The Sig Sauer P229 has long been known as a highly reliable and extremely well crafted handgun. So much so in fact, that it continues to be utilized by the US Air Marshall Service, boarder patrol agencies, and the Presidential Secret Service. It’s sister gun, the P226 has also been a favorite of the US Navy Seals. I’ve had the good fortune to own one now for approximately 2 years with some great success and I thought it may be helpful for some of you if I covered some of the pros and cons I’ve experienced along the way. Enjoy:
Features:
- alloy frame
- stainless steel slide
- nitride finish
- Sig night sites
- de-cocking mechanism
- double action / single action trigger
- rail system (on the P229R)
- available in 9mm, .40, and .357
Pros –
- As I said, I’ve owned this gun for about 2 years now. In that time I’ve probably put around a thousand rounds through it in all variety of ammo brand and grain. This includes law enforcement issue hollow point hot loads. In all of this time I have had zero…that’s right zero misfires, stovepipes, or jambs of any kind.
- I’m also a huge fan of the double single action trigger system. This does take quite a bit of practice to master however. Your first shot from draw is going to require a very solid 11 pound trigger pull. From that point forward however there is a short, crisp 4 pound draw. This can both be a challenge and a benefit. With the absence of an external safety, the double action trigger allows the shooter to carry the weapon safely with a round in the chamber and the hammer uncocked without fear of an accidental discharge. Since your first shot is the most critical in a self-defense scenario I feel that with practice this will allow for a more controlled shot. Obviously the challenging aspect is that your pull is different between the first and second shots thereby creating the potential of reduced accuracy. For that reason many sport shooters will not use the P229 for a competition gun, and it is most often used as a service or self-defense weapon.
- Owners of the .40 caliber and .357 versions can swap calibers simply by swapping barrels
- The de-cocking mechanism allows you to safely drop the hammer back into the resting position before reholstering. I’ve always felt more comfortable with this method rather than using the thumb to control the drop.
- Exceptional magazine capacity (9mm is 15 rds, .40 and .357 is 12 rds)
- The all weight and size of the gun provide exceptional recoil dampening making it a comfortable shooter for long-range sessions with incredible accuracy
- Easy disassembly
Cons –
- Sig Snobs… Just like with cars, you will always have a loyal and dedicated following that feel that their brand is the best and only brand worthy of ownership. It’s no different with a Sig, except for one thing. The price of ownership of one of these guns seem to bring out the most opinionated bunch of them all.
- Though I included the overall weight as a benefit, it can also make it cumbersome when it comes to concealed carry. This gun weighs in at 34.4 ounces empty, and significantly more when full loaded.
- Overall size. Though still considered a compact, the overall length is over 7 inches long, with a barrel length of 4 inches. Although this isn’t ridiculous by any means, it can still be difficult to conceal especially in summer months.
- Price. The price range on this model ranges between $900 – $1200 retail
Overall Impressions
I love this gun, I really do. I find it to be reliable, accurate, incredibly comfortable, and unbelievably well made. On the flip side, it’s just a little too big for myself as a medium framed non-law enforcement carrier to lug around in my opinion. For all of these reasons I have decided to use this particular gun as the home defense gun of my collection. Safety, capacity, night sights, and accuracy would make this a perfect choice in the horrific event that one or more intruders attempt to break into my home and harm my family.
Bottom line – fantastic gun. You won’t be disappointed. However, if you are looking for an everyday carry as a civilian, there are other more affordable options out there.