Help me with my Duty weapon selection, Sig 226 or XD40, Please Vote

Vote for my duty .40

  • Sig Sauer 226 .40 DAK

    Votes: 73 62.4%

  • XD40 Service

    Votes: 44 37.6%
  • Total voters
    117
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phantomak47

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May 27, 2003
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Yet again I look to the highroad for guidance. I am in the hiring process for a police department and I have my choice of several different pistols for duty. The only requirement is that it has a .40sw. I have narrowed down my selection to two different pistols, I am not interest in other alternatives so please do not suggest any other weapons. (No XDM, Glock, SW M&P etc). I am taking this decision very seriously as my life and the life of others depends on this weapon. I have shot both weapons, only in different calibers , the problem is that I am really deadlocked between the two.


Sig 226 DAK .40sw

Pros –

1.Reliability, proven duty weapon with a great track record, Seals, LEO, Feds etc.
2. The 226 are built around the .40, non-polymer frame.
3. Accuracy


Cons-

1. Grip is a little small for my hand
2. Do not like the DA/SA trigger, so its DAK only (already have a 226 9mm)



XD40 Service 4”

Pros-

1. Fits great in my hand, good overall balance,
2. I like the “blockiness “of the slide
3. Good grip angle and I like the relation of bore to the tang.

Cons-

1. Not known to be unreliable, but not a truly proven combat weapon
2. Mixed feelings on polymer frame
3. Trigger not as smooth as the Sig


Please vote and add some input!!
 
As a Sig fan, this choice would be easy for me.

However, taking my feelings out of it and basing my advice solely on your pros and cons list, I have to say XD by a very narrow margin. My feeling is that you're already leaning that way anyway.

The XD is an excellent weapon and most would agree that it's as reliable as the Sig.

Also, your feelings about polymer will likely change after you've had to carry it all day every day. ;)

Lastly, trigger smoothness isn't likely to be the first thing on your mind if you're using your weapon in the line of duty, eh? It's certainly smooth enough, and I'm sure a gunsmith could make it better if you were so inclined to take it to one.


-T.
 
I would recommend a 3rd option, but my opinion remains true to your need. If you want to go with .40S&W I suggest going with the P229. Unlike the P226, the P229 was designed from the ground up for the .40S&W. As such it has a much better reliability and durability record than the P226 in .40. Both the frame and the slide are beefier to handle the pressures and abuse of the .40S&W. DHS put over 100k rounds through some of the P229s they tested before they adopted it. The DOI and the USCG did their own abusive testing and settled on the P229 in .40S&W. In addition, the grip is slightly wider than the P226 and with the addition of wrap-around Hogue rubber grips it feels very good in the hand. I've carried the P226 9mm and P220 .45acp on duty and now I carry the P229 .40S&W as I feel it to be a better mix of law enforcement needs.
 
Don’t you just hate people who can’t fallow simple instructions, but I have to vote with Marcus L. for the Sig 229. Have you shot one and if you have, curious why you eliminated it?

I have one with Hogue finger grove stocks and it fits my largish hand nicely. If I ever have to liquidate my collection, god forbid, the Sig 229 and Smith mod.18 will be the last to go.

I voted Sig because you said you already own one in 9mm. If you also own or plan to purchase an XD, I’m back to a no preference.
 
Arizona DPS carries the 229 (yes, I know the 226 is the option being discussed) and their officers, at least the ones who shoot, love them. I was playing with one this morning and comparing it to my duty Glock 23. The Sig was more accurate and had a lighter recoil.

I really like the DAK trigger. I think Sig did a good job creating a double action pistol that is easy to master without extensive practice.

I actually just sold my XD 40 earlier this evening, and I kept my Sig.

If you put the hogue grips on the Sig it will help to fill it out. They are a reliable, proven, accurate gun. Typical German engineering.
 
It's about the trigger, and the DAK is awful.

You need shots on target faster and the XD40 will give you that.
 
P226 DAK.

I work for a PD in Texas which specifies .40 for duty ammo, and has a list of approved duty pistols, all of which are "double action" autos, with Glock and such modern actions being considered DA.

Until 1997, I could carry a much wider variety of duty pistols, but then all "new" duty pistols after a set date had to be .40 and on a list, which consisted of the P229, Beretta 8040 Cougar, and one or two decocker models made by S&W. The list has changed, with some models dropping off the list, and others being added. The XD and P226 were added last year.

In 1997, and with all the list deletions that have occurred since, anyone happy with their existing duty pistols could keep using theirs, provided they maintained current annual qualification. Nobody has been forced to buy a different pistol. That is why one still sees officers around here with 1911s, Brownings, sixguns, and such, that were "grandfathered" in 1997, and Beretta Cougars and certain S&W pistols that have been removed from the list, but were current when the officer started carrying them.

I gave up carrying my grandfathered Kimbers and Colt Govt in 2002. Long story, which I will not get into here. I went to Gluncks temporarily, then discovered a P229R DAK with a short factory trigger. I had already handled P229s in the past, but they had the standard blocky factory trigger, which was too far of a reach for my index fingers to manipulate well in DA mode. Loved the grip shape and fit, but the trigger killed the deal, until I tried the short trigger.

The first time I fired the P229, it was on our duty course, and I fired a better score that I had ever fired with a Glock. As soon as I had enough rounds through the gun to verify reliability, it was riding in my duty rig. After a while, I was shooting a P229 as well as I had ever shot a Kimber or Colt Govt 1911, and rivaling how well I can shoot my Les Baer 1911.

