Thought I’d post a short range report involving the P226.
THE PISTOL:
This is a 1991 assembled, West German stamped P226 in 9mm. Stamped slide, reblued by SIGARMS. I purchased this pistol used, and it apparently was a Police trade-in that was refurbed by SIG—it appears that the barrel was non-matching as the serial number has been XXX’d out by SIG and the serial number on the slide that normally appears in front of the ejection port is absent. It has the old-school checkered grips and SIGlites. Everything else is box-stock except for the blackened stainless TJ’s grip screws (which aren't shown in some of the pics).
The frame is in great shape, with some minimal rail-wear. The barrel’s SIGsmiles are not too wide, and the rifling is in good shape. No rattle. The number of rounds fired previously is unknown. I have put at least 2200 rounds through it, but not sure. It fits nicely in a High Noon Holster Sky High cowhide OWB holster. BTW, this holster also cradles the P220 purrrfectly.
I got along with this pistol very well from the beginning. It seems to get better with use and familiarity. In fact, I have not fired the P228 in a few months.
THE AMMO:
I have put several brands of ammo through the P226 including; S&B, UMC, Winchester white box, Fiocchi 124gr, PMP, Remington Golden Sabers, Hydroshoks, Federal 124NATO, and handloads. All without a single failure to load or fire.
My old standard favorite load so far has been my own handloads using Hornady 115gr FMJ ENC bullets atop 4.3 gr Bullseye, OAL 1.20â€, Remington once fired and tumbled cases with Winchester small pistol primers. I am playing with some Hodgdon Clays in this caliber, and things look promising as it burns a lot cleaner than the filthy Bullseye. Loaded at home on a Dillon progressive.
THE RANGE:
Last weekend the weather was beautiful. Sunny, light breeze, 60 degrees, low humidity.
The targets were set up at different distances. This day I fired 400 rounds through the P226.
First Photo:
Here is a pic of two 10 round groups at 25 yards, benched; The bottom group of previously mentioned 115gr handloads , and the top target group using factory Remington 124gr FMJ. These groups were fired off of a sturdy bench using a sandbag on a Sinclair benchrest with my arms as bracing.
The factory group measures 1.25†Pretty awesome considering how horrible I shoot. This is a testimony to the crisp and clean trigger break on this particular P226. In comparison, with this same technique using a CZ75, I can only get at best 2.5~3" groups.
The handloaded group measures 1.25†with the flyer at 6 o’clock. The 9-shot center group measures less than .5â€!! A ragged hole a bit bigger than a single .45 caliber hole! (The target is ‘green’ at the top of the target, due to some of the Shoot-n-c black stuff flaking off.)
Second Photo:
This target is a 25 round group fired offhand at 10 yards, using a modified Weaver, somewhat faster fire than slow (approx a shot fired every two seconds) using the handloads:
The group measures 2.5â€. The black dot in the center was used as a reference point while shooting at the D-2 target. Notice how I push the rounds to the low-right….I shoot lefty and this denotes a little trigger jerking. Offhand, my pet CZ 75 groups similarly.
Third Photo:
This is the best of a few targets fired at 25 yards, slowfire, 10 rounds. Slowfire, as in one shot every 15 to 20 seconds. I did cheat and used a Starsky and Hutch/firing over the hood of the car-type position, using a bench as the imagined hood. The pistol did not rest on the bench, just my elbows:
The group measures 1.70†center to center. Again, testament to the great trigger on this pistol. Agonette proudly used her scrapbook rubber stamps to decorate the target….silly, but she was kinda proud of me.
SUMMARY:
The P226 is one of the finest combat 9mm pistols available. I haven’t fired a stainless/milled slide version in 9mm, but I have handled a few. I must say, the stamped version balances much better and feels noticeably lighter. The grip feels subjectively smaller than the Beretta M9. In fact it feels nearly identical to the P228 (Why I can’t fire the P228 this well is still unknown!). The older checkered grips feel soo much better than the newer flat-stipple version. The P226 has dethroned the previously most accurate pistol in my safe; the lowly CZ 75.
A couple of quirks: The grip screws don’t stay in place. Solved this with some blue loc-tite. The walking breech-block roll-pin problem is bothersome, but just a nuisance, as it can be easily tapped into place. The finish wears easily, especially after only a few holster presentations. I wish it had the newer beveled take-down lever.
No SIG collection is complete without a classic, standard stamped 9mm P226.
