Sig P226 Stainless 9mm or .40?

[IM_Lugger]

Deciding between 9mm and .40S&W for Sig P226 stainless

Is there a difference in accuracy between the two models? I've never shot a all steel p226...what’s the recoil like? would there even be a noticeable diff. in recoil between 9mm and .40?

I leaning towards 9mm since I have other guns in this calibre (they can all share ammo) plus .40 ammo costs more…

 

[Baphomet]

I would suggest getting the 226 chambered in either .40 or .357 Sig.

Reason being you can get a 9mm conversion barrel for the 226 as long as you start with a 226 chambered in either .40 or .357 Sig.

In point of fact you can have a triple-threat if you want: same pistol, all three calibers with just a swap of the barrel. .40 magazines will feed all three rounds, and you don't need to swap slides, or springs, or anything else. AS LONG AS you start with a 226 chambered in .40/.357 Sig; you can NOT start with a 226 chambered in 9mm and "convert" it to .40 or .357 Sig.

 

[IM_Lugger]

don't you need the whole slide to go from .40/357 to 9mm like with most other guns?

would it be reliable (since 9mm case is smaller than .40)? do you know if I would be able to use the gun (w/ 9mm barrrel) in IPSC production?

 

[Ocraknife]

How much do you shoot? If you love shooting then I would suggest a 9mm I can get Winchester range ammo for $7 a box.

 

[Baphomet]

With Sigs (well I can speak to the 226 and the 229, maybe other models as well) ALL you need to switch-out is the barrel to go from one caliber to the other. That's IT. Going from .40 to .357 Sig or 9mm is just that simple. Allow to me repeat though, that you MUST start with a .40 or .357 chambered pistol, and to use 9mm you have to use a 9mm conversion barrel. The conversion barrel is just slightly different than a standard 9mm barrel in that it was designed specifically to work with a slide that was bored-out for a .40 or .357 Sig barrel. 9mm Conversion barrels are the same price as a 9mm "replacement" barrel, so no worries there.

You won't need to change the slide, the springs or anything else to change between calibers once you have the appropriate barrels. Start with a .40 caliber 226, pick up a 9mm conversion barrel and a .357 Sig barrel and you're good to go. Your P226 is now a three-caliber pistol. Pretty neat, huh?

For more information on this, you might want to look at some of these threads over on Sig Forums (link goes to a search on "P226 9mm conversion" threads for your convenience). People discuss POI changes when changing barrels (pretty minor it seems) and using .40 caliber magazines with 9mm ammo as well. That last bit surprised me but it works.

 

[packa45]

I didn't know the mags would work for all three calibers. I thought you had to use 2, with one for the .40/.357.

 

[Ocraknife]

With Sigs (well I can speak to the 226 and the 229, maybe other models as well) ALL you need to switch-out is the barrel to go from one caliber to the other. That's IT. Going from .40 to .357 Sig or 9mm is just that simple. Allow to me repeat though, that you MUST start with a .40 or .357 chambered pistol, and to use 9mm you have to use a 9mm conversion barrel. The conversion barrel is just slightly different than a standard 9mm barrel in that it was designed specifically to work with a slide that was bored-out for a .40 or .357 Sig barrel. 9mm Conversion barrels are the same price as a 9mm "replacement" barrel, so no worries there.

You won't need to change the slide, the springs or anything else to change between calibers once you have the appropriate barrels. Start with a .40 caliber 226, pick up a 9mm conversion barrel and a .357 Sig barrel and you're good to go. Your P226 is now a three-caliber pistol. Pretty neat, huh?

For more information on this, you might want to look at some of these threads over on Sig Forums (link goes to a search on "P226 9mm conversion" threads for your convenience). People discuss POI changes when changing barrels (pretty minor it seems) and using .40 caliber magazines with 9mm ammo as well. That last bit surprised me but it works.

Bummer, I just bought a 229 in 9mm, I guess I should have bought a .40 then I could have had 9mm .357sig and .40 cals.

 

[Baphomet]

I didn't know the mags would work for all three calibers. I thought you had to use 2, with one for the .40/.357.

People report no problems with functioning when using 9mm ammo in a .40 caliber mag (one millimeter difference and all I guess), but even so, you wouldn't catch me using a .40 cal ammo/9mm magazine setup in MY bedside-table gun.

Fine for the range and all, but, heh... let's be real.

Bummer, I just bought a 229 in 9mm, I guess I should have bought a .40 then I could have had 9mm .357sig and .40 cals.

A common lament, I'm afraid.

 

[IM_Lugger]

I read that with P226 you need 9mm mags to shot 9mm thu .40 with a conversion barrel. is this tue?

btw how reliable is will the gun be?

 

[G-Cym]

Does the P229 in .40SW also have conversion kits to .357 and 9mm? And if yes can you use the .40SW mags to fire all 3 rounds?

 

[Baphomet]

.....

 

[Baphomet]

@ I_M Lugger:

I have a P229 that uses the .40 magazines for all three rounds, the 226 may well require 9mm magazines. I'm not sure.

As for reliability, I've never heard anyone complain about it. Sometimes the barrels requires a minor degree of fitting but, assuming someone competent does this fitting, the functioning should be 100%.

@ G-Cym:

Yes and yes.

There is no conversion "kit" however. To use 9mm in your (currently) .40 caliber 229 you will need to order a 9mm Conversion barrel from Bar Sto.

To shoot .357 Sig you will need to buy a replacement barrel in that caliber, either directly from the Sig factory, from Bar Sto or from EFK Fire Dragon. Your choice. Bar Sto barrels will set you back about $250 and EFK's will set you back about $150. One place for Sig .40 or .357 barrels I know is Executive. They get $225 for them. Sig does NOT sell 9mm conversion barrels, by the way, to my knowledge only Bar Sto or EFK sell those.

Magazines designed for .40 ammo work with all three calibers in the 229, of that I'm sure.

EDIT: Forgot to mention... I believe MidwayUSA sells conversion/replacement barrels as well...

 

[BigJimP]

I have the 226 stainless in both the 9mm and a separate gun in .40 S&W. I'm not positive but I don't think you can get a conversion kit or just replace the barrel in a 9mm version to go to a .40 etc .

They are both very good guns, identical really, and I don't notice a difference in them really in terms of recoil - although the .40 is more recoil. I like the weight of the 226 stainless - and if I'm just heading to the range, I shoot a lot of 9mm ( it's cheaper ) - but if I had to grab a gun, in the middle of the night, I'd grab the .40 just because it's a heavier load.

 

[IM_Lugger]

Jim, which gun is more accurate? is there a difference?

 

[BigJimP]

There is no difference in accuracy. They look and feel the same.

In fact they are so similar it would be real easy to grab the 9mm - and think I had the .40 ( if I didn't check the marking on the barrel ) and take the wrong mags / ammo to the range.

I like both calibers - and I reload - so shooting the .40 is a little more expensive than the 9mm but not much ( both around $4 - $5 a box ) based on my current components costs.