Sig 226

[vozella 2]

Thinking of adding a Sig 226 9mm to my collection. Any Sig fans out there with advice, opinions or warnings/

[JimmyAGR 54]

Nothing but good things to say about Sigs. Have been using them for 30 years now. High quality, and my 18 year old has fallen in love with my new 226 in .40. Chip off the old block.

[autoxnyc 4]

I have more than 10 Sigs and 3 226s. IMHO the best ones were stamped/folded slide ones made in W Germany or Germany. They balance better and come with better internal parts (forged vs newer MIM). They also have smoother operation as well.

[totalabuse 27]

I have a German 228, love it.

[vozella 2]

I have a chance to pick up a used Blackwater model 226. Any thing i should be aware of. i'm concerned because i have read of some problems although it might have been one or two people only.

[autoxnyc 4]

You'll find more info on them at sigforum.com. They also have new old stock German/W German in the classifieds if you want to go with those. There were issues with cracked frame in mid 80s production guns which were resolved later. You can google Sig 226 cracked frame to find out the exact serial number range. Those were guns with scalloped frame rails and chances of getting those are quite rare since they didn't make many.

 

Generally anything made from late 80s to late 90s are good guns to buy. You can tell the year they were proofed for all German made guns. The proof mark is under the muzzle. It's a two letter code.

A = 0, B=1, C=2...... K=9. So a proof mark of KC would be 92, etc. All German made guns imported by Sig with the exception of recent X models have stamped slide and newer guns have slide milled from solid block of SS steel. The stamped slides were slightly slimmer in profile and balances better for most ppl. From the ones I've seen, the frame to slide fit is also much better on the stamped slide ones.

 

I've taken these things apart and worked on the internals and the forged parts are far superior than the new MIM parts. Some of the newer guns had some issues with broken take down levers and extractor problems. Also MIM parts have cast marks on them so they won't feel as smooth as forged parts until it's well broken in.

 

If you get of of the older stamped slide ones, the only thing you might want to change is the trigger return spring under the right grip panel. The older style might enlarge the hole on the alloy frame after long use. The newer one generally don't have that issue.

 

Here's my W German 226. It has Hogue aluminum grip panels on and I did a trigger job on it.

 

Bottom left one is a 226 X6 PPC and bottom right is a newer 226 SS Elite shown with a 22 conversion kit on it. For the 226 Elite I changed out all the controls to Nickle plated ones and it has a trigger job done by Sig and I opened it up to reduce the over travel a bit.

[bry@n 195]

Sig 226's are awesome. I have 2 of them and wouldn't trade em for anything.

[rauchman 3]

When I think of the best DA/SA auto pistol out there.... it is the Sig P226 in 9mm. I have a German one from '95 or so, the last year of the German ones. It is an oustanding shooter. Very accurate pistol and very easy to shoot accurately. Excellent feel in the hand. It is my wife's favorite pistol (she owns a '94 Beretta 92FS). I wouldn't mind getting another P226 or a P228 or P229 in 9mm.

 

I've read some things in the last year or two that mention the lack of quality control on new manufacture Sig pistols. I have no experience w/ new Sig pistols, but I'd stick to the W. German/German made P226's. Having said that, the E2 P226 w/ SRT (short reset trigger) sounds quite tempting.

 

I've been shooting my G17 and G19's heavily for the last few years. I do like the consistent trigger pull. I've learned to shoot them pretty decently. However, when I bring the P226 along, I'm shooting laser beams. The pistol is just really accurate. My shooting buddy has 8 or 9 Sig pistols, including 2x P226's. Outstanding pistol!!!

[tuktuk 16]

+1 .. Sig all the way!!!!

[imperialfish 11]

Great shooter only complaint I have is I didn't get the Elite Stainless

[n4p226r 105]

I have a new 226 in 9mm. Have no issues at all. I have a 229 in .22lr that has some issues but I think I worked then all out. I'd say go for any sig. Their customer service has been great to me. Wouldn't be paranoid at all

[vozella 2]

You guys sold me....I bought a Sig 226.

