Beretta or Sig

I prefer the Beretta due to its lower bore axis. However a lot of people like Sig. Both are extremely reliable guns.

You simply cannot go wrong with either period... Pick the one that feels the best to you..

The 96 is a .40 cal version of the 9mm 92FS. The P226 is available in 9mm, 40, 357 Sig, and .22LR. The 226 is also available in a plethora of variations. The most practical in my opinion are the used W. German made 9mm models.

Different styles you could say. Both Sigs and Berettas are normally DA/SA, but I like the setup of the Sig a LOT more.

The decocker is not a safety, and it's out of the way rather than on the slide.

However, Berettas control setup is closer to what you're already used to.

S&W 5906 was my first semi auto. A Ruger P95 was my second. I prefer a DA/SA with a decocker and a safety. I prefer it to be on the slide. That is what I cut my teeth on and it is natural feeling to me. My primary SD gun is a Beretta PX4. I wish more guns came with that set up.

Some people don't like them. It is just a personal preference. In my case I happened to start out shooting that way. No style is wrong and no style is better than the other. Pick which one you like the best

My brother owns a 96 and after shooting it on a few occasions I still prefer my p226 in .40. In 9mm it's fairly even for me between the 92 and 226, but I would choose a cz75/sp01 over both as it just fits in my average sized hands more comfortably.

40 S&W?? Sig. Or Ruger P91.

Ergonomics on grip is subjective.

I like the SIG triggr better because M9 trigger had more resistance increase towards the end and it also had more over travel. I guess it is natural consequence of the trigger design. It has been a while since I have looked inside either of them, but if I recall correctly, SIG trigger actuates the AFPB by the trigger bar sliding under the AFPB plunger and Beretta trigger does it by the trigger actuating a lever to push the plunger up.Not that it makes Beretta triger particularly bad, but the resistance increase towards the end of the pull was noticeable.

I also do not want a manual firing inhibitor that needs to be operated separate from trigger pull motion, especially when the lever for it is on the slide.

Nitron finish is more durable and tough than Bruniton judging from my experience.

The more squared shaped SIG slide was easier to grasp for me.

To be technical, the open top slide does not aid in ejection, but rather have less probably of obstructing the path of ejection. While it does make it better, I do not find it to be significant since most failure to eject I have seen is between the breech face and the hood of the barrel.

The portion of the slide that is in front of the rear end of the barrel hood of a closed slide design is for the most part irrelevant in regards to better ejection. Since the ejection is supposed to be towards the right side, if the left side wall of the slide is interfering with ejection, you have something else to worry about than the slide not being open.

The open top design do make contaminant enter easier. That does not always mean it is going to be a problem,since it can work dirty. Ingress of regular amount of dust is not much of a problem. But, it can be a problen if the gun is immersed in things like sand.
For these and some other reasoms that I may have forgot I find SIG to be better for my choice.

REDMASTA said:

My brother owns a 96 and after shooting it on a few occasions I still prefer my p226 in .40. In 9mm it's fairly even for me between the 92 and 226, but I would choose a cz75/sp01 over both as it just fits in my average sized hands more comfortably.

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I would love a cz75 with a beretta style slide mounted decocker/safety

I have not owned a Beretta 96, but I would still choose the beretta. Despite nay-sayers, the Beretta 92/96 models are some of the most accurate and reliable guns on the market. The are large but so are the P226 guns. I have a stainless Beretta 92 and a Black M9 and would never get rid of either. I had a sigp220 and sold it. Don't get me wrong, the Sigs are work horses, but to me they do not grip as well, and nothing beats the looks of a Beretta 92/96 model. The sig 220 and 226 seem to have a chunky grip. The beretta grips are also large, but for me I can handle them better. Either gun will serve your purposes but everyone should have a beretta in their collection. Behind the 1911, it is the most recognizable semi-auto gun in American history.

I prefer the SIG P-226 mainly because it fits my hand size (small), better than the comparable Beretta and I like the design ergonomics of the SIG as well.

9mmepiphany said:

The Ruger P90 is an outstanding gun...likely Rugers best CF semi-auto...and originally designed to contain the 10mm.

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From what I've been able to determine, including conversations with Ruger, the P90 10mm design is an internet myth. Check out coffeepot's and lowegan's comments here: http://rugerforum.net/ruger-pistols/8570-little-p-90-history.html

History is a funny thing; I'd be very interested in your comments on why you believe the P90 was originally designed for the 10mm

It does have a lot to do with how they fit your hand. Both are excellent pistols, that are accurate, and reliable.

I sold my Sig P228 because I just didn't like the control position, and ergos, but it was a reliable and reasonably accurate pistol. I thought the trigger was decent, but a bit spongy.

I had avoided the Beretta 92 because I don't like slide mounted safeties, but after shooting a friends I had to have one. Now, along with my CZ-75 series pistols it is one of my favorites shooters.

2wheels wrote,
Berettas control setup is closer to what you're already used to.

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TennJed wrote,
S&W 5906 was my first semi auto. A Ruger P95 was my second. I prefer a DA/SA with a decocker and a safety. I prefer it to be on the slide. That is what I cut my teeth on and it is natural feeling to me.

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I agree, my experiences are similar. My early semi-auto experiences were with S&W autos. The Beretta controls seem more "natural" to me.

