Hey folks I have a classic sig p229 in 40 cal. It’s the original design with the serial number that starts with AM. I’m looking for magazines and I’m know the newer mags won’t work in the old design. What do I need to look for to make sure I’m getting the correct magazines. Thanks in advance.
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Classic sig p229
- Thread starter bspillman
- Start date
So I don’t think that’s true. To my knowledge the change with frames, which means that some magazines don’t work in the older models, is only true for the 9mm variants. Are you sure you can’t use the newer magazines? I may be wrong, I just don’t remember 40SW pistols being described as having the same problem.
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So this is worth confirming on the SIG forum if someone here doesn’t know know 100%, but this is my recollection:
The P228 and early P229 frames in 9mm used a slightly different frame from the 40SW P229s. At some point SIG, in an effort to streamline production, decided to make the 9mm P229s use the same frames as the 40SW pistols. When they did this it allowed for slightly larger magazines and that’s how you went from 9mm magazines that held 13 rds to ones that held 15 rd in the production magazines. The problem was those larger magazines from the newer pistols wouldn’t fit in the older pistols. One workaround was that the MecGar 15 rd magazines for the P228 worked in everything (they use a different follower rather than a different magazine body to get more capacity). The MecGars will also work in the newer pistols, they just rattle a little.
Thing is I don’t think any of this applies to the 40SW frames. You could call and ask someone at SIG, but you need someone that’s been there a while. Another option would be getting 1 of the newer magazines and seeing if it works in your pistol. Maybe you have a local gun store that you do business with regularly and they have a used magazine bin or if they are really nice maybe you could even try it with a magazine from a display model. This way you know without having to invest money first.
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The P228 and early P229 frames in 9mm used a slightly different frame from the 40SW P229s. At some point SIG, in an effort to streamline production, decided to make the 9mm P229s use the same frames as the 40SW pistols. When they did this it allowed for slightly larger magazines and that’s how you went from 9mm magazines that held 13 rds to ones that held 15 rd in the production magazines. The problem was those larger magazines from the newer pistols wouldn’t fit in the older pistols. One workaround was that the MecGar 15 rd magazines for the P228 worked in everything (they use a different follower rather than a different magazine body to get more capacity). The MecGars will also work in the newer pistols, they just rattle a little.
Thing is I don’t think any of this applies to the 40SW frames. You could call and ask someone at SIG, but you need someone that’s been there a while. Another option would be getting 1 of the newer magazines and seeing if it works in your pistol. Maybe you have a local gun store that you do business with regularly and they have a used magazine bin or if they are really nice maybe you could even try it with a magazine from a display model. This way you know without having to invest money first.
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bamaranger
New member
not sure
This won't really help, but I think the first P229's were introduced only in .40. As I recall,it was the first P-series SIG to have the milled slide, necessary to handle the pressures of the .40 cartridge. That construction was far different from the similarly sized, stamped slide P228,and the larger stamped P226/220 for that matter. As the stamped P228 was phased out, the milled P229 was subsequently chambered in 9mm as well.
That doesn't help the magazine question at all.
This won't really help, but I think the first P229's were introduced only in .40. As I recall,it was the first P-series SIG to have the milled slide, necessary to handle the pressures of the .40 cartridge. That construction was far different from the similarly sized, stamped slide P228,and the larger stamped P226/220 for that matter. As the stamped P228 was phased out, the milled P229 was subsequently chambered in 9mm as well.
That doesn't help the magazine question at all.
bspillman, I've owned P229s on and off since soon after they were introduced. The first 229s, as bamaranger indicated, were in .40 S&W. The .40 and .357 magazines and mag wells are about .050" wider than the 228/229 13-rd. 9MM magazines and mag wells. All the 229 .40 and .357 magazines fit all the .40 and .357 guns, whether old or new.
The 226 magazines are slightly longer, and will fit, but loosely. The 226s, of whatever caliber, never went to the wider magazines and mag wells, hence a loose fit if used in your 229 .40.
The 226 magazines are slightly longer, and will fit, but loosely. The 226s, of whatever caliber, never went to the wider magazines and mag wells, hence a loose fit if used in your 229 .40.