ve always wanted and never had.   Looking back at the Custom versions from gunsmiths… they featured melting and trigger work and all that.   One I saw was about 2500 bucks into the work.  And now here is a Compact, Melted/Dehorned, with an even better trigger… from the factory.

Why do I not already have one already?

26 thoughts on “Gun Lust of the Day: SIG P220 Compact SAS”

  1. I’ve never been super keen on compact weapons. Although I LOVE Sigs… Too bad the ATF more or less confiscated mine. Nothing I did. mind you. But the serial came back as missing from another shop when the local police ran after I unfortunately had to pawn it.

    1. If the Gun Shop you got it from lost the paperwork and didn’t log it out… it comes up as “Missing” and must be reported to the ATF as a Missing Firearm. For the customer it’s the same thing as a Stolen Firearm… it gets snagged and there is pretty much nothing you can do about it. You can yell at the shop, but there is nothing they can do about. They don’t get the gun back either.

  2. I have a P245, excellent gun, mag and Holster comparability with my P220 makes it a great deal for me. I even dropped in the SRT trigger system so it would match my Elite Dark.

    Its not as accurate as the full sized gun, but it’s the difference between excellent and very excellent.

    1. sorry for the dislike, it was a mistake. I was trying to give it to ninja boy.

      I have a P220. Great pistol.

  3. The difference, I believe, between the P245 and the P220 Compact: The P245 had the old-style stamped carbon steel slide, whereas the P220 Compact uses the milled stainless steel slide that Sig went to a while back.

    1. That is correct. While some super smart engineering type might be able to tell the difference I can’t.

      They both take a .45 caliber hole and deliver it reliably over large distances at great speed.

      The P245 does look rougher, lots of tool marks give it a real, military issue sort of feel, but with a little Slipstream the gun is as smooth as silk.

      At least on my body type, the reduction in grip length significantly improves the comfort and concealment of the gun.

  4. I’ve seen a SIG 220 Compact with the Elite Beavertail frame. What are your thoughts regarding this configuration when carrying concealed?

    1. I have a P220 Elite. The P220 compact has the same beaver tail as the full sized. I prefer the P245 without the tail.

      In an IWB the beaver tail finds its way into my floating ribs when sitting. An OWB with an FBI cant is fine, though I will occasional take a beaver tail to the funny bone.

      I prefer a high riding holsters so that might be part of the problem. I would say if you can handle a 1911 with a beaver tail, you’ll have no problem with the Elites.

      The beaver tail might print, but it does so in a way that doesn’t look like gun. I can catch clothing in odd ways as well.

      Honestly the best part of the elite series is the SRT trigger. I had to ask Sig very nicely to send me the three parts required to convert the P245, they were initially reluctant to do so. Cost was $52.00 + shipping. The aluminum grips on the Elite Dark is also a big plus, but the standard grip do just fine.

      Honestly the high bore axis of the P220 makes the beaver tail superfluous. Though it may improve grip from the draw for some.

  5. Have you seen the 220 compact elite SAOs that CDNN has? Its like a snubbed out 1911 but a sig 220, lol.

    If they’re anywhere near as good as my carry elite SAO they’d be amazing…its the smoothest 45 i’ve ever run (and this is comparing to things like a dan wesson bobtail). Love the safety & trigger with that sig grip.

    1. Why? The P220 does everything a 1911 will do, except you don’t have to take it apart every 8 rounds to figure out what’s wrong with it. 😛

      (I kid, I kid)

  6. Handled one yesterday SAS P 220 compact, makes me want to trade one one my 3 1911’s that I love. Mr Ogre I cannot agree with you more I need to figure a way to get one ASAP!

    1. I’ve looked at a couple very closely. The want is still there. The money is not. When the money is there… the gun is not. Fate is keeping us apart.

  7. Mr. Ogre,

    Having shot 1911s for 30 years (exclusively for the first 15 years), I am not that excepting of 45s in other formats.

    Also, I shot a SIG P239 several times and agree with the ‘top heavy’ criticism…particularly for a 9mm.

    But somehow a SIG P220 Compact SAS (&SRT) called me from a Gunbroker listing last week…and I stole one.

    Just got in from shooting it along with my S&W 1911 compact, and (please God, no lightening strikes) the SIG was grouping tighter at 10 and 15 yards. The biggest shock was firing ‘hot stuff’ through both, because prior to this, I never really noticed the recoil of a 1911. But the wider grip on the SIG was considerably softer than the sharper edge of the 1911.

    And the SRT is so close to a 1911 reset, I couldn’t really notice a difference.

    Now I just have to carve ‘1911’ into the slide so I don’t get kicked out of the 1911 Club.

    1. We forgive you of your Heresy against John Moses Browning. I suspect that JMB gave divine inspiration to SIG for the P220.

      1. Just ordered a short reach trigger…DA is frightfully smooth, but the cutting the reach by a bit will be a plus.

        But like I said, ‘stole it’:

        Title Seller Qty Sale Price Total Price Sale Date Actions

        256622591
        Sig Sauer P220 Compact SAS 45 Night Sights SRT 220 Select
        osagecountyguns A+(2646) 1 $600.00 $600.00 11/3/2011

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