Poll: p226 or p320 for SHTF?

[Dirty Cary]

It can be multiple sizes, but I also need a p226.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

Of the 2, the P226 SAO would be my choice.

Sao like this !

 

[Schmoe1957]

Need I say more?

220/45



226/9mm



226/40 S&W, 357



229/40 S&W, 357, 9mm



All with SRT.

 

[Retired Guy]

Another vote for the P226. Having said that, it's a bit big for my hand so I have a P228 and a M17.

 

[PuddleMonkey]

P226, obviously.

 

[mkwerx]

Can I be the oddball and suggest the P225 / P6, or the P239 - yeah, they have half the capacity, but its lighter and more concealable and you could carry the extra weight in something else - like food, medical gear, armor, or water. Assuming we're talking post-apocalyptia SHTF, and not just general societal collapse where you probably should have a fire team just to run to the grocery store.

 

[The Heretic]

I had hoped that SIG would make a 365 in .40 - they had said in an interview that they would, but no way now.

I wouldn't mind a DA/SA like the 239 in .40, but the size and weight of the 365. Will never happen.

 

[Nosferatu]

Can I be the oddball and suggest the P225 / P6, or the P239 - yeah, they have half the capacity, but its lighter and more concealable and you could carry the extra weight in something else - like food, medical gear, armor, or water. Assuming we're talking post-apocalyptia SHTF, and not just general societal collapse where you probably should have a fire team just to run to the grocery store.

You're not the oddball, the P225 is one of the best Sig 9mms ever made.

I wish they would bring it back, with a SAO option.

 

[mkwerx]

You're not the oddball, the P225 is one of the best Sig 9mms ever made.

I wish they would bring it back, with a SAO option.

You must mean in the original form factor then - and not the P225A1 - which is shares more with the P239 than it does the original 225? I like all three guns, personally.

A single action 225 in its original size would be pretty sweet!

The worst part about the P225 right now is magazine availability. No one but Pro Mag makes new P6/P225 magazines.

 

[Nosferatu]

You must mean in the original form factor then - and not the P225A1 - which is shares more with the P239 than it does the original 225? I like all three guns, personally.

A single action 225 in its original size would be pretty sweet!

The worst part about the P225 right now is magazine availability. No one but Pro Mag makes new P6/P225 magazines.

I haven't been keeping up with them, I didn't realize there was anything BUT the original. Probably another gun I shouldn't have sold!

 

[Savage Jav]

226, in the mad max shtf it'll make a better club then a 320 when bullets run out

 

[mkwerx]

I haven't been keeping up with them, I didn't realize there was anything BUT the original. Probably another gun I shouldn't have sold!

Oy, while you missed the production run of them - they brought the P225 back to life a few years ago ala the P225A1 - it uses the same magazine, IIRC as the P239 but has the standard look of the other P-series guns, so its not compatible with the original P225 magazines.

Sig Sauer P225-A1 9mm Luger 3.6in Black Nitron Pistol - 8+1 Rounds

Sig Sauer P225-A1 9mm Luger 3.6in Black Nitron Pistol - 8+1 Rounds - The P225-A1 retains the exceptional look and feel of the original P225, but features an enhanced Short Reset Trigger and the precision manufacturing and quality from the state-of-the-art SIG SAUER facility.

www.sportsmans.com

Sig discontinued the gun a couple years ago - there are still "new old stock" samples floating around in the wild, and they pop up on the used market occasionally. There was even a Legion version, IIRC.

 

[No_Regerts]

 

[DLS]

The Marines are transitioning to the M18, the compact sized offering.

 

[Member 3687]

Ok so if this is a SHTF situation and these are the only choices we have let's look at the features and drawbacks of each.

Spare mags run same price as the both MSRP at 49.95 each but on average you can find them around 44 online for either one. I am a believer in a minimum of having 10 mags for any gun on hand as replacements in the future may not be a thing. You want enough spares to out live you.

The 226 full size weighs in at 34oz while the 320 is a bit lighter at 29.5oz and extra ounces being carried over a long period of time adds up to pain in the body. Just something to think about as 5.5oz is a 3rd of a pound.

The 226 is a well-built gun with great lines but it is a double/single action meaning your first trigger pull is a heaver one than the next single action and since most folks do not practice like they should they will pull that first shot; you know the one that may count the most to save your life.

The 320 is a simple striker fired so the trigger pull is the same every time so less training is required. I always promote training and dry fire practice but most folks just do not do it.

Parts are harder to come by for the 226 so if something goes bad it is a paper weight. granted a good-looking paper weight but still a paper weight.

With the 320 being a military gun mags and parts should be easier to find down the road or at least in my mind. Heck you can buy a complete trigger unit as a spare if needed.

So of the 2 choices for a SHTF gun I would go with the 320 for the reasons I mentioned but you're the one who has to say the final word as you are the one carrying it and getting replacement parts and mags for it.

I do feel there better choices for the reasons I have mentioned but both of these will work well as long as your aware of the pros and cons.

 

[The Heretic]

Parts are harder to come by for the 226 so if something goes bad it is a paper weight. granted a good-looking paper weight but still a paper weight.

I would not say that. The 226 having been around a LOT longer than the 320 and having a LOT of aftermarket support.

Beyond that, the 226 shares some parts with the 229, 228, 220, 239, 225, 245, 227 and 224, among others in that lineup. Not all parts are interchangeable after all, but things like extractors, springs, screws, etc., - the kinds of things that break or get lost, or wear out - often do interchange.

