If you really want a do all gun, get a 40/357 sig frame. Then get the 229-1 9mm upper and some 229-1 9mm mags. A few months ago I picked up a 229-1 upper for my 40 (I went with the optic version that shipped with a romeo 1). Its been awesome. I can still shoot .40 or .357 sig (I had the barrel already) and I have dedicated 9mm mags and upper for when I want to shoot cheaper ammo. So far the Romeo has held up and it has a pretty big window.
My experience with Sigs metal framed guns is actual ownership and not gun store / internet hype . I own 9 P226’s and 1 P229. All bought new starting in 2011 and up to this week with my latest, a P229 LE Legion .All are shot regularly. Some more than others . I can honestly say that I’ve never seen or experienced any shoddy workmanship or quality control.
Yes I’m sure there’s some out there. Every company puts out a dud now and then . Just my experience.
Agree. I ran a couple new long extractor P226's and a P224 several years ago that I had purchased new. I had no problems in the few thousand rounds that I shot through the practice gun.
I saw enough problems on SIG Forum back in the early Cohen era guns mentioned above that I would definitely avoid them. Otherwise, I'd have no problem picking up any P22x series built in the last ten years and running it for personal use, if that was my thing.
David S.
A search of P-F will show multiple members having issues with SIG P22x series guns produced between 2006 and 2015-ish. Many of the P-F members reporting issues shoot regularly and many had issues with multiple guns as part of LE agencies.
The problems were not just workmanship / QC. During that period SIG was actively making changes to the 22x series to cut manufacturing costs. These included changing suppliers for parts of lesser quality and substituting MIM parts for forged parts. The MIM versions of the short extractor were so problematic SIG had to introduce the long style extractor, which was itself problematic for its first 2 - 3 years till the bugs were worked out.
As noted up thread, during this period (2006-2015) multiple LE agencies which issued P22x series guns conducted life cycle replacements and found their new guns were problematic and not the equal of their prior guns.
SIG seems to have worked out the bugs, currently production P22x guns seem to work but it was a long road back from the bad times.
My first SIG was a German made P228 back in the early 90s. I shot that pistol well and it fit my hands like it was made for my hands. I foolishly sold it. I started keeping my eyes open for another a few years back and stumbled onto a lightly used pre Cohen P229 in 9mm that had a SIG armorer carry level action job, SRT trigger system, and a Super strut main spring system for a very good price. I figured the P229 would be a better option for over the P228 because of the far more attractive prices and durability. Out all my DA/SA pistols, this P229 is by far the easiest to make accurate and fast hits in DA. It has a superb trigger for a DA/SA. So, OP, keep your eyes open and you should be able to pick up a lightly used 9mm P229 at a great price if you're looking more towards a shooter.
I first became acquainted with the traditional SIG pistols in the mid '80s, later carried a SIG on duty, became a SIG armorer, etc. I've owned some version or another of most of the metal framed SIGs, other than the 1911 types. I will always have a soft spot for the German/WG guns, but don't recall ever having a bad SIG, no matter the era. Unlike some of my 1911s, all my SIGs were reliable right out of the box. I guess I've never worried about getting SIGs not made during certain years...ymmv
FWIW, The 228s and 229s have always been favorites of mine. I actually prefer the chunky, heavier one piece slide of the 229s by a slight margin, especially 229s in 9mm with what is now referred to as the "Legacy" type slide. I've had others, but currently a '95 manufacture and a '17 manufacturer. Both good little guns; never an issue with either..
Last edited by Rock185; 06-25-2023 at 03:34 PM.
A 20% failure rate amongst our 226s (6 of 30) goes beyond a “dud now and then”. And the fact that we had to wait MONTHS for our local rep to show up w a special press to fix one of the problems (there were 2 different problems at play) because they were running around to other agencies fixing the same problem tells me all I need to know.
Formerly known as xpd54.
The opinions expressed in this post are my own and do not reflect the opinions or policies of my employer.
www.gunsnobbery.wordpress.com