Sig P220 Is it engravable?

[Troy G]

I have a client that wants the slide of his Sig P220 engraved with some lettering. Has anyone engraved one? and how tough is the metal?

-Troy

 

[Marrinan]

Remove the grip and make a small test cut. Remove the slide and do the same on the inside surface. Should give you an idea of the metal's nature. If it is real hard adjust your costs accordingly. Fred

 

[KCSteve]

Even test cuts on the inside of the slide might fool you. Someone posted recently about attempting engraving of a Springfield XD. The inside of the slide showed that the metal was workable, but the extremely tough finish / coating on the outside pretty much said otherwise. Be sure to try a test cut somewhere finished, if you can find one discrete enough.

Sigs are one of the many modern guns that are made to withstand pretty much anything the world can throw at them and unfortunately they seem to see engraving as just more scratches.

 

[Roger Bleile]

Even test cuts on the inside of the slide might fool you. Someone posted recently about attempting engraving of a Springfield XD. The inside of the slide showed that the metal was workable, but the extremely tough finish / coating on the outside pretty much said otherwise.

That was me Steve. First time I got snookered like that. Now I just refuse to work on any modern tactical gun.

 

[Colt Walker]

I am not sure how hard the Kahr slide is compared to the sig, I did engrave some scrolls on it but ended up resharping 4 cutters before I was done. Also did some on a springfield 1911 with nearly same result. Would not attemp that again! Good luck

 

[Southern Custom]

Once again, I think we need some way of continually adding these nasty guns to our database on the tips side. If there is a way, I'd love to know.
Layne

 

[BrianPowley]

No "Black Guns" for me either. Hell---some SS is enough of a chore.

 

[Beathard]

I engraved a Sig P938 stainless slide. It wasn't too bad.

 

[dimovengraving]

Hi Troy,
In the engraving of P220 is not bad to avoid the red areas , shown in the picture below:

I think that area was wide 10-12 mm
Everything else is engr. decently

I write for the standard base model. I don't know how it is with stainless version

Good luck

 

[Troy G]

Thanks for all the advice. Seems to be cutting relatively easy.
-Troy

 

[Southern Custom]

Same goes for the Sig p238. It cut like butter. Even around the ejection port. I've yet to cut a P938 but I'm glad to hear it goes the same.
Thanks Evgeni for the info on the 220. I'll add this to my list. If any of you get a customer that just has go have their Glock engraved, (?) send them to Lone Wolf Distributors for an aftermarket steel slide. They'll make them any way you want.
Layne

 

[RoycroftRon]

Just curious, the sig 220's that I have seen all have the nitron coating which is that matte coating made to reduce reflection. It almost seems like a parkerized coating. Is the one you are working on have this coating and if so how is it responding?