This is a story about SIG SAUER’s made in USA P210 Carry (210CA-9-BSS). Since I first read about the attributes of the Swiss 210 when I was still in High School - long, long ago - I have had a hankering for a 210. Shot 208S for years in Bullseye, but at 32 oz. plus several more for sights, it has become too heavy. Effects of time have reduce the optimum weight to no more than 30 oz. empty. My wonderful Dan Wesson Valkyrie 9mm fits the bill and is easy to use and to maintain. It has a weight and capacity essentially the same as that of the 210CA with a slightly longer barrel. I managed to buy a 210CA and then to evaluate same.
THE GOOD: The grip and excellent sights result in just about the best “pointing” I have ever experienced. See an aiming point, raise the 210CA and it is aligned with the target. The thumb-safety works like that of a 1911 and is easy to disengage (make pistol ready to fire if hammer is cocked). The magazine release is tall without being in the way and it works well - magazines drop. Wiggle of frame to slide and wiggle of lock-up is TIGHT and is as good as that of a Dan Wesson. Excellent accuracy is reasonable to expect.
THE BAD: With hammer uncocked (down), it is virtually impossible for me to retract the slide far enough to the rear so as to clear magazine-well and to cock the hammer! Retraction of the slide is just possible if I cock the hammer first. [“Load and make ready” with local action pistol event where mags are only loaded with 6 rounds would be anything but smooth.] For Bullseye, I could construct a fixture to press just the slide against - like the old Handi-Racker®. Pistols need to be cleaned. Separating top and bottom is not easy as one has to find the unmarked stiff slide’s sweet-spot in order to remove the cross-pin. With the slide off the frame, barrel surmounted by recoil-spring looks customary, until one finds that the recoil-spring is very stiff and persnickety. Barrel itself, once out of the slide, is easy to clean and to place back into the slide. However, the recoil spring is very, very difficult to reinsert - one might consider cleaning barrel from the muzzle rather than deal with recoil-spring.
THE UGLY: Hansom pistol except for a muzzle protrusion that caused me to think that I had made an error reassembling. Unexpected in a “carry” pistol. No ready means to install red-dot sight at a reasonable height.
AND THE UNKNOWN: Trigger action is different than that of a 1911, which is not necessarily good or bad. Trigger feel is a long pull of essentially constant force, a slight wall followed by a short travel (creep) to release. Not sure about overtravel. Unknown how well one can “learn” the trigger. Another unknown is the long-term and short-term availability of replacement parts and the availability of a serious manual that will facilitate maintenance and repair. Trivial set of issues with 1911. Magazines made in Italy are presently very expensive when found.
SO: At long last I own a version of the 210, which pleases me. However it is probably going to become a safe-queen. Obviously, your experiences may differ.

So, how does it shoot? Or, did I miss it?

I don’t know what happened to this pistol. Before it was released it seems like everyone was excited and wanting Sig to release it. After it has been released I don’t see alot of enthusiasm for it ? Maybe they have other variants of the P210 already.

The only thing stopping me from the 210 Carry is price. It would be a better seller at $850 or so, but not at 1K+. I will wait to see if prices drop or try for a used one. My guess is it will be discontinued, probably next year.

Yup, the price is ridiculous. Sure, you can have enthusiasm, but it has its limit you know. Also, just because some folks are excited and vocal about it doesn't mean "everyone" is.

The lack of an ambi safety on a new gun in 2022 is astonishing. At least make it an option. I would be interested but I can't carry an anti-left handed pistol. For a range gun, a P210A Target is OK, but anything purporting to be for "carry" needs to be usable in both hands.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Yup, the price is ridiculous. Sure, you can have enthusiasm, but it has its limit you know. Also, just because some folks are excited and vocal about it doesn't mean "everyone" is.

Yea the price is WRONG!

Maybe the majority of gun buyers have no idea of the legacy of the 210 and only see it as a very expensive niche gun with a small capacity and simply buy i.e. a Glock for half the price.

quote:

Originally posted by P320Mac:
THE BAD: With hammer uncocked (down), it is virtually impossible for me to retract the slide far enough to the rear so as to clear magazine-well and to cock the hammer!

That's weird. I have no such problem with my P210A Target.

quote:

Originally posted by P320Mac:
Separating top and bottom is not easy as one has to find the unmarked stiff slide’s sweet-spot in order to remove the cross-pin. ... However, the recoil spring is very, very difficult to reinsert - one might consider cleaning barrel from the muzzle rather than deal with recoil-spring.

