SIG P226
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| SIG P226 | |
|---|---|
 SIG P226 |
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| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin |  Germany Switzerland |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Usage |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | SIG SAUER |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight |
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| Length | 196 mm (7.7 in) |
| Barrel length | 112 mm (4.4 in) |
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| Cartridge | |
| Action | mechanically locked, recoil operated (DA/SA or DAO) |
| Feed system | 12 or 13 round magazine (.40 S&W, .357 SIG) 15, 17, 18, or 20 round magazine (9mm Parabellum) |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The SIG Sauer P226 is a full-sized, service-type pistol chambered for the 9x19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W and .357 SIG. Its design is based on the SIG Sauer P220.
Contents |
[edit] History
The P226 was designed for entry into the XM9 Service Pistol Trials, which were held by the US Army in 1984 on behalf of the US armed forces to find a replacement for the M1911A1. Only the Beretta 92F and the SIG P226 satisfactorily completed the trials. According to a GAO report, Beretta was awarded the M9 contract for the 92F due to better durability during endurance testing and a lower total package price. During the endurance testing none of the 92Fs broke, while two of the P226s cracked frames between six and seven thousand rounds.[citation needed] The minimum endurance requirement was five thousand rounds, so the P226s were considered acceptable. The P226 cost less per pistol than the 92F, but SIG's package price with magazines and spare parts was higher than Beretta's. The Navy SEALs, however, chose to adopt the P226 later after a reputation of failures with some issued Beretta M9s.
The original P226 was manufactured in West Germany, featured a mandrel-stamped steel slide, and was available in blued, nickel, and two-tone finishes.
[edit] Manufacture
SIG firearms are manufactured both in Germany and in Exeter, New Hampshire, United States. Although Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft is a Swiss company, Swiss law is highly restrictive when it comes to the export of firearms. Consequently, SIG entered into an agreement with German gun manufacturer (and eventual owner) J.P. Sauer & Sohn to facilitate an export market for their products. In 2000 the SIG Holding AG sold J.P. Sauer & Sohn GmbH to two German businessmen.[1] The Brandname SIGSauer remained at the J.P. Sauer & Sohn GmbH.
[edit] Variants
[edit] P226 Rail
The P226 Rail (or P226R) is the same as a P226, but it has a rail on the underside of the frame, just forward of the trigger guard. The P226R's rail has a more rounded contour than the military standard M1913 Picatinny rail and while most Picatinny-rail accessories will fit, not all will. This has now become the standard P226.[2]
[edit] P226 Tactical
A P226R with an extended 5 in (13 cm) barrel and external threads to accept a suppressor.
[edit] P226 Navy
Navy SEAL Teams started using the SIG P226 in the 1980s.
The first Naval Special Warfare-spec P226 pistols to be offered to the public were the NSW Commemoratives, issued in early 2004. The SIG P226-9-NAVY is a version of the SIG P226 that is produced to the exact specifications of the pistols supplied to Navy SEALs, including special phosphate corrosion-resistant finish on internal parts, contrast sights, and a slide engraved with an anchor to designate them as Naval Special Warfare pistols. SIGARMS raised $100,000 for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation through the sale of these NSW serialized pistols. The pistol bearing serial number NSW0001 was sold during a live auction on the nationally syndicated Laura Ingraham radio show for an additional $25,000.[3]
[edit] P226 Blackwater
Introduced in 2007, the SIG P226 Blackwater was designed in cooperation with the Blackwater Training Center. It featured SIGLITE front and rear night sights, the Blackwater USA logo on the slide and wood grips, an integral Picatinny rail, black anodized frame, and Nitron-coated stainless steel slide. It was only available in 9x19mm Parabellum, with a double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger. The gun sold with five 15-round magazines. The P226 Blackwater was discontinued in 2009 with the release of the P226 Blackwater Tactical[4] - a nearly identical pistol with 20 round magazines.[5]
[edit] P226 Equinox
The P226 Equinox comes chambered in .40 S&W and features a two-tone accented design. The design is achieved by the brush polished flats of the slide and nickel accents of the gun's controls. The P226 Equinox comes with a TRUGLO Tritium Fiber Optic front sight, rear SIGLITE night sights, SIG accessory rail, and gray laminated wood grips.
[edit] P226 ST
The SIG SAUER P226 ST is an all stainless version of the SIG P226 pistol. It has a blued barrel and the frame features a SIG rail. It is heavier than a standard P226 because the frame and slide are stainless steel. The stainless P226 in 9mm is a popular pistol with competitors that compete in the sport of practical shooting.
