Differences Between P226 and P229

[Rht4162]

ok guys and gals i think i finally decided on my first handgun for carry range and home defense. i am looking at the sig p229 elite. i have heard amazing things about the p226 but what are the main differences between the two? also what do you guys think of the 226 elite against the other variations.

i personally enjoy the DA/SA trigger and will be going for the .40 sw that is the caliber i am set on.

thoughts?

[PascalFleischman]

I'm no expert, but I think the 226 is 9mm and the 229 is .40 S&W

[HK4U]

The 229 comes in 9mm, 40 and 357 Sig. the main difference is the 229 is much more compact. 3.9 in. barrel compared to 4.4in Both great guns but if I were looking for one to carry I would go with the 229. You can compare the two on the following site.

SIG SAUER

[DarrellM5]

I have the P229R Equinox with both the .40 S&W and .357 Sig barrels. It's my favorite handgun and the one that I carry 90% of the time. It's very accurate, not hard to conceal and comfortable to wear.

[wolfhunter]

P229
Item Number E29R-9B (9mm) E29R-40B (.40S&W) E29R-357-BSS (.357SIG)
Caliber 9mm or .40S&W, .357SIG
Action Type DA/SA
Trigger Pull DA 10.0 lbs
Trigger Pull SA 4.4 lbs
Overall Length 7.1 in
Overall Height 5.4 in
Overall Width 1.5 in
Barrel Length 3.9 in
Sight Radius 5.7 in
Weight w/Mag 32.0 oz
Mag Capacity 10 or 13 Rounds (9mm), 10 or 12 Rounds (.40S&W, .357SIG)
Sights Contrast, SIGLITE® Night Sights available
Grips Black Polymer Factory Grips
Frame Finish Black Hard Anodized
Slide Finish Nitron®
Accessory Rail Yes
Options Accessory rail
MSRP $929, $1000 w/ Night Sights
CA Compliant Yes
MA Compliant Yes

P226 Elite
Item Number E26R-9-BSE, E26R-40-BSE, E26R-357-BSE
Caliber 9mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W
Action Type DA/SA
Trigger Pull DA 10.0 lbs
Trigger Pull SA 4.4 lbs
Overall Length 8.2 in
Overall Height 5.5 in
Overall Width 1.6 in
Barrel Length 4.4 in
Sight Radius 6.3 in
Weight w/Mag 34.0 oz
Mag Capacity 9mm 10 or 15 Rounds, .357 SIG 10 or 12 Rounds, .40 S&W 10 or 12 Rounds
Sights SIGLITE® Night Sights
Grips Custom Rosewood Grips
Frame Finish Black Hard Anodized
Slide Finish Nitron®
Accessory Rail Yes
Options SRT™ - Short Reset Trigger
MSRP $1,143.00
CA Compliant No
MA Compliant No

[PascalFleischman]

The 229 comes in 9mm, 40 and 357 Sig. the main difference is the 229 is much more compact. 3.9 in. barrel compared to 4.4in Both great guns but if I were looking for one to carry I would go with the 229. You can compare the two on the following site.

SIG SAUER

Thanks! That's why I prefaced my comments with "I'm no expert"

[Dewhitewolf]

I have a 226. I'm very satisfied with it. It's not ideal for concealment, due to its size, but it's not impossible to conceal either. A 229, I believe, is a slightly smaller version of a 226. I've been looking at getting a 229 myself.

[ToneGrail]

I have a 226 in 40 cal. Unless you're really fat, it's nearly impossible to conceal. I use it for home defense and taking to the range. For concealed carry, I use a P239 9mm in the wintertime and a Kel-Tec PF-9 for the summer when I can't wear a jacket. I suppose I could carry the 226 in the winter time but it's so damn heavy and big. The P239 is way more comfortable.

[AZSATT]

I love my P229 .40 S&W. It's a great gun: tough as nails, dependable, not too big but when loaded up with hydra-shock (12+1) it's plenty of firearm. It's also pretty accurate for a relatively short barrel too, which I enjoy immensely. It also just "feels" really great in my hand.

It's generally my primary carry gun.

Of course, the biggest reason I got this one was because I used to carry the same make/model (minus the rails) as a patrol officer, so I'm biased in that regard as I'm a huge Sig Sauer supporter.

[netentity]

I love SIGs, one of the first pistols I ever tried was a P-228 in 9mm. Very accurate out of the box. If you're looking for something that's more concealable I would opt for the P-228 over the P-226. If you want something even more concealable, I would opt for a P-239.