Agree ....but early German mags made before 1989 have a shorter trim -to length on the mag spring and can jam fully loaded on first shot ...the 226R solved this problem and that enabled it to pass tests for SEAL adoption but the original lost to 92F in final tests because of this mag problem originally 1989
@@jameswoods1804 I've never owned a stamped sheet metal with a pin-in breech block you have to replace periodically German version, but I have owned 5 MK 25s (I own 2 now, both the Desert variants). I carry one of them as my EDC because despite it being heavier than my Glocks or HKs, it is more reliable than any other pistol I own or ever have owned, plus I'm far more accurate with it. Granted, I admit that I've never owned an old German P-series gun, but I'm still much happier having a milled, stainless steel 1-piece slide.
The West German P226 is one of my favorite. Picked up one years ago and it has never jammed or let me down. Quality craftsmanship at its best. Sorry to hear they have gone out of business.
@@f3uibeghardt522 noone has gone out of business. The only thing that happened recently was they closed their locations in Germany and opened more in the USA. (Their corporate name has changed at various times from Sig Sauer to Sig Arms and things like that.) After the head of the company, Ron Cohen, was arrested for some beurocratic nonsense about exporting pistols, they decided to close the German branch.
Great handgun. I was a police officer for 36 years. 19 years as a plainclothes investigator. I carried a Sig Sauer P228 during that time, the compact version of the 226. I still have that gun and it is my "go to" double stack for concealed carry. It has served me well since 1990.
@@whomagoose6897 Size is the same, weight is a little different...the P-229 is basically a modified P-228. By that, to mean, the P229 is also available in .40 S&W and .357 SIG, while the P228 was 9mm only. The P229 has a milled steel slide while the P228 is a "folded" steel slide. The P228 is lighter, the P229 is stronger to withstand .40 S&W and .357 SIG. The P228 is no longer made, but plenty are available on the used market. I have had mine for 30 years and it has never failed me, except for some honest acquired holster wear, is 100% functionally perfect and "as good as new"
My grade school english/grammar teacher was in the local city SWAT force before he became a school teacher. I remember staying after class with him and talking to him about his LEO experience. This specific handgun came up a lot in his stories.
@@Jason32Bourne Not much to say. Mr. Wortman was a good man and outstanding teacher. I just recall him speaking of the reliability that the p226 had and how much he loved carrying it on duty. He seemed to be very fond of the handgun itself. I wish I could reach out to him now that I am in my late 20's. He inspired me a lot to pursue the career I currently have.
@Götz von Berlichingen Shame on Sig, my P226 definitely would have a least 30 malfunction out of 1000 rounds, while my Walther PPQ M2 has zero malfunction out of 3000, and I am still counting. The PPQ cost less than half of the Sig P226 and a lot more accurate, it does it without having a full length rail.
I bought my 9mm 226 when I started my LE career in 1989, and carried it on duty (and off) until I retired in 2011. I put thousands of rounds through it, almost exclusively 147gr. +P+ jhp loads. The very few malfunctions I ever had were either ammo or magazine related. The pistol itself NEVER experienced a malfunction or failure. I carried 1911a1's and Beretta M9's while in the service and was forced to carry a Glock 22 on duty for a short period of time. I once owned a Walther PPK and currently own a Walther PPQ-M1. The Sig 226 is by far my favorite of all of them, and still my EDC choice.
The best ever made. No equal . My 1988 226 is the absolutely the greatest. No failures of any kind in 20 years I've had it . I got it used. 15000 plus rounds, maybe much more. Zero issues. I hit everything everytime. To take the workload off, I got a 228. Same. Unbelievable reliability , accuracy. Good looking and very well made. The details are perfect. Fit and finish are just amazing. The best ever. The absolute best ever made
Videos are always just enough time with no fluff added. No no-nonsense delivery with all the technical input and history you need. I can appreciate that.
I carried a P226 for many years in LE. I started in departments that allowed you to carry anything you could qualify with. For the first couple of years I carried a variety of different makes and models. Once I settled on the Sig, first a P220 then a P226, that’s where I stayed. Accurate, reliable, and durable. I carried a 226 in patrol, and bought a 228 when I transitioned to investigations. A couple of slightly lower scoring quals later, I went back to the 226, from then on out.
James St. Claire I’ve been out of all that for a few years. Now that I spend most of my time prowling around the woods, my official sidearm is a Browning Buckmark.
I carried a .45 P220 through the fatal funnel on numerous search warrants through the years. When I retire next year I want to hang it on a wall in a display case. Younger generations will probably look at it like I looked at revolvers when I was young. 😥
I knew and officer who said if it wasn’t for the sig he wouldn’t of qualified and have heard similar story’s from other my entire life lol. I need to find a old one
I love the older Sig-Sauer handguns. I have a few P220 in 38super and 45acp, P225,P226 and P228 in 9mm and a 2005 made P226 with 40s&w and 357Sig barrels. Something special about the older P226
My father has passed. He was a Vietnam veteran, we enjoyed watching your videos. I miss him so much. My brother wants to sell the house but I’ve lived with my father for years. Now this property is all I have of him I want to continue but my brother won’t let me. Now a days I have to all the little things my father would handle... You love your videos a lot of information and cool slow motion video everytime. The full auto AA-12 a monster!
Never forget the commercial that would run during the old tv show you had..one riot, one Ranger, one gun. Sig..P226! This one looks smooth as butter.. thank you for everything you do LAV! ✌️
When my father a police officer and the city allowed them to transition to autos (at their own expense) this was his choice (they could either get S&W 59s, Beretta 92s, or Sig 226s). When I was able I got one. I have 2 now and my EDC is a 228.
