looking at excellent condition P220ST. 45. Really like the gun but I heard of parts availability issues. Frame made in Germany. Anyone has experience with those guns? Anything will help. Thank You.

What parts availability issues?

Are you concerned about parts availability because it’s a P220 or because it’s a P220 with stainless steel frame? If it’s the former, there are some parts differences among various versions of P220s, especially their extractors, and SIG has been reducing its support of Classic line pistols in general. Some parts may therefore be more difficult to find these days than others. If I were considering the purchase and concerned about that, I’d check to see what parts are available.

Just because the gun has a stainless steel frame in itself has no bearing on parts availability that I’m aware of. Except for the frame the parts are all the same as other P220s’.

And generally speaking, P220s, like other SIG Classic line pistols, are very reliable and durable. My agency issued them for years and the only problems I ever saw were a couple of broken hammer reset springs (the most common P220 parts failure) and one broken trigger bar spring (the second most common P220 parts failure). I believe both of those parts are still readily available, but I admit I haven’t checked recently.

I have 4 P220 pistols. And two of them are P220ST’s. As far as parts for repair, I’ve never seen an issue. AFAIK, the P220 is still a current production gun (and has been in production for several decades).
Also, like Sigfruend posted, these are extremely durable guns. These are pistols built with the “Hell and Back” mentality SIG used to have. Might I say even Legendary Status could be applied to this platform of pistol?
Anyway, it’s a good gun and I think repair parts will be around for a long time. If you can somehow manage to break it.

Now, if it’s aftermarket parts you are looking for....it ain’t a GLOCK for sure.

That being said, when we colonize Mars, I wouldn’t doubt you’ll eventually be able to scrounge up a 1911 and a P220 with red dust on them.

I have owned two and never had a problem with either one.

I have owned quite a few of the p220's and a half dozen of sigs all stainless line.

I think the wear on cpo's small parts is from poor maintenance. Thus, a lot of owners will replace all the springs on a CPO. IE the two springs mentioned above.

Buy it, Inspect it closely replace anything that concerns you. Keep the old springs as back ups.

If it slides it gets grease, if it rotates or compresses it gets oil.

The VERY early ones had a non-standard rail and required an adapter. That's the only issue I'm aware of.

I have a 20+ year old 220. High round count. With exception of roll pins, springs and new night sights, its all original.
If this is truly concerning for you, get a schematic and buy the parts you think you will need and save them for later.
Factory parts kit:P220-45-PKIT $49.

Top Gun Supply and Numrich are often good places to develop a stash of whatever spare parts you'll need. Numrich, at least, keeps a schematic on their website. Personally I'd keep two or three recoil springs on hand just because you can actually expect to replace them.

Depending on how much you intend to shoot it more than likely all you'll ever have to replace are springs, as noted.

As someone who has accumulated a bunch of parts over the years, I'd be the last one to say you don't need anything, but there is almost no reason to keep something like a locking insert laying around or even a trigger bar for that matter. The majority of my parts are just sitting around collecting dust but then I like to shoot so many different guns it's unlikely I'll get to really high round counts on any of them.

Which parts do you think you might need to replace?

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
The VERY early ones had a non-standard rail and required an adapter. That's the only issue I'm aware of.

I have one of those. Never could imagine what they were thinking with that rail. I mean it’s not like the HK propriety rail when they were basically trailblazing. Picatinny was around and fairly used at that point.

That said I do sort of like the aesthetics of odd rail.

My P220 has been great by the way.

I believe the odd mounting rail on the first P220ST pistols was for a proprietary compensator that most of the guns were never equipped with.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I believe the odd mounting rail on the first P220ST pistols was for a proprietary compensator that most of the guns were never equipped with.

I think that is correct. The frames came from the 220 Sport.

I have a early P220ST.
The frame is from the P220 Sport and is made to accept the matching compensator.
I was able to find 2 Sport compensators.I can install the 5" barrel and add a compensator and I "basically" have a P220 Sport.The sights don't go the length of the pistol (all the way to the front of the compensator) but still work as well as a standard P220.

I had Ernest Langdon do the trigger, I doubt a Sport would offer anything better.