Choices/applications
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Ah yes, Sig P229's, one of my favorite discussions..
I'd strongly recommend going 40cal (which they were built for) and enjoy the soft/balanced, natural, fall back on target w/accuracy they offer..
Hey, you can always get a 357 barrel up the road and just drop it in, as your mags for the 40 also work for 357 SIG..
180gr JHP's will do the job of penetrating many things as well and you can always choose a lighter 165gr or 155gr for more speed/more recoil if you are comfortable going that route once you break-in with your new or used/new P229..
Question is, do you want a rail.. ? If so there are plenty of NIB ones around or IF you don't, there are some non-railed ones around as well..
Me, I have 3 non-railed and 1 railed (had too at the time-first NIB 9mm) but, namely, for lasers, I use the CTC laser grips.. they're great, far better than any rail mounted ones and no special holsters required..
As far as SAO, yea, I like SAO "the most" but all my P229's are DA/SA and one can make them (DA pulls) real smooth, quick, and light, by simply taking off the factory 24lb main spring and buy a Wolff main spring kit for your P229 and between the 5 springs he sends, you can choose which much lighter spring, like one I use is 17lb and another is 18lb, and choose which you like best (with 500 rounds, pure, without one light strike - both mine have over 4000 flawless rounds with them) and find DA pulls quite fun/natural and accurate.
Cost around 22 bucks (for mainspring kit)to do (yourself) with the aid of a Sig Armour DVD showing you how to replace the mainspring if you want to learn how easy it is.. think the DVD is around 24 bucks
Nothing against DAK's or DAO systems fyi..
Luck,
Ls
Ps.. as far as I know, you can't get/fit a 357sig barrel in P229/9mm slide.. IIRC