It isn't like the 226 is an obsolete handgun that is uncommon and parts are hard to find - just the opposite.

 

[Member 3687]

I would not say that. The 226 having been around a LOT longer than the 320 and having a LOT of aftermarket support.

Beyond that, the 226 shares some parts with the 229, 228, 220, 239, 225, 245, 227 and 224, among others in that lineup. Not all parts are interchangeable after all, but things like extractors, springs, screws, etc., - the kinds of things that break or get lost, or wear out - often do interchange.

It isn't like the 226 is an obsolete handgun that is uncommon and parts are hard to find - just the opposite

True today you can send a 226 back to Sig and get it repaired no problem and a few companies carry some parts for the 226 but only a handful carry slides and key parts but how about 5 years into a SHTF.

I can buy Sig slides, barrels and frames right now from my local gun shops for the 320 or aftermarket barrels, frames and slides and build my own just based on the trigger group and you can just buy the trigger group/gun in the raw form shell we say locally. Every whole sale gun distributers carry 320 parts just like Glock parts and now that the Military is using the M18 and M17 so in 5 years even more parts will be up for grabs.

In most of the shops in my area I can not even find 226 mags much less parts unless I special order them from a few companies. I am not saying they are not a good guns but I know more folks with 320s than I do with 226s because of their lower price and availability.

That is what I base my info on and it is just my opinion. In your area it may be different.

 

[Nosferatu]

True today you can send a 226 back to Sig and get it repaired no problem and a few companies carry some parts for the 226 but only a handful carry slides and key parts but how about 5 years into a SHTF.

I can buy Sig slides, barrels and frames right now from my local gun shops for the 320 or aftermarket barrels, frames and slides and build my own just based on the trigger group and you can just buy the trigger group/gun in the raw form shell we say locally. Every whole sale gun distributers carry 320 parts just like Glock parts and now that the Military is using the M18 and M17 so in 5 years even more parts will be up for grabs.

In most of the shops in my area I can not even find 226 mags much less parts unless I special order them from a few companies. I am not saying they are not a good guns but I know more folks with 320s than I do with 226s because of their lower price and availability.

That is what I base my info on and it is just my opinion. In your area it may be different.

I think you're overselling the "I can buy every P320 part" thing a bit much. When society collapses, your LGS will be too busy surviving themselves to sell you a new trigger spring and UPS won't be bringing their brown trucks around anymore.

At that point, you're stuck with what you have on hand, no matter the platform.

Brownells, Numrich, Sig, MGW, Osage County and I'm sure numerous others sell parts for pretty much every Sig ever made. Stock up now if you think the known world is going to end soon.

 

[The Heretic]

I think you're overselling the "I can buy every P320 part" thing a bit much. When society collapses, your LGS will be too busy surviving themselves to sell you a new trigger spring and UPS won't be bringing their brown trucks around anymore.

At that point, you're stuck with what you have on hand, no matter the platform.

Brownells, Numrich, Sig, MGW, Osage County and I'm sure numerous others sell parts for pretty much every Sig ever made. Stock up now if you think the known world is going to end soon.

Yes, if SHTF in a severe manner, parts for guns will come from scavenging, if at all.

I have eight SIG metal framed handguns - 224, 228/229, 226 & 227, plus a plastic 2022/2340. Not too worried about parts - the 226/229 guns being my first choice in 9mm/40.

I don't anticipate wearing them out - my philosophy being a handgun is a sidearm for immediate self-defense until I can get to a long gun, or if the long gun runs out of ammo or is disabled - in either case, not that much ammo is going to go thru my handguns - not enough to wear them out anyway. It is the long guns, especially rifles, that I would worry about parts and ammo for.

As for mags and parts now - I order them online, sometimes pick them up from NWFA sellers. The mags for the 226 can be used in the 228/229s and 224, but I have spares for all of them.

 

[Member 3687]

I think you're overselling the "I can buy every P320 part" thing a bit much. When society collapses, your LGS will be too busy surviving themselves to sell you a new trigger spring and UPS won't be bringing their brown trucks around anymore.

At that point, you're stuck with what you have on hand, no matter the platform.

Brownells, Numrich, Sig, MGW, Osage County and I'm sure numerous others sell parts for pretty much every Sig ever made. Stock up now if you think the known world is going to end soon.

I may be over selling it but I just looked at a lot of the places you said and most 226 parts are out of stock or they only list sights and magazines. A couple had some key parts.

What I am talking about is how many guns are in use and being sold, if can you walk into a LGS and find parts this shows how many folks have a particular gun in an area because shops do not usually carry parts they cannot sell reasonably quickly. If the local shops do not carry mags for a gun that is still produced then there is not much of a market as they are popular to a niche group and not the main stream.

If it popular to the mainstream then in a SHTF I have a better chance of running across one in an abandon house or on the black market more than most others.

Glocks are every where and I can find parts everywhere meaning in a SHTF I have a better chance of finding a spare gun or parts for a Glock than say a Desert Eagle 50ae.

I feel the 320 will be the same over the Sig 22? Line of products unless like you said you buy all the spare parts now because you won't find them later as it is popular to a niche group only.

I have plenty of guns in this category that are fun guns but in a SHTF it will be easy to find a Glock over pretty much everything so that is my SHTF gun.