SIG Sauer P226

SIG Sauer P226
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of origin
Service history
In service1985–present
Used bySee Users
Production history
Designed1980–1983
ManufacturerSIG Sauer
Produced1984–present
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass964 g (34.0 oz) (w/ magazine)
Length196 mm (7.7 in)
Barrel length112 mm (4.4 in)
Width38.1 mm (1.50 in)
Height140 mm (5.5 in)

Cartridge
ActionMechanically locked, recoil operated (DA/SA, DAK (double action Kellerman), or DAO), or SAO
Feed system
  • 10-, 12-, 13-, or 15-round magazine (.40 S&W, .357 SIG)
  • 10-, 15-, 17-, 18-, or 20-round magazine (9×19mm Parabellum, 9×21mm IMI)
  • 10-round polymer magazine (Classic 22 only)
SightsIron sights

The SIG Sauer P226 is a full-sized service pistol made by SIG Sauer. This model is available in four chamberings: the 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, or .22 Long Rifle. It has the same mechanism of operation as the SIG Sauer P220, but is developed to use higher capacity, double stack magazines in place of the single stack magazines of the P220.

The P226 itself has spawned further sub-variants; the P228 and P229 are both compact versions of the double stack P226 design, while the P224 is a subcompact variant. The SIG Sauer P226 and its variants are in service with numerous law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.

History

Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG) is a Swiss company, now known as Sig Sauer AG. In 1975, SIG entered into an agreement with German gun manufacturer J.P. Sauer & Sohn to develop and market a new handgun which became the P220. The P220 was the first SIG Sauer handgun sold in the US. It was marketed initially by Browning as the Browning BDA. The SIG Sauer P220 is a refinement of the Petter-Browning design used in the SIG P210. The locked breech design is very different and was pioneered by SIG Sauer.

The P226 was designed for entry into the XM9 Service Pistol Trials (see also Joint Service Small Arms Program) that were held by the US Army in 1984 on behalf of the US Armed Forces to find a replacement for the M1911A1 and 24 other makes of handgun in US military service. Only the Beretta 92SBF and the SIG P226 satisfactorily completed the trials. According to a GAO report, Beretta was awarded the M9 contract for the 92F due to a lower total package price. 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, later chose to adopt the P226 as the P226 MK25 with special corrosion protection.

For the U.S. military XM9 trials, the P226 was imported by Saco Defense. Interarms took over importing when the pistol was introduced for civilian sales. SIG Sauer eventually founded SIGARMS, Inc. (now SIG Sauer) in the United States to handle importation of their products. In 2000, SIG Holding AG sold J.P. Sauer & Sohn GmbH to two German businessmen. The brand name SIG Sauer remained at J.P. Sauer & Sohn GmbH.

Detail of the controls and parts: 1. Ejection port/locking lug, 2. Rear sights, 3. Hammer, 4. Takedown lever, 5. Decocker, 6. Slide stop, 7. Trigger, 8. Magazine release.

Manufacture

SIG Sauer firearms are manufactured in Eckernförde, Germany by Sig Sauer, GmbH and in Newington, New Hampshire, United States by SIG Sauer Inc., (formerly SIGARMS Inc.). Both of these companies along with Swiss Arms AG, Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH, J.P. Sauer & Sohn, John Rigby & Company, German Sport Guns GmbH and Blaser Jagdwaffen Gmbh are subsidiaries of Luke and Ortmeier Gruppe of Emsdetten, Germany.

Copies of the P226 are produced in China by Norinco, under the name of NP22. These were subcontracted to the Zhejiang Xinhua Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (浙江省机电集团), known as State Factory 972 or known as the Xinhua Factory. Subsequent manufacturing improved on its ability to withstand failure after more than 10,000 rounds are fired.

The variants consist of the NP22, NP22A, NP34, NP56 and the NP58. The SDM XM9 is a variant of the NP22 chambered in 9x21mm for countries that don't allow any pistol calibers that are only for the military and police. The LP3 and LP4 are versions of the NP22 and NP34 with manual safeties on the slide. The NP762 is chambered to fire 7.62x25mm bullets, which were exported in 2019. They were first made by Xinhua in 1999 and were known then as the NP2000 for potential contracts in China for the PLA and various law enforcement agencies.

