Posted on 11/30/2004 9:13:27 PM PST by Delta 21
Reliable and deadly accurate, it is the handgun of choice for the FBI, the DEA and the Secret Service.
Gun guru Col. Jeff Cooper (retired) used to say, "The best gun for a gunfight is the one you have with you." Law enforcement and military officials couldn't agree more. And recently the Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) made the SIG SAUER P229 their "best gun" to have by awarding two pistol contracts to SIGARMS Inc.
In September, SIGARMS was awarded a $4.2 million pistol contract from the Coast Guard. Just a month prior, SIGARMS had been awarded a pistol contract valued at $23.7 million from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Coast Guard is hoping to replace their aging Beretta 9mm pistols with the P229, while DHS looks to supply itself with 65,000 new pistols, which includes the P229.
The selection process in awarding SIGARMS its contracts was grueling. DHS chose SIGARMS pistols after an extensive testing and evaluation process, which included pistols manufactured by several companies. The Coast Guard's decision to award a contract to SIGARMS was made on the recommendation of these tests. In the end, 690 handguns were tested and 2.9 million rounds of ammunition were expended; and the P229 was the big winner.
The SIG SAUER P299 has long been a mainstay of the law enforcement community. Extremely reliable, deadly accurate and packaged in one of three calibers (9mm Luger, .357 SIG, .40 SW), the P229 meets the needs of both federal and local law enforcement agencies throughout the country. Moreover, the new DAK trigger system - introduced in 2003 -- for the P229 has helped increased SIGARMS' popularity among law enforcement by delivering a safe, reliable and consistent 6.5 pound double-action only trigger pull. The P229 also boasts a 12 round cartridge capacity created specifically for law enforcement use only (versus the normal 10 round capacity), giving law enforcement officers an additional advantage.
The SIG SAUER P299 has long been a mainstay of the law enforcement community.
During the contract selection process, DHS solicited vendors to provide sample handguns for testing. Handgun testing was then conducted at the Ice National Firearms Tactics and Training Unit in Altoona, PA, and FT. Benning, GA from March 22 to June 30, 2004. During those tests, personnel - including 22 members of the Coast Guard -- participated in reliability, durability, and performance testing that included six major vendors and 46 different handgun models.
For the Department of Homeland Security, receiving 65,000 new pistols to arm its Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement was of importance. After the testing process, the SIG SAUER P239, P226 and P229 pistols in the calibers of 9mm and 40S&W were all part of a major five-year contract signed in August 2004 with SIGARMS.
Upon being awarded the $23.7 million contract, Jim Pledger, SIGARMS Vice President for Law Enforcement and Military Sales said, "We are pleased that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has recognized the superior performance of the SIG SAUER line of pistols with this award. SIGARMS has invested heavily in equipment and engineering resources to ensure that law enforcement has the best and most durable firearms to bring to bear in the war on terror and that those pistols are made right here in America."
For the Coast Guard, the need to replace its Beretta M9 9mm PDW was becoming paramount. After all, the Beretta was experiencing increased frame failure rates and unreliability issues. Additionally, 75% of the Coast Guard's M9s far exceeded their predicted 5,000-round service life (The Coast Guard fires an average of 500 9MM rounds annually, the majority of PDWs have been in service for approximately 16 years, well beyond their predicted life).
Moreover, with the increased ports, waterways and coastal security mission, the Coast Guard ammunition Non-Combat Expenditure Allocation (a.k.a. rounds used for training) has increased. Adding more wear and tear to the aging M9 9mm handguns, in FY02 the Coast Guard shot 2.9 million rounds of 9mm.
Through their contract with SIGARMS, the Coast Guard will receive 12,000 SIG Sauer P229 .40 Caliber compact handguns to replace the Beretta M9 9mm PDW. The Coast Guard has begun receiving its handguns since November 2004. They will be receiving 1000 handguns every month until the contract is met.
For the Coast Guard, the handgun replacement ushers in a new era of ammunition available to the field commander. Ammunition selection will be based on operational mission, procuring .40 caliber ball ammunition for missions supporting DoD operations and .40 caliber hollow point (HP) ammunition for maritime law enforcement operations. .40 caliber frangible ammunition will also be procured to help meet Coast Guard environmental stewardship responsibilities. The variety of ammunition available will require more logistical oversight, but ultimately will provide the operational commander of the Coast Guard more flexibility in mission execution.
Before the recent contract awards granted to SIGARMS, the P229 handgun was the standard for law enforcement handguns throughout the nation. With the new contracts awarded from Homeland Security and the Coast Guard, the SIG SAUER P229 has made an even better statement by being recognized as the handgun chosen to fight the War on Terror.
Here's a Makarov.
Here's a P239 with factory grips. Ther's a world of difference in the quality manufacture and level of technology and engineering. The p239 replace a Walther PPK/s stainless for me and my first words on picking it up were, "That's an ugly thing!" Now I look upon it as functionally beautiful. It's the first automatic I fully trust.
Now that I think about it, if you know of some of the dynamics of these failures, I would be interested in hearing about them when you have time. Was there any warning, i.e., small fractures or any unusual wear in a certain part of the frame/slide/block/plunger, etc.? I ask because I plan on having this gun from now on, so if there are some clear signs that things are letting go, I will know what to replace and when.
