First Look: SIG Sauer's P220 Hunter

I began my journey into handgun hunting last year, and while I tried various handguns—at the range and in the field—my favorite was clear right from the start: semi-automatics chambered in 10mm Auto. So when I got to the 2016 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, I was looking for 10mm’s to try out. And I found a great one in the SIG Sauer P220 Hunter.

I got the use the P220 Hunter at SIG Sauer’s Range Day, held at the Clark County Shooting Complex and I most definitely will be carrying one afield this spring and fall in search of hogs and whitetails—and any or suitable game. In my (admittedly brief) time with the P220 Hunter, I discovered that:

1. I’ve shot a decent selection of 10mm’s over the last year, and the P220 Hunter has the least recoil of any of them. I am not sure how SIG did that—but they did! Interestingly, when the FBI tried out 10mm’s as their new duty pistol and round in the mid-1980’s, it was the hefty 10mm recoil that led to the Feds drop down to the lighter-recoiling .40 S&W.  Had they had the SIG Hunter to use?  They might still be toting 10mm’s. 

2. The P220 Hunter is very accurate. I hit a steel target at 50 yards with the pistol and open sights while shooting offhand. I also missed the same target, but that was me getting used to a new handgun, not the P220. 

3. The pistol looks cool, thanks to the overall design and the Kryptek Camo pattern on the frame and slide. By the way, both frame and slide are stainless steel for superior resistance to the kinds of elements we hunters face afield.  

4. The P220 Hunter has a five-inch barrel, a smooth single-action trigger, adjustable sights and a suggested retail of $1,500. It’s not inexpensive, but it handles and preforms as well as custom 10mm’s I’ve shot that cost twice as much.

5. For hunting, I will be using the P220 along with another SIG product—the new V-Crown 10mm. The V-Crown launches a 180-grian JHP bullet out of the barrel at an impressive 1,250 fps. The round is accurate and hard hitting, as I know from using it this past fall. And the V-Crown bullet, which SIG terms a “stacked hollow point design,” is specifically made to drive deep, expand fully and retain nearly all of its original weight.  Result? Dead hogs and deer!