The ZOAF is a clone of the P226 made in Iran.

Variants

P226 Navy

A P226 Mk25 model featuring the UID barcode, Silver Anchor and a Surefire X300 Ultra weapon light mounted on the Picatinny rail.

U.S. Navy SEAL teams started using the SIG P226 in the 1980s, after German Kampfschwimmer tested them successfully. In 1989, the P226 was adopted by the U.S. Navy SEALs and DEVGRU under the name Mk25 Mod 0.

The first Naval Special Warfare inspired 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 produced that features a stainless steel 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 with the serial number NSW0001 was sold during a live auction on the US-wide syndicated Laura Ingraham radio show for an additional $25,000. Later produced commercial versions added a universal rail for accessory attachments while retaining the anchor of previous models, but do not have the SIGLITE Night Sights.

P226 E2

SIG Sauer P226 E2. Note magazine capacity in this picture is capped at 10 rounds.

Introduced at the 2010 SHOT Show, the P226 E2 at the time was a significant update to the P226 line. 'E2' (pronounced 'E-squared'), or otherwise known as "Enhanced Ergonomics", is SIG Sauer's attempt to make the large frame gun more ergonomic for persons with small and medium-sized hands. A reduced grip size and reduced reach trigger bring the trigger face back more than 13 mm (0.5 in), thus potentially allowing better trigger manipulation and control for a greater number of shooters. Other standard features include the Short Reset Trigger, aggressive grip finish texture, and a new wrap-around, one-piece grip panel configuration. The gun was discontinued from the P226 model lineup at the end of 2010 but the E2-style grip system has been adopted on and carried over to other P226 variants.

P228 (M11)

SIG P228 & P229
SIG Sauer P228/M11
TypeSemi-automatic pistol
Place of originGermany
Switzerland
Service history
In service1989–present
Used bySee Users
Production history
Designed1989
ManufacturerSIG Sauer
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass825 g (29.1 oz) (P228)
905 g (31.9 oz) (P229)
Length180 mm (7.1 in)
Barrel length99 mm (3.9 in)
Width38 mm (1.5 in)
Height137 mm (5.4 in)

Cartridge9×19mm Parabellum (P228 & P229)
.40 S&W, .357 SIG (P229 only)
Actionmechanically locked, recoil operated (DA/SA or DAO)
Feed system
  • 9×19: 10-round, 13-round, or 15-round box magazine
  • .40 S&W and .357 SIG: 12-round magazine
SightsIron sights
U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal range practice

A compact version of the P226, the P228 is in use with various law enforcement agencies and also with the United States Armed Forces, where it is designated as the M11. The P228 has a shorter slide and barrel than the P226. Unlike the P226, the P228 is available only in 9×19mm Parabellum with a 13-round magazine, but can also use P226 15- or 20-round magazines. Aftermarket magazines extend the capacity of the P228 to 15 rounds.

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 99 mm (3.9 in), thus having a corresponding shorter slide). Also in a side-by-side comparison the P228 would appear slightly shorter (15 mm (0.59 in) 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. Civilian sales of the P228 were discontinued with the introduction of 9mm chambering in the P229 but were recently reintroduced in limited quantities to civilians with an accessory rail and hooked trigger guard, designated the P228R.

The P229 is nearly identical to the P228, however its slide is made from milled stainless steel (versus the P228's folded carbon steel slide) and is available in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .357 SIG. In the summer of 2012, SIG Sauer announced they were releasing the M11A1, which is essentially the milled-slide P229 chambered in 9mm with P228-labeled grips, a short reset trigger, SIGLITE tritium night sights, Mec-Gar 15-round magazines, and a military style smart tag and serial number. Later in 2012, U.S. Air Force M11b versions of the P228 were released for civilian sale. The M11 is to be replaced in the Army and Air Force through the Modular Handgun System program. On January 19, 2017, it was announced that the SIG Sauer P320 Compact (M18) had been selected to replace the M11 as the U.S military service pistol. One factor in winning the Modular Handgun System competition was the ability to employ 9mm Parabellum, .357 Sig or .40 S&W cartridges within the same basic frame.

