Need advice on Sig 226/229 vs Wilson 92G

[sailsguy]

I'm new to the forum. I've searched but didn't find exactly this.

Looking for people who own, or at least have experience with both the Sig 226/229 Legion or Elite and the Wilson 92G or 92 compact. Thinking of this primarily as a range gun, but also home defense. All in 9mm.

Having asked this before on other forums, I anticipate someone is about to write "Glock." Glocks are great guns but not what I'm looking for here.

If possible, please respond with actual personal experience. About the only other one I've been interested in at the same time is the Sphinx.

Thanks

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I have a Wilson 92 Brig Tac. It's a fine weapon and a pleasure to shoot. I also got the Wilson trigger job. The trigger is the finest one I have. Though, it is a bit lighter than I care for on a HD gun, so I mostly shoot it for range fun.

I really just need to practice with that gun more.

I've handled a Sig 226 Legion, and as far as 226's go, it was pretty dang nice with a very smooth trigger.

I say pick which ever one you like better. I'll likely pick up a 226 of some variety in the future.

 

[Brian425]

Search Les Pepperoni.......I myself have a couple of 92's, one a Inox Brig and the other a Wilson Brig Tac....I would tell you how great they are but I am totally biased. However, no one will deny their reliability vs most other makes and their ability to eat any crap ammo you want to feed them

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Pretty sure the Wilson 92 Compact has been taken out of their lineup. Not a deal breaker but if you want one I wouldn't wait.

 

[Indawind]

I have a 226 Elite SAO. I added the shortened trigger and it is sweet. It comes very close to a good 1911. Large ambi safety and a light and it is my nightstand gun. It shoots like a dream.

I also have a 229 SAS with with the SRT trigger. This is another sweet shooter although it doesn't have a rail for a light. Other models of the 229 do though.

The 226 is too large for me to conceal so it has never been in that role while the 229 is my outside of work carry.

As far as the Legion series, everything I have heard from people I respect is that they are very nice pieces. Most of the comments are on the triggers. I think that the SRT and the SOA are right there for good triggers but you don't get the swag. I look at the Legion as a good Sig with G10 grips, the grips are worth 125ish bucks.

 

[bannockburn]

sailsguy

A number of times I have comparison shopped the SIG P226, P228, and P229 versus some version of the Beretta 92 or 92 Compact. Have always come way with the feeling that for me the SIGs always had the better ergonomics, overall handling and feel, and triggers, making them my go-to choice. That's not to say that a Wilson 92G Brigadier Tactical wouldn't serve you equally well in that regard either.

I think I would go with what 460Kodiak recommended: "I say pick which ever one you like better."

 

[bannockburn]

Indawind

I have a P229R with the SRT and it does indeed have a very sweet trigger on it; much improved over previous SIGs I had used. I added an STL-900L laser/light module to it and it is my dedicated home defense gun.

 

[strambo]

I've carried a P226 and M9s overseas in the sandbox and my primary CCW is a P226 with an action job and short reset trigger mod. The Wilson 92G really takes care of my only gripe with the Beretta (slide mounted safety) and improves on other areas.

You can't go wrong between the P226 and 92G for a range and HD gun. Just get the one that speaks to you the most!

 

[Old Dog]

I don't own the Wilson Beretta, but I carried the M9 for more than half my military career and presently own an INOX 92FS, an M-9 and a commercial 92FS. While I still like the platform, I don't care for the slide-mounted safety/decocker, stock sights and trigger, although I see Wilson has much improved these last two features.

I do own quite a few SIG P-226s, including the P-226 Legion SAO in 9mm. The Legion (I also have a P-229 Legion in 9mm) is easily the best-shooting, most ergonomic, most accurate 9mm service-sized pistol I've ever, ever shot ... The trigger is spectacular. Personally, I find the SIG 226s significantly easier to handle and point better than the Beretta. Based on that alone, I'd give the nod to the SIG, but the Legion is so good -- yes, that good --it's just got to be handled and shot a bit to get it ...

 

[pblanc]

Have you shot either a SIG-Sauer P226, SIG 229, or Beretta 92FS or M9?

The reason I ask is that there are tons of all of the above out there and if you shoot a Beretta against a 92 or M9 you will know which has the better control layout, trigger function, and ergonomics for you. Sure, the WC Brigadier and the SIG Legion are going to both be a bit nicer than the base models, but to a large extent, they are going to function pretty much like the less expensive models they are based on.

I don't have either but I have had a Beretta 92FS that I have customized a bit, adding WC G10 grips, a WC short reach trigger, a WC low profile safety/decocker lever, a steel guide rod, reduced power mainspring, and a Beretta oversize magazine release button. The heavier Brigadier slide is said to help damp the recoil of the Beretta, but the recoil of even 9mm +P is so mild in the big Beretta 92 FS I can't really see that making much difference. The Brigadier slide does, however, allow a dovetailed front sight, is beefier, and some like the looks better.

I also have a SIG-Sauer P229R which I have modified a bit, adding a short reset trigger sear, a reduced reach trigger, and Hogue G10 grips. The Legion 229 adds a few additional features, some of which I like and some I do not.

