[Doc Holliday]

I just saw a SLIGHTLY used P-228 at the local shop. I think that this would be a great concealed carry gun. The price was $550. I owned a P-226 about 8 years ago but traded it away for my Glock 21. Tell me what you guys think about the P-228 and BTW why was it discontinued? Also, can't you get a .357 SIG barrel for the P-228 or am I confusing that with the P-229?

 

[hirundo82]

I just saw a SLIGHTLY used P-228 at the local shop. I think that this would be a great concealed carry gun. The price was $550. I owned a P-226 about 8 years ago but traded it away for my Glock 21. Tell me what you guys think about the P-228 and BTW why was it discontinued? Also, can't you get a .357 SIG barrel for the P-228 or am I confusing that with the P-229?

The P228 only comes in 9mm; it is the P229 in .40 S&W that can be converted to 357SIG with a barrel swap. I'm not sure why the P228 was discontinued but it may have been redundant with the 9mm P229. They are the same size, with the difference being the P228 has a stamped slide while the P229 has a machined slide.

I have never fired either a P228 or a 9mm P229, but from what I have heard the P228 is better balanced that the P229.

 

[P95Carry]

I have a 228 tho choose to make the 226ST my EDC.

I have however taken to using the 228 for IDPA and like the gun a lot - and could happily let that sit on the hip any day. Capacity is down by 2 rounds but otherwise still a very nice shooter.

 

[AgentX]

Probably just didn't make sense to have the 228 and the 229 in 9mm...just redundant, and makes for a that many more spare parts to keep in stock. The 229 just tweaked the 228 design to handle larger calibers.

The 228 is also known to need new roll pins from time to time...the one that holds the block inside the slide. The 229 doesn't suffer from this, although it's heavier and marginally wider.

Having been issued a 228 and just switched to a 229, both in 9mm, I can't tell much of a diff. when shooting except for the weight. Wouldn't have minded staying with the 228 at all, but it is nice to not worry about the roll pin breaking or working loose. Minor tradeoffs, and it's putting a pretty fine point on it to call one better than the other, so long as you're talking 9mm.

-AX

 

[Doc Holliday]

Is the price fair? It would look to be 95%-97%.

 

[AgentX]

Heh, couldn't tell you...I've never actually purchased a gun.

I'd pay that much for one, though. MSRP on the 229R is $840...and the trigger on thie one you're looking at is probably just getting broken in to a nice feel. My used 228 felt a lot better than the new 229 I got out of the box, but the 229 is coming along after a couple hundred rounds.

Can you shoot it before buying?

AX

 

[jhh3rd]

Sounds like a good deal. I had a 228 and it truly had the nicest trigger pull. A very, very accurate gun too. Forever gone in the never ending fog called gun trading. I can not remember!

Am I the only one lost in the fog???

 

[P95Carry]

Doc - IIRC that was exactly what I paid for mine - and it struck me as a very fair price - this gun and most SIG's do not drop in value all that much unless real beat up.

 

[Scott]

You can always offer them less for it, but the price is fair. I have a P228 and I have used it for EDC. Nice gun. Probably was yanked because the P239 and P229 fit right with it and around it. I heard noise about the stamped slide, but mine has been flawless. If I didn't already have one I'd be tempted to ask you where to get the one you are looking at. :hand10:

 

[Doc Holliday]

You can always offer them less for it, but the price is fair. I have a P228 and I have used it for EDC. Nice gun. Probably was yanked because the P239 and P229 fit right with it and around it. I heard noise about the stamped slide, but mine has been flawless. If I didn't already have one I'd be tempted to ask you where to get the one you are looking at. :hand10:

Well I am actually thinking about trading my Glock for the Sig. Funny how I traded a Sig 9mm for a Glock .45 and now I am really considering trading the Glock .45 for a Sig 9mm. The G21 is just too dang big for comfortable concealed carry.
I'm hoping to get somewhere in the neighborhood of $400 for the Glock. I have a few hi-cap mags, a few Clinton mags and the tupperware box.

 

[rstickle]

I recall hearing that the 229 was designed because LE wanted a 228 in 40 S&W. While I'm not sure the idea was to replace the 228, that's how it ended up.

Unless my memory is worst than I think, the 228 is what the military calls the M11.