Thanks for this video! I purchased a West German Sig 226 in May, 1992 and a week later went back and also purchased a 228. I have them both and love them. I only have a couple of hundred rounds through each one; like new.
What always amazes me about operators like you is the fact it's almost across the board on y'alls ability to control muzzle flip and get back on target fast. My best friend who has since passed, impressed me with any weapon that you handed him, it was always as if he'd been shooting it his whole life.
@Maryland_Patriot410 exactly, the friend I spoke of was a 1st Sgt in the 5th SFG that ended his career in the 1/75th Ranger BN, he too was a natural, and was a joy to watch shoot, but he carried a P220 in 45. Really miss my ol friend, he was one of a kind.
i had this exact same gun and regret selling it, the West German Sigs like the P226 is the best service handgun ever, good thing I found a West German p228, good luck getting me to sell it because I never will
West German Sig Sauers might not be the smallest, lightest, or highest capacity wonder-9s, but IMO they're still the absolutely prettiest wonder-9s ever made.
Sig is the epitome of German design of fabulous firearms . I had one that had 30,000 rds a yr for 5 yrs before it was sold for another. Superb 226 .love them and man are the accurate and reliable .Also love the short trigger .Best double action semi auto , trigger pull is to be reminiscent of the Colt Python trigger in feel .
Great pistol. It handled the .40S&W well. But man that guide rod spring was no joke. Went flying across the room several times when I field stripped it. 😆
I have one that was made in 1994. Still one of my all-time favorite handguns. I became obsessed with owning the SIG 226 as a kid after seeing Agent Mulder carrying one in “The X-Files.” As an adult, I have a somewhat more nuanced view: It has some faults (namely, the trigger bar springs that eat into the frame if used enough), but it’s fairly light and well-balanced for a metal-framed pistol.
Got one of these back when the M9 Beretta was adopted (1985). The Beretta didn't fit my hand (couldn't use double action, reach too long). The P226 fit fine and technically passed the JCP trials. It was also $20 cheaper so I got the 226. It's a fine handgun.
The SIG Sauer P220 is my go to gun. It's the best SA/DA gun ever. The CZ 75 is a close second. The P220, P226 and P229 are better combat guns due to a larger slide that can be more easily manipulated in combat, smoother triggers and simpler controls.
Great to see some coverage on this fantastic gun. I have a “JK” stamped W German P226 from 1989. No holster wear, original yellow box. Sent to Sig about 3 years ago for new springs. Favorite to shoot of all my handguns.
Love the cinematography, from the panning to the slo-mo, LAV keeps the videos entertaining and informative both. Great combination from a guy you wish was your cool uncle. My first handgun was 1988 P226 Herndon VA. I made the initial mistake of trying steel case ammo, which bent the extractor. I had a hard time finding the internal extractor, and finally called Sig. The guy agreed they were hard to find, and for free sent a new one and a used one for a spare provided I would stop using crappy ammo in his fav pistol. Great service! Picked up a total of five mags, and I use this for IDPA matches a few times a year. Runs like a champ.
I own two 226 for over 25 years, for sports and hunting use. The 226 is my favorite handgun with handmade amunition to my own fabrication. During time, there will be better and more modern pistols for sale, but this handgun is my favorit. Greetings from Berlin🙋♂️🍀
@@philipcho8664 No problem man. So the biggest noticeable difference I noticed is that the factory mags have a dimple on the sides near the feed lips. That is to prevent the magazine from being over inserted, so as to prevent the breach face of the slide from ramming the feed lips. Which was apparently an issue with older non dimpled mags. For whatever reason, they retained that old design with the ACT mags. I'd assume that maybe the old non dimple mags are the examples they had to work with, so they just copied it, extended it slightly and gave it base plate to accommodate an extra round.
If I had to pick an all-time favorite handgun, it would be the SiG P226 9mm. Fit, finish, feel, accuracy, reliability...all outstanding. Thanks for the video!
As a teenager, the P226 was what turned me into a Sig fanboy for life. Earlier this month, I just picked up my own German-made P226. Dreams do come true
I bought a "West German" Sig P226 back in 1992 and I still have it. I updated the pistol a year ago by changing the main spring to reduced the DA/SA trigger pulls, change the original trigger with a thin version and added night sights. I am keeping this weapon as an family heirloom so if the purists think it lost collector's value by the changes from the original specs , just remember that I did it for my own convenience as pistol is now enhanced to the level of the pistols being manufactured now. This pistol still sees use after almost 30 years and looks impeccable. I carried it with the INS as a personal option instead of a 357 Mag revolver back in the 1990's until the agency went to Beretta 96's in 1997 and made them mandatory. Never get rid of a German made P226, specially the ones marked "made in West Germany" which were made until 1996 when the P226 went to "made in Germany".
Still, it's a very iconic, very well-made and reliable sidearm. If I needed something for self-defense at short range, the P226 is very much a clear favorite of mine as well.
I'm British so we don't have the freedom you have but I was in the army and they do issue the sigs. I did get to shoot it and I had a good time. I prefer the browning hi power though.
299R was the first handgun I bought, about 10 years ago. Was my first carry gun, and now I wish I had a full sized 226 for home defense. The 229R is just a fun-gun at this point but man is it so smooth and comfortable to shoot. Then again, so is the 92fs. Comparable in pleasure at the range.
Pretty sure the VP9 had a huge (3yr) delay on 17 round magazines because your export laws suck when it comes to anything over 15 rounds. VP9 would've easily saw more success if it came with 17 round mag in the first place, a damn shame. Hope HK does the same, but I'm sure your government gives them plenty of contracts so i doubt it. Really hope you guys can still make guns, your engineers are some of the best in the world.
@@nickkuhn708 I view HK as far more endemic to Germany and much more tied to their military and economy. Not saying it couldn't happen, but I'm pretty sure HK has now, and has historically, been a larger and more integral presence in Germany's economy and military.
