Originally Posted by
fatdog
On QC, the advice I have been given several times is always buy from LE stock (their version of blue label) or police trades, and try and avoid 2005-2012 production range as the worst of the Cohen cost cutting era. I have no idea how valid any of that is, but I have picked up some good deals on the P229 tribe doing it and all have been flawless performers. Of course most LE trade guns are likely to be very low round count guns as well. There have been some really good waves of LE trade in's that sell for less than 50% of the original street price of the gun. Most are .40/.357's but not all.
I picked up an early 90's date code West German P228 about 18 months ago for about $550, that was the result of diligent and patient Gunbroker shopping. It did not have the factory box or any of that stuff but was a low round count gun in excellent condition. Shooters can be found for reasonable prices if you are not in a hurry.
I am pretty certain there were no folded slide 229's ever and most 228's were, so it is probably the P229/M11A1 you seek.
Be aware there was a significant frame change at the advent of the P229-1, and the magazines changed. That allowed them to make one size frame for 9/40/357 but it has a slightly larger magwell and they had to create a new 9mm magazine. I have found the P228 magazines will run just fine but rattle and slop around a bit in the 229-1 frames, however the 229-1 or current M11A1 9mm magazines cannot even fit into the early 229 9mm or any 228 frames.