 

[srfl]

My first duty gun upon becoming a fed was a P228 with night sights. Since I'm "digitally disadvantaged," my field office armorer installed a short trigger....I miss the gun. The P229 9mm's I fired at FLETC (P229's in 9mm were the FLETC training gun at the time I went to my basic training course) recoiled slightly less due to the heavier slide, but I preferred the balance of the P228.

That said, while I carried the P228 professionally, I acquired personally a Beretta 92F Compact which was a direct competitor to the P228 (both 13-round mag + one capacity 9mm's). Given a choice, I'd have carried my Beretta; I shot it better and faster, it fit my hand better and I liked the fact it had a manual safety.

That said, the P228 is a great gun and..........I miss my old P228.

(SNIP)
Unless my memory is worst than I think, the 228 is what the military calls the M11.

Nope, your memory is spot on.....when I was active in my old ANG unit's pistol team, an Army (CID or Intel....I think) troop showed up with an M11 and was almost disqualified (DQ)....the Army rangemasters weren't aware that the M11's were issued to troops in the field so they thought he had a personal gun on the line which was grounds for a DQ! He got to shoot 'cause the rangemasters came to realize the errors of their ways.

 

[Jungle Work]

I have several P226s and a couple of P228s. The 228 is a great CCW gun. Price wasn't bad. A Good buy.

Jungle Work

 

[frankmako]

keep the glock and buy the sig. the sig will make a fun range gun. or use the $550 and get a second glock, a glock 36. the g36 will make a good gun to go along with your g21. the g36 will make a great carry gun. the 229 replaced the 228. as with any 228 the price is/will be high. use and/or new. that's if you can find a new one.

 

[rstickle]

Nope, your memory is spot on.....when I was active in my old ANG unit's pistol team, an Army (CID or Intel....I think) troop showed up with an M11 and was almost disqualified (DQ)....the Army rangemasters weren't aware that the M11's were issued to troops in the field so they thought he had a personal gun on the line which was grounds for a DQ! He got to shoot 'cause the rangemasters came to realize the errors of their ways.

Interesting about the almost DQ. I think the M11 was issued to "agents" (like you said) and possibly armored troops because of the smaller size.

When I was with an AMU pistol team (White Sands, 8th Army), the .45 was the service weapon, but the other center fire weapon was a .38 (can't remember the make or model anymore). And of course the .22 was either Hi-Standard or Ruger. I don't think the .38 was "issue" to anyone at the time, and the .22 sure wasn't.

I'm also making the assumption that when you were on the pistol team they were still doing the National Match Course. (Service, center, and rim fire)

 

[fed_wif_a_sig]

I think the M11 was issued to "agents" (like you said) and possibly armored troops because of the smaller size.

The comment about the M-11 (ie Sig 228 9mm) being issued to agents is correct. The US Army CID Agents are all issued a M-11 as well as any MPs who are assigned to support CID units on the drug teams. The only other units that were issued the M-11 is Army Counter Intellegance Agents. The difference is that CID Agents carried thiers virtually 24/7 and CI agents did not.

I carried the M-11 during my 20 years and it was a great improvement over the 2" 38s we were issued previously. One thing that I did like the 228 (M11) over my current fed issued 229 (357 Sig) is that with the 228 you could also find 20 round extended magazines so that when you carried only one extra magazine it help several more than the standard magazine.

Just a point of interest. Army CID was the only unit in the Army (well except for D Boys) that carried hallow point ammo for their M11s. Though it wasnt issued to all agents, they were the only ones allowed to carry HP ammo.

Hope these comments helped.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Well I am the proud new owner of the P-228. I'm glad I went today because according to the sales clerk another man was coming back tomorrow to purchase the pistol. I think that this pistol is really going to be a good one. It feels good in my hands and seems to point naturally. I can't wait to put some rounds down range. I went with the Remington 124 JHP +P GS. I bought a few boxes of these and some Winchester Whitebox FMJ's (for practice of course!). So after an 8 year absence I'm back to the 9mm and SIG.

 

[P95Carry]

Doc - I shall be more than a little surprised if you are not delighted when you get to shoot that!

 

[maclean3]

Congrats on the new Sig Doc, it should be a great shooter for you. Did they give you a reasonable trade-in deal on your Glock? And we need pics too ... you know how "Darth White" gets. :yup:
Jack

 

[P95Carry]

you know how "Darth White" gets.

Hear that Bud LOL! Jack has ya nailed :18:

Watch out Jack - incoming from Darth - :banned: :rofl: