Sig P229 Review.

So, here we go, off with review number one.
Sig P229 in 9mm. Single action/Double action.

1 Accuracy.  2.8.
The pistol demonstrates boring regularity with what it shoots. I have put Wolf though it, Federal, and Remington full metal jackets both of 115 grain and 124 grain weights. It seems to prefer the heavier weights a bit more, but at seven yards standing it puts two inch holes in the paper, three to five at 15 yards and four to six at about 25 if I do my part. It does everything you can ask a basic pistol to do, but make no mistakes here it is not a match grade weapon. However, that being said, the fact that it digests everything with out a hiccup and puts rounds in the black or a kill zone if you do your part with out trying is a big benefit. Easy to see night sights really help. This pistol really does shoot better than I can at this time.
Additional bit I had forgot. Standing upright, and aimed at a 50 yard silhouette target, I put in two kill shots and one miss out of three just at an informal attempt, Aimed center of mass. So this compact pistol has the capability of longer than average pistol ranges.

2. Ergonomics.  1.4
This pistol is a bit beefy as it is a double stack firearm. Its recoil tends to be sharp but very controllable, but it does have a definite roll up high feeling when you fire it, making your grip all the more important. This makes it a bit more difficult than some pistols for follow on shots but with range time it is something that is easy to master. I put a novice behind this pistol, and while she was surprised by the recoil it was manageable. It isn't a hard recoiling weapon being a solid metal frame however. She was able to make acceptable enough shots with it at 10 yards and would do well with this pistol with additional range time. This pistol however is designed for right handed people, the controls being on the left side of the weapon
The location of the slide lock is fully to the rear and is not as intuitive as other designs that place the slide release forward. However the decocker is easy to manipulate and smooth as silk. The pistol is a classified as a compact, and while there isn't anything to really snag on for concealed carry its defiantly designed more for open carry. The weight for the pistol is also fairly significant. The trigger on this is smooth, the slack taken up with out a hitch and the trigger squeeze both on single action and double action is more than acceptable.

3. Price. 1.8
Sig pistols are not cheap, trending new for this pistol from 700 on up form there. However its not grossly overpriced and I feel that it is a fair value for the money. The price does put it above your polymer based pistols of the same class, but keep in mind here you are getting solid metal instead of plastic moldings. Also a benefit is this particular model has a common caliber of ammunition, that you can get literally everywhere. A good thing to keep in mind is this pistol is available in 9mm, 357 Sig and .40 S&W for calibers and there are factory .22 LR conversion kits available. Also you can get kits to change out calibers with ease, giving a bit extra value for the money.

4. Fit and finish. 1.2.
This pistol fits tight, locks up well and looks good, however the finish on it seems to be easily marked, and the stock plastic grips do not fit perfectly well together. In fact even when tightened down fully there is some play with where they meet and its a bit of a irritation, however aftermarket grips are available. The stock grips could fit better and I feel that especially for the price of the pistol they damn well should.

5. Aftermarket accessory availability  .8
There are plenty of aftermarket parts out there for it both in grips, the fact this particular model has a rail machined in to the bottom of the frame is a big plus, and my Streamlight snaps snugly to the third furthest out rail, however this pistol doesn't have the following of say a 1911 or a AR15 for customization.

So this makes a total of  8.0 points.

I'm a bit surprised at my harshness on this pistol, as I really do love the thing and its a joy to shoot, however the factory grips could  be more solid. That seems to be my biggest disappointment with it all told. The fact that it is a right handed only pistol further limits some of its practicality.  For a novice its a bit of a steep learning curve compared to some, but its nothing that you could not fine tune with some range sessions. The fact that its a 9mm makes ammunition cheap to come by and you can get it everywhere.

Overall It is a great gun, and I would suggest it to most people, but it could stand for a couple improvements. I will continue to shoot and use this pistol with out any reservations, however. This pistol would be a fair deal with all things told.