[JimmyAGR 54]

Good for you, you are going to love it.

[matty 810]

You won't regret it, my next semi pistol will probably be a Sig again, I hae the 226 in 9mm, will probably go for a German 220 in .45

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Sigs are great but for a lefty, not so much. The decocker on the grip is almost impossible for a southpaw. I would love a P226 Elite Stainless but the anti lefty thing always gets me. Same with alot of the CZ's.

[Sigman 41]

Sigs are great but for a lefty, not so much. The decocker on the grip is almost impossible for a southpaw. I would love a P226 Elite Stainless but the anti lefty thing always gets me. Same with alot of the CZ's.

 

Yes - the P226 Elite Stainless is sweet!! Ray, if I was you, I would learn to shoot righty and get one of these. Then I could shoot it.

[lunker 274]

Sigs are great but for a lefty, not so much. The decocker on the grip is almost impossible for a southpaw. I would love a P226 Elite Stainless but the anti lefty thing always gets me. Same with alot of the CZ's.

 

 

Sigs are the most difficult gun for a lefty to work. I can work most slide releases with my left index finger. That isn't possible with the location on Sigs. CZs were never a problem for me. Of course HKs and S&W M&P are the most lefty friendly.

[djg0770 481]

Sigs are great but for a lefty, not so much. The decocker on the grip is almost impossible for a southpaw. I would love a P226 Elite Stainless but the anti lefty thing always gets me. Same with alot of the CZ's.

 

 

Sigs are the most difficult gun for a lefty to work. I can work most slide releases with my left index finger. That isn't possible with the location on Sigs. CZs were never a problem for me. Of course HKs and S&W M&P are the most lefty friendly.

 

Solution - shoot with the correct hand. Ze Engineers have determined zat zis is ze mozt ergonomic pistola in ze verld. Get uzed to zis und you vill be a besser zhooter.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Actually, Beretta and XD's seem to be the best for lefty's. You can throw in the SR9 but the safety is a little tricky.

[Radek 73]

I have a German 228, love it.

Beautiful

[vozella 2]

I'm left handed and find it difficult to defend myself with most pistols........I should be able to get some financial support for my handicap....from the LEFT WING GOVERNMENT!

[deni 16]

What's the general consensus on used 226s?

are they not made in germany anymore?

[rlsbee 1]

I bought a 226 as a .22. Didn't really go wild over it 'cause it jammed more than I liked (and I was using the Sig 'preferred' CCI Mini Mags). I was getting a jam where the round coming in was getting jammed under the slide and the spent round was stuck underneath. Didn't happen a whole lot but more than I liked. I sent it back to Sig and they put a new slide on it and it looked like a little work on the ramp. Afterward, it shoots great. I had considered selling it before that. I took it the range a few more times and liked it more every time I shot it. I originally bought it with the idea that someday I'd get a larger caliber 'X-change kit'. I found one locally in 9MM and bought it. I've always preferred revolvers but this Sig is just winning me over more and more. As a 9MM, it hasn't given me a bit of trouble and I really love shooting it.

By the way, if ya buy it as a .22, then buy the larger caliber conversion it saves quite a bit over buying the larger caliber and then the .22. Don't know if you even considered that but it's a nice option 'cause the .22's are so much cheaper to practice with. Many have extolled the merits of doing this since it has the same 'feel' either way. I'm not so sure that I buy into that 100%. When I fire it in 9mm, to me, the feel is a little different. That's a reasonable expectation since the recoil is so much greater than the .22 and the slide and barrel are a little heavier. It's just enough that I don't quite buy the 'same feel' argument. I suppose the you can argue that the trigger pull and grip are the same, though.

I know this was a little windy but I wanted to give you the bad and good of my experience.

It's definitely a 'keeper' now.