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Sig P226 Accuracy Issue

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Recently this year I picked up my first Sig pistol which is a P226 in 9mm. Fit & feel is great but having a major issue with it shooting low. At 15 yds its shooting around 4" low or a little more, depending on which ammo I use. Have had several other pistols over the years (revolvers & striker) but this is my first DA/SA semi. Let two other experienced shooters test it to see if it was just me and they had similar results. Contacted Sig had it sent back in which they did a review and test fired it and they said it was all with in spec and enclosed the target which was a five shot group just very slightly below center. I tested it again after getting it back and still shooting low like before. Any other shooters on here have this problem with this model also, etc ? Really like this model overall if I can get this resolved. Second Sig purchase was a Sig P320 carry which shoots great just like my HK VP9 right out of the box.

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What weight/brand of ammo are you shooting? Have you tried more than one? A different brand or weight may solve your problem.

I've tried various brands in both 115 & 124 gr in Winch Nato white box,American Eagle, Speer, Herters, Federal, Arms Cor, etc all FMJ. Groups are decent but just extremely low in my opinion

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Recently this year I picked up my first Sig pistol which is a P226 in 9mm. Fit & feel is great but having a major issue with it shooting low. At 15 yds its shooting around 4" low or a little more, depending on which ammo I use. Have had several other pistols over the years (revolvers & striker) but this is my first DA/SA semi. Let two other experienced shooters test it to see if it was just me and they had similar results. Contacted Sig had it sent back in which they did a review and test fired it and they said it was all with in spec and enclosed the target which was a five shot group just very slightly below center. I tested it again after getting it back and still shooting low like before. Any other shooters on here have this problem with this model also, etc ? Really like this model overall if I can get this resolved. Second Sig purchase was a Sig P320 carry which shoots great just like my HK VP9 right out of the box.

 

I haven't experienced that with either my P226 or my P320SC.  Both shoot great.  I find I'm much more accurate with them than I am with any other of my pistols.  Primarily, I use Am. Eagle 9mm 115gr FMJ.

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This is probably not the cause since others had the same result but I will throw it out there anyway. 

 

I have shot many types of pistols for years and could print all of them well out to 25 yards or so.  I bought my first M1911 last year and it was shooting 4" low for me, tried different ammo and had the same result.  After about 6 months of trying to figure it out I found that I was "torqueing" the pistol down when I pulled the trigger, just me not used to the straight pull trigger.

 

Did some dry fires and watched what I was doing and was able to correct the problem in short order. 

 

If this trigger is substantially different than what you were used to try some dry fires and see if your barrel is moving at all.  Like I said, this is probably not the problem but just sharing my experience.

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Here's a terrific article about Sig sights. May help you out with remedying your problem...

 

https://www.realgunreviews.com/sig-sauer-sight-heights-sight-numbers/

 

Good luck.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

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This is why I avoid fixed sights on handguns.

Try a heavier bullet. Those tend to print higher from a handgun, as they have more momentum before clearing the barrel (usually the increased weight more than makes up for the decreased velocity, but it is load dependent). More momentum means more barrel rise before the bullet leaves the barrel, which gives a higher point of impact.

It's not unexpected that your groups were in a different place than the group fired by the factory. Even if they used the same load, grip ergonomics are different for everyone. It's rare for two people to shoot to the same point of impact.

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Here's a terrific article about Sig sights. May help you out with remedying your problem...

 

https://www.realgunreviews.com/sig-sauer-sight-heights-sight-numbers/

 

Good luck.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

Hey Bob, thanx for that article. It's a good one to file.

 

For the OP: I checked the sights on two P226 Elites in 9mm. They are both Siglite night sights. Both front sights are clearly marked #8. One rear sight clearly has "MH3 AM" printed on it, while the other has "MH3 AK", both markings on the right edge of the sights. Both have a minuscule stamping below those markings that is probably an 8 with a circle around it. I say probably because even with a magnifying glass I wouldn't bet my life it's an 8. But it probably is.

 

Both pistols shoot on target as expected.

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My 229 shoots low with 115gr bullets but is dead on with Speer 124gr GDHP.  What type of sight picture do you use? Sig are supposed to use a combat sight picture.  Here is a quote from Sig on the matter

 

"All SIG SAUER production duty/combat pistols are set up to use a “combat” sight picture. This is where the front sight completely covers the bullseye of the target. Using a six o’clock (“pumpkin on a post”) or center mass (“half’n’half”) sight picture will result in low impact. SIG SAUER, Inc sights in all non-sporting and non-target pistols for 2.5 inch groupings @ 15 yards."

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My 229 shoots low with 115gr bullets but is dead on with Speer 124gr GDHP.  What type of sight picture do you use? Sig are supposed to use a combat sight picture.  Here is a quote from Sig on the matter

 

"All SIG SAUER production duty/combat pistols are set up to use a “combat” sight picture. This is where the front sight completely covers the bullseye of the target. Using a six o’clock (“pumpkin on a post”) or center mass (“half’n’half”) sight picture will result in low impact."

 

 

Really?   I always thought center mass was considered a 'combat' sight picture.

 

The problem with completely covering the bullseye of the target is that you have no real idea of where you are aiming.  

 

You know you're not too low, of course, or you'd see the bullseye.  

If you are centered and just happen to be precisely even with the top of the bullseye (and the sights are set for that picture), you'd be just fine.  

But if the bulleye is below the sights, you can't tell if you are centered on it, and you can't tell if you are precisely even with the top of the bull, or too high.  Maybe a lot too high.

 

I admit, I'm more of a precision shooter, not tacticool, not a trained operator...but I've never heard anyone (other than in that referenced quote from SIG) recommend completely covering the bullseye with the sights.  

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Really?   I always thought center mass was considered a 'combat' sight picture.

 

The problem with completely covering the bullseye of the target is that you have no real idea of where you are aiming.  

 

You know you're not too low, of course, or you'd see the bullseye.  

If you are centered and just happen to be precisely even with the top of the bullseye (and the sights are set for that picture), you'd be just fine.  

But if the bulleye is below the sights, you can't tell if you are centered on it, and you can't tell if you are precisely even with the top of the bull, or too high.  Maybe a lot too high.

 

I admit, I'm more of a precision shooter, not tacticool, not a trained operator...but I've never heard anyone (other than in that referenced quote from SIG) recommend completely covering the bullseye with the sights.  

All of my target guns are shot with a 6 o'clock hold.  My less accurate "combat" guns are shot covering the bullseye.

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The old test target that came with early Sig's was pretty unique and had a more definitive aiming point then than a traditional "black bull" and results were marked with the targeted distance. It was pretty easy to guess where your aiming point should be when using the original Von Stavenhagen sights. So many more options with sights and styles today can confuse some and muddle the results. Varying bullet weights introduce another factor to account for in the equation. 

 

 

random sample target: 

P220_target.jpg

 

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