Does anyone have the Sig 22lr conversion kit for the 226? I am thinking of this and looking for feedback from anyone who has it.

How is the balance and frame fit?

How is the quality?

Does it run reliably with the Fed bulk 550 stuff?

Does it have last shot slide hold open?

Can it be damaged by dry-fire?

Are the mags good? How are mag prices?

Is the best place to purchase directly from Sig?

 

Thanks!

I have the kit and here is my experience:

 

The slide is made of aluminum. If you use it on an alloy frame it will be way lighter than when the frame had the centerfire slide on it. So on an alloy frame it does not balance well for me. I use it on a stainless frame and it balance pretty well and feels like a centerfire gun with alloy frame.

 

Frame fit is pretty good and all Sigs are not "fitted". You can take parts from one gun and use it on another without any fitting. Quality is not bad with the exception of the stock guide rod.

 

When new it does not run well with anything except high velocity ammo. CCI Mini Mag is what's recommended and it runs 100% with those. Once well broken in you can probably get away with bulk high velocity ammo.

 

For it to run well you should replace the guide rod with a steel one.

 

The slide does not lock back after the last round. If you dry fire it will peen the back of the barrel where it contacts the breech face and will cause feed problems. The mags are decent and you can purchase aftermarket plugs and follower which will increase capacity to 15 as well as "lock" the slide back after last shot. Basically the follower protrudes much more out of the mag after last shot so the breech face gets blocked by the follower.

 

I got it a long time back so I don't remember anything about prices.

 

HTH.

I have one and like it quite a bit! The slide is MUCH lighter than the stock milled steel slide, and the gun will balance differently in your hand. Good quality, the adjustable sights are very nice. It takes some breaking-in, CCI Mini-Mags worked best. Now that the gun has a few rounds through it, Federal Bulk seems to work well but only the 40gr variety. Be sure to use only a light coat of oil on the rails, grease will slow the slide down enough to cause jams. My experience jives fairly well with auto's. I paid 220 for mine this past christmas when sig had a special on it.

The peening seems a bit worry some, but would not a dremel take care of that?

The peening seems a bit worry some, but would not a dremel take care of that?

 

Yes if you are handy with one. That's what Sig does to fix it if you send the barrel to them. I'd avoid dry firing with the conversion kit installed all together and also get the mag followers to lock back the slide on the last round.

I bought the .22lr kit about a month or so ago, tried it for the first time last weekend and shot 100 rounds of cci mini-mag without any issues at all. The kit seemed to work fine. This was with my Sig P226 USPSA.

 

I did however buy some modified magazine springs and followers from www.SigPower.com. These mean that on the last shot the slide does stay partially back thereby ensuring you are aware and don't damage the firing pin. I also bought a metal guide rod from the same website.

 

Seems to work fine for me and is a useful training tool

 

TheWombat

Great! Now I will wait for the next sale, maybe there will be one for Presidents day.

I am considering one of these as well. A lot of great, detailed info. Thanks everyone!

 

Also, here's the best price I found online. I've never bought from this place, though, so I can't vouch for them:

http://ineedmoregear.com/sig-sauer-22lr-4-5-blue-conv-unit-p226-adjustable-sights-10rd-conv-226-22/

I am considering one of these as well. A lot of great, detailed info. Thanks everyone!

 

Also, here's the best price I found online. I've never bought from this place, though, so I can't vouch for them:

http://ineedmoregear...rd-conv-226-22/

 

Shipping is $12.50. They also have the mags for $38, which is a good price. Then you need to add the hold-open follower for another $22 each mag, and the metal guiderod. Its adding up quickly over $525 with 5 mags! Its the mag price that is pushing the cost, need 5 to shoot steel.

Shipping is $12.50. They also have the mags for $38, which is a good price. Then you need to add the hold-open follower for another $22 each mag, and the metal guiderod. Its adding up quickly over $525 with 5 mags! Its the mag price that is pushing the cost, need 5 to shoot steel.

 

Would you need 5 .22 mags though? You could practice reloads with the 9mm mags I would think.

 

Curious because I am also considering going this route with a 226, Beretta 92, or CZ 75, or less likely a Glock 19, with 22 conversion for USPSA.

I was going to use it for steel matches, so I would need 5 mags. I have a conversion kit for my 1911 that runs flawless even with bulk ammo. But I was thinking of this kit so I could run the same pistol between all the various matches on 22lr and 9mm. If I didn't have a kit for the 1911, I would be all over this as I love my P226, but for now it's a want rather than a need

I noticed that the mags are polymer. Do they drop free when you hit the release? This is important for my intended use. My 1911 kit the mags are aluminum and drop free and also lock in place very well.

Yes the mags drop free. However, it you install the SigPower extended followers then they will not.