The most obvious signs of wear on my 92F are where the plunger meets the locking block channel. Aside from that, everything else looks almost like new, certainly no unusual wear notable anywhere. I counted up the +p rounds and it is in the 4000 range based on all my receipts from CorBon, et al. These were all 115gr except for some experimenting with the heavier 125gr early on. I gotta figure on at least that many rounds (4000) of Speer FMJ, Silvertips, Hydrashocks, etc. Other than the locking block channel, you would never know this is an 8000 round gun.
No I don't Archy....keep me posted on that if ya will..... I have wanted one. I have an old Argentine paperweight around here that I'd like to put that on if it works.
Thanks for the reminder that those are out on the market now.
Stay safe and ........I though you were dead ?:o)
I do know that Beretta has redesigned the slide so that in case of a separation, the back half will stay on the gun.
Also heard that they were shooting really hot ammo, even hotter than +P, and lots of it.
That was part of it. And Beretta lowered their contract price after having learned the figure quoted to the government by SIG. Such actions are hardly unknown in the arms and military procurement biz.
I had the interesting opportunity a few years back to be involved in an Israeli test and procurement of handguns for one of their high-speed outfits, in which previously handguns had been thought to have been of little practical use.
A double-action trigger and largish magazine capacity were specified, and after considerable testing of Beretta, Sig and Glock offerings, among others, the SIG 228 was chosen. But amid the testing with ammo other than the usual Israeli issue 115-grain ball, most notably the hot Swiss 9mm Pist Pat 41 loads that run very nice in an Uzi, I was asked what I was carrying in my old British Pattern 37 full-flapped web holster. It was the oldest Browning GP some of those guys had ever seen....
When asked, I told 'em I personally preferred a single-action trigger and a steel frame. Which is part of the story.
You live in Nassau. Unless you have a felony conviction, an order of protection against you or are currently being treated for a psychiatric issue the NCPD cannot refuse you a pistol license. The process requires four county residents to vouch for you and takes 4-6 months but the can't say no.
Indeed.
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Got it.
There's an older test report at Cruffler.com on the Argie Hi-Powers, including the *Detective Model,* and I'll give you an after-Xmas update if the one potentially headed my way does in fact land in my lap. BTW, I'm interested in the .22 conversion units for the GP as well.
Stay safe and ........I though you were dead ?:o)
Not hardly. But I'm still limping a bit.
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Got a S&W seven shot .357 with a four inch barrel. I like it.
The P239 is an excellent choice for concealed carry. I like it in the .357 Sig configuration, but the ammo is costly.
Seems like there are already a lot of used Beretta's on the market. I keep seeing a lot of used DAO .40s at a lot of the stores.
But I have to tell you. I only own one auto pistol. It's the Colt Combat Commander in Stainless.
I've put at least 10,000 rounds through it and all I've had to do is replace the springs a couple of times, the slide release once though I do keep a spare, and the firing pin. I keep a couple of spares around for that.
The slide and frame don't show the slightest evidence of cracking. Now I'm not knocking anyone of the other vunderguns, but to my mind that Colt fits my hand like it was tailored to me.
I know exactly where it's going to go once I'm in my sight picture. It's the most 'naturally pointable' handgun I've ever held with the possible exception of the SAA.
I sure wish I had the budget you guys do cuz I'm sure I'd be hip deep in pistols.
Until I hit the lotto, I'll be the crusty middleaged fart over here who basically owns only one pistol. The upside to that is that I dang sure know how to use it.
Glad to see you're healing up my friend.
L
But I have to tell you. I only own one auto pistol. It's the Colt Combat Commander in Stainless.
There's nothing wrong at all with a Combat Commander, though I first learned to appreciate the virtues of a .45 on the full-length GI versions. And I still particularly appreciate the Modelo 27 Argentine versions of the M1911A1, both those built by Colt for the Argentinians and those built in the country at the DGFM factory in Rosario.
And that old Browning GP of mine is fairly old, both in design and execution, [1968 version] but has served me as well for these last 35 years as has your shiny Commander. So too are the various family trophies and heirlooms both valued for their practical applications as well as their memories, true of both a few longarms and some handguns, too- even some assorted cutlery.
The really big attraction of the M1911 or Commander to a longterm one-gun owner and user such as yourself is just as applicable to me: the ability to completely take down and replace every single component of the piece without factory or armorer assistance or special tools. My Browning comes pretty close, though a pin punch is required for trigger removal. That makes the Glocks a better 9mm choice for individuals or units with such concerns, but Mr. Browning's M1911 design both sets the standard and gets the job done. 
Isn't it obvious that a gun thread has lazarus-like capabilities for certain freepers who shall remain nameless? ;-)
Ab-so-lute-ly! But I still hope that Santa leaves a .22 conversion unit for your Commander in your Christmas stocking.
My theory is that you deserve at least as many nice pieces of hardware as you have years. That can be split between longguns and handguns, or you can specialize, as you choose. But as I near my sixth decade, I find myself going more toward a few favoured select pieces rather than for cookie-cutter quantity. It's not the one who dies with the most toys who wins, but those of us who've fully enjoyed the best ones who are the real winners, even if it's been the only one we've had, or have needed.
That may or may not be an entirely good thing:
You're more like the Terminator.
Well it too cold to stay mesmerized by the bug light for long.......:o)
It's either this or in the jacuzzi drinking kahlua mud slides....
You can do both... have a little tray with a laptop at the side of the jacuzzi.
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