I’ve been lusting over the SIG P226 Scorpion for some time now, and after a little bit of brushing up on my negotiation tactics, I pulled the trigger (figuratively speaking) on one this morning.
I like the looks of the SIG, I like that it is an alloy-framed handgun (I’m not a big fan of the plastic guns), and I like that it is a SIG. Good buddy TJ told me he believes these are the finest handguns available today, and he’s a guy who knows handguns. The US Army recently made their sidearm decision and it’s SIG. That’s a strong endorsement, I think.
I bought my SIG Scorpion at Turner’s, the gun will be in the store this Thursday, and that’s when I get to start the PRK (Peoples Republik of Kalifornia) 10-day waiting period.
I’ve got a boatload of 9mm ammunition reloaded and ready to go, but that got me to thinking: What load might work best in the new SIG? I’d found in the past that 5.0 grains of Unique and a 125-grain cast roundnose bullet provided great accuracy in my Model 59, but then I got lazy and I stuck with that as my standard 9mm load in everything. I’ll be the first guy to tell you that to find the best load in any gun, you need to experiment and develop a load specifically for that gun. I have a couple of other 9mm pistols (a Springfield Armory 1911 and the Model 659 Smith and Wesson that I’ve blogged about before), and I’ve simply used my 5.0-grain Unique/125-grain cast roundnose in all of them. Is there a better load for each of these handguns?
So here’s what’s coming up: I’m going to do a load development comparo for the 659, the 1911, and the P226 to see where the accuracy lives for each gun. I’m thinking Unique, Bullseye, Power Pistol, the 147 grain Speer, the 125 gr cast RN Missouri, and maybe a 115 full metal jacket or hollowpoint bullet. I’m looking for inputs, so if you have a favored load for your 9mm handgun, let me know and I may throw it into the mix, too. Please add your suggestions to the Comments section here. I’ll keep you posted.
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Hey Joe, You seemed to enjoy shooting my P226 at the range a couple of months ago. And you shot my own damn gun with more accuracy than I was able to achieve that day. I was wondering when you were gonna get around to buying one. SIG makes great guns. Enjoy (assuming Gov. Newsom signs off on the background check)!
I sure did, Peter, and I think that’s what got me started thinking about getting a P226. When I saw the Scorpion with the Cerakote frame and color grips, I knew I needed one of these fine handguns in my life. Give us a call when you’re up for another range session. Enjoy the New Year!
Looking forward to the results
As am I, Larry. In the past, I’ve found the 9mm to be a challenging round to reload for accuracy, but I think I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way that should help. I’m looking for inputs, too, from others who have reloaded this round. Most of my friends buy factory ammo when they shoot 9mm because it is so inexpensive to buy in bulk. I like to reload. To me, it’s as much fun as shooting.
I see those ads from Turners for the Sigs and they never quote price. Do you mind if I ask what you paid for it? And what makes a Sig so desirable? I’ve heard the triggers are like silk but other than that I don’t have a clue. I personally love Beretta’s but have come to the conclusion that I need to send mine to TJ for a little trigger work. As for 9mm I buy lots of it in bulk and have everything from 115gr to 147gr. I had a little trouble with the 147gr in my Springfield XD Tactical but it was a break in issue and now runs it fine. I recently bought a surplus Tokerev M-57 from Turners. Got a beautiful one and it shoots great. You should try the 7.62×25 round. They are something – real hot and flat shooting but they don’t really have a lot of recoil. If you want to do a blog you can borrow mine – its a hoot!!!
The Turner’s price on the SIG Scorpion is $1179. I’ve fired a SIG P226 and it is a gun that just seems to fit and feel right. I originally thought I wanted a P220 in .45 ACP, but I liked the looks of the Scorpion better and I was won over by the cosmetics (all the wrong reasons, I know). From what I’ve read, the SIG .45s are phenomenally accurate, but I already have a 1911 that is a tack driver and I wanted to try something different.
My advice: Go for the TJ trigger job. The guy does amazing work and I’ve never felt like I made a bad decision having him work on any of my toys. He is an interesting guy who does outstanding work. He is a perfectionist, and he works on each gun as if it were his own. That’s what you want in any craft. I wish I could find motorcycle techs who approach their work like TJ does.
Let me know via email where you are located; I’d love to try your 7.62×25 and do a blog on it. Or maybe you would like to do a guest blog on it for us. Let me know.