@@f3uibeghardt522 I see what you’re saying. I’m American and have little familiarity with either the current nor historic significance of HK. In my mind, HK, Sig, and Walther are all synonymous with 🇩🇪
All the P-226's used for the IPDA competitions at the local gun club are stock pistols, which never jam. Just about every Glock has been modified in some way. The G-19 is mostly used. Neither pistol jams with failures to feed, fire or eject. If there are problems it's usually reloaded ammo. Or, some new guy thinks he can work on guns, but, can't. One guy did his own gunsmithing on a 1911. Had constant failures. Kept on saying he only needed more oil. The pistol was dripping all over the range stages. Once the sear started to "auto" fire he was DQ'ed. He came back to shoot a few times after a real gunsmith completely disassembled & reassembled the pistol. Just goes to show that just because you can rebuild a car transmission, you can work on a handgun.
Great review. I have a P229 40 S&W made in 2007 with frame stamped Made in Gemany. It is my go to pistal if shtf. I can hit volleyball size metal targets at 25 yd with good consistency. I stoke it with either 140g Barnes TAC-XP JHP solids or a Federal 135 JHP. A lighter bullet makes a big difference in carry weight and performance. Don't need the 165-180 heavy bullets unless its a special situation. Also installed a Lasermax. Love it and it stll performs as well as the day I bought it.
Brings back memories. I carried one for many years and regret not buying it back from my Dept. when we switched to P226R's. Miss that pistol Serial # U490500.
Good and reliable pistols my on duty weapon for 23 years I personally never had a function failure x about 10k rounds, it’s one of my house guns now , and another great video LAV
Yep 👍 absolutely the best in my opinion fits in hand naturally, oh the zipper magazine absolutely top notch you made my day LARRY THANKS 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
My first and only 9mm handgun was a 1991 pre owned Sig P226 made in “West Germany”. Great gun. Spot on. It was just a little too bulky and top heavy for me so I traded it for a brand new commercial M9 Beretta which is also a great gun and spot on.
Love my first auto pistol lucky for me the shop owner new his shit back in 85-86 and directed me in the right direction my Tysons Corner P226 W/German Carbon steel stamped slide shoots like a dream. I see that gun was an Exeter NH Gun U5 serial# made after they moved headquarters mine was a bit earlier U1 serial# Thanks Larry for doing this video!
Thanks for the review, Larry! Still my favourite pistol, the SIG P 226 does all what a today's polymer pistol does, is almost as light through an alloy frame, but without being bulky! Like you mentioned, the Beretta 92 FS is the closest competitor to the P 226, next is S & W 59 family and not forget to mention the widely unknown Walther P 88, which had the fortune of simply entering the market too late and being a pricey gun, although being of excellent quality! So only a total of around 8000 were built, and anyone who has its hands on one will likely keep it! To me, all of these four examples are outstanding handguns, that were revolutionary back in the days!Be a polymere gun slightly lighter and therefore more comfortable to carry, alloy frame guns will be more controllable because of lower recoil, and SA triggering can be key to a precise shot!
Favored in use with British SAS as the L105A1 and the L105A2 (P226R). It is issued with 20 round magazines on some missions but also issued with 15 round magazines. SAS has used P226 since around early 1990s and even late 1980s if I remember correctly when it replaced the Browning Hi Power (L9A1) 9x19mm.
Got 3 of these pistols myself. The P226 9mm is still today my anchor 9mm pistol. Do own & use a few other 9mm pistols however, although the others serve in there own nytch, the P226 9mm retains staple as anchor within my 9mm pile. 1993 production pistol that I purchased 1986 in as new condition. Use it today with over 40K round count. Only changes are too many spring changes to count & one safety-lever replacement. Installed fully adjustable rear sight & matching front. Shall be wise to invest your pistol dollars into SIG Firearms ownership. Carry On.
I was trained on the P226 in the Army and carried one for 2 years in the Province. It was an incredibly accurate & reliable pistol; really comfortable to carry in a standard ride holster with a thumbbreak. I was familiar with the Browning 9mm Hi-Power (we knew it as the L9A1 Pistol in the UK). This pistol was way ahead of that. The quality was obvious from the moment you took it out of the box. I can see why it became such a runaway success worldwide and SIG opened a factory in the US to cope with the demand. Just a fantastic weapon and I have fond memories of effortlessly shooting away with it; utter contrast from the Browning, which was good.
@Maryland_Patriot410 Those are very interesting comments. I started shooting a Browning the first year I joined the Army; I loved it but I can see how if you have the option to customise it you could sort out some of its limitations. Our pistols had tiny safety catches and the magazines were always the weak feature. I was always working on the magazines to make them reliable. I felt like the P226 was spot on straight out of the box. We did a lot of training to 'train out' the DA/SA transition when you drew from holster, fired your first shot DA & then the 2nd SA. It was really challenging but after a few hundred rounds, we were consistently double tapping with ease. I must admit I didn't notice the muzzle flip with the P226. I wonder whether my experience comes from firing the military issue Browning and the P226? I have compared the military L9A1/A2 pistols we had to the civilian Hi Powers and the quality difference was very different, in terms of fit and finish. We were unable to remove the magazine safety or play with the trigger, which I am aware has a great effect on the pull on the Hi Power. I spent some hours stoning the sear on a competition pistol at Bisley, which made it quite smooth. It seems like SIG made their pistols to a higher quality standard and surface finish, which translated to smooth functioning and reliability. I can't recall having many stoppages with a P226. Interestingly the British Army purchased 10,000 of them for a back up weapon in Afghanistan, so troops could carry a 2nd weapon in case their rifles packed in during close engagements. I could never understand why we then abandoned those to buy the Glock 17 Gen 4 (maybe cost per pistol had something to do with it?).
