I’m sure there are a lot of post on this topic, this is just my experience.
Bought a LE Trade In P229 DAK in .40 S&W last year, at a Gun Show from one of my previous LGS making the rounds for $380 OTD with just one mag and nothing else.
I’ve always wanted a Sig in .357 Sig and I let another cheap LE Trade In P226 get away from me a couple of years ago. But I like the feel of the P229 better so nothing ventured nothing gained.
Found a .357 Sig barrel for it only to learn the sights needed to be changed for that caliber. This P229 was not that old, August 2017 when I called Sig. The old night sights were actually still under warranty and after some hoops they sent me new night sights for this gun. Just not the height needed for .357 Sig, so I bought some TruGlo the correct heights, #8 front and back. Gun shoots better than I’m capable of.
Kicking around a lot of ideas on where I wanted to go with this gun, and a lot of PMs to Willard. Ended up winning an old P229 .40 S&W parts kits for not a bad price off Gun Broker. Now I have the parts to make my DAK into a DA/SA plus a separate .40 S&W upper. Again, night sights shot on this slide, but they will work well enough in the day light to try out the .40 S&W upper.
Watched a number of disassembly and reassembly videos on YouTube then bagged all my spare parts so I knew what I had and could add and replace the correct parts at the correct time.
I had disassembled the P226 frame when I owned it and I have to say this was easier to do than I remembered.
Since my old parts kit was from 1992, there are a couple of issues. The hammer strut and main spring parts are of a much older design. Not as easy to install as those with the plastic mainspring seat, but not impossible with a Glock punch.
The one part that is just too old to fit is the hammer reset spring. I’ve studied it and watched a video and it just was not made for the hammer stop on this 2017 gun. I may have to break down and call Sig for a new design hammer reset spring.
I know I could end up putting more money into this gun than buying new. In addition to the new .357 Sig barrel and night sights, I’ve bought two used magazines from CDNN in better condition than the one that came with the gun. But I’ll have two caliber specific uppers, even if one is much older and if I touch nothing else I’m sure it will outlast and out shoot me. Heck I may even holster it up for daily carry in .357 Sig.
The big return for me on this gun is what I have learned taking in apart and putting it back together. It won’t be the last time, and I need to practice on those uppers too. So just sharing, I may have the whole thing nickel boron or cerakoted after I’m done tinkering, I’m thinking a burnt bronze upper with the black frame might be unique?
P229 DAK
P229 DA/SA now
Original strut and mainspring on the left, old design on the right.
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