[edit] P226R HSP
On sale 2005-09-11, SIG SAUER Homeland Security Pistols (HSP) are the same models SIG builds for the United States Department of Homeland Security. This is a limited production run of 1,000 P226R HSP pistols available engraved with the American flag and Homeland Security X of 1000. Additionally, each pistol comes in .40 S&W caliber and is engraved with serial number barcoding just like those which were shipped to DHS. The HSP also features the new DAK trigger, a stainless steel Nitron slide topped with SIGLITE night sights, and a light weight alloy frame with rail.
There is also a P229R HSP model available with the same features.
[edit] P226 X-Five
The SIG Sauer P226 X-Five is a competition variant of the P226 with a 5 in (13 cm) slide and barrel, beavertail grip, and an adjustable rear target sight. Intended for IPSC competitive shooting, the X-Five is hand-fitted and assembled in Germany, and its resulting accuracy accordingly rivals the legendary SIG P210. Available in 9mm or .40 S&W, there are four models being offered in the United States:
- The "Competition" model has a single-action-only (SA) trigger, ambidextrous thumb safety, flared magazine well, and high-capacity magazines (19-round 9mm/ 14-round .40 S&W).
- The "Level-1" model adds a special adjustable SA trigger and Nill wood grips.
- The "Allround" model has a double-action/single-action (DA/SA) trigger, a decocking lever and a standard magazine well designed to accommodate P226 magazines.
- The "Tactical" model comes with a black Ilaflon finish, and features a heavy-weight alloy frame with a SIG rail, and fixed contrast or tritium night sights. Available in either SA or DA/SA configuration. (US models only come chambered for 9mm, but a .40 S&W model is available in Germany.)
All SIG P226 X-Five models include a factory test target with a sub-1 inch 5-shot grouping from 25 metres (82 ft).
[edit] P226 Elite
The Elite adds an ergonomic beavertail grip, front cocking serrations, front strap checkering, custom wood grips and the new Short Reset Trigger. SIG engineers designed the SRT to provide the same safety and action of the SIG DA/SA with a reset that is 60% shorter for faster trigger return during high speed shooting. The P226 Elite is available in 9mm, .357 SIG and .40 S&W.
[edit] P226 Combat
Like the P220 Combat before it, the two models, P226 Combat and P226 Combat TB (Threaded Barrel), are available in DA/SA. Their frames are "Flat Dark Earth" in compliance with the Combat Pistol program. The Combat model comes with night sights, a Nitron-finished slide and barrel, fore slide serrations, and a military standard M1913 Picatinny rail. The TB model features an extra 0.6 in (1.5 cm) on the barrel, and external threads to accept a suppressor.
[edit] P228
A compact version of the P226, the P228, is in use with the US military, designated as the M11. Users include the Army CID, Air Force OSI, NCIS, and as a combat zone personal weapon by Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps flight crews.[6]
It is also the standard issue handgun of the Swedish Police and is used by many other police/law enforcement agencies around the world, to include the New Jersey State Police,Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Park Service and the Israeli Special Forces community by replacing the P226. The P228 has a shorter slide and barrel than the P226. Unlike the P226, the P228 is available only in 9x19mm Parabellum with a 13 round magazine, but can also use P226 15 or 20 round magazines. The P229 is nearly identical to the P228, but it has a one piece solid steel (vs. the P228's stamped carbon steel) slide and is available in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .357 SIG. From a distance, the P228 can be differentiated from the P226 by comparing the trigger guards (the P228's is curved, while the P226's is slightly hooked) and the barrel and slide lengths (the P228's barrel 3.9 in/9.9 cm, thus having a corresponding shorter slide). Also in a side by side comparison the P228 would appear slightly shorter (0.6" shorter) than the P226. The larger capacity P226 magazine can also be employed in the P228 although it extends from the base of the grip. It is also available in the 'Ladies Escort' version with an adapted trigger for women with extra small hands. Manufacture of the P228 was discontinued with the introduction of 9mm chambering in the P229.
In late 2008/2009, SIG Arms imported a limited quantity of German made P228 pistols, but with the more modern P229 railed frame (basically, a P228R). These are said to be US military contract overrun weapons and many have frames marked "US" and "M11" (though these markings are visible, they are etched over for sale to civilians) although no railed M11s are in service with the United States military.[citation needed]
[edit] P229
The P229 is a compact firearm, often used for concealed carry purposes. The standard version features a DA/SA trigger, but it is also available with a DAO trigger.
The pistol has also been made available in a DAK (Double Action Kellerman) model, which is a DAO system with two trigger reset points, and a lighter, smoother pull than that of traditional DAO handguns.
