SIGARMS Lands Key Law Enforcement Contracts

[Rockrivr1]

I got this in a news letter. Thought I'd pass it along

SIGARMS® was recently awarded two major state pistol contracts which were first announced during the IACP Show. The Nevada Department of Public Safety and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol have both switched to SIG SAUER® pistols. In Nevada the Highway Patrol will be carrying the P229 Rail in .40S&W as a replacement for their Smith & Wesson pistols. And in the Tarheel State they are switching from Beretta to the P229 Rail in the .357SIG caliber with the new enhanced DAK™ trigger system. "We have seen continued growth in the law enforcement market following on our success at the national level during the Department of Homeland Security testing," said Ray Reynolds, SIGARMS vice president of Sales. "More and more agencies are turning to SIGARMS for the firearms they know are the best available to protect their officers and the public they serve. That's why there is such a demand for the SIG family of firearms."

 

[TexasRifleman]

Wonder what these departments switched FROM?

 

[Werewolf]

Wonder what these departments switched FROM?

I wonder why they chose the 229 which is a compact over the 226 which is a full size pistol. It's not like the highway patrol has concealment issues and the weight difference in a good quality OWB holster is IMO not very noticable. In addition the 226 has a 4.4" barrel vs the 3.9" barrel of the 229. Half an inch isn't much but it does count for something and the longer sight radius of the 226 (6.3") is an advantage over the 5.7" sight radius on the 229.

Strange choice IMO... Makes no sense to me at all. :banghead:

 

[TexasRifleman]

Strange choice IMO... Makes no sense to me at all. :banghead:

Probably pricing. It's all about the money in these things, like everything else.

 

[cslinger]

The compact probably fits a larger variety of hands better. Also in .40 carrying the P226 does not increase magazine capacity and my guess is the barrel length difference should have little effect on practical use. Might as well go with the smaller, lighter gun. Every lit bit helps when you are carrying what seems like a hundred pounds of crap around your middle.

Chris

 

[HighVelocity]

I wouldn't exactly call the 229 a small gun. A GREAT gun, no doubt, but not small.
My 229 in 357 Sig is in the top 5 most accurate pistols I've ever fired. I can think of a lot worse choices but few better ones.

 

[WT]

Interesting news. Very interesting news.

They might have gone to a compact model to allow their officers to carry the same weapon on duty and concealed off duty. NJSP had this philosophy years ago when they adopted the HK P7M8. That said, NJSP now carries the Sig 228 in 9mm.

 

[LawDog]

You know, between Texas DPS, a big Fed contract, the Air Marshals, and now Nevada and North Carolina, SIG is sitting in the cat-bird seat.

LawDog

 

[Old Dog]

I had the question as Werewolf. While I believe the 229 is a worthy pistol, I find the 226 is (to me) just a bit easier (and more fun) to shoot in .40 and especially in .357 SIG ...

If money is factored in, as TexasSIGman suggests, the decision is almost understandable ... Size, as far as grip and weight, savings is negligible -- and weight of the 226R (.40/.357), unloaded, is not even a full ounce more than a 229R, unloaded! And I think the 226's grip (subjectively) feels better than the 229's ...

What I find interesting is the switch to the DAK in NC. I've tried it, and it is an excellent trigger pull ... to an old 1911 guy, it feels much better than a Glock. I'd much rather see these in LE holsters than Glocks, any day.

 

[orangeninja]

I wonder why they chose the 229 which is a compact over the 226 which is a full size pistol. It's not like the highway patrol has concealment issues and the weight difference in a good quality OWB holster is IMO not very noticable. In addition the 226 has a 4.4" barrel vs the 3.9" barrel of the 229. Half an inch isn't much but it does count for something and the longer sight radius of the 226 (6.3") is an advantage over the 5.7" sight radius on the 229.

