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Every once in a while, a gun company will come out of left field with a really interesting concept. A few years ago, SIG came out with a revival of the original SIG P210 and P210 Target. The latest variation of the P210 lineup is the new P210 Carry from SIG. This line of pistols has a reputation for having one of the best triggers in handguns as well as being incredibly accurate. After having some time with the P210, I can finally talk with confidence about my thoughts on it. Let’s take a closer look at the SIG Sauer P210 Carry.
Specs
The basis for the P210 Carry is a smaller version of the classic P210 that’s been modernized for concealed carry. SIG’s original P210 can be dated back to 1949 with various small changes over the years. The general design of the original P210 still lives on in the new Carry variant, but there’s been a few subtle changes. Everything on the new P210 Carry has been dehorned and smoothed out creating a snag-free pistol geared towards concealed carry. The P210 Carry also uses the same 8-round magazine as the full-size P210 meaning magazines should be easy to find. SIG also included a set of new G10 grips for the P210 Carry giving it a fresh and modern appearance while offering a fair amount of traction to your grip compared to the standard P210 wood grips.
Every P210 Carry comes equipped standard with SIGLITE Night Sights in a three-dot pattern. In addition to the night sights, the new P210 Carry comes with forward slide serrations, an enlarged safety selector as well as a larger slide release. The single action trigger on my P210 Carry had an average break of around 3.5lbs once I fired a few hundred rounds through it with an audible reset. SIG coated the P210 Carry with the same Nitron finish as their P-Series which makes the fit and finish top-notch. MSRP on the SIG P210 Carry is $1,549.99 and it’s currently available on the market.
Factory Specs:
On my first range session, stepping up to the line I really wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s a midsize single stack 9mm metal framed handgun. The P210 Carry may not be the best lightweight high-capacity option on the market today but how did it shoot? I started out slow just shooting controlled pairs at different targets to try out the trigger reset, recoil impulse, sight picture and ease of transitions with this handgun. Shooting a tactical duty pistol, you often have almost 20 rounds of ammo that you can shoot as fast as possible with relatively little effort.
Burning up every target until you run dry which only means you can do a slide lock reload and keep banging all over again. The P210 is a much different experience than most tactical pistols on the market. With the single action trigger, you can burn through the 8-round magazine in no time, but it’s like driving a Rolls-Royce around a race track as fast as possible. Shooting the P210 Carry quickly is completely doable and with the low bore axis, it’s honestly pretty easy to do, but it doesn’t feel like a gun that needs to be shot quickly.
After my second or third magazine through the gun, I started to slow down my pacing which made me really just enjoy my range session. It was one of the first times since I started shooting that I wanted to slow down and just enjoy every shot. Feeling the trigger reset and the mechanical action of the slide reciprocating really became an incredibly enjoyable experience. So after my first few magazines did I stop and call it a wrap? The short answer is absolutely not. I started keeping my P210 Carry in my range bag to keep shooting.
If you guys are anything like me, I have a fair amount of stressful days and rather than going to the bar or drinking at home, I enjoy going to the range and just enjoy slowly shooting targets to reduce stress. Lately, the P210 Carry has turned into my stress reduction gun where I just take roughly 100 rounds out with a couple paper targets to slowly shoot and decompress. The overall design of the P210 Carry is rather interesting. SIG decided to take a classic approach to the P210 Carry with no accessory rail or optic cut on the slide. The black G10 grips offer a slight palm swell which fills my hand very well while not being too aggressive like other G10 grips seem to have.
At the start of testing my trigger was breaking in-between 4.25-4.5lbs but after roughly 500 rounds it’s now settled right around 4.25lbs and feels much smoother. The trigger is crisp with a defined wall and a clean break. My P210’s reset had a slight click before resetting from the factory but after a couple hundred rounds, it smoothed out and it’s a very short reset now.
Accuracy and Reliability
For testing, I used a few different types of ammunition including Federal American Eagle 124gr, LAX ammo 115gr factory new ammo as well as Blazer Brass 115gr ball ammo. Between these three ammo types, I can gladly say I had zero malfunctions and the P210 was 100% reliable. The more I shot the P210 Carry, the more it seemed to feel like the gun was riding on glass making the action incredibly smooth. If you go online to any forum, you’ll see people who complain about the American-made P210s saying they aren’t the quality of the original Swiss models. After spending an extensive amount of time with both the P210 Target and P210 Carry, I can confidently say both are very reliable and both feel like high-quality firearms.
The accuracy of the P210 Carry is impressive as well. I tried all three ammo types out of the gun and measured each group size. At 25 yards, the P210 Carry with a 4.1″ barrel shot in-between a 1″ and 1.35″ group depending on ammo type. My example tended to like the Federal ammunition the best, but there wasn’t a huge variation in group size between the three ammo types. Throughout my time with the P210 Carry, I can definitely tell you it’s a tack driver when shooting for group size and will definitely outperform most shooters’ ability when it comes to accuracy.
Carrying the P210 Carry
Being a slim single-stack gun, the P210 Carry is a really comfortable gun to carry whether it’s in jeans or a three-piece suit. It doesn’t have a high capacity like other models, but the full metal construction really gives it a sturdy weight and balance to the gun. When it comes to holsters, finding a model that specifically works for the P210 Carry can be tricky since it’s not a widely available firearm yet, but there are a few manufacturers out there who support the model. You can also use the standard P210 holsters with the Carry as well which helps.
Throughout my time with the P210 Carry, whenever I was invited out to a higher-end restaurant for dinner with friends, I always found myself wanting to carry the P210. I can’t give a specific reason for this feeling, but just like James Reeves talked about in his video review, the P210 Carry is a gentleman’s carry. This is an absolutely fantastic option to carry at a friendly barbecue or when you dress up formally and want a handgun to match your clothes.
Overall Thoughts
The P210 may not be a gun of high priority on some of your lists, but let’s set the record straight, the P210 Carry is one of those special guns that only comes around once in a great while. Some of you will complain about the capacity, weight and overall lack of wiz bang features. This is a back to basics single action carry gun. The handgun is truly a pretty gun that is extremely enjoyable to shoot. Just like a Rolls-Royce, the P210 Carry is a relaxed luxury handgun that’s just a really enjoyable experience to take to the range. There are lightweight carry options with more capacity available but I’m not sure if there’s a better formal attire gun than the P210 Carry. James Reeves says the P210 Carry is the textbook tuxedo gun and I couldn’t agree more.
What do you guys think about the SIG P210 Carry? Is it a gentleman’s pistol or a bit outdated? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. If you have questions about the P210 Carry or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you in the next review.
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