Great insights LAV. Sig P220 with a browning hi power hicap mag. Never looked at it that way. I enjoy the info way more than when you're lighting it up.
So the Government contracts in Europe dried up and that was it. "You're not needed here anymore. By the way, we're just gonna keep making it more and more difficult for you to sell to the civilian market, so you're not going to be able to keep yourself going until we have need of you again. So long, thanks for all the 226's."
Just not a huge market in the civilian world for a fullsized heavy exposed hammer duty pistol Sig also is so expensive they cant even shop it out to smaller nations like other companies can Beretta 92 atleast is cheaper and much more aftermarket and just more out there in general The p226 is AWESOME, but ask yourself, if you had the cash would you really pick up the p226? How much is a German p226 in Nov 2020?
Thank you for sharing this video. My husband and I have numerous Sig Sauer classic pistols. We collect German / European firearms. We're disappointed as the quality and craftsmanship has declined. We hope all's well with you and thank you again for sharing. God bless 🙏
I bought one that had been in a friend's closet fer decades, still in the case and NEVER SHOT !!! Best $900 bucks i ever spent !!!! It's magnificent !!! The reverse thread barrel extension 'guard ' gave me a fit until I did some research 😆
My first pistol, bought as a graduation present to myself in 1985. $450, made in West Germany!!! I've replaced the recoil spring once, that it. The most accurate pistol in my collection. Sorry to hear about their downfall.
J'ai un P226 fabriqué en Allemagne pour les utilisateurs de la zone française, j'ai aussi un SP2022 utilisé par la police dans certains cantons suisses et certains départements français. Le P226 est une merveille, il mange toutes les marques de munitions, sans s'enrayer (ruag, geco, norma, fiocci, magtech, etc). Il fonctionne mieux que mon G19, qui s'enraye avec certaines marques de munitions.
Cut teeth shooting and handloading on my 91' West German P226. She looks and shoots as good today as the day I bought her. Wow 30 year my friend, no amount of money could entice me to sell.
One of the best service 9mm handguns ever built.
after the swiss one 😏
Agreed. I like my W German version better than my modern "improved" MK 25 version
Agree ....but early German mags made before 1989 have a shorter trim -to length on the mag spring and can jam fully loaded on first shot ...the 226R solved this problem and that enabled it to pass tests for SEAL adoption but the original lost to 92F in final tests because of this mag problem originally 1989
@@florianhug9801 Yes early 226 had mag production problems solved only in 226R German models 👍
@@jameswoods1804 I've never owned a stamped sheet metal with a pin-in breech block you have to replace periodically German version, but I have owned 5 MK 25s (I own 2 now, both the Desert variants). I carry one of them as my EDC because despite it being heavier than my Glocks or HKs, it is more reliable than any other pistol I own or ever have owned, plus I'm far more accurate with it. Granted, I admit that I've never owned an old German P-series gun, but I'm still much happier having a milled, stainless steel 1-piece slide.
The West German P226 is one of my favorite. Picked up one years ago and it has never jammed or let me down. Quality craftsmanship at its best. Sorry to hear they have gone out of business.
Yeah is Switzerland
@@anthonycollora2921 I guess he meant SIG Sauer, not merely SIG.
Well I guess that’s what he said
@@f3uibeghardt522 noone has gone out of business. The only thing that happened recently was they closed their locations in Germany and opened more in the USA. (Their corporate name has changed at various times from Sig Sauer to Sig Arms and things like that.)
After the head of the company, Ron Cohen, was arrested for some beurocratic nonsense about exporting pistols, they decided to close the German branch.
Great handgun. I was a police officer for 36 years. 19 years as a plainclothes investigator. I carried a Sig Sauer P228 during that time, the compact version of the 226. I still have that gun and it is my "go to" double stack for concealed carry. It has served me well since 1990.
Is there much of a size difference between the P-228 compared to the P-229?
@@whomagoose6897 Size is the same, weight is a little different...the P-229 is basically a modified P-228. By that, to mean, the P229 is also available in .40 S&W and .357 SIG, while the P228 was 9mm only. The P229 has a milled steel slide while the P228 is a "folded" steel slide.
The P228 is lighter, the P229 is stronger to withstand .40 S&W and .357 SIG.
The P228 is no longer made, but plenty are available on the used market. I have had mine for 30 years and it has never failed me, except for some honest acquired holster wear, is 100% functionally perfect and "as good as new"
My grade school english/grammar teacher was in the local city SWAT force before he became a school teacher. I remember staying after class with him and talking to him about his LEO experience. This specific handgun came up a lot in his stories.
I would love to hear some. Maybe some quick little snippets that have stuck with you.
@@Jason32Bourne Not much to say. Mr. Wortman was a good man and outstanding teacher. I just recall him speaking of the reliability that the p226 had and how much he loved carrying it on duty. He seemed to be very fond of the handgun itself. I wish I could reach out to him now that I am in my late 20's. He inspired me a lot to pursue the career I currently have.
@@lakemanson8051 @Lake Manson Cool. Thanks for replying. Maybe he's on facebook. Hopefully y'all can meet again. Positive vibes.
@Götz von Berlichingen Shame on Sig, my P226 definitely would have a least 30 malfunction out of 1000 rounds, while my Walther PPQ M2 has zero malfunction out of 3000, and I am still counting. The PPQ cost less than half of the Sig P226 and a lot more accurate, it does it without having a full length rail.
@@clee6746 never once had a malf with my p6.
I have a West German P226 from back when they were imported by Interarms. Great gun.
A.k.a. CIA arms.
Brought my sig 226 west german back in 1995,, yeah I still own it.
I have a P226 XFive Supermatch! Greets from Germany 😉
I almost got my hands on one.