Thanks!
THE PISTOL:
This is a 1991 assembled, West German stamped P226 in 9mm. Stamped slide, reblued by SIGARMS. I purchased this pistol used, and it apparently was a Police trade-in that was refurbed by SIG—it appears that the barrel was non-matching as the serial number has been XXX’d out by SIG and the serial number on the slide that normally appears in front of the ejection port is absent. It has the old-school checkered grips and SIGlites. Everything else is box-stock except for the blackened stainless TJ’s grip screws (which aren't shown in some of the pics).
The frame is in great shape, with some minimal rail-wear. The barrel’s SIGsmiles are not too wide, and the rifling is in good shape. No rattle. The number of rounds fired previously is unknown. I have put at least 2200 rounds through it, but not sure. It fits nicely in a High Noon Holster Sky High cowhide OWB holster. BTW, this holster also cradles the P220 purrrfectly.
I got along with this pistol very well from the beginning. It seems to get better with use and familiarity. In fact, I have not fired the P228 in a few months.
THE AMMO:
I have put several brands of ammo through the P226 including; S&B, UMC, Winchester white box, Fiocchi 124gr, PMP, Remington Golden Sabers, Hydroshoks, Federal 124NATO, and handloads. All without a single failure to load or fire.
My old standard favorite load so far has been my own handloads using Hornady 115gr FMJ ENC bullets atop 4.3 gr Bullseye, OAL 1.20â€, Remington once fired and tumbled cases with Winchester small pistol primers. I am playing with some Hodgdon Clays in this caliber, and things look promising as it burns a lot cleaner than the filthy Bullseye. Loaded at home on a Dillon progressive.
THE RANGE:
Last weekend the weather was beautiful. Sunny, light breeze, 60 degrees, low humidity.
The targets were set up at different distances. This day I fired 400 rounds through the P226.
First Photo:
Here is a pic of two 10 round groups at 25 yards, benched; The bottom group of previously mentioned 115gr handloads , and the top target group using factory Remington 124gr FMJ. These groups were fired off of a sturdy bench using a sandbag on a Sinclair benchrest with my arms as bracing.
The factory group measures 1.25†Pretty awesome considering how horrible I shoot. This is a testimony to the crisp and clean trigger break on this particular P226. In comparison, with this same technique using a CZ75, I can only get at best 2.5~3" groups.
The handloaded group measures 1.25†with the flyer at 6 o’clock. The 9-shot center group measures less than .5â€!! A ragged hole a bit bigger than a single .45 caliber hole! (The target is ‘green’ at the top of the target, due to some of the Shoot-n-c black stuff flaking off.)
Second Photo:
This target is a 25 round group fired offhand at 10 yards, using a modified Weaver, somewhat faster fire than slow (approx a shot fired every two seconds) using the handloads:
The group measures 2.5â€. The black dot in the center was used as a reference point while shooting at the D-2 target. Notice how I push the rounds to the low-right….I shoot lefty and this denotes a little trigger jerking. Offhand, my pet CZ 75 groups similarly.
Third Photo:
This is the best of a few targets fired at 25 yards, slowfire, 10 rounds. Slowfire, as in one shot every 15 to 20 seconds. I did cheat and used a Starsky and Hutch/firing over the hood of the car-type position, using a bench as the imagined hood. The pistol did not rest on the bench, just my elbows:
The group measures 1.70†center to center. Again, testament to the great trigger on this pistol. Agonette proudly used her scrapbook rubber stamps to decorate the target….silly, but she was kinda proud of me.
SUMMARY:
The P226 is one of the finest combat 9mm pistols available. I haven’t fired a stainless/milled slide version in 9mm, but I have handled a few. I must say, the stamped version balances much better and feels noticeably lighter. The grip feels subjectively smaller than the Beretta M9. In fact it feels nearly identical to the P228 (Why I can’t fire the P228 this well is still unknown!). The older checkered grips feel soo much better than the newer flat-stipple version. The P226 has dethroned the previously most accurate pistol in my safe; the lowly CZ 75.
A couple of quirks: The grip screws don’t stay in place. Solved this with some blue loc-tite. The walking breech-block roll-pin problem is bothersome, but just a nuisance, as it can be easily tapped into place. The finish wears easily, especially after only a few holster presentations. I wish it had the newer beveled take-down lever.
No SIG collection is complete without a classic, standard stamped 9mm P226.
Thanks!
