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Brand
Sig Sauer
Model
P229
Action Type SA/DA
Caliber
9mm
Capacity 13 + 1
Trigger Pull 10 lbs. DA, 5 lbs. SA
Weight, empty 32 oz.
Weight, loaded 38 oz.
Barrel length 3.9 in.
MSRP $1,108
SIG SAUER P229 SPECS
Basic Information
Gun Size Information
Length
5.5 in.
Height
3.9 in.
Grip girth
4.75 in.
Short grip
1.5 in.
Long grip
2 in.
Sight radius 3.75 in.
Trigger reach 3 in.
Trigger safety
Thumb safety
Grip safety
Decocker
Magazine disconnect
Loaded chamber indicator
Concealment index 10.75
SAFETY FEATURES
4 4
Cocked status indicator
Integral lock
Sig Sauer P229
SAS Gen 2
Left side of Sig
Sauer P229.
T h e C a d i l l a c o f C a r r y G u n s
[ BY DUANE A. DAIKER ]
I will admit to being a latecomer to Sig Sauer firearms.
A
Sig P229 is twice as expensive as
a similarly configured Smith &
Wesson or Beretta pistol. For that
reason alone, I never paid too much attention
to them. Over time though, as
I experienced more and more types of
firearms, I began to realize that certain
guns are more expensive for a reason.
In the past few years I have come to
truly understand the Sig Sauer appeal.
It’s more than just marketing or branding—it’s
about quality. The fit and finish
on Sig pistols is exceptional. When
you handle the guns, you are immediately
impressed with the quality and the
smoothness of the action. In addition
to the cosmetic appeal, the top notch
construction and materials makes for a
functional, durable, and highly reliable
weapon.
Gun details
The Sig P229 is a compact doubleaction/single-action
pistol that has
been in the Sig lineup since the early
26
1990s. A slightly smaller version of the
full size P226, the P229 has a 13+1 round
capacity in 9mm. The P229 platform
is well suited to civilian carry, and the
SAS model is tailored specifically for
concealed carry. SAS stands for “Sig
Anti-Snag” and refers to the aggressive
“carry melt” process applied to the slide
and frame in Sig’s Custom Shop, which
smoothes all the corners and edges for
comfort in carry. The melt is very visible,
and gives the pistol a distinctive look in
addition to the practical advantages.
This Sig comes well equipped with
the most popular features, including
the Sig Short Reset Trigger (SRT) and
the SIGLITE three dot tritium night
sights. The 229 SAS is available in an
all black Nitron finish or in a two-tone
finish with a stainless slide over a black
frame.
Unlike previous SAS models that
came with wood grips, the Gen 2 model
comes with black polymer grips. Of
course, there are a wide variety of factory
and aftermarket grips available to
dress up your P229. The optional grips
pictured in this article are from the
Hogue Extreme series of grips, which
are crafted from aerospace grade aluminum
and hard anodized. These grips
are extremely thin, and are offered in
a variety of textures. For a concealed
carry gun, I like smooth grips—and the
matte black Hogues are perfect.
The P229 I reviewed was chambered
in 9mm. The gun is also available in .40
S&W or .357 Sig. In 9mm, the pistol has
a magazine capacity of 13 rounds. In
the other calibers, the magazine holds
only 12 rounds. One potential criticism
of the P229 is a slight disadvantage
in capacity over the similarly sized
sub-compact Glock 19, which has a 15
round capacity in 9mm. Of course, the
Sig P229 accepts the same size magazines
as the full-size P226, which allows
you to use Sig’s 15-round or even
20-round magazines, when desired.
Disassembly of the Sig for cleaning
and maintenance is very easy, and requires
no tools. Simply ensure the gun
USCONCEALEDCARRY.COM n CONCEALED CARRY MAGAZINE n MAY/JUNE 2011