P226 Mags

[adamsredlines]

I'm new to P226 world...looks like Mec-Gar is the "Go to" brand of magazine.
I'm looking for a few, that being said I have a good friend who is willing to give me all his Mec-Gar 18 rounders because they wont run in his older German P226. Is that a fluke, or are the 18 rounders not very reliable, or are newer mags not compatible with the older West German guns?

 

[Aries]

I'm far from a Sig expert, but I did do a little research into this a couple of months ago when I bought an LEO trade in P229.

I believe Mec-Gar makes the magazines that come with new Sigs, so Sig or Mec-Gar brand are essentially same quality, different name.

Best I remember, they made some change in the design that resulted in the magazines being a slightly different width. So some magazines won't fit in some of the P226, others will fit and work but there is a little rattle from a smaller mag in a larger well.

Without researching it again, I would say your friend's 18 round Mec-Gar magazines are too wide to fit in the older Sig frame. In any case, I don't think the issue will be Mec-Gar quality, just a question of whether it fits your gun. If they're loose, they may still work fine... if they're too wide, well... at least you know you have a generous friend.

Hopefully someone more familiar with Sigs will come along and correct my faulty memory, or fill in some details.

 

[adamsredlines]

Some measurements...

Buddies:
20rd Sig Sauer USA marked, so Checkmate Industries? (not 18, I was mistaken)
This is the one that doesnt run
1.259x.815

Standard mag marked both Sig Sauer Germany and Exeter NH??
He has several of these and they all run fine
1.265x.810


Mine, all USA Marked that came with the Legion:
1.263x.807
1.263x.807
1.262x.806