@@jefferynunn2278 what is it worth fixing to get one tomorrow guy bought it in late 90s no rail
I bought my 9mm 226 when I started my LE career in 1989, and carried it on duty (and off) until I retired in 2011. I put thousands of rounds through it, almost exclusively 147gr. +P+ jhp loads. The very few malfunctions I ever had were either ammo or magazine related. The pistol itself NEVER experienced a malfunction or failure. I carried 1911a1's and Beretta M9's while in the service and was forced to carry a Glock 22 on duty for a short period of time. I once owned a Walther PPK and currently own a Walther PPQ-M1. The Sig 226 is by far my favorite of all of them, and still my EDC choice.
Hate that GLOCK
The best ever made. No equal . My 1988 226 is the absolutely the greatest. No failures of any kind in 20 years I've had it . I got it used. 15000 plus rounds, maybe much more. Zero issues. I hit everything everytime. To take the workload off, I got a 228. Same. Unbelievable reliability , accuracy. Good looking and very well made. The details are perfect. Fit and finish are just amazing. The best ever. The absolute best ever made
Managed to get my hands on a west germen marked p226 couple years ago. By far my favorite pistol to shoot.
I also have a W Germany marked 226, had it since 2001. Great gun, recently used it in USPSA competition
What's going to happen when you have to change the breech block? Actually, I think SIG manufactures those still.
Bought mine new back in 1995 about
G e r m a n
Videos are always just enough time with no fluff added. No no-nonsense delivery with all the technical input and history you need. I can appreciate that.
I carried a P226 for many years in LE. I started in departments that allowed you to carry anything you could qualify with. For the first couple of years I carried a variety of different makes and models. Once I settled on the Sig, first a P220 then a P226, that’s where I stayed. Accurate, reliable, and durable. I carried a 226 in patrol, and bought a 228 when I transitioned to investigations. A couple of slightly lower scoring quals later, I went back to the 226, from then on out.
We still carry the P226 on my department. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
James St. Claire I’ve been out of all that for a few years. Now that I spend most of my time prowling around the woods, my official sidearm is a Browning Buckmark.
I carried a .45 P220 through the fatal funnel on numerous search warrants through the years. When I retire next year I want to hang it on a wall in a display case. Younger generations will probably look at it like I looked at revolvers when I was young. 😥
I knew and officer who said if it wasn’t for the sig he wouldn’t of qualified and have heard similar story’s from other my entire life lol. I need to find a old one
I love the older Sig-Sauer handguns. I have a few P220 in 38super and 45acp, P225,P226 and P228 in 9mm and a 2005 made P226 with 40s&w and 357Sig barrels. Something special about the older P226
My father has passed. He was a Vietnam veteran, we enjoyed watching your videos. I miss him so much.
My brother wants to sell the house but I’ve lived with my father for years. Now this property is all I have of him I want to continue but my brother won’t let me.
Now a days I have to all the little things my father would handle...
You love your videos a lot of information and cool slow motion video everytime. The full auto AA-12 a monster!
Never forget the commercial that would run during the old tv show you had..one riot, one Ranger, one gun. Sig..P226! This one looks smooth as butter.. thank you for everything you do LAV! ✌️
When my father a police officer and the city allowed them to transition to autos (at their own expense) this was his choice (they could either get S&W 59s, Beretta 92s, or Sig 226s). When I was able I got one. I have 2 now and my EDC is a 228.
My first handgun is a West German P226 I picked up in 1990 while stationed in Germany with 3rd Armor Division. Still have it and still a fine firearm.
😑
Sad news. SIGs P.210, P.220 and P.226 are the most accurate pistols I fired. In my opinion, the 226 is superior than the Beretta 92 / M9.
Me too!
I have the German P228 and it one of my favorite handguns I've ever owned.
Used this superb handgun in my UK police Tactical firearms unit. Solid engineering once mastered and trusted hand gun.
Thanks for this video! I purchased a West German Sig 226 in May, 1992 and a week later went back and also purchased a 228. I have them both and love them. I only have a couple of hundred rounds through each one; like new.
What always amazes me about operators like you is the fact it's almost across the board on y'alls ability to control muzzle flip and get back on target fast. My best friend who has since passed, impressed me with any weapon that you handed him, it was always as if he'd been shooting it his whole life.
@Maryland_Patriot410 exactly, the friend I spoke of was a 1st Sgt in the 5th SFG that ended his career in the 1/75th Ranger BN, he too was a natural, and was a joy to watch shoot, but he carried a P220 in 45. Really miss my ol friend, he was one of a kind.
@Maryland_Patriot410 this was early 70's, he was a medic and the 1/75th was in need. Apparently that huge bonus was the selling point....🤣
i had this exact same gun and regret selling it, the West German Sigs like the P226 is the best service handgun ever, good thing I found a West German p228, good luck getting me to sell it because I never will
West German Sig Sauers might not be the smallest, lightest, or highest capacity wonder-9s, but IMO they're still the absolutely prettiest wonder-9s ever made.
Sig is the epitome of German design of fabulous firearms . I had one that had 30,000 rds a yr for 5 yrs before it was sold for another. Superb 226 .love them and man are the accurate and reliable .Also love the short trigger .Best double action semi auto , trigger pull is to be reminiscent of the Colt Python trigger in feel .
Thank you Larry for making my dream come true! A SIG SAUER P226 video!
I carried a P226 in .40S&W for years for work. I still have it. Great pistol.
Gotta pass that down bruh. It’s an heirloom piece now.
