Tag Archives: SIG

Weapons

All New

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What really bugs me about the Gun Industry is how they change one or two small details and act as if it’s something completely new.

Take a look at SIG Sauer.  They have the TACOPS 1911, which is a great gun.  They Cerakote it tan, change the grips, and all the sudden it’s a “Scorpion” and thus a completely different gun.  Some rifle makers will change the stock, and now it’s a completely different model.  For the most part, the gun is only cosmetically different.  Yet the gun companies wave flags of originality and claim innovation.  Look, if you are using off the shelf parts that have been on the market for over a year, you should not be allowed to use the word “Innovation” or anything in a thesaurus that is similar.   Worse yet, the Gun Writers out there who have to review these things.  Never mind that its the same damn gun with different cosmetics… these guys have to write another 2,000 words with photos on how this is something new and fresh.  And they publish those articles and people buy those magazines and it’s all just rehashed shit from 20 years ago.  I’m not naming names but I swear to the All Holy that I read the same rifle article 20 years as I just read in a new magazine 20 minutes ago, with the only difference being the freaking handguards.  Its the same thing.

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I was going to say Clark Kent and Superman, but I hate Superman… he’s a Douche.  But look at Bruce Wayne.  League of Shadows Ninja, and then changes costume to become Batman.  Really only cosmetically different.   Bruce Wayne could still kick your ass without the Dark Knight costume.  He doesn’t need the costume to perform.  And just because he is in the costume, doesn’t mean he’s suddenly a better fighter.  He’s no tougher, no stronger, or any smarter while in the bat-suit.
Who else does this a lot?  Kimber.  Freaking hell, they only make like 3 different 1911’s but given them different skin treatments and all the sudden you have guns from 699 all the way to 1400 without any special Custom Shop work… just cosmetics.
Poor Gun Review Writer.   This is one of the reasons I stopped writing gun reviews.  I got really jaded and sick of rewording the same review for the same gun that’s just had a small detail difference.
Kimber Custom II.  Kimber Target II.  Same flippin gun, just a different rear sight.  But according to Kimber, it’s a whole new model.
Now, I’m not busting Kimber’s nuts on this, or SIG’s… because so many other gun makers do it too… they all do it.  Accept for Taurus, who has so much CQ issues, everything they make is totally different.

Imagine if you will, if the Auto Industry worked in the same fashion?  This car is the same as that one, but this one has XM built in, so it’s a totally different car!  We call this one the Stallion, and this one the Tornado Hunter!  See, it has a pin stripe too.  (Well, they kind of do… looking at the Subaru and Toyota sports car, but that’s another subject)

No, people would not tolerate this in the auto industry.  Yet it’s SOP in the Gun Industry.  I like what the Car guys do those… They have Trim Levels.  Same car, with a series of steps in upgraded add on features that go from basic to fully loaded.
The Gun Industry should look at that model for awhile and think about it really hard.  Because right now it’s just ridiculous.

Now, I understand that a gun company needs to make new stuff to sell more stuff.  But I think these guys are going about it all wrong.  Let’s look at to examples.
Glock.  They make the same damn gun in 3 sizes in common calibers and that’s it.  That’s what they do… because they’re Glock.  The do what they do and they do it very well.  You don’t hear about quality control issues with Glock. You don’t hear about anything other than “It’s a Glock”. And they sell and sell and sell to the point that Glock’s Marketing effort is about like the Maytag Repairman’s schedule.  Because you know what you are getting with a Glock… Your getting a Glock.  Now look at SIG.  The P250 the P2022, the 229, 228 M11 226 MK25 and they are all different and you really don’t know what you are getting anymore with SIG or anything from SIG wearing that badge… I’m saying this because I love SIG and really I’m feeling like they have let me down.  Lost their way.  Looking more at Cosmetic Themes than keeping a tight ship… because I’ve seen some SIG’s with some serious issues that should not have been there.
Some guys have said they wished Glock was more colorful or fabulous like SIG is.  When really I’d like to see SIG act more like Glock.  The worst thing Glock stamps their name on is those disposable pens they give away.  SIG’s?  That could take all day talking about.  You don’t know what you are getting with SIG anymore and that’s a shame.

