Knowledgable opinions on keeping my 229

[TOTS]

BLUF: Should I replace my P229 (and possibly my P938 as well) with a Gen 5 G19? Advice on AIWB a P229?

Gents,
Thanks for all the knowledge and help that I have recieved from PF. I wish I could offer some in return, but Im pretty new at this. I have recently had a career shift which no longer issues me an M9. So no longer tied to a TDA. I originally bought the SIG as I loved the 226/229s and needed to become proficient with TDA systems. And the Armory issued stock M9s totally turned me off from the M9. As well as ergos. I have the LE/mil version P229 with short extractor and night sights from early 2000s and it has been reliable. I have polished up the trigger and stippled the grip panels and have the gun exactly as I like it. Absolutely love the gun. But I bought it when I only went to an indoor range about four times a year.

I carry the P938 AIWB as my daily dress is usually shorts, T-shirts, and flip-flops in the summer and jeans in the winter. (NC for reference). Im comfortable in this choice as the 1911 platform is the only other one I shoot; i.e. Im consistent and proficient with the safety after 21 yrs of M16/M4 and 6 yrs of 1911 shooting. However, it’s shootable for such a small gun, but it’s not a fighting pistol. I didn’t get this before. As I spend time on outdoor ranges shooting drills, working with steel, and carrying more, I am learning the difference.

The point of this discussion is this: now that Glock has resolved a lot of my issues with their pistols with the Gen 5, I am wondering if a G19 might be a better option for me. I have always discounted its size for carry and limited myself to thin single-stacks. As I have grown as a shooter, it seems that a G19 is very doable with shorts and a T with a good holster/ belt. And its large enough to be a serious fighting pistol that’s small enough to carry every day. This is where my mind starts to break.

I am struggling now with: A) do I sell the 229 which I love and buy a G19? Since Im a newer shooter, I am not heavily invested in any platform. (Only 1 holster for each gun and a cheap Galco OWB for the 229. Not many mags, etc) I would then have the G19 for EDC and the P938 for deep carry etc....which doesnt make sense consistency wise and you guys seem to be able to carry a G19 all year round.....and I love this gun. It was my first gun purchase. But its redundant after getting a G19.

B) sell the P938 and get a G19? But then I lose my deep carry option. And my ankle-carry when Im in a suit. And I now have a P229 I dont shoot as Ill be spending all my time on proficiency with the Glock...

C) sell them both and get a G19? I just started a new career and took a huge pay cut so this free cash would allow me to shoot more. And get into red-dots in the future. Or buy another gun if I need to. It would allow me to invest more heavily into the G19 platform. And all the other benefits of Glocks I am learning about on PF. But see B

D) keep both SIGS. Buy a JMCK AIWB claw 2.5 and carry the 229 as its the same size as the G19 and I already have familiarization with it. Also, an agency I may be joining soon is issued the USP 40 in TDA. But, the P229 is almost a whole can of soda heavier than the G19 with 2 less rounds. I would still have the 938 for deep carry. This option would be significantly better for my marriage as my wife doesnt care too much about guns as long as she doesnt have to deal with them in any capacity and they dont impact her spending!

If you have read this far, I appreciate your time. Thanks for allowing me to think out loud and I welcome discussion to help me make my decision. Firearms are only a small part of my life and I dont have as much income to parcel to this facet as many on here. So your help in making a wise decision is very important to me. This decision would be easy if the 229 wasnt so much heavier than the G19. I am not considering buying two new guns right now, so Im heading off all the comments about going G19 AND either 43 or 26. I realize the value in commonality, but dont feel like the juice is worth the squeeze on replacing the 938 with a G43. And the G26 is just as wide as the 19. The SIG P365 doesnt seem to offer enough over a G19 to not carry the 19. I could be wrong on all my thinking, though....

I am very interested in hearing from those who have carried a 229 IWB before. So many are carrying full-sized Barrettas and 1911s that I am leaning on attempting this with a good holster and keeping the 938 for when it just wont work. This may turn into a summer-gun, winter-gun kind of situation.

Again, thanks.

[SilverB]

I’d say ditch your p938 unless you need pocket carry or ankle carry. And, ditch your p229 unless you need .40 or .357 caliber.

However, if you can’t deal with no manual safety and no decocker as g19 is, keep both your sigs.

In full disclosure, I have all the 3 guns mentioned and I’ve only carried p938 so far. I want to start carrying g19 just because it’s so light and carry 15+ rounds, and that so many others carry it everyday so why can’t I. But I am not sure when I’ll feel comfortable carrying it AIWB just because where it’s pointing to.

[Lon]

Disclaimer: although I carry a 229 at work everyday I’m not a Sig fan.

I’ve carried a 229 IWB and AIWB many times. Can be carried comfortably for long periods of time with the right holster. If you choose to keep it, invest in JMCK holsters. If your 229 is a 9mm, buy a Mec-Gar 15 rd mag. Same size/footprint as Sig’s 13 rd mag (which is also made by MG more than likely). Solves the round disparity between a 229 and 19.

[OlongJohnson]

The decocker makes the 229 thicker than an otherwise comparable pistol. The G19 is definitely slimmer and easier to carry, especially IWB/AIWB. If you're going to carry a Glock, get a Gadget.