Great pistol. It handled the .40S&W well. But man that guide rod spring was no joke. Went flying across the room several times when I field stripped it. 😆
I have one that was made in 1994. Still one of my all-time favorite handguns. I became obsessed with owning the SIG 226 as a kid after seeing Agent Mulder carrying one in “The X-Files.” As an adult, I have a somewhat more nuanced view: It has some faults (namely, the trigger bar springs that eat into the frame if used enough), but it’s fairly light and well-balanced for a metal-framed pistol.
Got one of these back when the M9 Beretta was adopted (1985). The Beretta didn't fit my hand (couldn't use double action, reach too long). The P226 fit fine and technically passed the JCP trials. It was also $20 cheaper so I got the 226. It's a fine handgun.
The SIG Sauer P220 is my go to gun. It's the best SA/DA gun ever. The CZ 75 is a close second. The P220, P226 and P229 are better combat guns due to a larger slide that can be more easily manipulated in combat, smoother triggers and simpler controls.
Great to see some coverage on this fantastic gun. I have a “JK” stamped W German P226 from 1989. No holster wear, original yellow box. Sent to Sig about 3 years ago for new springs. Favorite to shoot of all my handguns.
Love the cinematography, from the panning to the slo-mo, LAV keeps the videos entertaining and informative both. Great combination from a guy you wish was your cool uncle.
My first handgun was 1988 P226 Herndon VA. I made the initial mistake of trying steel case ammo, which bent the extractor. I had a hard time finding the internal extractor, and finally called Sig. The guy agreed they were hard to find, and for free sent a new one and a used one for a spare provided I would stop using crappy ammo in his fav pistol. Great service!
Picked up a total of five mags, and I use this for IDPA matches a few times a year. Runs like a champ.
Amazing weapon. I have P220, P226, and P228. If I'm honest...the P228 is my favorite.
I agree with you, 100% 🙏👍
I own two 226 for over 25 years, for sports and hunting use. The 226 is my favorite handgun with handmade amunition to my own fabrication. During time, there will be better and more modern pistols for sale, but this handgun is my favorit.
Greetings from Berlin🙋♂️🍀
cool city
Sad news indeed. I have a West German P220 that I love. I’ll be holding onto it now.
I got a German P220. Lovely gun, mags are getting hard to find. I have one 7 rounder and 3 ACT mags, but the feed lips are cracked.
@@DocMitchell69 thanks for letting me know about those mags. I have 3 factory mags; I’ll try to get some more.
@@philipcho8664 No problem man. So the biggest noticeable difference I noticed is that the factory mags have a dimple on the sides near the feed lips. That is to prevent the magazine from being over inserted, so as to prevent the breach face of the slide from ramming the feed lips. Which was apparently an issue with older non dimpled mags. For whatever reason, they retained that old design with the ACT mags. I'd assume that maybe the old non dimple mags are the examples they had to work with, so they just copied it, extended it slightly and gave it base plate to accommodate an extra round.
If I had to pick an all-time favorite handgun, it would be the SiG P226 9mm. Fit, finish, feel, accuracy, reliability...all outstanding. Thanks for the video!
I have 16 West German P series....P220, P226, P228, P210. Very nice firearms
A stamp over W P220 was the first handgun I ever bought.
Still have it. Still runs like a top many thousands of rounds later.
Good stuff.
First handgun I ever bought, German made Sig P226. Bought it from a friend, it was a little big for my hand so I sold it. Never shoulda sold it!
As a teenager, the P226 was what turned me into a Sig fanboy for life. Earlier this month, I just picked up my own German-made P226. Dreams do come true
This is my favorite pistol of all time. It's super fun to shoot, it's reliable, and just an incredible gun.
During my LEO career, i carried this pistol. I also carried the 229 in 40, the 220 in 45. I loved them all & still have them all.
Larry, enjoy your channel. My brother is a Marine veteran and has had his P226 since mid 80s.
I bought a "West German" Sig P226 back in 1992 and I still have it. I updated the pistol a year ago by changing the main spring to reduced the DA/SA trigger pulls, change the original trigger with a thin version and added night sights. I am keeping this weapon as an family heirloom so if the purists think it lost collector's value by the changes from the original specs , just remember that I did it for my own convenience as pistol is now enhanced to the level of the pistols being manufactured now. This pistol still sees use after almost 30 years and looks impeccable. I carried it with the INS as a personal option instead of a 357 Mag revolver back in the 1990's until the agency went to Beretta 96's in 1997 and made them mandatory. Never get rid of a German made P226, specially the ones marked "made in West Germany" which were made until 1996 when the P226 went to "made in Germany".
Had no idea they had gone out of business! Sad to hear. I just recently got into the Sig game. Great video and love your channel!
Still, it's a very iconic, very well-made and reliable sidearm. If I needed something for self-defense at short range, the P226 is very much a clear favorite of mine as well.
LOVE IT and true the P226 is famous for being used by US Navy SEALs.
Also used by the British SAS & SBS, the NZSAS, Canadian JTF2 and CSOR, Irish Ranger Wing, a some of the Israeli SOF units...
Awesome video! Love the P226... Thanks for all the historical info!
love the 226 and the M11-A1. Two of my favorite pistols from sig
Love my M11-A1
@@commiesarehorrible7622 phenomenal weapon
I'm British so we don't have the freedom you have but I was in the army and they do issue the sigs. I did get to shoot it and I had a good time. I prefer the browning hi power though.
I’ve got a sig P220 45 made in 1977 with the heal mag release, still shoots like a dream.
299R was the first handgun I bought, about 10 years ago. Was my first carry gun, and now I wish I had a full sized 226 for home defense. The 229R is just a fun-gun at this point but man is it so smooth and comfortable to shoot.
Then again, so is the 92fs. Comparable in pleasure at the range.
