View Full Version : Sig people... 228/229 differences
Are the 228 and 229 the same dimensionally? If so what are the other differences. What about rails. I know the 229 does but was not sure on the 228.
Psalms144.1
04-12-13, 15:29
REAL P228s have folded steel slides and non-railed frames. Current "P228" reincarnations have stainless steel slides and non-railed or railed frames, depending on the incarnation. P229s can be railed or non-railed, and all have stainless steel slides with a different profile from P228s.
Does that help?
Yes.... but why do they make so many freaking variations of the same gun.
:rolleyes:
Starting to make some kydex holsters and I have a asp red gun that says it is for 228/229 but it does not look like that is completely accurate.
Yes.... but why do they make so many freaking variations of the same gun.
:rolleyes:
They have to in order to stay in business, since their .gov / .mil contracts have been lost. Bling, crazy names, and never ending varieties of the same gun...
Blah. :(
brickboy240
04-12-13, 15:46
I saw one of the new M11s today...basically isn't this a 9mm P229 without the rail...like the earlier P229s?
I believe it is.
Still, the sheet metal slide SIGs seem better balanced to me and not so top heavy.
-brickboy240
Yea... change or die I guess.
But then I look at glock, m&p, etc... that have very few models don't change very often and sell but loads of pistols.
OOh well what ever works and sells.
Glock and M&P cost less than Sigs which is one of the reasons they sell well. If Sig sold their pistols for $500 you'd see a lot more people buying them regardless of perceived QC issues. If you look on Buds top sellers I think the most popular pistols are usually Sigmas and High Points.
Don't get me wrong I like sigs and even have my eyes on one and have had several in the past. I'm definitely a glock guy though.
S. Galbraith
04-12-13, 18:11
Are the 228 and 229 the same dimensionally? If so what are the other differences. What about rails. I know the 229 does but was not sure on the 228.
The P229 was brought to market in 1991 as a .40S&W pistol with a stainless steel machined slide. The older stamped slide construction of the P228 would not handle the abuse that the .40S&W presented. Sig beefed up the P229 slide, and milled it out of a single piece of stainless steel to handle the .40S&W. The P229 has different exterior slide dimensions than the P228, and also has different exterior slide dimensions between the different caliber models. Therefore, holsters can be tricky sometimes.
Sig kept producing the stamped slide P228 due to the fact that it was adopted by a number of military/police agencies around the world......therefore, that production line needed to continue in Germany. SigArms USA expanded the P229 series to include the 9mm and .357sig calibers, and those were manufacturered in the USA since there was very little interest in anything other than 9mm in Europe. The P229 is a little more top heavy than the P228.....even in 9mm. Even more heavy in .40/.357.
Sig is now making some M11 pistols with stainless slides. Basically, they have P228 external dimensions which is more ideal for the smaller 9mm caliber. Occasionally you will see some new manufacture stamped slide P228s, but they will be a limited production item since the equipment for manufacturing stamped slides no longer exists. Sig is using up spare P228 slides that they kept in inventory since the 1990s to fufil spare parts contracts. Stainless steel milled slides are ultimately better........but the quality of the old school stamped slide guns were superb, and very appealing.
Sir,
This is a fantastic write-up. It is informative, concise, and comprehensible for someone like myself who is not familiar with Sig pistols whatsoever. This is why I visit this site, thank you.
Nater
The P229 was brought to market in 1991 as a .40S&W pistol with a stainless steel machined slide. The older stamped slide construction of the P228 would not handle the abuse that the .40S&W presented. Sig beefed up the P229 slide, and milled it out of a single piece of stainless steel to handle the .40S&W. The P229 has different exterior slide dimensions than the P228, and also has different exterior slide dimensions between the different caliber models. Therefore, holsters can be tricky sometimes.
Sig kept producing the stamped slide P228 due to the fact that it was adopted by a number of military/police agencies around the world......therefore, that production line needed to continue in Germany. SigArms USA expanded the P229 series to include the 9mm and .357sig calibers, and those were manufacturered in the USA since there was very little interest in anything other than 9mm in Europe. The P229 is a little more top heavy than the P228.....even in 9mm. Even more heavy in .40/.357.
