Sig P226 or P229 ?

newshot said:
Well in that case: https://shopquestar.com/shopping65/shopdisplaycategories.asp?id=136&cat=SIG+Parts/Tools

Questar seems to have it :)
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Sweet, this Questar website is getting better all the time.

Those parts kits are worth picking up too. I have bought a couple of them from the U.S. It's nice to have some extra grip screws on hand... although I have never lost any, so far. I have some of the torque ones too although I've never used them (I'm a damn pack-rat over here! :p). It's probably cheaper to just buy the recoil springs by themselves and replace them every 5,000 rounds or so, then to pick up these kits. But it is nice to see some people stocking this stuff on this side of the border. The three other springs (for the de-cocker, trigger bar, and slide stop) don't really wear out (at least not any time soon), but I guess it is nice to have them on-hand in case you lose something. The firing pin positioning pin, you don't really need that unless you need to take out your firing pin for some reason (NOT for curiosity sake!). You are supposed to put in a new pin each time you take it out. I have done it on a SIG (I had a problem with a firing pin once). I don't recommend attempting it unless you have watched the SIG armour's DVD, have a 3mm cup-tip punch, an appropriate hammer and block (all of which you can get quite cheap at Brownells).

Anyway... I digress. You likely won't need any new parts for a new SIG (other than a new recoil spring after 4,000 to 5,000 rounds), so don't worry about all that when you get your new SIG.

BTW, installing the short-trigger is totally simple, and requires no tools (other than a screw driver to take the right grip panel off). Don't pay any gunsmith to do that. Get the SIG armourer's DVD from Brownells. I could install a short trigger in - probably under 5 minutes - and so can you.
 
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I love the P226. It's next on my buying list for sure.
Go for the P226 :).

Now you just gotta pick which version of the P226 to get. I'd get that Elite, but I'm not too sure if the extra 300-400 ish dollars are worth it.
 
ya questar has them, just saw that too.

btw ghostie i actually saw a coast gaurd model on some site way way back, and they dont have the anchor .but they have some type of engraving stating that it is for the coast gaurd. also i believe they have the phosphated internals like the navy (well most navy 226)
 
ghostie said:
Well, I like your taste in guns. I have the 229 in 9mm, and I have the 239 in 9mm. I actually used to have two of the 229's in 9mm, but I just sold one to finance something a bit different. I'm a big fan of the 229 myself, but I like the 226's too. The difference is not huge. They just have a bit different feel to them.

From what I can tell, the only 229 Elite's we have gotten in Canada have been the blued 9mm's - which is great looking gun in my book. Several of the site sponsors sell them. Sounds like you really want the Stainless Elite in .40 though. I think Questar (and maybe some other dealers) would put that together for you, but it will be prohibitively expensive in a 229 (as you will pretty much be buying a $250+ barrel that you will not be able to have... and you'll be buying another 106mm barrel that you can have). Get one as a 226 then. Definitely the more cost effective way of doing it anyway.

One nice thing about Elite's is they all have the SRT (short reset trigger), which I think is a desirable feature. Since I got my 239 TAC with SRT, I am not that keen on getting any SIG that doesn't have it. Although I will admit, it is not really a better or worse situation, it is what you get used to. You can certainly still rapid-fire double-tap away with the regular DA/SA trigger. For myself I think I would rather get used to SRT than stick with the traditional DA/SA though. It seems a bit nicer.

You can look at the U.S. website topgunsupply for some good pics of these guns. Keep in mind that all the Elites (and these days, I think all new SIGs) are stainless steel slides. Some have the stainless look, some blue/black treatment on them. The frames are all alloy, including on the stainless Elites. Guns with steel frames are around, but not as an "Elite" model. They are called SL's (and a few other things... SA's?)

