[reiney]

Yes, the frame is from my 229 .40 S&W, non-rail; which, I thought was slightly wider in the grip to accomodate 15 rd. mags vs. the 228's 13 rounders. No?

 

[MacGyver]

You are correct. The grip of the .40 P229 feels slightly fatter when compared to a 9mm P229 or a P228. I’ve noticed this as well, but some people don’t notice the difference. However, you mentioned a balance issue. Usually the P229 (especially the .40 variant) is considered to be very top-heavy and nose-heavy when compared to a P228. Some people like that. Some people don’t. I’m in the latter group. The .40 P229 feels like a brick compared to a P228, and it’s all due to the slide. That slightly fatter grip isn’t enough to affect how nose-heavy or top-heavy the gun feels or doesn’t feel. If you shoot better with a factory P228 vs your Franken-P228, it’s likely because you feel you can better grip the former. It shouldn’t be because of a balance issue.

 

[12131]

Yes, the frame is from my 229 .40 S&W, non-rail; which, I thought was slightly wider in the grip to accomodate 15 rd. mags vs. the 228's 13 rounders. No?

You are correct. The grip of the .40 P229 feels slightly fatter when compared to a 9mm P229 or a P228. I’ve noticed this as well, but some people don’t notice the difference. However, you mentioned a balance issue. Usually the P229 (especially the .40 variant) is considered to be very top-heavy and nose-heavy when compared to a P228. Some people like that. Some people don’t. I’m in the latter group. The .40 P229 feels like a brick compared to a P228, and it’s all due to the slide. That slightly fatter grip isn’t enough to affect how nose-heavy or top-heavy the gun feels or doesn’t feel. If you shoot better with a factory P228 vs your Franken-P228, it’s likely because you feel you can better grip the former. It shouldn’t be because of a balance issue.

You guys are just imagining things. Externals dimensions are the same. Nothing is fatter. The wider magwell is accomplished by removing metal on the inner surface of the grip frame area, not by making the grip area fatter. Think about it. If the .40/.357 frame, which is the same as the 229-1 frame, were really fatter, how is it that there is only one size grip across the board, P229/P228?

 

[12131]

These are the measurements I did several years ago, comparing the M11-A1 (which has the 229-1 frame) to the "real" P228. The 229-1 frame is 0.2 oz lighter than the P228, likely due to metal removal to make the magwell wider. And, you will notice that the wall thickness of the 229-1 grip frame is really less, both just visually, and by digital measurements.

 

[MacGyver]

Right you are 12131, I just noticed that on my guns, the difference is the grip and not the frame itself. The P228 has a slightly thinner right grip plate. My P229 has a fatter right grip plate. It must be something to do with how it fits on the trigger bar spring or the mainspring assembly. I’ve just assumed the difference was in the frame this whole time.

 

[CXXX]

OP, You might try swapping the E2 grips off of your 40 to match your P228 to get a similar feel

 

[SIG Sauer Puss]

Right you are 12131, I just noticed that on my guns, the difference is the grip and not the frame itself. The P228 has a slightly thinner right grip plate. My P229 has a fatter right grip plate. Must be something to do with how it fits on the trigger bar spring or the mainspring assembly. I’ve just assumed the difference was in the frame this whole time

The right side grip was made thicker to accommodate the slightly deeper recess for the extra layer of spring wind on the new style TBS. It's subtle, but I can feel it for sure.

 

[RLevinson68]

I think there are a few contributing factors as to why any P228 may feel better than a P229, and why yours in particular does:

1) Better balance - the lighter slide on the P228 repositions the center of gravity for a more comfortable hold.

2) Trigger shape - most P228s came with the old-style serrated face trigger. In addition to better traction, this trigger has a flat-across face (not to be confused with a flat profile trigger). The flat-across face gives you another ergonomic reference for straight-ahead through the fingertip, so you feel more confident with your aim point.

3) Smoothness - much has been made of machined steel sear/hammer parts versus the newer MIM parts, but the manufacturing method is not where the improvement comes from; with much higher round counts (such as yours), these parts (along with the hammer strut and trigger bar) have self-polished against each other, giving themselves a gunsmith-level action improvement job.

The little stuff adds up.

 

[Laufer]

flwing:
Besides the 228 and 229 being shorter (better c.g.) than the 226 and easier to conceal, does the 228's "proofed in Kiel" bug (or other German city) exert a subconscious influence ?

 

[flwing]

flwing:
Besides the 228 and 229 being shorter (better c.g.) than the 226 and easier to conceal, does the 228's "proofed in Kiel" bug (or other German city) exert a subconscious influence ?

No - my P226 was proofed there too.

 

[Ruprict]

I've carried and owned a Sig 9mm for nearly 3 decades. When I was a uniformed LEO I was issued a "JJ" (1988) P226 and later as a non-uniformed officer a "JK" P225 - my agency gave me the "JJ" P226 when I retired and I still (and always will) have it. I'll be 67 in July.

Since then I've acquired a few more Sig models...a "KB" (1991) LEO trade-in P228, and a new P227 SAS and new P229 SAS (9mm), plus a "JD" (1983) P230 (.380).

I thought I'd prefer a P226, but have found the P228 to be my favorite pistol - I shoot it the best (yea, I still push left a bit) and find it feels better in my hand than either my P226 or P229 (E2 grips). My friends who have fired it also seem to like it better. I don't know the round-count, but the barrel has definitely sent a lot of lead down range and just a few months ago it went back to Sig for a FSP and slide re-blueing.

Any ideas why I like it so much?

My P228 is my second favorite pistol but is my absolute favorite SA/DA or SA pistol. My favorite over all is my P250 it’s a .380 and the absolutely best shooting pistol I have ever shot by far.

 

[GeneFromAll Over]

I think of myself as a Sig guy. I did not know until reading the above, anything about the proof marks or springs. My first Sig was my P226 that I carried as a duty weapon, entry weapon, and started flying helicopters with it. I then moved to a P228, thinking I was stepping down to the smaller weapon as it fit in the helo better. Boy was I wrong! I love my original P228. It is about a 1992 model. B2002XX.
I currently own 9 Sigs. My old P226 in 9mm, and a newer P226R in .40 and .357.
I like the P228 so much I bought a new Franken Sig P228R in about 2007.
I have my old P220 that was my off duty weapon to my P226 duty weapon, a P220R Carry and P220R Carry Equinox. I also have a P229 in .40, and another one in .357. I love them all, however The old P228 just feels best! I have given away a P229R in .40, a P239 in .40, and a P220R.
For the LEOs, my old P226, P228 and P220 are all three 'SPECIALS' from when I was on the job, so it is not that I like the P228 for some reason like that. It feels best to me, and for some reason better than the newer P228R. I came from a large department in SoCal where I carried my own weapon in all of my assignments. I'll never get rid of those three specials. Most of us carried our personally owned weapons, and most of them were Sig's. Beretta was second but way behind.
I am thinking about a new P225A1 as my next purchase. I have looked at the M11A1 but it does not feel like my old P228. If Sig makes them again, I'll buy one or two right now, as I'd be concerned they will stop making them again.
I vote for balance making the P228 the best, but not because I really know.

 

[gsapatka]

Got to agree. I love my 1991 P228.

 

[JohnnyLoco]

The p228 is just a special gun. Hard to find a flaw with it. The p225a1 is a great gun too, a little easier to carry, but the p228 is the one I would choose if I had to have one. But it’s not alone, all the German folded slide guns 220/225/226/228 have phenomenal balance and shoot great.