Debate It: Why Sig Sauer's P226 Is One of the Best Guns Ever Made

[Elderberry]

National Interest by Kyle Mizokami 6/1/219

The P226 is an evolution of an earlier design and indisputably one of the best pistols of the twentieth century.

One of the most popular handguns in the world is a Swiss-German design that traces its origins back to the immediate postwar era.

The Sig P226  is a full-sized weapon that while failing to capture the prize as the Pentagon’s new pistol in the 1980s went on to achieve underdog acclaim as the official handgun of the U.S. Navy SEALs.

In the late 1940s Swiss gunmaker Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft, known by its initials as SIG, introduced a new nine-millimeter handgun using the work of French gun designer Charles Petter. The pistol, known as the SIG 210, used the same locked-breech pattern invented by John Moses Browning in the early part of the twentieth century, particularly with the FN-Browning GP35. Built with Swiss precision and attention to detail, the pistol was adopted by the Swiss Army. It was later redesigned by SIG to be easier to manufacture, resulting in the SIG P220.

SIG, which had partnered with the German Sauer gunmaker to access the export market, created the SIG Sauer P226 to participate in the U.S. Army trials. The P226 was developed from the P220 as a smaller, lighter pistol. Unlike the Glock pistols that became popular in the late 1980s, the SIG was an all-steel pistol.

More: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/debate-it-why-sig-sauers-p226-one-best-guns-ever-made-60402

[Elderberry]

Well its not a 226, but AIM Surplus sent me this Sale Flyer: SALE! LEO SIG SAUER P229 .40S&W PISTOL ONLY $299.95 (REG. $399.95)

My resistance was low so I jumped on it and ordered one.

I'll let you know what I think about it whenever it comes in.

[Elderberry]

I looked into the conversion to 357SIG and all I need is the barrel. All the rest is the same as the .40, even the magazine.

[thackney]

I looked into the conversion to 357SIG and all I need is the barrel. All the rest is the same as the .40, even the magazine.

I can mail you a box of ammo that I misread the description on....

[Elderberry]

Thanks!

[Elderberry]

My P229 came in and I really like it! It's one of their Double Action Kellerman (DAK) double action only models. Overall for a used gun it looks very good with minor holster wear. I'm glad its DAO. I've always been more of a bullseye shooter and now I need to focus more on defensive shooting. I shot it at 7 yds. Man has my vision gone to hell. I fought to focus on those sights. I liked the sights though, 3 dot nite sights. I started out with both eyes open and then went to shooting with my right eye. Afterwards I read that you should shoot with your dominant eye. Stupid me I should of shot with my left eye. I shot 50 rounds both slow fire and fast into one group. My group centered 3" low and 1" left and most were in abt a 3" group. I'm going to do a lot of dry fire training and try to go shoot once a week. I haven't done any shooting in a long time.

[sneakypete]

I shot it at 7 yds. Man has my vision gone to hell. I fought to focus on those sights.

@Elderberry

Ignore the sights. Sights are for target-shooting,not self-defense at close range. In fact,I have several handguns that have no rear sights at all.

Instead,spend your time focusing on a 3 point stance that is comfortable to you,and let your body do the aiming. The goal is to instinctively have your gun pointing where you are looking.

Same thing for shooting at moving targets. Do NOT look at the gun sights,look at the target.

[Elderberry]

Sights have a purpose. Shots are not all at close range. I always begin shooting a new gun with the sights. After a while muscle memory kicks in and sights are no longer utilized to hit up close. My very first handgun had sights so bad I learned instinct shooting with it from the get go. Later I fixed the sights for long shots. The handgun I've shot the most is a 3" bbl. Chief's special. I started out with its sights and I could consistently hit out to 75 yds with that little gun. Up close and personal, no need for sights. Being able to use sights well, I was able to, most every time, shoot a tighter group, than they could, with all my friend's guns. Instinct, point, muscle memory shooting, takes time to develop. But once you have gained that skill you really never lose it. After having not been shooting for a long while you lose some, but not all of that muscle memory. Its just like riding a bicycle.

I read up on that P229 and it has 3 dot Combat Sights that are intended for the front dot to cover the intended target. I was aiming as if the dots didn't exist and instead that the sights were "Patridge" sights. That should explain my shooting low. It's most likely all me that I'm pulling the group to the left. I need to focus on my grip and trigger pull. Not used to DAO yet.

[sneakypete]

Sights have a purpose.

Yes,to give a false sign of confidence if they are on a handgun.

Shots are not all at close range.

Defensive handgun shots are.

 
 

[skeeter]

I'm better with a Glock. The barrel sits closer to the hand than on the Sig.

[roamer_1]

Man has my vision gone to hell. I fought to focus on those sights.

Yeah @Elderberry , me too... If I wear my glasses, what i need is right between the bifocals...
Without my glasses, I actually do better far-seeing past the sights, but I can't see the nub of the front sight. Tried polishing it, tried luminescent paint... wound up with pink light-gathering...

Far-seeing past the sights, I can see the pink dot ok.
Oddly enough, green does not work as well.
Unfortunately, that dot is rather big, so it makes longer shots a bit of a guess.