Sig P226 in .40SW and 9mm barrel

[giggitygiggity]

If I get a Sig P226 in .40SW, would I be able to take a 9mm barrel and swap it out with the .40SW and use 9mm magazines and turn it into a 9mm Sig P226. I don't think this is possible, but I just wanted to check. Thanks.

 

[9mmepiphany]

You'd have to get an aftermarket conversion barrel to properly position the barrel in the slide and the casing.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I cannot speak for the 226, but I had a Sig 239 in .357, and quickly got a .40 barrel for it. Shortly after that, I lucked into a 9mm barrel for a 239 for a good price. I had to buy a 9mm magazine, but it worked flawlessly with just the barrel and mag in the .357/.40 gun.

 

[footballboy3]

http://www.barsto.com/category_main.cfm?ID=226&cco=66

 

[footballboy3]

http://www.barsto.com/category_main.cfm?ID=226&cco=66

 

[7mmb]

You would have to get a 9mm slide too. The breech face of a 40 slide will not extract 9mm cases. You would also likely need a new recoil spring too. You're probably better off just getting another pistol in 9mm.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

There are lots of guns that, if facotry spec to accept a 9mm barrel's dimensions, work without the need for a 9mm slide. If the extractor has enough space in the extractor cut, and enough tension, they will reliably extract the 9mm casing. This works on a breech with a slightly bigger face, but not in reverse. If the breechface is a 9mm, conversion to .40 isn't going to work unless the breechface is oversized. As stated above, a SIG 239 .40 worked fine with 9mm barrel and mag.

 

[wgsigs]

I believe the P226 is like the P229 rather than the P239. An aftermarket 9mm conversion barrel, like a Bar-Sto, with the same (larger) outside diameter as a .40 or .357 barrel is needed. .40/.357 mags should work if not fully loaded. I have a Bar-Sto 9mm conversion barrel for my .40 P229 and it has functioned reliably with the .40 mags and .40 recoil spring. The standard SIG 9mm will not work because it is too small for the .40 slide, at least on my P229.

 

[fehhkk]

The slides are different for .40 and 9mm. So no, you cannot fit a 9mm barrel on a .40 slide or vice versa.

The magazines for 9mm and .357/.40 are identical except for the holes that indicate the ammo levels.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

So, from this, can we conclude that an aftermarket 9mm barrel designed for such a conversion is available,will fit the .357/.40 slide, and the extraction works fine with the conversion? No 9mm slide is needed? Does SIG make a "conversion" barrel with the larger diameter, or just aftermarket sources?

 

[wgsigs]

I know the answer is YES for the P229 bacuse I have done it, and I am fairly sure it is also true for a P226. SIG does not make a 9mm conversion barrel - just Bar-Sto and EFK Fire Dragon(?) as far as I know. Bar-Sto seems to be the more popular, but more expensive, option.

Caveat: Bar-Sto calls their barrels "semi-drop-in" (they are made to tighter tolerances than SIG's) because they advertise that in 7 out of 10 cases the barrel will just drop-in and work. The other 3 may require some adjustment, either by a local gunsmith or they will do it if you send them the slide. Mine just dropped in.