GRAND PRIZE WINNER: SIG SAUER P229

Military.com ^

[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.

[kennyboy509]

yeah! Do ya wanna buy my 9mm piece O' crap?

[Erasmus]

You should see the pants I have to wear...

Oh, I get it!

As in, "Is that a roll of BBs in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?"

< ]B^)

[Liaison]

I do miss my old 1911 when I first entered the military. They replaced it after my unit returned home from Gulf War in in 1990. The frame was made during WWII but it still shot sweet. I do remember that pistols were so reliable that a friend in my unit had a 4 digit serial number on the frame making it manufactured during WWI. We verified the serial number off a Colt collectors list to match the year of manufature.

[absalom01]

They are both really swell pistols. You could get into all sorts of technical debates, but the primary difference that most shooters will see is in the trigger pull. Like any D/A pistol, that double action pull is kinda heavy, and plenty of people will tend to send that first shot low. The Kimber, on the other hand, has a nice single-action trigger, but it spooks some folks to carry it "cocked and locked". The service history of Mr. Browning's design shows that this concern is unfounded, but there it is.

The other ergonomic consideration is the grip -- the Kimber has a slimmer grip, which fits most hands better and is surprisingly good for concealment.

But, again, with the quality of pistol you're talking about, you really can't go wrong. Heck, buy 'em both, and tell the spouse that there was a "his and hers" sale.

[Experiment 6-2-6]

The only Sig I've ever shot was the 226 in .45 ACP. It was sweet. Puts the Baretta to shame.

A classmate of mine is in the Secret Service. White House detail. When he told me that they use Sigs, that made my decision for me.

My .45 is SWEET! Shame I don't have it with me on my island, though. Stupid leftist gun laws..

[claudiustg]

Whatever you get, get night sights.

[elmer fudd]

A Kimber is an excellent gun and I would prefer to have one over a Sig if I were in a gun fight. On the other hand I'd rather carry a Sig, particularly if I were carrying concealed. So to me the question would be, "how likely are you to need it?" If you're a cop, security guard, soldier or a contractor in Iraq you probably don't want to accept any compromises in your weapon. In that case go for the Kimber. On the other hand if you're just a regular citizen that sometimes ends up in rough neighborhoods, dark reststops, etc..., you probably want something smaller, lighter and easier to carry. If the gun is too cumbersome you might be tempted to leave it behind and the .25 Raven you have in your pocket is more effective than the .44 Ruger that's back home in the vault.

[MediaMole]

Additionally, 75% of the Coast Guard's M9s far exceeded their predicted 5,000-round service life

Berettas are only expected to last 6 months to a year?

[ThePythonicCow]

SigSauer P228 and P229 (Switzerland)

SigSauer P228


SigSauer P229


SigSauer P228 cutout view

Trigger: Double-Action or Double-Action Only

Type:	P228	P229
Caliber:	9 mm Luger	9mm Luger, .357 SIG, .40 SW
Length, overall:	180 mm	180 mm
Barrel length:	99 mm	99 mm
Weight, w/o magazine:	730 g	770 g
Capacity:	13 rds	12 rds

SigSauer P228 was introduced in 1989 as a compact companion to full-sized P226 (much like the P225 was a compact variant of the P220). P228 featured same design characteristics as a P226, but is somewhat more smaller, with more "rounded" shape and with smaller capacity magazines. Technically, P228 is similar to other P220-series guns: it is a blowback-operated, locked breech design, with modified Browning-style linkless locking via slide ejection port. It has same DA or DAO trigger mechanism with striker pin safety, manual decocker (lever on the left side of the frame), slide stop. Slide is manufactured from stamped steel, with locking block insert. Frame is made from aluminium alloy.
In April, 1992, US Army officially adopted P228 as a M11 US Army pistol, a compact sidearm for aircraft crews, Military police officers and other personnel who needed a handgun, more compact than full-sized M9 (aka Beretta 92).