Be happy all the machinery of sig germany goes to sig usa
Our gun laws here in germany suck, so i can understand why sig is leaving
Pretty sure the VP9 had a huge (3yr) delay on 17 round magazines because your export laws suck when it comes to anything over 15 rounds. VP9 would've easily saw more success if it came with 17 round mag in the first place, a damn shame. Hope HK does the same, but I'm sure your government gives them plenty of contracts so i doubt it. Really hope you guys can still make guns, your engineers are some of the best in the world.
@@MegaBoooooooooooooob I just can't imagine HK could ever leave Germany. They're so historically entrenched there.
@@f3uibeghardt522 unlike sig?
@@nickkuhn708 I view HK as far more endemic to Germany and much more tied to their military and economy. Not saying it couldn't happen, but I'm pretty sure HK has now, and has historically, been a larger and more integral presence in Germany's economy and military.
@@f3uibeghardt522 I see what you’re saying. I’m American and have little familiarity with either the current nor historic significance of HK. In my mind, HK, Sig, and Walther are all synonymous with 🇩🇪
Looking for the "Still not as good as Glock" comments lol. What a classic beauty!
All the P-226's used for the IPDA competitions at the local gun club are stock pistols, which never jam. Just about every Glock has been modified in some way. The G-19 is mostly used. Neither pistol jams with failures to feed, fire or eject. If there are problems it's usually reloaded ammo. Or, some new guy thinks he can work on guns, but, can't. One guy did his own gunsmithing on a 1911. Had constant failures. Kept on saying he only needed more oil. The pistol was dripping all over the range stages. Once the sear started to "auto" fire he was DQ'ed. He came back to shoot a few times after a real gunsmith completely disassembled & reassembled the pistol. Just goes to show that just because you can rebuild a car transmission, you can work on a handgun.
Glock.
SIG Sauer P226 - the ONLY gun I love ♥️😁
Great review. I have a P229 40 S&W made in 2007 with frame stamped Made in Gemany. It is my go to pistal if shtf. I can hit volleyball size metal targets at 25 yd with good consistency. I stoke it with either 140g Barnes TAC-XP JHP solids or a Federal 135 JHP. A lighter bullet makes a big difference in carry weight and performance. Don't need the 165-180 heavy bullets unless its a special situation. Also installed a Lasermax. Love it and it stll performs as well as the day I bought it.
Brings back memories. I carried one for many years and regret not buying it back from my Dept. when we switched to P226R's. Miss that pistol Serial # U490500.
Good and reliable pistols my on duty weapon for 23 years I personally never had a function failure x about 10k rounds, it’s one of my house guns now , and another great video LAV
Would it be fair to say that the criticism of the high bore axis causing excessive muzzle flip is overblown?
I shot the P226S several times here in Germany... fantastic gun. Much better than Glock, Beretta and so on... The accuracy is just another level.
Got one. Wouldn't trade it for any other handgun. period
What about a glock 18 or a beretta 93r? ;)
@dan; how about NOT!
Same here.
Yep 👍 absolutely the best in my opinion fits in hand naturally, oh the zipper magazine absolutely top notch you made my day LARRY THANKS 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
My first and only 9mm handgun was a 1991 pre owned Sig P226 made in “West Germany”. Great gun. Spot on. It was just a little too bulky and top heavy for me so I traded it for a brand new commercial M9 Beretta which is also a great gun and spot on.
nice video as usual larry!
God, I love this channel. Larry is the man! I want a p226 now.
Have a West German P6 single stack. Phenomenal gun!
I love those too!
Perfect size!!
Great gun had a W. German made years ago. Got it for a great deal. Have a Rexzero1 now and couldn't be happier
Love my first auto pistol lucky for me the shop owner new his shit back in 85-86 and directed me in the right direction my Tysons Corner P226 W/German Carbon steel stamped slide shoots like a dream.
I see that gun was an Exeter NH Gun U5 serial# made after they moved headquarters mine was a bit earlier U1 serial# Thanks Larry for doing this video!
Great review of a great gun by the all time great expert Larry
I bought a new 229 in about 1989 or so. It was when the .40 cal came out and I got one of the first 229s chambered in that caliber.
My first Sig Sauer is a German P226 9mm that is a two tone. Made in the 1980's. Has W. Germany on the slide. That gun started. My Sig Sauer collection
Still have my father's old German p226 he used in Germany in the 80's.
Have a '96 imported P226 and P229. Running like clocks even today.
Thanks for the review, Larry! Still my favourite pistol, the SIG P 226 does all what a today's polymer pistol does, is almost as light through an alloy frame, but without being bulky! Like you mentioned, the Beretta 92 FS is the closest competitor to the P 226, next is S & W 59 family and not forget to mention the widely unknown Walther P 88, which had the fortune of simply entering the market too late and being a pricey gun, although being of excellent quality! So only a total of around 8000 were built, and anyone who has its hands on one will likely keep it! To me, all of these four examples are outstanding handguns, that were revolutionary back in the days!Be a polymere gun slightly lighter and therefore more comfortable to carry, alloy frame guns will be more controllable because of lower recoil, and SA triggering can be key to a precise shot!
To anyone who has a German P226, never trade this gun for anything period.
Favored in use with British SAS as the L105A1 and the L105A2 (P226R). It is issued with 20 round magazines on some missions but also issued with 15 round magazines. SAS has used P226 since around early 1990s and even late 1980s if I remember correctly when it replaced the Browning Hi Power (L9A1) 9x19mm.
This is why I'm keeping mine. I had it since 1994.
That is awesome video the slow motion was amazing
Nicely done sir! I should have never gotten rid of my older P220 from 1997. Still came in the box with the 3-round test target amd two dot sights.
I have 1 for sale.