Sig is now making some M11 pistols with stainless slides. Basically, they have P228 external dimensions which is more ideal for the smaller 9mm caliber. Occasionally you will see some new manufacture stamped slide P228s, but they will be a limited production item since the equipment for manufacturing stamped slides no longer exists. Sig is using up spare P228 slides that they kept in inventory since the 1990s to fufil spare parts contracts. Stainless steel milled slides are ultimately better........but the quality of the old school stamped slide guns were superb, and very appealing.
richiecotite
04-12-13, 22:40
Sir,
This is a fantastic write-up. It is informative, concise, and comprehensible for someone like myself who is not familiar with Sig pistols whatsoever. This is why I visit this site, thank you.
Nater
QFT. After spending 2 hrs in general, this is like a breath of fresh air.
Yes.... but why do they make so many freaking variations of the same gun.
:rolleyes:
Starting to make some kydex holsters and I have a asp red gun that says it is for 228/229 but it does not look like that is completely accurate.
Two words, "Ron" and "Cohen." His previous employment was a gig as Kimber CEO where they did the whole "Baskin Robin's 31 flavors" thing.
filthy phil
04-13-13, 04:01
Will my 226's (9mm) mags work in a 229?
I thought of getting a 228 to share mags with my 226 but they're hard to come by
Will my 226's (9mm) mags work in a 229?
I use factory Sig P226 19-round magazines in my 229 all the time without any issues.
S. Galbraith
04-13-13, 11:24
Sir,
This is a fantastic write-up. It is informative, concise, and comprehensible for someone like myself who is not familiar with Sig pistols whatsoever. This is why I visit this site, thank you.
Nater
No problem. Each classic Sig model has its own little quarks too. Some quarks more tolerable than others.......it kinda boils down to our own personal preferences.
The P229 was brought to market in 1991 as a .40S&W pistol with a stainless steel machined slide. The older stamped slide construction of the P228 would not handle the abuse that the .40S&W presented. Sig beefed up the P229 slide, and milled it out of a single piece of stainless steel to handle the .40S&W. The P229 has different exterior slide dimensions than the P228, and also has different exterior slide dimensions between the different caliber models. Therefore, holsters can be tricky sometimes.
Sig kept producing the stamped slide P228 due to the fact that it was adopted by a number of military/police agencies around the world......therefore, that production line needed to continue in Germany. SigArms USA expanded the P229 series to include the 9mm and .357sig calibers, and those were manufacturered in the USA since there was very little interest in anything other than 9mm in Europe. The P229 is a little more top heavy than the P228.....even in 9mm. Even more heavy in .40/.357.
Sig is now making some M11 pistols with stainless slides. Basically, they have P228 external dimensions which is more ideal for the smaller 9mm caliber. Occasionally you will see some new manufacture stamped slide P228s, but they will be a limited production item since the equipment for manufacturing stamped slides no longer exists. Sig is using up spare P228 slides that they kept in inventory since the 1990s to fufil spare parts contracts. Stainless steel milled slides are ultimately better........but the quality of the old school stamped slide guns were superb, and very appealing.
I have an all German P228 rail. It is a limited production run from 2009 with a stamped slide which makes it a little lighter that my P229's (40SW) milled stainless slide.
I just placed and order with Pete for a PSS holster for her with a Surefire X300 attached. I'm hoping that his molds for the P229 rail are close enough...
I got one of the early Sig 229 back around '92. The frame, as detailed in the excellent post above, is made from a solid block of SS while the frame was made in Germany like other 226's and 228's. It had "Made in W. Germany" stamped. It was some kind of collaboration between SIGArms in the USA, who made the slide and Sig Saur in Germany.
It was a great gun. 100% reliable and accurate. It was a little top heavy and wide. And the grip screws would rust from sweat (Miami).
I long ago stopped carrying Sig's or trying to keep track of all the new models.
I owned a 228 and I regret selling it. I like the way it balances more than the 229. They are essentially the same pistol except for the slide material and slide weight. If your buy a 9mm I'd get the 228.
LMT Shooter
04-19-13, 19:55
I've owned a 229 in .40 & still have 3 226's, 1 German made 9mm & 2 US made .40's & a 228. The 228 is my favorite SIG by far & I would never sell it. Obviously an opinion is subjective, but if you are going 9mm I highly reccomend a 228 over a 229, if you can find a German made 228. It's lighter & slimmer than the 229.
Red falcon
04-19-13, 23:23
Yea... change or die I guess.
But then I look at glock, m&p, etc... that have very few models don't change very often and sell but loads of pistols.
OOh well what ever works and sells.
Sigs and HKs are at a completely different price point. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but there is a reason an HK is more expensive than a glock.
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