Hi all,

I recently got a used (but basically unfired) P225A1, and got some range time with it the other day.

My carry load is the Federal 124gr. HST (non-+P), and the 225 didn't seem to like them very much. I had a few failures to chamber that a rack of the slide fixed, but a couple times it made it far enough forward that I had to strip the magazine and clear it.

Anyone else having any problems with this round in a 225?

Break-in? I presume that, it being a new pistol, you cleaned and lubed it thoroughly? (Personally, I like to run new pistols a bit over-lubed during break-in.)

I've had that problem with new pistols now-and-again. My Remington 1911 R1 Enhanced, when it was new, wouldn't feed 3-4 of the different JHP ammo I tried with it. After 300 rounds or so of mostly FMJ, it happily fed them all reliably.

That being said: The one JHP round it fed reliably right out of the gate was 185 gr. Remington Golden Saber. Luckily, that one also performed well in Lucky Gunner's gel tests. So that's what I'll use in it for carry.

That's probably it. I'll run it with more lube and put more rounds through it and see how it goes.

I just thought it was odd that it didn't want to feed them when my current carry (Springfield EMP) likes them so much - although it's thoroughly broken in, so not a fair comparison.

I sure do shoot the P225 a lot better, though!

I typically run 250 rounds give or take through a pistol before trying out my standard carry load with it, Federal 147gr HST standard pressure. I can't say if it's break-in, lubrication, or other factors but I can say following that process I've never had an issue with 147 HST in my P225-A1.

quote:

That's probably it. I'll run it with more lube and put more rounds through it and see how it goes.

It would be good insurance to thoroughly scrub and clean off the breech face, the extractor (especially inside the hook), the feed ramp and the chamber itself. If some problems can be solved by racking the slide and there are other times when the slide makes it far enough forward to require pulling the mag to clear it, then it really sounds like a hangup in the path the bullet entering the pistol rather than exiting the magazine.

I’ve had no problem with 124 gr hat in mine

I had a similar problem with my p225a1. My carry round, critical defense would jam on the feed ramp during chambering randomly. It fed ball ammo fine. I thought it was a break in thing. I put over 1000 rounds, 500 of which were 124 nato spec, through it. Still had issues. I tried 5 other different defense/carry rounds including Sig’s own ammo and the only round it seemed to feed reliably were gold dots. After putting all that extra money into finding it through various ammo and other magazines i finally sold it at a loss. Just couldnt trust it. Shot great when it did shoot, but I have too many other Sigs and other guns to waste any more money on one I couldnt trust. It has really been the only gun I have ever had an issue with. Was probably a lemon which is a shame because they are great guns.

I have had zero feeding or ejection issues with my p225, however for the first few hundred rounds there were occasions that the slide did not lock back after last round fired. I am probably up to 700+ rounds and this has not been an issue beyond the first 200 or so rounds fired. Re ammo i have tried 3 or 4 types of ammo and zero issues with any. I like the single stack pistols and the 225 and P239 are my best shooting and most accurate pistols

Havent tried Federal HST, but mine fed Speer GDHPs just fine

are you positive the mags are factory / correct?



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I'm sure they're factory magazines. They are all stamped "Sig Sauer P225-1 9mm" and look like they do in the pictures I can find online.

I think it's just a matter of sending more FMJ through it and then possibly finding a round it feeds well. I'll try the Golden Sabres if I can't get the HSTs to work reliably, but before that I'll give it a thorough breech face / extractor scrubbing and a few hundred more cycles.

Thanks for all the replies so far - and I hope I don't run into issues like SigBauer did with theirs.

Try Federal 9BP 115 gn hollow point. This is an older technology round, but feeds well even in my old Sig P6.

I Have have ran over 300 HSTs though my 365, 229, 226, and 365 with no problems. If it keeps up I would give Sig or Robert a call.

I think I have this figured out - it's a break-in issue, but with the magazines.

I'd noticed when topping off a magazine after loading that the top round is being dragged forward by the slide as it comes to battery. Loading that first round, then dropping the mag to top off, it would hang up in the pistol. When I pulled it out, I could feel and then see that the top round was forward of the rear wall of the magazine.

I wouldn't think this would interfere with it returning to battery, but when I replaced the floor plate with the +1 plate from Galloway Precision (relaxing the spring tension a bit) and then loaded the normal 8 rounds in the magazine, the behavior mostly went away.

A test at the range with the +1 floor plate (but loading only 8 rounds) confirmed the pistol cycles and feeds without issues using the 124gr. HST cartridge.

So, I think I just need to break in those magazine springs a bit and everything will be fine. More range time!

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks.

That is my load as well, after I shot it a decent amount I ran 2 boxes of the 2 SD rounds I keep on hand, one of which obviously is yours. No issues. I’m glad you sorted it out.

I hate the idea of “break in”, but it seems prudent nowadays if not even pretty common.

Right on.

My 225A1 did fine after a few problems of not locking back during the first warm up rounds. After 300 rounds it is doing well. I really like the gun and would sure hate to have to trade it off. Please keep us all posted if someone has a particular problem with one certain brand of ammo.
Thanks,
Hillbilly Dan
Life Member NRA