Both the 226 and 229 are doublestack mags. In the SIG world:

Single-stack: 210, 220, 225, 230, 232, 239, 245, GSR, Mosquito... maybe some others.
Double-stack: 226, 228, 229, 250, SIG Pro

E-mail Questar (or Shooting Edge or P&D or whoever you want to deal with) and get some idea of what it is going to cost to bring in a stainless Elite in .40. I hate to break it to you, but it is probably going to come in at $1,500+ for the 226, $1,800+ for the 229 unless SIG puts some of the stainless Elite .40's together with "Canadian" barrels at the factory. As I say, so far I don't believe they have done this... just regular 229R in 9 or 40, Equinox in .40, Gen 1 SAS in .40, and blued Elite in 9mm.
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Actually I'm looking at getting the 220 Elite Stainless and this is what SIG websaite has in their description.

The all-stainless construction of the P220® Elite Stainless provides shooters with greater control over recoil. The additional weight of both a stainless slide and frame, along with the enhanced ergonomics of a beavertail grip, make this .45ACP an absolute pleasure to shoot all day long.


So the Elite's do have Stainless Frame and Slide.
 
In case you are going to reload do not buy .40 The SIG 226 in .40 has unsupported barrel. As result you can get case blow up.
Questar (Mark) could be very helpfull and the service is good
 
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NorthernPF said:
Actually I'm looking at getting the 220 Elite Stainless and this is what SIG websaite has in their description.

The all-stainless construction of the P220® Elite Stainless provides shooters with greater control over recoil. The additional weight of both a stainless slide and frame, along with the enhanced ergonomics of a beavertail grip, make this .45ACP an absolute pleasure to shoot all day long.


So the Elite's do have Stainless Frame and Slide.
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yes, the elites have an all stainless model, they are basically an ST with night sights, beavertail, wood grips,
 
Sig_1959 said:
In case you are going to reload do not buy .40 The SIG 226 in .40 has unsupported barrel. As result you can get case blow up.
Questar (Mark) could be very helpfull and the service is good
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Oups ! I planned to reload for that gun. Seems that I'll have to go factory cartridge for a while or be very carefull with case prep.

Thanks

Mush
 
NorthernPF said:
Actually I'm looking at getting the 220 Elite Stainless and this is what SIG websaite has in their description.

The all-stainless construction of the P220® Elite Stainless provides shooters with greater control over recoil. The additional weight of both a stainless slide and frame, along with the enhanced ergonomics of a beavertail grip, make this .45ACP an absolute pleasure to shoot all day long.


So the Elite's do have Stainless Frame and Slide.
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Hi. Thanks for the response. The longer I look at these things, the more I realize that ever since they started building and assembling SIGs in New Hampshire, the variations of these different models has become so incredibly complex. Not like when SIG basically had the same 5 guns coming out of Germany for 20+ years. I guess the best advice is... try and physically have a look at the specific SIG before buying. I think the answer is, some Elite model guns have frames made of stainless steel, and some have a gray coloured alloy frames to match a stainless coloured slide.

I was trying to come up with a definitive answer on which are which, but I cannot. It seems to be all over the place.

If you look at this fairly hi-res picture on topgunsupply, the frame of this 220 elite clearly appears to be made of stainless steel:
http://www.topgunsupply.com/sig-sauer_p220r-elite-45acp-ss-siglite-night-sights-da-sa-srt.html

If you go back to 229 though. Look at this picture:
http://www.topgunsupply.com/sig-sauer_p229r-elite-40s-w-ss-siglite-night-sights-da-sa-srt.html
That frame is not made of stainless steel. It is a gray coloured alloy. I have seen/handled guns like this myself. I don't know if this is only with the 29's or what. I know Questar also has/had that reverse two-tone 229 - which has the same gray coloured alloy frame.
https://shopquestar.com/shopping65/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=174&cat=P229+Two-Tone

Personally I hope SIG does have more guns available with stainless steel frames - but as of right now... I think there are some different variations of things floating around. Just as a wild guess... the frames are one component that SIG USA is getting from Sauer in Germany and assembling them together with slides, barrels, sights, etc. which I believe all originate in the US. Maybe they wanted all stainless frames for stainless Elite models but couldn't get all of what they wanted at first. As I say, I know there are numerous "Stainless Elite" guns out there with gray coloured alloy frames.
 
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I've been looking at a P229R 9mm myself for my 1st restricted...
I asked Questar if getting one with a factory Sig threaded barrel was possible as they have them listed in their new page, and I was told it could be done.