P229

Introduced in 1992, the P229 is an upgrade to the P228 being an identical compact firearm often used for duty or concealed carry purposes. Developed specifically for the US market and assembled with both German and US-made parts, the P229 features a heavier slide to tolerate more powerful rounds the P228 is incapable of. The standard version features a DA/SA trigger. The pistol has also been made available in a Double Action Kellerman (DAK) model, which is a DAO system with two trigger reset points, and a lighter, smoother pull than that of traditional DAO handguns. Most of the above-mentioned factory variants of the P226 are also available for the P229, including the Equinox option, Elite lineup, as well as a SAS GEN 2 model.

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 operating the slide manually much more difficult, so 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 was chosen instead.

A standard weight recoil spring for the P229 is 71 N (16 lbf). A spring weight of 89 N (20 lbf) 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, and .357 SIG are as follows: 240 MPa (35,000 psi); 265 MPa (38,500 psi); 240 MPa (35,000 psi); and 280 MPa (40,000 psi). 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 .22 LR, 9mm, .40 S&W or .357 SIG. Changing between .40 S&W and .357 SIG is as simple as switching out the barrel; both calibers use the same magazine. Conversion barrels also allow a P229 or P226 to change between a .40 S&W/.357 SIG to a 9mm caliber. The 9mm model (both railed and non-railed) can be converted to .22 LR, but in the past its receivers were not designed to provide the space needed for handling the larger rounds of .357 SIG and .40 S&W. As SIG Sauer has slowly begun adopting the E2-style grip system across the P229 model range in 2011—a move similar to what is also happening to the larger P226—they have also begun using the .357 SIG/.40 S&W spec frame dimensions for their factory 9mm P229s, presumably to streamline the number of variations in parts needed to be kept in inventory. Although the manufacturer has announced that older-configuration magazines will continue to operate in the new receiver configuration, SIG Sauer has nonetheless revised new P229 9mm factory magazines to a design that is specific to the resized magazine well of the newly reconfigured receiver/frame. As a consequence, the newer magazines are not back-compatible, due to their larger width.

P224

The P224 is a subcompact variant of the series. It has a barrel length of 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) and an unloaded weight of 29 ounces (820 g). It has a 12-round capacity when chambered in 9mm; it is also available in .357 SIG and .40 S&W. The P224 was introduced in 2012 as double-action only (DAO); it was reintroduced in 2013 as double action / single action (DA/SA) with a decocking lever. The P224 was discontinued in 2016.

Users

Map with SIG Sauer P226 users in blue
Country Organization Name Model Reference
 Algeria Personality Protection and Security Service, Police Special Operations Group, Special Intervention Detachment
 Australia Victoria Police(Special Operations Group) P226 9mm
 Canada Canadian Special Forces(Joint Task Force 2) P226
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Emergency Response Team) P226
Royal Newfoundland Constabulary P226
Vancouver Police Department P226
 China Hubei province SWAT NP22
 Colombia Colombian National Police SP2022 Standard side weapon of the Colombian Police, replaced the .38 S&W caliber weapons in service since 2005.
 El Salvador National Civil Police of El Salvador P228
 Egypt Egyptian Paratroopers , Navy Special Forces and Sa'ka Forces