The P229 differs from its cousin the P226 in several respects, and was originally introduced to supplement and then replace the P228 by adding the .357 Sig and .40 S&W as available chamberings. The P229 was the first production handgun introduced that could chamber the .357 Sig round. The P226 and P228 were originally manufactured using a stamped-steel slide on an aluminum alloy frame. The P229 consists of a CNC-milled stainless steel slide, typically colored black with a Nitron finish. The P229's milled steel slide was introduced to handle the higher slide velocities created by the .357 Sig and .40 S&W loads, which the stamped slide of the P228 could not handle without the use of a much stiffer recoil spring. This would have made manual slide-retraction much more difficult and the use of a milled stainless slide (coupled with the new milling and stainless production capabilities found in the U.S. factory) with a standard weight recoil spring made more sense. The P229 is the standard issue duty weapon for Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as United States Secret Service agents and officers.
A standard weight recoil spring for the P228 is 16 lb (7.3 kg). A spring weight of 20 lb (9.1 kg) or higher would have been required if a stamped slide was used for the .40 S&W or .357 SIG chamberings. The SAAMI maximum chamber pressures of 9mm, 9mm +P, .40 S&W, & .357 SIG are as follows (in PSI): 35,000; 38,500; 35,000; & 40,000. The slide on the P226 was redesigned in a similar fashion, and civilian sales of the P228 were discontinued in early 2005 due to declining sales and the advent of the P229 in 9mm. The P226 and P229 are both available with optional accessory rails and optional forged stainless steel frames.
The P229 can be chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W or .357 SIG. Changing between .40 S&W and .357 SIG is as simple as switching out the barrel. Conversion barrels, from companies such as Bar-Sto Precision Machine,[7] also allow a P229 or P226 to change between a .40 S&W/.357 SIG to a 9mm caliber. Magazines shipped with .357 SIG models have a "necked" throat that will only accept that caliber. Magazines shipped with .40 S&W models will accept either caliber. The 9mm model cannot be converted to another caliber.
[edit] DAK Version
SIG released an altered version of the double-action only (DAO) pistols; this version is called the DAK (for Double Action Kellerman, after the designer of the system). The DAK capability is available in 220, 226, 229 and 239 models. When firing the pistol the first trigger pull is 6.5 lbf (compared to 10 pounds for the standard DAO). After the pistol fires and the trigger is released forward, the trigger has an intermediate reset point that is approximately halfway to the trigger at rest position. The trigger pull from this intermediate reset point is 8.5 lbf (38 N). If the trigger is released all the way forward, this will engage the primary trigger reset and have a trigger pull of 6.5 lbf (29 N). To engage the intermediate reset, the trigger must be held to the rear while the slide is cycled, either manually or by the recoil of a round being fired. The United States Coast Guard has adopted this firearm as its PDW (Personal Defense Weapon), replacing the older M9 pistol.[8]
[edit] Usage
[edit] Gallery
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 SIG P226 X-FIVE (IPSC version) |
 M11 |
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P228 |
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[edit] See also
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Sauer: Intro
- ^ P226 page from 'www.sigsauer.com'
- ^ Sigarms donates $100,000 to foundation | Shooting Industry | Find Articles at BNET.com
- ^ "P226 Blackwater". Products and Services. Sig Sauer. http://sigsauer.com/Products/ShowCatalogProductDetails.aspx?categoryid=7&productid=78. Retrieved on 2009-06-21.
- ^ "P226 Blackwater Tactical". Poducts and Services. Sig Sauer. http://sigsauer.com/Products/ShowCatalogProductDetails.aspx?categoryid=7&productid=192. Retrieved on 2009-06-21.
- ^ M11 Study Guide
- ^ Bar-Sto Precision Machine
- ^ Grand Prize Winner: Sig Sauer P229
- ^ "ZOAF 9 mm pistol (Iran), PISTOLS". Jane's Information Group. 2003-06-02. http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Police-and-Homeland-Security-Equipment/ZOAF-9-mm-pistol-Iran.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-31.
- ^ "The new Tokyo Marui AEG: MP5 Japanese Police/Military Version". Renegade Recon. 2004-05-13. http://www.renegaderecon.com/recon_details.php?id=138. Retrieved on 2009-02-07.
- ^ M11 | NavySEALs.com - Experience the SEAL Edge
[edit] External links
GAO report, Pistol Procurement, Allegations on Army Selection of Beretta 9mm. as DOD Standard Sidearm, June 1986. http://archive.gao.gov/d4t4/130439.pdf
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: SIG P226 |
- Official page
- P226 operator's manual
- P229 operator's manual
- The Arms Site review and history of the P226
- Modern firearms
| Full size SIG P210 | SIG P220 | SIG P226 | SIG Pro series (2009, 2022, 2340) | SIG GSR | SIG Mosquito |
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