I do not know the length of that particular barrel (likely more that 106mm) but I could suffer a longer barrel easier if it had a useful purpose, at least in theory.
 
IX , i agree with u on the threaded barrel. but it will be a tiny bit longer than 106 if its threaded, more like 110-112mm but it looks like its supposed to look like that ,unlike the extended barrels that just look like they werent made right,.

Ghostie , ive been reading about this stuff for a while now. and to my understanding both those links you gave are stainless steel frames. the 229 just looks gray. but im sure its full steel like the ST models.
as of now unless you fork out big $$$ for the SL, X5,X6. the only models you can get with the steel frames are the elite stainless. and NON of them have a nitron finish. they are all stainless nickel like finish. no two tone or anything like that. and they all come with wood grips. and as far as i can see are only available in the 229( 9mm and 40) 226( 9mm and 40) and 220 (45) they all have the rail all have beavertails all have night sights, and all have wood grips.

ive never seen or read online anywhere that you can get an elite from the factory with the stainless nickel like finish with an alloy frame. ive seen lots of people on the sigforum that have had theirs done like that .but it wasnt factory. a long long time ago sig sold alloy frames that were nickel, but that was back in the stamped slide era, when they were only making 5 basic models. but that was about it . .and as far as im aware there were some ST models in the 220, that had an all stainless steel frame that the whole gun had a nitron finish. these are rare too btw . and there are a few 226st all steel frames that have a nitron finish too. but only came in DAK, and ... were run offs made for the rcmp. finding any ST that have a nitron finish is a rare find indeed. then theres the SL, which only come one way and you have 2 finishes to choose from ilaflon and stainless no rail . standard sights and everything else basic. but these are uber $$$
and expect to pay 1300+ for the elite stainless . i fondled one at lever during the summer . they have quite a bit of helft to them. and are quite abit imho more than say a full steel 1911. so i still think its a personal choice if you like that much weight on the elite stainless. also note the SL models are heavier than the stainless elites for some reason. ( i think due to all internals steel) but from many people that ive talked to if this is your first sig and you have shot the steel models before then have at er. enjoy . but if you have shot a standard alloy 226 before and think the steel models will just be better. the only advice i can give is ....try it before you buy it .because thats alot of money to find out that "wow, my arm is sore because this thing weighs like a tank" because lots of people have said that.

sorry for the book. but i love sigs, and like to share the wealth.
(btw if im wrong on any of this as i know theres a few other signutz on here please chime in . )
also who was it that is on here and has a 226 40 with two tone has a rail and a steel frame ?
 
I photoshoped what a P229R with threaded barrel would look like... I like it:
P229RTBmine.jpg
 
Ix said:
I found a nice pic on an other board, canadian legal too:
threaded_sig1.jpg
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Thanks ! IX !

Looks great, I think it will be my first one. I'lL have to buy the grips (if the wooden ones are too big for me, I have ladies hands :( ) . The cap on the threaded barrel makes it ''right'' for me, looks like having a utility. That first one will end expensive but I feel like I must do it.

Mush
 
Sig_1959 said:
In case you are going to reload do not buy .40 The SIG 226 in .40 has unsupported barrel. As result you can get case blow up.
Questar (Mark) could be very helpfull and the service is good
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Are the aftermarket .40 cal. barrels (particularly the 106mm .40 cal. EFK Fire Dragon Barrels) unsupported as well or only the factory Sig ones?
 
Sig_1959 said:
In case you are going to reload do not buy .40 The SIG 226 in .40 has unsupported barrel. As result you can get case blow up.
Questar (Mark) could be very helpfull and the service is good
easy said:
Are the aftermarket .40 cal. barrels (particularly the 106mm .40 cal. EFK Fire Dragon Barrels) unsupported as well or only the factory Sig ones?
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The supported/unsupported chamber question pops up all the time. I've seen pictures of the most popular factory chambers for comparison but they've never been entirely conclusive.

All I know for sure is this: Glock-fired .40S&W brass from factory loads I find on the range always have a bit of a bulge at the base, Sig-fired ones do not.
 
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