Sig P290

[johnandersonoutdoors]

Hey everyone,

I have started to shop around for a compact 9mm. Gonna be shooting a Sig P290 at a rental range in a few weeks when I visit family.

Anyone here own and carry the Sig P290? Thoughts?

Anyone reloading for this gun?

 

[TarDevil]

It's been on and off my short list several times. I've handled it and dry-fired it, stopped short of renting and shooting it. It's currently off my my radar because:

• Weight wise, it's closer to several double stack compacts, so no clear advantage. This could actually be an advantage for those who are recoil sensitive and still want a small gun. I, however, have back issues and need to shed weight.
• Amost as wide as my SR9c... not much advantage there either.
• Longish trigger pull. A GOOD trigger, though, but a little long. Plus side is, double strike capability

I like it and think it's a great buy for the price. If you like double action triggers (GOOD DA triggers) and don't mind a few extra ounces, you should like it.

 

[GAF]

I own one and I like it. I like the trigger and the re-strike capability . It is accurate . I stacked various ammo brands and weight in a couple of magazines and fired away. Everything went bang and everything eject with no problem.
The only ammo that would not fire on first strike was the steel cased tulammo .

I like everything about this gun.

 

[chuckpro]

I have had one since they first came out and it doesn't care what you feed it with. It goes bang every time!! Tried the pm9 and db9 and both were unreliable for me. The trigger on my p290 is horrible, my only complaint, but i like everything else about it. Shoot it and see if you can live with the trigger then go for it. Someone told me the new RS model triggers are a little smoother than the non RS but i have never compared them.

 

[MikeJackmin]

If you like the p290, also consider the p250 and p320 subcompacts. The p250 has a true double action trigger and can be had for nearly half the price of a p290. The p320 is striker fired.

 

[kellmark]

I have the P290RS.

It does fit in a pocket, no problem. It does weigh more than some, but it helps with recoil and feels good in my hand. It has an excellent DA trigger. Feels like the trigger on the Ruger LCR.

But what it does is shoot every time and very accurately. It is very tight and solidly built, yet you can carry it easily. I think it is the best carry gun for a 9MM.

 

[AustinTX]

The P290 is really unimpressive, in my opinion. The build quality is nothing special. It's stuffed with MIM components, like other Sigs of the Ron Cohen era, and I've still seen fairly frequent complaints about functional problems despite how long the gun has been out. The trigger on the one I shot was just bad -- gritty, long, and heavy. The gun has more muzzle flip than any other gun in the segment in my hands, thanks to the really high bore axis combined with the shortest barrel and what, in my hands, feels like the shortest grip in this segment (I can't even get close to having two fingers fully on the grip). This despite the fact that the gun is anywhere from a little bit to significantly heavier than its competition. Perhaps this is why the gun just seems too chunky and fat to me. I haven't measured the different guns myself, so this might just be an illusion due to its other attributes.

It would be toward the bottom of my list if I were looking for another ultra-slim, single-stack 9mm CCW. (To be fair, anything from Kel-Tec, Taurus, Diamondback, SCCY, or Kimber wouldn't make the list in the first place.) The Walther PPS is my personal favorite pistol in this segment, though it is a bit longer/taller (not wider) than the rest. I would get a Beretta Nano, S&W Shield, Kahr PM9 (and I'm really not a Kahr fan), and even a Ruger LC9s before the P290.

 

[TarDevil]

Mr AustinTX either shot the early non RS version of the P290 or was unfortunate enough to get his hands on an abused and modified version.

P290RS triggers are far from gritty and heavy... there are plenty of owners on this forum to testify to that fact. The ones I've handled were buttery smooth and delicious.

His description of the grip is also evidence of an early version... early complaints led to Sig adding the magazine lip for a full two finger grip on the P290RS. I had no trouble getting getting full two fingers, and easily three fingers with the 8 round magazine.

As far as weight goes, the P290RS is hardly "significantly" heavier than it's contemporaries... it is actually lighter than Mr. AustinTX's favorite Walther PPS, only slightly heavier than the Shield, and much lighter than the XDs 9mm.

It's a fine gun.

 

[kellmark]

TarDevil you have it right. The first version of the P290 did have its problems, but the P290RS is a different animal.

Another problem with AustinTX, is he recommends a number of other guns, that don't fit what the P290RS can do. I also have the Beretta Nano, and it is not as small as the P290RS. It doesn't fit in the pocket as well. And they have had a record of FTEs with certain ammo, and it has no slide release. As for the Shield, it also doesn't fit the pocket. Neither does the PPS. I have looked at the LC9 and it also seemed a bit too big for me, although the new striker fired gun seems a vast improvement over the earlier one. But still not for me. And the Kahrs have had nightmares with their customer service. I have used SIGs' customer service and it has been outstanding. And if muzzle flip is a problem for him on the P290, then maybe he hasn't shot the Nano.