Nor either of those problems.

quote:

Originally posted by P320Mac:
Trigger action is different than that of a 1911, which is not necessarily good or bad. Trigger feel is a long pull of essentially constant force, a slight wall followed by a short travel (creep) to release.

That's not creep. It's a two-stage trigger. Has two "walls." Creep has grittiness. You'll notice that short second travel with slightly increased resistance has no grittiness. Or at least mine doesn't. Nor have I seen others complain of it.

I disagree with your definition. If I pull through to the “wall” and then there is more travel to the break, gritty or not, that is creep.

Gritty creep is just a worse version of smooth creep. Lol

Slightly off center but per Speedwobble's comment:
A local gunstore 30 miles away had a new Carry; they allowed me to handle it and try the trigger. Nicely balance, great trigger, excellent firearm.

Our own range had gotten several new Sigs to rent some months ago.
I finally worked up the courage to rent their P210 standard (no 'Carry' available).
It was very nice and the pistol looked almost unfired.
The range manager told me it wasn't very popular to rent.

People just don't know.

People might not know, that is true, but the 210 has never held any interest to me. Pure target guns rarely do and while I know it has military origins it wouldn’t be my top pick for that role either. There are a dozen guns I’d rather shoot than a 210. I’m actually amazed Sig puts as much effort into them as they do. I would have never thought they would sell well to anything but the connoisseur shooter. Ie, not most people. Lol

I often get hung up on features - a pistol needs to have these things, or I am not interested. Over time my gun club members let me shoot a few groups with their favorites. Two I was unfamiliar with impressed me with how they were built, felt in the hand and how well I shot them.

Now I have two Swiss built P210s and a Walther P88. Some things I just have to experience for myself.

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
I disagree with your definition.

It's not "my definition," it's what it is.

quote:

The two-stage P210 trigger has always been noted for its light pull weight and crisp letoff. In fact, it is a distinguishing characteristic of this magnificent handgun.

Full article: Review: The SIG P210 Target

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
If I pull through to the “wall” and then there is more travel to the break, gritty or not, that is creep.

You can call a car a refrigerator, but that don't make it so.

Interesting responses. Seems that it is possible for the "Carry" and "Target" to have significant differences. Spring has been too busy to allow more testing. However, a good friend with a "Target" and I may be able to get together and do further evaluations. Other definitions may exist, but my definition of creep is significant movement of trigger required after wall. Perhaps, after some shooting, a "crisp letoff" might be experienced.
Still: has right weight for me and excellent sights/pointing. Recoil spring's stiffness is a big issue for me. Regards to all. . . .

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
That's not creep. It's a two-stage trigger. Has two "walls." Creep has grittiness. You'll notice that short second travel with slightly increased resistance has no grittiness. Or at least mine doesn't. Nor have I seen others complain of it.

This is it. People new to the P210 will often complain about the "creep", when they don't realize it's the nature of the trigger system. Don't believe us? Just ask member OTD, whom I consider the foremost authority on the P210 on here.

I just got back from firing my buddies P210 Carry. I made fun of them prior to this and said, I'd rather put the money towards a 6" P210. With that said, it felt great and shot great. While I'm not a fan of 8 rounds and $1500 for a carry pistol, it was surprisingly ergonomic, had good balance with outstanding accuracy. He called it his "tuxedo gun". I think that summed it up.

A bad guy should be flattered he got ventilated with such class.

At long last I was able to find time to shoot my new P210CA - with much too stiff recoil spring that no one else seems to have.
Using factory Winchester ball 115 grain: first twenty rounds seemed to be all over the place, but I finally found a hold at 25 yards: nice group, considering the crude sights, that was 3 inches low and 2 inches left of point of aim.
. . . and recoil spring?

quote:

Originally posted by P320Mac:
At long last I was able to find time to shoot my new P210CA - with much too stiff recoil spring that no one else seems to have.
Using factory Winchester ball 115 grain: first twenty rounds seemed to be all over the place, but I finally found a hold at 25 yards: nice group, considering the crude sights, that was 3 inches low and 2 inches left of point of aim.
. . . and recoil spring?

Put like 500 rounds through it I bet it will loosen up a bit.