My edc is a p226 in 357 sig.. amazing weapon
Got 3 of these pistols myself. The P226 9mm is still today my anchor 9mm pistol. Do own & use a few other 9mm pistols however, although the others serve in there own nytch, the P226 9mm retains staple as anchor within my 9mm pile. 1993 production pistol that I purchased 1986 in as new condition. Use it today with over 40K round count. Only changes are too many spring changes to count & one safety-lever replacement. Installed fully adjustable rear sight & matching front. Shall be wise to invest your pistol dollars into SIG Firearms ownership. Carry On.
Bought a sig 2022. Awesome German Craftsmanship at a cheap price. Unfortunately, I live here in cali where we had a lot of gun restrictions.
Love my p226 mk25! Has never let me down!
I was trained on the P226 in the Army and carried one for 2 years in the Province. It was an incredibly accurate & reliable pistol; really comfortable to carry in a standard ride holster with a thumbbreak. I was familiar with the Browning 9mm Hi-Power (we knew it as the L9A1 Pistol in the UK). This pistol was way ahead of that. The quality was obvious from the moment you took it out of the box. I can see why it became such a runaway success worldwide and SIG opened a factory in the US to cope with the demand. Just a fantastic weapon and I have fond memories of effortlessly shooting away with it; utter contrast from the Browning, which was good.
My old man carried a Hi Power as his back up for YEARS as a cop. Says something about it’s reliability if he trusted his life with it.
@Maryland_Patriot410 Those are very interesting comments. I started shooting a Browning the first year I joined the Army; I loved it but I can see how if you have the option to customise it you could sort out some of its limitations. Our pistols had tiny safety catches and the magazines were always the weak feature. I was always working on the magazines to make them reliable.
I felt like the P226 was spot on straight out of the box. We did a lot of training to 'train out' the DA/SA transition when you drew from holster, fired your first shot DA & then the 2nd SA. It was really challenging but after a few hundred rounds, we were consistently double tapping with ease. I must admit I didn't notice the muzzle flip with the P226.
I wonder whether my experience comes from firing the military issue Browning and the P226? I have compared the military L9A1/A2 pistols we had to the civilian Hi Powers and the quality difference was very different, in terms of fit and finish. We were unable to remove the magazine safety or play with the trigger, which I am aware has a great effect on the pull on the Hi Power. I spent some hours stoning the sear on a competition pistol at Bisley, which made it quite smooth.
It seems like SIG made their pistols to a higher quality standard and surface finish, which translated to smooth functioning and reliability. I can't recall having many stoppages with a P226.
Interestingly the British Army purchased 10,000 of them for a back up weapon in Afghanistan, so troops could carry a 2nd weapon in case their rifles packed in during close engagements. I could never understand why we then abandoned those to buy the Glock 17 Gen 4 (maybe cost per pistol had something to do with it?).
Great insights LAV. Sig P220 with a browning hi power hicap mag. Never looked at it that way. I enjoy the info way more than when you're lighting it up.
You finally did a video on it! Keep up the good work Larry!
My *West* German 1988 SIG P226 is the best and most reliable firearm I own.
So the Government contracts in Europe dried up and that was it. "You're not needed here anymore. By the way, we're just gonna keep making it more and more difficult for you to sell to the civilian market, so you're not going to be able to keep yourself going until we have need of you again. So long, thanks for all the 226's."
Sad af
www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2020/6/9/sig-sauer-gmbh-ended-by-hostile-business-climate-lack-of-demand/
Just not a huge market in the civilian world for a fullsized heavy exposed hammer duty pistol
Sig also is so expensive they cant even shop it out to smaller nations like other companies can
Beretta 92 atleast is cheaper and much more aftermarket and just more out there in general
The p226 is AWESOME, but ask yourself, if you had the cash would you really pick up the p226?
How much is a German p226 in Nov 2020?
socialism fails again.... always end up with a 'Going out-of-business' sign on the front door
@@jbloun911 Who? Remington?
The 220 .45 is fucking great
My Sig 229R was made in Germany and I bought it about 10 years ago. I guess I'll hold on to it.
Thank you for sharing this video. My husband and I have numerous Sig Sauer classic pistols. We collect German / European firearms. We're disappointed as the quality and craftsmanship has declined.
We hope all's well with you and thank you again for sharing. God bless 🙏
What a beautiful handgun and great quality to by the looks of it
Had and sold an original West German P220 that I bought new back in 1987. I have the newer 220, 226 and 229 but still regret selling the old one.
Awesome! Thanks Larry. Greetings from Canada.
I bought one that had been in a friend's closet fer decades, still in the case and NEVER SHOT !!! Best $900 bucks i ever spent !!!! It's magnificent !!! The reverse thread barrel extension 'guard ' gave me a fit until I did some research 😆
My pops carried the german p220, first handgun I ever shot. Got it when he passed and I'll have it when I pass
I have a West German P226 and it’s an amazing handgun
I love my p226.more than any other.its perfect
My first pistol, bought as a graduation present to myself in 1985. $450, made in West Germany!!! I've replaced the recoil spring once, that it. The most accurate pistol in my collection. Sorry to hear about their downfall.
J'ai un P226 fabriqué en Allemagne pour les utilisateurs de la zone française, j'ai aussi un SP2022 utilisé par la police dans certains cantons suisses et certains départements français. Le P226 est une merveille, il mange toutes les marques de munitions, sans s'enrayer (ruag, geco, norma, fiocci, magtech, etc). Il fonctionne mieux que mon G19, qui s'enraye avec certaines marques de munitions.
Love P210s from Neuhausen.
Still have mine in perfect condition from 1991. Love it
Cut teeth shooting and handloading on my 91' West German P226. She looks and shoots as good today as the day I bought her. Wow 30 year my friend, no amount of money could entice me to sell.
I still think the stamp steel slide W.German models were the Apex of the P22X series. Biggest regret was getting rid of my JK 226.