 

Weapons

SIG’s new 224, and something else.

18 Comments

At SHOT Show, I took a look at the new SIG 224.  And I’ll be honest.  I didn’t like it.

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It’s standard SIG, the way we prefer our SIG’s.  Alloy frame, DA/SA with a Rebounding Hammer.  Add some night sights, and controls that were tweaked to still be used when made tiny… and you have a real SIG and not… well… not a P250.

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After playing around with it… it’s grown on me.  A lot.  The gun is a serious Pinky Dangler, but thanks to the shape, texture, you can still get a solid hold on the pistol.

Which is good, because it’s a .40 cal.  I like that.  And I like the P224.

But it’s not the gun that I want.   I want something different.

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This is my Holy SIG Grail.  A P220 Compact SAS.  If you guys want to chip in and by me a birthday present… this is it.  I’ve wanted one of these for 20 years, when I first read of guys spending big bucks chopping down standard P220’s.    And we have one now at the Gun Store I work at.  999.99.  Oh man… And there is nothing I can do about it thanks to the Bride’s new Expedition.

Weapons

SIG 1911 Scorpion

9 Comments

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For the last month, this was my Carry Gun.  I kept it concealed, and when I was packing it, no one knew I had it on me.  This is an all steel 1911 Commander type, with ambi-safety, night sights, and a tac-rail.  Really there is nothing special about the SIG’s  No tricks, nothing out of the ordinary… Just a 1911 done very well.
The Cerakote finish is solid.  The gun looked just the same from start to end, with no wear marks.  The color is a good one for the area of the world I live in.  In the holster, the grips blend in well with wooded or desert areas.
In shooting it, the number of malfunctions was Zero.  The accuracy was staggering.  I didn’t get any of the shooting on video as my camera was in the backpack and riding home on a motorcycle in the cold, I wasn’t exactly wanting to spend a lot of time.  But all the hits were where I wanted them to go.
The trigger pull is very crisp, with just a little take up. Very predictable, and this allowed me to really get the most out of this pistol.  The only production 1911 that I’ve fired that was more accurate than this, was the SIG TACOPS, which is essentially this same gun, just in black with different grips.

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I really dig the Commander Length of the barrel and slide.  I also like the fact that the safety levers are not overly extended.  They are longer than GI’s but stubby compared to everything else.  I consider these to be about ideal.  The grips give the gun a Snake Skin kind of look, and goes very well with the flat dark earth colored Cerakote.   The black controls and extractor and sights, really makes the gun snap.  If there is anything I would do to this gun, it would be to replace the trigger.  The straight DK pattern trigger is just too different for me.  I’d put in a normal GI myself.

Speaking of GI’s…

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While the Scorpion is a modern example of the 1911, the GI remains my favorite configuration, and out of everyone’s interpretation of what a GI is, the Springfield GI is the best of the best.  The only thing you need with the GI is a lot of spare mags and ammo.  Now, I know all this is fine and well, but let me put it to you this way.  If I was going to buy another 1911, I’d buy a SIG Scorpion.  SIG has the highest level of quality control of any production 1911 and they don’t hold anything back.

I would really like to see SIG do a simple GI pattern gun.

My last opinion on this, as an EDC Gun… While the gun carried well enough, it was heavy and the grip frame long.  It seemed heavier and larger than the Beretta 92FS, because I was using a less than optimal holster.  With a good holster, such as my AdamsHolsters Sharkhide Rig, even the larger, heavier Beretta carried better.  This goes for any gun – the proper holster makes all the difference.
Since the last day of packing the Scorpion, I’ve carried the Glock 23, the Beretta 92FS, my GI, and a couple others guns… and I learned something.  Packing a 1200 dollar 1911, I was always conscious of it.  Always aware, always being careful of it.  To be honest, I found it distracting.  Maybe because its a 1200 dollar borrowed pistol.   But I am much more comfortable packing something I am less concerned about.  This is were Glock’s win.  No one cares a bit about a Glock.  It’s there, and if it’s loaded, it’s going to work.  Any scars it gets along the way, just add character.  Which it needs, because Glocks have none.
Packing a Beretta, scars help remove the Pretty Boy look and means you can take it serious.  Maybe I’d feel the same way about the Scopion if it was my own.  Maybe that’s the lesson here.  Dont EDC a borrowed gun.