Unit 777

-
 Finland Finnish Army P226
 France National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN), The Tactical Squad of French Gendarmerie P226, P228
Escouade de contre-terrorisme et de libération d'otages (ECTLO), counter-terrorist and hostages rescue squad of French Navy P226
 Georgia Used by Georgian Police and Georgian Special Forces P226
 Germany Spezialeinsatzkommandos (SEKs) of the police, and the Federal Criminal Police Office P226, P229
 Greece EKAM counter-terrorist unit of the Hellenic Police P229
 Indonesia Komando Pasukan Khusus (Kopassus) special forces group of the Indonesian Army P226, P228
Komando Pasukan Katak (Kopaska) tactical diver group of the Indonesian Navy P226, P228
Komando Pasukan Gerak Cepat (Kopasgat) special force of Indonesian Air Force P226
 Iran Defense Industries Organization P226
 Ireland Defence Forces Army Ranger Wing P226, P228
Garda; plainclothes officers, SDU, ERU, RSU, NBCI, Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau P226
 Israel Israeli Special Forces Units P226, P228
 Japan Special Boarding Unit P226R
 Malaysia 10 Paratrooper Brigade P226
Grup Gerak Khas P226
PASKAU P226
 Myanmar Myanmar Army P226
 Netherlands M-Squadron of the Netherlands Marine Corps P226
 New Zealand New Zealand Defence Force P226, P226R designated P226AL
 Pakistan Special Services Group P226, P229
 Philippines Philippine Air Force P228
 Poland GROM special group P228
 Portugal Portuguese Armed Forces P228
 Romania Brigada Specială de Intervenție a Jandarmeriei (BSIJ) P226
Special Operations Forces (FOS) P226
 Singapore Singapore Armed Forces P226
 Slovenia Special Unit (Slovenian Police - "CT") P226 Enhanced Elite [citation needed]
Security and Protection Center (Slovenian Police - "CP") P226 [citation needed]
Special Operations Unit (Slovenian Army - "SF") P226 [citation needed]
Specialized unit for Special Tactics (Slovenian Army - "MP SWAT") P226 [citation needed]
Somalia Somalia Haramcad Unit of the Somali Police Force P226
 South Korea Republic of Korea Naval Special Warfare Flotilla P226N
 Spain Grupo Especial de Operaciones (GEO) of the Cuerpo Nacional de Policía P226
Bilbao Police P229
 Sweden Swedish Police Authority P226, P228, P229, P239
 Thailand Royal Thai Army P226
 Turkey Special Forces P229
Underwater Offence Group Command P226, P229
 United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates Army P228
Various special forces P228
 United Kingdom British Army (including Special Air Service and Royal Military Police Close Protection Unit), Royal Air Force P226 (standard model designated L105A1, corrosion resistant version designated L106A1), P226R (designated L105A2 or L106A2), P228 (designated L107A1), P229 (designated L117A1/A2)
Ministry of Defence Police P229
 United States United States Army (Including United States Army Criminal Investigation Command) P228 (designated M11)
United States Air Force P228 (designated M11)
United States Coast Guard P229R DAK (.40 S&W)
United States Department of Homeland Security P229 DAK (.40 S&W)
U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (U.S. Department of State) P226R, P228, P229, P229R (9×19mm)
U.S. Federal Air Marshals P229 (.357 SIG)
Naval Criminal Investigative Service P229R DAK (.40 S&W), P239 DAK (.40 S&W)
United States Navy (Naval Special Warfare, Including Navy EOD) P226 (designated MK25), P226R, P228 (designated M11), and P229 (9×19mm)
United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police P229R DAK (9×19mm)
U.S. Secret Service P229 (.357 SIG)
United States Postal Inspection Service P229R DAK (.40 S&W)
Texas Ranger Division P226 (.357 SIG)
New York City Police Department P226 DAO (9×19mm)
Delaware State Police P226, P229 (.357 SIG)
Ohio State Highway Patrol P320 (.40 S&W)
Orlando Police Department P226R (9×19mm)
Memphis Police Department P229 DAK
Shelby County Sheriff's Office P226, P229 DAK (.40 S&W)
Connecticut State Police P229 (.40 S&W), P220 (.45 ACP)
Franklin County Sheriff's Office (Ohio) P226R (9x19mm)
Ferguson, Missouri Police Department P229 (.40 S&W)
Houston Police Department P229R, P226 (.40 S&W)
Sacramento Police Department P226R, P229R, P239
San Francisco Police Department P226R
Tampa Police Department Tactical Response Team (TRT/SWAT) P226R (9×19mm)
Fairfax County Police Department P226R (.40 S&W)

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-12 20:36 UTC. Update now. View original page.

All our content comes from Wikipedia and under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.


Top

If mathematical, chemical, physical and other formulas are not displayed correctly on this page, please useFirefox or Safari