Externally, P229 is very similar to P228. In fact, P229 is built on P228 frame, with all trigger and other internals of P228, too. The main difference is in calibers and slide design.
P229was designed as a first SIG-Sauer gun to handle then-new .40SW cartridges and as a platform for SIG proprietary .357SIG cartridge (defeloped as a necked-down .40SW cartridge). Higher pressures of the .40SW and .357SIG loads commanded new slide design - the slide of the P229 is machined from one piece of high-quality steel, not stamped. The main visual difference between P228 and P229 slides is in groove sizes and top slide appearance^ P229 groves are hal-height of P228 ones. Barrels in .40SW and .357SIG versions are intechangeable, so one handgun may be converted to fire both calibers. Also, .40 or .357 version may be converted to fire 9x19 luger, but not vice versa.

As a note - while P228 was (and is) manufactured in Germany by Sig-Sauer, P229 is manufactured in USA by Sig-Sauer subsidiary - SIGArms company. Early P229s were assembled in USA with USA-made slides and Germany-made P228 frames.

Both P228 and P229 are extremely reliable, deadly accurate and, by many opinions, more comfortable than Glocks. Both are popular Law Enforcement handguns and used by many Police depts acxross USA, as well as by FBI, Secret Service, DEA.

[Noumenon]

Mrs. Noumenon and I have carried matching 229s in .40 for the last six years or so. The Sig's ergonomics work well for both of us, and it works all the time, every time. Very, very controllable, even with hot ammo.

It's nice to be able to get 12 round mags at a decent price - finally.

[Noumenon]

That weight translates into superb controllability. While that first shot's important, getting multiple rounds on target is the name of the game.

The more you shoot the P229, the more you'll like it.

[skepsel]

FWIW the December issue of Gun Tests magazine has the P220ST .45 and the P226 9mm listed as their picks of the year in their respective calibers.

[cyborg]

It's a little cheaper than I thought. I may just buy myself a little present next year. It's too bad that the carry permits cost as much as the gun itself here in New York.

[skepsel]

She shouldn't have to start it cold, what kind of a husband are you? Get her up every 2 hours in the night to turn the engine over and...(ducking now).

[Noumenon]

You won't regret your choice. Trust me on this one.

[ozzymandus]

Mine is .357 SIG, but I think the 226 has a better grip, and of course the 220 is .45 ACP.

[AlaskaErik]

I checked one out the other day. In no way was it as comfortable as my HK USP Compact .40. While both are excellent pistols, I'll take the HK any day. The Sig decocking lever was much less ergonomic to operate. The HK feels natural. And mine has never had a misfeed or malfunction to date. It's worth every penny I spent on it.

[Squantos]

LOL..great !!.... good to hear yer gettin along well with others these days WD !.......:o)

In my arsenal of democracy courtesy of Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft's Uncle Sugars Widget Division I possess a SIG 239, a issued SIG 228 , a SIG 226, and 2 SIG 220's.

I had some armorers at the DOE Courier range in Albuquerque do action jobs of my 220's and they are really nice fine shooting pistols. The only problems I ever had with a SIG was when I used some hot corbons in the 220's and the transfer bar under the right grip kept breaking. And the firing pin retaining pin that is pressed across the slide on my new 239 was broke when I bought it NIB. SIG Customer service made that right is a fast polite manner....

But I still have to say my favorite is still a 1911A1...... I think I'll try the new GSR SIG 1911A1.....may just solve my problem of SIG vs 1911A1.

Stay safe WD....Hope yer feeling better these days.....!

[Squantos]

I have a P9S in 45ACP a P7M13 Squeeze Cocker....haven't tried a USP yet. Posts like yours make me want to go give it a serious look. I haven't even seen one or did the touchy feely thang at the gun store even...... I gotta get out more !

[broadsword]

I'll stick with my P220 (.45acp). 9 sillymeter is for people who are not serious. The feds and many law enforcement agencies use the 9 sillymeter because they are afraid of lawyers.