Weapons

New Carry Gun for December.

11 Comments

December’s Carry Gun is a SIG 1911 Scorpion in .45.  I was lent it the other day and have enjoyed it so far.

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I like the subdued earth tones of the Scorpion series.  I don’t know if it is Flat Dark Earth or if it’s Coyote Tan, or if it’s Cream of Wheat.  I don’t know the difference in Hues.  But I do know that I’ve never seen any earth this color other than sand.  Most dirt is Flat-Darker.  But I guess Potting Soil isn’t a color OPERATORS would want on their guns.  But SAND looks better for a serious shooter.  Even if they live in the Pacific Northwest where Desert Colors just don’t happen all that much compared to Woodland or Jungle.  But Jungle has gone out of Style… everything is Shitty Desert now.  Anyways, the colors do work well in my area of Utah, which is Desert south of me and High Desert north of me.

SIG’s quality control in these 1911’s is fantastic.  They’ve been the best sellers for the store for a few years now, and I don’t remember having any of them giving us a problem.  I only remember sending 1 SIG 1911 back to the factory for a guy that was having problem with the slide not locking back… because it couldn’t possibly have been his thumb hitting the slide stop during recoil.  Even if that SIG did have a problem mechanically that wasn’t Magazine or User Related – This represents the best track record of any brand for the 1911 Industry.  Absolutely smokes the hell out of Kimber and Smith & Wesson.  When SIG’s compact gun can out-shoot my full sized Kimber, that is saying something.  And what it is saying is not complementary of Kimber.

The Scorpion has a nice set of Micarta scales with a matching Mag-Well.  I like that.  Packing it, well, a full sized grip with a Mag Well does make it rather long.  While I am not sure if it’s longer than the Beretta 92’s, it feels longer.   I don’t have a very good holster for packing this railed commander… I’ve never carried a Railed Commander before.  Huh.
The nightsights on this Scorpion are very bright and clear.
The trigger is excellent.
I’m not sure if I’m liking the DK style trigger… straight, no curve to it.  Compared to my Springer GI’s short trigger… I do prefer the GI’s.  But does the Short or the DK trigger help me put rounds into the target better.  I don’t know.  I’ve only fired relatively few rounds through the Scorpion so far.  And the Scorpion is indeed one seriously accurate pistol.

More about this gun as I get to know it.

 

 