I find the USP and classic Sigs are relatively compatible as far as grip angle and presentation. I had been shooting mostly those two, then tried to get into my G34. After a range trip and several nights of dry fire practice, I was still chasing the sights. Pulled a classic Sig out of the safe, and presented it with a perfect sight picture the first time. And several more times. Then did a USP, and had the same result. Went back to the G34 and was chasing them again. That was enough for me to decide that the G34 is for sale.

Many shooters do very well with Glocks, obviously, but they are different. They may or may not work for you. They may not work well if you do a lot of work with a USP.

I would wait and see if you end up being paid to carry a USP before making any expensive decisions. If you are, I would suggest at least considering a USP Compact for your personal weapon. Identical fire control components, so the trigger press will be the same. (Although the shape of the trigger itself is different on the compacts.) Durability, reliability, etc. It's about the size of the P229, but lighter. You'll have to wait for a USPc in 9mm to come up as a deal, but great prices are common on USPc in .40. Running it in LEM configuration eliminates the safety/decocker lever wart from the side, leaving just the glove-friendly, oversize slide release. I see a lot more complaining about the size of that release than I do people shaving it down to a smaller form, which could obviously be done quite easily (certainly, much more easily than shaving it down to a larger size if it started off too small).

The classic Sig decocker is a beautiful system, but it's enough different (not just the decocker, but the position of the slide release, too) from any other pistol to make it worth very seriously contemplating the effects and risks of trying to cross-train. I kinda think that if you're going to commit to it for serious use, you should probably do so across the board.

If you don't end up carrying the USP for work, I'd suggest buying the G19 and training with it for awhile, then checking your results against the P229. Maybe you'll be better, maybe it will be obvious that you should stay with the Sig. I don't believe you can do enough work with the new gun to get a reliable answer just by renting one, and you wouldn't have the opportunity to try alternative setups like the NY1 spring/minus connector. If you sacrifice the Sig to get the G19, you won't be able to do the real A-to-B comparison, and if you ultimately still decide it was a mistake, it will be costly to get back where you were.

[Qaz98]

I love my Sig 229 - but only after I put in a #19 Wolff Hammer Spring for a lighter DA pull, the short trigger to improve reach, and SRT kit for a wicked reset. After I did all that, though, I have shifted to not EDCing any weapon with modifications. I also found it to bulky to EDC, especially in comparison to a G19.

Bottom line up front: if you're a newbie like me, respectable trainers will tell you to just focus on training with one weapon first, and then worry about the type of gun later. Early on, I wasted, er spent, a lot of money on buying different types of guns, rather than just picking one solid firearm and getting better with that one. I still suck, probably because of it.

If you can get your hands on a Beretta PX4CC, you may find the sweet spot of a DA/SA. Having said that, you'll never go wrong with a G19. If you do, I'd get a Gadget for holstering. Whatever gun you go with, get a 2nd one for training, and keep another for EDC. That's Tom Given's advice.

[David S.]

One of biggest problem with TDA SIGs is they don’t have a true lightweight, subcompact option. I think a subcompact based on the SIGPro would have a lot of potential, especially if they could get the weight down in the low 20 oz’s range. The P224 was heavy and the P239 is basically G19 sized, with 6 fewer rounds.

If the red dot system is on the horizon, you might want to hold off for a G19g5 (or maybe G19X) MOS before making the leap, if that’s the direction you choose.

I really don’t think you can go wrong with SIG or Glock products.

[JAD]

If you do well with the 229 I’d sell the 938 and buy a second 229. Two copies — one for practice one for carry — is a very developed and well reasoned concept. To me the 229 is in a size class that should make it a 24/7 gun (I lived in Texas for two years and carried a LWC and a G17).

[L-2]

1. Don't do anything until you figure out if that job with the HK is coming through or not.
2. Keep what you've got for now as it seems you're already proficient with both; and money seems to be a problem right now.
3. I'm mainly a Glock-guy and have a G19Gen5 and a G43, among several others. For me, Glock is what I've used for ~25 years and that's what I still choose. Even so, I do have a P229R in 9mm which is a great gun. If I had to carry that P229 all the time, I'd be ok. I don't have a P938, but also have much time with 1911s.
4. For me, it takes much practice to keep proficient with Glock, SIG da/sa actions, and my 1911s, among other platforms. I shoot a lot. For your situation, stay with the P229, until you can change to Glock for the reasons you've already posted and even other reasons; unless you've got to go with HK, of which I've got zero experience, which sort of throws the SIG and Glock ideas out.


A thought before I forget: Is Glock's "Blue Label" program available to you (no reply here necessary)? It's just that the G19Gen5 "Blue Label" pricing is ~$425 should that be a benefit to your money issues.

[JTQ]

Caleb's take on "The 5 Best Guns for Concealed Carry" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aerXRSb8DmE

[TOTS]

Thanks everyone for their time and inputs. I didn't expect so much validation of the 229 for carry; suprising to me.

I want to start carrying g19 just because it’s so light and carry 15+ rounds, and that so many others carry it everyday so why can’t I. But I am not sure when I’ll feel comfortable carrying it AIWB just because where it’s pointing to.

Thats exactly why Im thinking about switching...everyone else is comfortable carrying larger guns everyday, so why cant I?! I figured id give it a shot. The only reason Im considering a G19 over a VP9 is the availability of the Gadget. Because where its pointing to!