However, most of my shooting in recent years is with the 1911 and my right thumb wants to ride the SIG's decocker. I do think a decocker only, like SIG employs (or the Beretta 92/96 G model) rather than a safety/decocker as the 96A1 does seem like a better idea.

For me the Beretta just seems like too much gun for the caliber. The grip feels much bigger than it needs to be, and as a result it doesn't fit my hands as well. The Sig felt like a much softer shooter, and I like the Sigs trigger (in both DA and SA) much better.

But perhaps the biggest reason that I dislike the Beretta? That stupidly designed location for the safety/decocker... And how it is completely inverse in terms of how to use it compared to most any other gun.

allaroundhunter wrote,
That stupidly designed location for the safety/decocker... And how it is completely inverse in terms of how to use it compared to most any other gun.

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I've got to admit I was kind of waiting on this one, and I'm surprised it took so long to show up.

The Beretta safety/decocker is exactly the same as Walther P38 developed in the 1930's, the millions of S&W Traditional Double Action (TDA) autos that have been produced since the 1950's, all the Ruger P-Series autos that have been made over the years, and of course the long line of Beretta 92/96 pistols made. I'm sure there are others that have followed this design, but I can't think of them off the top of my head. So I'd say there are lots of other guns that operated exactly the same.

The SIG on the other hand, while not knocking the design or the manufacture of that design, is I believe, a unique animal. Is there any other pistol on the market that puts their decocker where SIG does. SIG's design, is the one that "...is completely inverse in terms of how to use it compared to most any other gun".

This one is close, but I prefer the sig. For EDC, the Beretta is wider and longer, but also not as tall from the bottom of the grip to the top of the slide. This makes finding a cant forward angle you like a little easier.

The sig is thinner and shorter over all, but does have a high bore axis, with a grip that hangs low, generally requiring a slightly more forward belt placement to remain concealed.

For me, I shoot the sig better, I love the location of the controls, particularly the de-cocker location, and I believe sig's siglites are the best night sights on the market.

Another consideration is capacity with a flush mag; my 226 MK25 9mm runs flush 18 round MecGar mags, with MecGar also being the factory mag for this weapon.

As for build quality, probably a toss up with sig getting the nod for buttery smoothness IMO. and as mentioned, the narrower profile seams to fit more hands, certainly does mine.

JTQ said:

I've got to admit I was kind of waiting on this one, and I'm surprised it took so long to show up.

The Beretta safety/decocker is exactly the same as Walther P38 developed in the 1930's, the millions of S&W Traditional Double Action (TDA) autos that have been produced since the 1950's, all the Ruger P-Series autos that have been made over the years, and of course the long line of Beretta 92/96 pistols made. I'm sure there are others that have followed this design, but I can't think of them off the top of my head. So I'd say there are lots of other guns that operated exactly the same.

The SIG on the other hand, while not knocking the design or the manufacture of that design, is I believe, a unique animal. Is there any other pistol on the market that puts their decocker where SIG does. SIG's design, is the one that "...is completely inverse in terms of how to use it compared to most any other gun".

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As I said in my previous post that I avoided the Beretta 92 for 25 years due to the position of the safety. I finally figured out you can either not use the safety at all or just use it as a decocker. I don't carry the 92, but if I did it would be safety off. Not needed in a DA/SA pistol. I agree on the Sig's control positions. Very counter intuitive, and different from ALL my other pistols. It is fine if that is all you carry, and shoot.

A couple more points that may not matter,but the beretta gives you a full 5" of tube, which not only gives a little more sight radius, slightly more velocity, but also makes it far more pretty IMO. if looks are important, the beretta wins hands down IMO.

For the sig, the much less expensive sig 2022 is much lighter, has identical control location to the 226, and can be had for less than $400. I have both the 2022 and the 226, and they are close in regard to actual performance. I find the 2022 easier to carry with certain clothing choices, and I like having the same training platform in my two primary EDC's. I do not know of a lighter, more compact beretta that would serve the same purpose for alternative carry with controls identical to its bigger brother.

As I said in my previous post that I avoided the Beretta 92 for 25 years due to the position of the safety. I finally figured out you can either not use the safety at all or just use it as a decocker.

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Pilot,

With the correct holster, that would nearly eliminate the need for having to actuate the lever upon draw.

However, that still leaves some problems: Unintended accidental lever movement after draw. That issue mostly come up during reload or malfunction manipulations where the user would unintentionally push down the lever while manipulating the slide.
It can also happen during events like a physical struggle with an opponent.

If I was into M92 series, my choice would be either M92G or M92D. That's the only way to eliminate the problem as a whole. Under marketing of M92G and M92D is Berettas biggest mistake regarding the model.

Pilot wrote,
I finally figured out you can either not use the safety at all or just use it as a decocker. I don't carry the 92, but if I did it would be safety off. Not needed in a DA/SA pistol.

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I agree. I think the vast majority (everybody?) of citizen users would simply employ the safety/decocker as a decocker only. I do understand there have been some law enforcement and military organizations that required the Beretta to be carried with the safety engaged.

Beretta vs SIG is basically thumb safety vs decocker. The rest is personal choice. Hold, cycle, aim, dry fire at least. When the individual fit and habits count, buying by referendum is a gamble.