Weapons

The SIG ACP

11 Comments


SIG sent me one of their ACP units. This Video gives some of my impressions. On YouTube there was one comment worth note.
“For that weight you could get a Kel-Tec Sub 2000…and WAY MORE ACCURACY AND VELOCITY.”
Probably one of the most astute observations ever made on YouTube. He has a good point. However the ACP remains much more compact. The SUB2000 is about the same size when folded, and that makes it easy to pack around, but then when deployed, it’s pretty much as long as a standard carbine. The ACP remains the same size packing and engaging. It also uses a gun that you are familiar with… one of your own pistols… With a Trigger Pull that is far superior to the KT’s. And as far as I know, you can’t get the SUB 2000 in .357 SIG, 10mm, .45 Auto, .400 Corbon, .45 Super, .460 Roland… or any of the myriad of other cartridges you can rock and roll with in the ACP.
When I brought the ACP to work, the general consensus was that while it is “Cool” it’s actual usefulness remains limited… because it doesn’t have a Shoulder Stock. Now, you can jump through the hoops and get your Class III Approval and get a Shoulder Stock for your SIG ACP… Then you have an actual Pistol Caliber SBR… Fullfilling the promise of SIG’s name the “Adaptive Carbine Platform”. With out it… Shooting from the Sling is helpful and does stabilize the shot, it’s no where nearly as solid as a simple shoulder stock.
Also, for you Gaming Nerds out there, we’ve come up with a D20 Rule for you guys. For every 2 Inches of Rails your gun has, you get a +1 to your Hit and Damage. So the SIG ACP will give you about a +5 to your basic gun. IRL, the ACP is just making your gun bigger, more uncomfortable, heavier, and less convenient to carry because I’ve yet to see anyone make a Holster for this beast.
Like I said before, in the video… The SIG ACP does has it’s applications. I also mentioned that it would be cool for riding a Motorcycle. I’ve proved that theory TRUE. I rode into town on my ZX-11 (Knees doing slightly better and I’m on some really good painkillers) with the SIG ACP, as shown, slung. Packing a Handgun, I would have to either open my jacket to get to the Shoulder Rig or get up under my jacket to get to a pistol in a Belt Holster. The ACP, slung at the side allows for rather easy engagement as all I had to do was reach down, grab it, and bring it up to target. Not that I actually tried aiming it while on a moving motorcycle… I don’t live THAT far out in the boonies. In the video I mentioned my KTM and rolling the ACP up in the mountains. Uh… that would be a poor choice. The ACP bouncing around banging it’s sharp edges on you. Not fun.
Overall, I like it and it has it’s place, but I am going to send this thing back to SIG.

Weapons

SIG’s Latest

8 Comments

I’m thinking George Lucas must have joined SIG’s board of directors.  Check this out.

That my friends, is a SIG P228.  I used to have one.  I liked it.  So did other guys.  But not enough to keep SIG making it.  SIG discontinued it for many years.  Then they brought it back, briefly, with the addition of a rail.  Then they discontinued it again.

Now they are bringing it back with the Military Designation M11-A1.  To the Milspec Guys, the A1 designation means it’s all revamped to the newest standards.   And now some gun dudes (Not THE Gun Dudes) are getting all mushy about it.  “It’s a completely different pistol!” They say.  Oh for the love… No, it isn’t.  It’s a bloody P228!  If I take my wife’s Ford Explorer, scoot the seat back, and spray A1 on the back with Krylon, this doesn’t make it a completely different vehicle, it’s still a Ford Explorer.  And this M11A1 is still a P228… The same gun everyone ignored for the last 20 years.  But now all the sudden because it’s being sold under it’s Military Designation, it’s somehow better.  It’s just a 228.  And that’s a good thing.  The P228 is one my favorite handguns… It handles better than a 229, lighter too.  It’s a great gun.  But the way some guys are jizzing their pants about this is just crazy.  Where were you guys 20 years ago when SIG dropped the 228?  Because the M-11 has been around since 1989, used by the Military since then… and SIG still had to discontinue it because you guys were not buying it.

Hey SIG, just go ahead and Drop the “P” Designation of your pistols and make it “M”.

Weapons

The SIG ACP arrived.

2 Comments

Unfortunately the adapter clamp wasn’t in the kit, so I can use it yet.  But within moments of the ACP’s arrival, and my mentioning of this… SIG already has it on the way.
First impressions:
Yeah, its cool.  If fact, I am not sure that SIG is going to get this unit back.  I may have to buy it from them.

Weapons

SIG’s P938

2 Comments

Last Saturday Headshot Willy brought out one of the new SIG P938 pistols.  I’ve posted about it before… how cool I thought they were.

Well, at the Range, I was finally able to try my hand with it.  The gun shoots as good as it looks.  It was accurate and the recoil was plenty mild enough in 9mm.  Very controllable.

My target was a small melon sized rock on a berm.  6 out of 6 hits.  Plenty good enough for defensive use, and to convince me that one of these days I’ll have to own one of these pistols now.