SIG Sauer Pistols - Get Better Accuracy?

[MarcSpaz]

Hey guys I'm looking for your opinion on something. I'm trying to get more accuracy out of my Sig Sauer handguns. I have a P226 Legion and a standard P226 with a short reset trigger and tritium night sights.

Now, what started me down this path, which hopefully doesn't turn into a rabbit hole, is the performance of a $1,000 pistol compared to my $400 pistol. That $400 pistol being my 4th generation Glock g-17.

I've done some target shooting at a friend of mine's private range, shooting targets that are 8 x 11 steel targets, at a hundred yards. My g-17 regularly puts more rounds on target then either one of my P226 pistols.

At first I thought it was the cartridge, since my g-17 is a 9mm and my P226 standard is chambered in 40 Smith & Wesson. So I went out and bought a P226 Legion in 9mm. Unfortunately, even though the Legion is an amazing pistol, it's not even as accurate as my standard P226. So now I'm wondering where the problem lies and what I can do to improve accuracy.

What got me thinking about this today is a range trip yesterday. At 10 yards, quick draw, rapid fire... my Glock was consistently shooting of 1.5 in groups. Same exercise with my standard P226 was yielding between 2.5 to 3 in groups and the P226 Legion was yielding 3+ inch groups.

Now, understanding what I do about most self-defense situations, I have full confidence that all three will help get the job done for a majority of situations. However, it would be nice if I could carry either one of my Sig pistols and get roughly the same performance as my glock. While in most ambush situations, the distance will be 3 yards or less, it would be nice to know that if I need to engage the target at 50 or a hundred yards that I can do it in confidence. Right now my hit ratio with either one of the Sig pistols are way too low for me to have any significant confidence at distance.

I think one of the biggest differences between the Sig pistols and the Glock pistol is the height of the bore axis above my hand. I know there is nothing I can do to fix that. That said, do any of you guys have any known processes or improvements that can be made to these pistols to improve accuracy? Or am I just stuck at the performance level that I'm at if I want to keep anything reliable... which is obviously way more important then fine-tuning the accuracy. It doesn't matter how accurate it is if I have to worry about run issues because the gun got a little dirt on it.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[kelu]

How many rounds so far thru them?
I have a P229 SRT and initially I was very disappointed. However, after about 1000 rounds it got better, after 2000 I can say I was pretty happy.
After 5000, I can hit Randy's paint can at 100 yards at least once in a mag.
For me, next gift would be a Sig X-Five

[MarcSpaz]

I would have to guess based on use typical use.

I have had the standard P226 for 7 years. I run no less than 2,000 rounds a year through it. Sometime 3,000 rounds a year. Figure, 15,000 - 16,000 rounds.

I have had the Glock for 4 years. I run about the same amount of ammo through that. I would say the Glock 17 has 8,000 - 9,000 rounds through it.

The P226 Legion is about 6 months old and only has 500 rounds through it. I figure by the summer, it should have 1,500 - 2,000 rounds through it. I have the next 500 sitting right in front of me and I am going to Elite on Tuesday.

I never tried the paint can... only the golf ball, which I never connected with. I'm going to have to give it a go when the weather warms up.

The question is, are the SIGs inherently less accurate than the Glock? The real answer to that question is, I don't know.

I have shot all of my pistols using isosceles and CAR methods, but I have not done any benchrest shooting. Something that is possible is that I'm reacting to the weapons differently while firing standing and unsupported. That could be a training or fitment issue.

Something I'll try this week is bring my bipod with me and I'll shoot while seated and supported to see if it's truly a weapon accuracy issue. If the groups improve drastically in comparison, then the weapons may just not be a good fit, vs. if the accuracy issues persist, perhaps I can spend a few dollars in mods to improve performance.

[Snakester]

I don't remember how many times Kelu hit the 100 yd. paint can with the pistol......But I bet this 100 yd. Golf ball remembers him shooting it with Marc's Creedmoor ! I think it was 14 times straight .

[MarcSpaz]

hahahaha... that poor ball. LOL

[Reverenddel]

To be honest? I'm finding quite a few gun manufacturers are rolling on "Reputation", and "Customer Service", but their weapons are NOT...NOT...what they used to be!

I know I shot the S&W M&P 2.0 Full Sized, Compact, and Shield... and when the Shield outshot my Glock 19? I bought one. The others? Ehh, it's all about what you have gear.

Now, I have a p226 Tactical Dark. It's accurate, but compared to that S&W M&P 2.0? Ehh....

I think there is something to be said about "low-axis" barrels. If it's closer to your hand, and webbing, it's easier to control.

One way to solve this... 25 yard target, five exact same rounds, and a ransom rest.

[MarcSpaz]

I think youre right about a lot of companies living off the reputation of previous success.

I'll see what happens tomorrow when I bench rest test at 25 yards. Hopefully it's me and not the guns.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[WRW]

My limited experience with a few different manufacturers, including Glock and Sig, is that the guns are more accurate than me when shooting handheld. If the sights are on target when the trigger breaks, that is the destination. Low axis should affect follow up shots (favorably) but not first rounds. That lower axis may account for the lesser spread described on the quick draw/rapid fire exercise.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[kelu]

Also, for me the move to Trijicon HD XR helped. A smaller dot is better for me, the factory sights cover too much of the target.

[WRW]

Also, for me the move to Trijicon HD XR helped. A smaller dot is better for me, the factory sights cover too much of the target.

If your target is a paint can 100 yards away? Yeah, that makes sense.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[WRW]

So...out cutting down and up a tree for firewood and got to thinking, "In a self defense situation, would I want the rounds to all go in the same hole?" Well, from there it went to an episode of Magnum with a guy practicing the Mozambique drill...only his order of fire was "one in the head, then two in the chest". I dunno. Maybe I should pay more attention to the job at hand.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[MarcSpaz]

HAHA...

The idea of 2 to the chest and then one to the head was, if the target was wearing body armor, the two to the body would stun them enough to properly setup the head shot. If they are not wearing body armor, it confirms the kill.

That said, there is something to be said for starting at the top and working your way down, distance and skills providing, of course.

[Reverenddel]

I remember that episode of "Magnum PI", and I don't think your other half would appreciate you sitting drunk in a tub, putting holes in the wall.

Just sayin'...

BUT! I know one way to get your "speed/tracking" back is to shoot those reusable target balls.

Damned things move FASTER than me! Hit... track...Hit...Track.... Telling you, it keeps you on your feet.

[Rualert]

You most likely already tried this, but just in case, have you tried several different types of ammo in each of the guns to see what they like best? I have a Contender with a 10mm 14" barrel, that only really loves heavy bullets at maximum load. I hand load that one if I want single hole groups, and use Underwood hot loads for my normal hunting tasks as it will group MOA, or slightly larger at 100 yards. My 1911 is a bit less picky, but a former race gun did prefer one specific load over another and we did have shots out to the 50 yard mark. Had a tough range master / course builder. Another idea might be as simple as a drop in match grade barrel. This may involve a small bit of smoothing to fit it nice and tight but still be 100% reliable. I try to use very fine diamond polishing compound for final mating, and as long as it's not too tight it should run 100% and you can shoot 500 - 1K rounds to confirm. Those might be the lowest cost methods to improve the accuracy if you find it's not you.

Casey

[MarcSpaz]

I've tried a bunch of different ammo. My Glock loves Blazzer... the other two don't really like anything more than another.

Still haven't been to the range yet today... Just got done working.