Strange choice IMO... Makes no sense to me at all. :banghead:

Perhaps I can shed a little light on this...I've been issued both and prefer the 229. It is smaller but also shoots better because it fits my hand just PERFECT. I like the 226 also, but they both hold 12 rounds of .40 and I am more accurate with the 229. Also 229 is better for off duty carry and some depts. use the same gun for off and on duty carry. The Hwy patrol also has plain clothes operations....it's just not on cops every week. The 229 is the prefered choice of the Secret Squirls, Air Marshmallows and a few other prestegious rodents and snack foods. Good selling points.

Lastly a 226 can interfere with everything else on your belt and with the seat belt and seat in a patrol car....so can the 229, but less so.

 

[cxm]

Why?

Why?

Several states quietly allow the 299 for "employees with small hands" vice the SIG 226.

I'd guess this is simply more "dumbing" down of standards to the lowest common denominator.

FWIW

Chuck

I wonder why they chose the 229 which is a compact over the 226 which is a full size pistol. It's not like the highway patrol has concealment issues and the weight difference in a good quality OWB holster is IMO not very noticable. In addition the 226 has a 4.4" barrel vs the 3.9" barrel of the 229. Half an inch isn't much but it does count for something and the longer sight radius of the 226 (6.3") is an advantage over the 5.7" sight radius on the 229.

Strange choice IMO... Makes no sense to me at all. :banghead:

 

[orangeninja]

Why?

Several states quietly allow the 299 for "employees with small hands" vice the SIG 226.

I'd guess this is simply more "dumbing" down of standards to the lowest common denominator.

FWIW

Chuck

uuuhhhhh...........doesn't really deserve an intelligent comment.

 

[2k5Adam]

uuuhhhhh...........doesn't really deserve an intelligent comment.

lol

Too bad, soo sad. Everyone knows they should have switched to the HK USP...cause it's better and all... *JUST KIDDING!*

 

[NineseveN]

If they made a sig that I could carry cocked and locked, I'd be sold. I don't do that DA or DAO stuff.


Other than that, nice guns and there's no wonder agencies are going to them.

 

[cslinger]

You mean like the P210 or the X5 or the X5 tactical

Chris

 

[NineseveN]

The 210? Not really a carry piece IMHO. Neither is the X-5, though I have never seen the X-5 Tactical. The X-5 is a nice looking weapon, if the Tac had a slightly shorter barrel, came in .45 preferrably or even .357sig it might actually make its way to my list of must-haves.

Right now, my USP Compact fits the bill for everything I need in a carry gun. I'll still get a Sig someday, just not one for carry unless I change my mind about the DA thing or they come out with one closer to the specs I want for CCW.

 

[CAS700850]

Think of it this way, you are the purchasing agent for a law enforcement agency. You need to purchase a handgun for unifomed, plain clothes, male and female. Remember, you have a set budget. You can pick the 226, and ignore the needs of plain clothes, female, and officers with small hands. Or, you can buy both, but then you need magazines and leather for both. Or, you buy the 229, have one kind of mags and leather, and offer aftermarket grips to large handed officers as needed.

Makes sense to me. But then again, I'm a government employee.

 

[Werewolf]

DING! DING! We have a winner.

Very reasonable explanation CAS which does in fact make perfect sense even to this non-government employee.

 

[outofbattery]

If they made a sig that I could carry cocked and locked, I'd be sold. I don't do that DA or DAO stuff.


Other than that, nice guns and there's no wonder agencies are going to them.

They have apparently made versions with safeties though the only one I've ever actually seen was a SIG Pro.

 

[Kurush]

I sure hope there aren't any left handed cops in any of these departments SIGs are pretty much the most lefty-unfriendly pistols I've ever used.

 

[NineseveN]

They have apparently made versions with safeties though the only one I've ever actually seen was a SIG Pro.

A SIG with a manual safety would be awesome.

 

[cslinger]

They made a run of SIG Pros for the french with a manual safety but it is the European style of flip up for off instead of down like the 1911.

I don't like them one bit but they are out there.