ABOUT WEAPON
The SIG-Sauer P226 pistol was developed as an improved, high capacity version of the P220, specially for the US XM9 trials of 1982-84. The P226 was one of just two pistols that nominally passed all of the technical requirements for these trials, but at the last moment it lost to the other design, the Beretta 92SB-F, on the basis of the overall cost. Despite this, the P226 quickly became one of the most popular service pistols, being used by police, military and security forces, as well as by many civilian shooters, around the world. Initially available in 9mm, it was subsequently adapted to .40 S&W and .357 SIG calibers, which are extremely popular in the USA. In fact, the P226 was the first pistol to be chambered for the .357 SIG, a high velocity, high penetration 9mm cartridge, preferred by many American highway patrol services as well as by the US Security Service.
The SIG-Sauer P226 is basically similar to the SIG-Sauer P220 pistol, except for the slightly different shape and double-stack magazines of greater capacity. It is available in a number of versions, with standard aluminium or stainless steel frames, with or without a Picatinny rail. Triggers are either a typical SIG-Sauer double action arrangement with a frame-mounted decocker and an automated firing pin block, or a double-action-only setup without decocker. 9mm and .40/.357 versions of this pistol also may differ in the design of the slide - while 9mm pistols may have a stamped steel slide, larger caliber pistols have heavier slides, machined from a solid bar of steel.
Manual safety: None; decocking lever at the left side of the frame, in the cut of the grip panel.
How to field- strip (disassemble) P226: 1) remove the magazine by pressing the magazine release button; 2) check that the chamber is empty; 3) pull the slide all the way back and lock it there with the slide stop; 4) rotate down the disassembly lever, which is located at the left side of the frame, above the trigger; 5) release the slide and carefully push it forward, and out of the frame; 6) remove the return spring assembly from below the barrel; 7) remove the barrel from the slide.
Reassemble in reverse order.
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Type |
Double/Single Action or Double Action Only semi-automatic |
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Caliber: |
9x19mm Luger, .357 SIG, .40SW |
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Length, overall: |
196 mm |
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Barrel length: |
112 mm |
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Weight (with empty magazine) : |
aluminum frame: 870 g (9mm), 920 0g (.40 and .357)
stainless steel frame: 1180 g |
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Magazine capacity: |
15 rounds (9mm); 12 rounds (.40 and .357) |
This article uses material from the Modern Firearms & Ammunition site article "SIG-Sauer P226 pistol (Switzerland)".
