Nostalgic P226 Selection

[LukeNCMX]

I was very fond of a P226 that I had early in my career. I would like to buy a range piece that satisfies this nostalgic impulse.

To my memory, the model was a West German marked non-railed P226 in 9mm. I believe it was a folded slide version. The gun looked exactly like this one (including the grips):



I am concerned about replacement parts availability on the old guns and likely having to buy sight unseen online.

Should I pursue the same gun or get something similar in current production? The M11A1 has peaked my interest.

[Guerrero]

Whatever the model was they used in RoboCop. That's the one I would like.

[FreedomFries]

Sig doesn't make a P226 without a rail anymore, unfortunately. Their P226 production seems to be consolidated mostly to the new Legion/A1 style frames with the medium length beavertail, undercut, checkering, magazine well change (making it incompatible with most of the older grips), and new style magazine catch. That new frame is used on the Legion with a Cerakote finish and on the Elite and Pro with a hard anodized finish. Aside from this, it looks like the only other new factory options would be the MK25 (1913 rail version, short extractor) or to get a California compliant P226 Nitron (magazine safety, loaded chamber indicator slide/barrel) with a P226R rail frame.

Revenant Arms (Matrix Precision Arms) makes a serialized P226 frame (REV226) and they have a no rail version as well. I used one of their serialized railed frames and found the quality to be excellent. I have read the dustcover dimension is slightly different from the original Sig no rail frames, but as most holsters are for the railed versions anyway, I don't know if this will be a big issue for holster compatibility. On my railed version, the REV226 rail sits very slightly lower than on an actual Sig frame. I use my MK25 holster for almost everything classic P series related and didn't have a problem. Lightbearing holster compatibility was a bit of a problem for me, but since you are chasing a no rail version, this would be irrelevant to you.

[TOTS]

That’s definitely one of the greats. I absolutely prefer the old SIGs over the new; I don’t think modern fit and finish equals the 90s SIG. I expect you’ll pay a bit more, but not much. Parts are definitely out there and I don’t see them needing replacing like newer guns. Consumables (springs and mags; btw, barretta mags work in SIGs with a mag catch slot cut in the correct place- billions of them around) will always be accessible and the hard parts will last a lifetime.

This is my feeling: SIG I think, still makes good guns. But, back in the 90s they were peers with H&K. Now they are peers with Glock and M&P. Granted the production catalog is much more vast.

[KevH]

That's a early 1990's P226 pictured (stamped and roll-pinned two-piece slide...1990 by the serial number) wearing a set of later grips.

99% of the small parts on that generation are still available through SIG. Lot's of those guns are still in service at police departments and militaries around the world. If parts become less available them made millions of them so there will always be something used floating around if something breaks.

If you want one, just go buy one.

I have Lugers and P-38's in my collection that I enjoy to shoot for nostalgia's sake. Parts haven't been produced for them for decades.

Just buy one and enjoy it!

[fatdog]

I have a relatively early Tysons Corner W. German P226 and spare parts are absolutely not an issue.

You can retrofit or install the short reach trigger and short reset sear made for the current models, you can retrofit the hammer and/or hammer strut and spring to the current versions. The grips are backward compatible unless you venture in the big beavertail versions like the Legion series. The grips in your picture are readily available as new grips from Sig. Original factory checkered P226 grips as seen below are rare and getting expensive/collectable. Recoil springs and recoil spring guide rods are 100% backward compatible.

A brand new Mk 25 slide or the new optics slides are compatible with the original frames, no problem. The only thing I would not attempt is putting a .40/357 slide on one of the old non-railed guns, but you could probably even make that function.

The breach block retaining dual roll pins need to be replaced from time to time for maintenance, no longer available from Sig but there are several aftermarket sources for those.

They are available in the used market and if they are in very good condition with the original box and target the seller is going to get a collectors premium, but specimens with worn finish and no box can be had for reasonable prices at the auctions.

As far as getting a new one, the Mk 25 or Nitron current production are as close as you could get but they are both railed dust covers, not smooth.

[SCCY Marshal]

Whatever the model was they used in RoboCop. That's the one I would like.

An early P226. In RoboCop 2, Lewis got a P228 and had a P228 on P228 showdown with the little league robbery team coach. RoboCop 3 doesn't exist and the franchise was ended after 2 with full honor and dignity.

[HCM]

That’s definitely one of the greats. I absolutely prefer the old SIGs over the new; I don’t think modern fit and finish equals the 90s SIG. I expect you’ll pay a bit more, but not much. Parts are definitely out there and I don’t see them needing replacing like newer guns. Consumables (springs and mags; btw, barretta mags work in SIGs with a mag catch slot cut in the correct place- billions of them around) will always be accessible and the hard parts will last a lifetime.

This is my feeling: SIG I think, still makes good guns. But, back in the 90s they were peers with H&K. Now they are peers with Glock and M&P. Granted the production catalog is much more vast.

Recoil springs, mags etc are not the problem.

The folded slide SIG’s require replacing the breech block and roll pin (and other proprietary parts) at certain intervals. Those parts are not readily available anymore. There are some for sale but you are now hunting down individual sellers etc.

Those rounds counts are significantly shorter on folded slides than the later solid slide guns. Especially folded slide P220s in .45.

Cool old guns (have 3 folded slide SIGs) but their days of being primary carry / traning guns is over.

[Sero Sed Serio]

You will struggle to find cleaner than this:

https://www.gunsamerica.com/classifi...977888249.aspx

I have no connection to the seller, just spend a lot of time trolling for German SIGs.

[GJM]

The first 226 I bought was a new one, about 12 years ago, supposedly at the peak of the terrible Cohen days. It went 12,000 rounds without a stoppage, with just a handful of boresnake and lube cleanings. After that, I lost track of rounds, but it continued to run great and was a delight to shoot. In 9, I have never had a bad 226, and I have a half dozen or more.