I now have four P229s; two are qualed as duty pistols, and another for personal-time carry and back-up. I must like them! If they all were destroyed or lost, I would almost certainly switch to the P226, to get the slightly greater sight radius.

OK, now for my thoughts on the XD. It does not have the track record of SIGs. It has a grip safety, which does not allow the slide to be retracted unless it is fully depressed, and I can see that being a possible problem with one-handed reloading and malfunction-clearance, or the same action performed with two injured hands. Think of supervisory Special Agent McNeill during the FBI shootout with Platt and Mattix, trying unsuccessfully to reload his sixgun with two injured hands. (Not sure I spelled all those names right.) I just don't see the XD as a fighting pistol, though it may be a wonderful competition toy.

Good luck on your new career. I have been wearing a badge for almost 25 years, and have great admiration for those getting into law enforcement during these trying times.
 
OK, now for my thoughts on the XD. It does not have the track record of SIGs. It has a grip safety, which does not allow the slide to be retracted unless it is fully depressed, and I can see that being a possible problem with one-handed reloading and malfunction-clearance, or the same action performed with two injured hands. Think of supervisory Special Agent McNeill during the FBI shootout with Platt and Mattix, trying unsuccessfully to reload his sixgun with two injured hands. (Not sure I spelled all those names right.) I just don't see the XD as a fighting pistol, though it may be a wonderful competition toy.
Click to expand...

That is a big problem with the XD. As a police pistol, it poses an officer safety risk due to the grip safety. Arm and hand wounds are common should you ever trade shots with a perp, meaning you must be able to use your weapon one handed. I'm sure there are some agencies that use XDs, but I don't know of any.
 
If the DAK trigger is awful, and the worst trigger system ever, why do I do so well with it? The DAK is certainly different from other auto pistols' triggers, but very much like a sweet, custom DA pull in a K-frame S&W sixgun.

Y'all don't have to believe me, of course; I am nobody. I first read about the DAK on John Farnam's site, and he is certainly somebody.

FWIW, I can adapt to DA/SA, a.k.a. TDA, as well as classic single action, as with the 1911, but have long done my best shooting with DA sixguns. I could only do so well with the spongy, hitch-filled Glunck trigger; good enough for government work, but not as good as I liked. I find the DAK to be like a custom-level sixgun, right out of the box. The limitation I have with the P229 DAK is the limited sight radius, and small sights. I can simply see nice, tall, adjustable sixgun sights better.
 
I'd say the XD is as reliable as anything. Also, the DAK trigger is an attempt to make trigger pulls consistent. The XD has that, but they're not nasty, long, heavy-ish pulls every single time.

I don't recall a gun coming out in quite a while which received as little negative feedback as the XD.

I haven't shot the XDM, but I'm curious, why did you eliminate that? It seems like a heck of a gun...
 
Quote: "1. Grip is a little small for my hand."

A little small is better than one which totally fills your hand. If you ever have to wear gloves, wear a bandage, or have a swollen hand, a hand-filling gun will no longer fit you. Unless it is convenient to switch guns or grips, this can be a problem.
 
Both those guns would be good honestly. The Sig is a little more accurate and has an extensive military/LEO background, it's a trusted and proven pistol. The XD is lighter, cheaper, and very tough as well. With everything considered, I would probably go with the Sig, even though I plan on getting an XD Sub-Compact.

phantomak47 said:
I have narrowed down my selection to two different pistols, I am not interest in other alternatives so please do not suggest any other weapons. I am taking this decision very seriously as my life and the life of others depends on this weapon.
Click to expand...
Isn't that a contradiction?
 
I vote Sig. I had an XD9 a few years ago and the finish wore off really easily. They might have fixed it by now.
 
phantomak47,
both are great choices. but i trust the safety of my life and myloved ones to a SA xd. I have 2 and both run like tops. I have over 8k rds in my service model. it feeds anything and everything an is as accurate as you will ever need. I also have a sc model that i carry and it has been 100% reliable as well, with over 2k through it. i love my xd's and i am sure that you will be happy with them.
 
Why consider the XD and not GLocks? Are they that different?
Click to expand...
they are way different.

I vote Sig. I had an XD9 a few years ago and the finish wore off really easily. They might have fixed it by now.
Click to expand...
yeah the old xd's had a finish that wore pretty easy that didn't bother me too much, but the xd's have the melonite finish, that holds up well.
 
That is a big problem with the XD. As a police pistol, it poses an officer safety risk due to the grip safety. Arm and hand wounds are common should you ever trade shots with a perp, meaning you must be able to use your weapon one handed. I'm sure there are some agencies that use XDs, but I don't know of any.
Click to expand...
there is no problem using the xd or its varients in a one handed engagement, weakhand, strong hand etc, i have done it.
 
I am not interested in Glocks, I have shot them extensively and do not care for them (although I do respect them), as for the XDM, it is not approved for my department, so it cannot be considered.
 
I love the sig but for on duty I recommend the XD, it has a better triger pull then the sig and it's very rugged. may I recomend the sig for off duty.
 
I bought the sig.. but if you think the grip angle is better on the xd40, does that translate to you being able to pull it out and target it better?
When you say the 226 has more accuracy, do you mean you shoot more accurately with it or just know that it is inherently more accurate by manufacture?

I voted xd40:
Sounds to me like it feels and shoots better to you.

As far as I've read, xd series have awesome reliability
As far as I've shot, the xd series were more reliable than the sigs - but this was 9mm comparisons at a shooting range.. and I didn't know how many rounds other people had put through each pistol
 
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