Sig 229 E2

[98z28]

Will be following this with interest. I am testing a P226 w/ E2 and SRT as well. If it runs, I will pick up a backup and switch back to Sig full time. Interestingly, I am also torn between a second P226 and a P229 for the backup. I carried a P229 40 on duty for years and wound up loving the gun. I have stupid big hands though and the P226 always seemed to fit better.

As far as current Sig issues, it seems like they either run out of the box or they don't. Even if they run you still have to watch out for small parts breaking prematurely, especially take down levers and trigger bar return springs. My old agency (around 300 sworn) traded in their old Sigs for new ones a few years back. I spoke to the lead FI and he mentioned that those two parts seem to be the ones to go when something breaks on the new guns. I am thinking I might just replace all of the springs and the takedown lever every 5k when it is time to change the recoil spring.

JV, have you tried the E2 on the P226 yet? I only have around 400 rounds through mine, but I have to say that I am not a fan of the grip. It is far too small if you have big mitts.

Whatever Sig has going on in the QC department, the P series guns are still ridiculously accurate and the DA/SA trigger smooths out very quickly. Despite how popular striker fired guns are, I think a good DA/SA trigger is about as full of awesome as it gets, especially with the SRT. The DA is fantastic for the press out and the SRT offers a short, positive reset.

One thing that I never noticed until spending a long time with Glocks and then going back to Sig is that the P226 feels like it takes forever to cycle. I don't see any difference on a timer, but it just feels slower.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

[JV_]

JV, have you tried the E2 on the P226 yet? I only have around 400 rounds through mine, but I have to say that I am not a fan of the grip. It is far too small if you have big mitts.

I have not fired one, but have played with one at the gun shop. I have small hands, having much easier access to the controls was a big selling point.

If the E2 grip doesn't work out, I can always install regular grips, like a set of CT Laser Grips.

One thing that I never noticed until spending a long time with Glocks and then going back to Sig is that the P226 feels like it takes forever to cycle. I don't see any difference on a timer, but it just feels slower.

Can you track the front sight just as easily?

[JV_]

Yes, will try to meet up with you this week at NRA.

Great, Thanks!

[98z28]

I have not fired one, but have played with one at the gun shop. I have small hands, having much easier access to the controls was a big selling point.

If the E2 grip doesn't work out, I can always install regular grips, like a set of CT Laser Grips.

Can you track the front sight just as easily?

I could not, but don't read too much into that because:

1. I have only had it to the range for live fire once.
2. I only learned to track the front sight about two years ago, and I had already switched to Glock at that point. When I used to carry a Sig for a living, I had never heard of tracking the front sight.

Here is how I recorded my impressions a couple weeks ago (after shooting a Sig for the first time in about five years):

I have not shot a Sig in quite a long time. I was very impressed with the accuracy, but I have completely forgotten how run the gun at speed. In addition to jerking the shit out of the trigger, I had a VERY hard time tracking the front sight. I have spent so much time with Glocks over the past five years that I kept dropping the muzzle too far after each shot. I would have to bring the front sight back up before I could break the next shot. Moreover, the Sig had an odd recoil impulse. It felt like the entire gun lifted in recoil, starting from the muzzle and running all the way back to the grip. With a Glock, the recoil feels sharper, but the front sight lifts and drops back into the rear notch quickly. The Sig felt softer, but sloppier in comparison. I am sure this is simply because I haven't driven a Sig in over five years, but it was very distracting when trying to run the gun with any kind of speed.

I could see the front sight lift after breaking the shot, but I would the loose it and find I had returned it far too low. I have heard some noise about sloppy front sight tracking from the 226 as compared to a 229. At least for me, I suspect this comes down to knowing how to drive the gun. We'll find out over the next couple of months. That is the main reason that I am thinking about trying a 229 as a backup though. I'd like to see what the difference between the two is now that I know what tracking the front sight looks like.

If you have normal or smaller hands, the E2 will probably rock. For reference, I would put the big Hogue wraparound finger groove grips on my P229 and still be able to reach the controls without shifting my grip. The E2 just doesn't give me enough real estate to work in my support hand without compromising my strong hand grip.

The texture of the E2 is just about perfect. Not as rough as the P30, but rough enough to keep a solid purchase even with sweaty hands. Much better (texture wise) than the slippery stock Sig grips.

[JV_]

I split the 226 mag discussion in to a new thread.

[98z28]

JV,

Now that you have spent a little time with the 226 and 229, do you notice any difference in front sight tracking between them? Any other differences worth mentioning? I am still on the fence about picking up a spare 226 or trying out a 229.

[JV_]

I took the 229 out for the first time today. I wasn't running them side by side, at speed, to notice much difference between the two. They both shot well. I'm waiting for the SRT trigger kit before I put a lot of rounds down the 229. I don't want the sear and hammer to wear together, only to swap out the sear when the kit arrives.

The factory trigger in the 226 is much more smooth than the 229, the 229 isn't bad - but it's not as nice; I bet that varies from gun to gun and not just between models.

One thing that bugged me about the 229 was the E2 grip width around the mag button. On the E2 226, the mag button stick out beyond the grip, I like that. With the 229, it's recessed, and it's harder to hit. Perhaps it's a familiarity issue, but I prefer the 226 grip width. I ordered an extended mag button to solve that issue.

Attachment 595

[HCM]

The factory trigger in the 226 is much more smooth than the 229, the 229 isn't bad - but it's not as nice; I bet that varies from gun to gun and not just between models.

Attachment 595

Yesterday at work I received thirteen, NIB, P229R DAK 40 's (2008 production). Ten had decent trigger pulls, one was noticably poorer (rough/gritty) and two noticably better/ smoother than the rest.

[TCinVA]

I've seen that on Sigs I've fondled as well. Knowing that in the past Sig has managed to make trigger bars that don't work with their grips and that they jerry rigged a "fix", giving the gun's internals a good look-see for obvious issues like that might be worthwhile.

[JV_]

Too bad Ernie Langdon stopped doing trigger jobs...