I am sure that the trigger action of the WC Brigadier and the SIG Legion 229 are going to be a little smoother than my Beretta 92 and P229 respectively, but I doubt they are going to be fundamentally different.

For me, the P229 has better overall ergonomics and I personally think that the trigger action of the SIG is better in both double action and single action. With the short reset sear, the P229 has a very short trigger reset in SA with very little take-up. The reset of the Beretta is significantly longer with considerably longer take-up.

I prefer the location of the decocker on the SIG to that of the ambidextrous decocker of the Beretta. The SIG also just points more naturally for me.

 

[sailsguy]

Thanks everyone. Guess I'll have to handle both. Sounds like I can't go wrong. Great points. I do have a 220 so I'm used to the system there.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I am sure that the trigger action of the WC Brigadier and the SIG Legion 229 are going to be a little smoother than my Beretta 92 and P229 respectively, but I doubt they are going to be fundamentally different.

Well respectfully, I disagree, with one caveat. Without the Wilson trigger job, you would be correct, the Wilson Brig Tac just has a stock Beretta trigger. It may come with a reduced power mainspring also, but I don't think so.

If you get the Wilson trigger job, which is a great value for $110, you get the D mainspring which is quite a bit lighter than the standard Beretta mainspring, and they smooth out the action. The result is a DA pull that feels about 5.5 lbs, and a single action that is closer to 2.5 to 3 lbs.

I'm not sure about the pull weights on the 226/229 Legion, but it is a Gray's Gun trigger, no? It felt noticeably lighter and smoother than other 226s I've dry fired.

I'm just saying, don't downplay the enhanced triggers too much, as they can make a huge difference in the shootability of the gun.

 

[pblanc]

I am quite sure that the WC 92 Brigadier comes standard with the so-called Beretta 92 D spring, rated at 16 lbs as opposed to the 20 lb stock spring.


The Legion DA/SA pistols come standard with the SIG short reset trigger kit (sear) and the Grayguns P-SAIT trigger which I have not tried but is said to have a trigger reach intermediate between that of the standard SIG P series trigger and the SIG reduced reach or "short" trigger. The P-SAIT trigger does have a set screw adjustment to limit trigger over-travel, but IMO trigger over-travel is not a problem on the SIG P229 with the SRT kit and either the standard or "short" trigger, so I really don't see a whole lot of value to the last feature.

The P-SAIT trigger otherwise has the same fundamental geometry, i.e, the relationship of the hole for the trigger bar and the hole for the trigger pin is the same so it has no effect on trigger pull weight or length.

The Legions do have phosphate coated internals which may smooth the action somewhat.

I have read a number of posts on the SIG forums written by posters who have compared the trigger action of the Legions to the corresponding SIG DA/SA P series pistols. The consensus seems to be that the pull weights of the Legion are not significantly different that the P226 or P229 but most seem to think that the triggers on the Legions are a bit smoother.

I will just point out that the mainspring on the Beretta 92 is very easy to change. Anyone with a small punch and an IQ over 80 can do it. I have tried reduced power mainsprings in my 92 FS from 13lbs all the way up to the D spring (16lbs). The reduced power springs certainly lighten the trigger pull, but they don't change the fundamental trigger geometry, of course. The D spring will certainly not drop the DA pull weight to 5.5 lbs. I have a 14lb mainspring in my 92 FS and the DA pull weight is still over 10 lbs. SA pull is about 4.25. My pistol has not had a Bill Wilson trigger job, but it has been detail stripped and I have polished the internals.

Again, I do think that both the Wilson Combat 92 Brig and the Legion are going to have somewhat nicer trigger actions than their base versions, but the question is which is better for the OP. I don't think the difference is going to be so great that the question can't be answered by shooting a Beretta 92 FS with a D spring, and a SIG P226 or 229 with an SRT kit.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I just checked, and you are right. The Wilson Brig Tac comes with the D spring. And yes, changing a mainspring isn't difficult.

Regarding the Legion trigger, I obviously didn't have a trigger gauge with me, and as we both know, a smooth trigger often feels much lighter than a rougher one of the same weight. So I can see your point regarding that.

 

[FL-NC]

I would choose SIG over ANY 92 series Beretta. I was issued both in the military, and the SIG is a far superior pistol in my experience.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I would choose SIG over ANY 92 series Beretta. I was issued both in the military, and the SIG is a far superior pistol in my experience.

Why? I'm asking, not trying to argue with you.

 

[Winkman822]

I just picked up a Legion P226 and also have a P226 MK24 (the one with the standard Sig rail, not the 1913 Picatiny rail found on the MK25). I've also handled and shot a number of 92 Berettas. Honestly, i'd take the Sig over the Beretta, even with the Wilson Combat treatment which, based on my Wilson 1911's, I imagine is fantastic. I just prefer the feel of the Sig to the Beretta, specifically I like the frame mounted decocking lever versus the Beretta's slide mounted decocking lever. I also prefer the overall control layout of the Sig versus the Beretta. That being said, if you're a lefty, the Beretta may be the better way to go as Sigs aren't exactly designed for left handed ergonomics.