And as far as the build quality, well to each his own. I am very happy with mine. It is a very solid, tight, accurate gun that I have no problem with as an EDC. It simply shoots very well. And the trigger is excellent.

 

[AustinTX]

Mr AustinTX either shot the early non RS version of the P290 or was unfortunate enough to get his hands on an abused and modified version.

Nope, not talking about the first-run P290. It was a recently-purchased RS with no modifications performed. Perhaps the trigger doesn't represent the norm, but it was bad. Then again, gritty triggers are not that uncommon on any American Sig these days, with Exeter/Newington's sourcing low-quality, low-bidder MIM components for as many parts of their guns as possible. Maybe this was just one of those Sigs.

His description of the grip is also evidence of an early version...

Nope again. The owner of the one I shot just handed me a mag with a flush baseplate. Apparently the guns come with one of each type. But the new baseplate would probably take care of this particular problem for me.

I had no trouble getting getting full two fingers, and easily three fingers with the 8 round magazine.

As should be the case. But the extended mags are the backup mags for most people.

As far as weight goes, the P290RS is hardly "significantly" heavier than it's contemporaries...

Read what I wrote more closely. I said that the gun is "anywhere from a little bit to significantly heavier." I'm describing a range. And it most definitely is significantly heavier than a Kahr PM9/CM9.

it is actually lighter than Mr. AustinTX's favorite Walther PPS

You're correct about this -- I should have said heavier than "almost all of" its competition.

In any case, I don't have a problem with the weight per se -- it's that the P290 manages to weigh in at over 20 ounces despite having the shortest barrel in its segment (other than the Solo; 0.3" shorter than the PPS's) and the extra-diminutive grip. It's just yet another of the many things about the gun that scream uninspired engineering to me.

But if you like yours, and it appears you do, that's all that matters.

 

[TarDevil]

But if you like yours, and it appears you do, that's all that matters.

I do not own the gun. If you read post #2, it is not the gun for me, though I do recognize it's value.

 

[AustinTX]

Another problem with AustinTX, is he recommends a number of other guns, that don't fit what the P290RS can do. I also have the Beretta Nano, and it is not as small as the P290RS. It doesn't fit in the pocket as well. And they have had a record of FTEs with certain ammo, and it has no slide release. As for the Shield, it also doesn't fit the pocket. Neither does the PPS. I have looked at the LC9 and it also seemed a bit too big for me, although the new striker fired gun seems a vast improvement over the earlier one. But still not for me. And the Kahrs have had nightmares with their customer service. I have used SIGs' customer service and it has been outstanding. And if muzzle flip is a problem for him on the P290, then maybe he hasn't shot the Nano.

It's certainly true that several guns aren't as small as the P290, but the PM9 definitely is. And as much as I don't care for Kahr and their pistols, they seemed to have ironed the issues out of the PM9/CM9. I read/hear more complaints about the P290 than the PM9 these days.

I've also shot the Nano. It doesn't flip as much in my hands because it's longer and fits my hand a bit better, but it's still not ideal. And while it's certainly annoying that its RSA is apparently too strong for weak range ammo (one of the reasons I won't buy one, actually), I've never read even a single complaint about its reliability with self-defense rounds.

And I really don't care for the LC9s, for the record, so don't take my post as extolling its virtues. But I'd still carry it over a P290, though it's a pretty close call.

 

[AustinTX]

I do not own the gun. If you read post #2, it is not the gun for me, though I do recognize it's value.

Very well. I didn't review the earlier posts in the thread when responding to your specific post.

 

[TarDevil]

I in fact do carry the LC9s and find it an excellent carry gun. I compared it side by side with the Sig P290RS, P938, S&W Shield and SA XDs 9mm. I'm experiencing serious back issues and as much as I love my SR9c, I needed something much lighter on my hip.

The 938 had the best trigger, but not $400 worth better. Back in the case.

The Shield had a OK trigger but not great, but the gun was heavier than I wanted at 20 ozs. Back in the case.

The XDs, again, had an OK trigger and was WAY to heavy. Back in the case.

The P290RS, same thing. Very nice trigger, but again at 20 oz, just not saving enough weight.

The LC9s was 17 ozs, felt great in my hand, had the best trigger of the group save the 938 and backed by a company known for quality and an outstanding service reputation. I pays my money and takes it home.

It eats everything from 115 grain FMJs to 124 grain +P HPs (haven't found any 147 grain to try yet). Zero malfunctions. More accurate than I am. Good sights, points naturally. Not a terrible lot of muzzle rise, though recoil will drive back into my hand a bit. I don't really notice it all that much until after a hundred rounds or so, then an old elbow injury starts to flare up again. Did I say it had a great trigger?

Going online, there's tons of holsters available for the gun. I've ordered three and the thing carries on my side or IWB like it isn't there. One of the holsters is the Nemesis pocket holster, and I've been surprised that I've been able to carry it in most of my pants... just one or two of my tighter jeans that won't work.

It is now my EDC.