On paper... I think it's hard to make strong case for a 9mm P229 these days. For reasons many have already mentioned.
But stats on paper aren't what make us love and connect with handguns.
I've owned and shot many DA/SA guns in the P229ish size range (PX4 Compact, CZ PCR, HK P2000) and while the P229 isn't any smaller, lighter or more accurate than any of them...
It offers a uniquely solid, reassuringly stable feel that's just
satisfying. The recoil on a 9mm P229 is sooo mild. There's some muzzle rise, yeah. But the thing just feels absolutely unflappable, running through mag, after mag. It feels good. It feels right. It inspires confidence. And, at the end of the day, it still feels kinda special.
Does any of that matter, from a purely practical standpoint? Probably not. Nevertheless... I still like my P229. I like it better than the HK P2000 I had. It seems less ammo sensitive than the CZ PCR and CZ RAMI I had. And, as phat as it is... it's still not as thicc as a Beretta PX4 Compact. Though the PX4 wins handily in terms of pure shootability.
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