# The Beretta 92FS vs. Sig Arms 226



## gun4fun (Jun 10, 2008)

I'm looking for a good 9mm, what are some of the pros and cons of the Beretta 92FS and the Sig Arms P226? I know that the Beretta has a external safety, does the Sig have a de-coker? Thanks for the info.


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## brifol6111 (May 6, 2008)

I have owned both, and I still own the SIG P226R in .40 S&W. I love the gun, it is the smoothest .40 I have ever shot.

The SIG has 15rnd (9mm, 12 rnd .40S&W) mags, a manual De-Cock, DA/SA Trigger, Rail, and no manual safety.


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

i don't know of any handgun that has gone thru as much testing as the 92fs has
of your two you can assure yourself that it is reliable and your mind can rest at ease


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

The Beretta 92 and the SIG P226 were judged as equals in the JSSAP tests that settled on the Beretta. Beretta bid lower and we wanted to put missiles in Italy, so the Beretta got the nod. Both are very reliable pistols.


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## jeb21 (Jun 10, 2008)

I like the sig better, but I have no complaints with the 92 FS other than is a big large for my hands.


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## babs (Nov 30, 2007)

I want one of each! :mrgreen: 
Probably two of the very best 9's currently available... Why I said "flip a coin"... you can't lose, anything other than cash. :smt023 The 92FS wins though just for budget reasons unless you go CPO with the Sig as I did.. Their CPO gun offerings are pretty cool. But $500 from Bud's is hard to beat for a brand spankin' new 92FS in your choice of flavors, police, black, inox, etc.


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## Spartan (Jan 1, 2007)

Beretta for me.


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## mig233 (Jun 30, 2008)

I'm actually going thru the same dilemma!! I love the feeling of both guns, fits beautifully. I'm leaning toward the beretta for the price, unless I find something out to sway me otherwise...
"The 92FS wins though just for budget reasons unless you go CPO with the Sig as I did.. Their CPO gun offerings are pretty cool. But $500 from Bud's is hard to beat for a brand spankin' new 92FS in your choice of flavors, police, black, inox, etc."

Could someone direct me to where I could get a CPO deal on a Sig, or a sweet deal on a 92FS (I love the INOX)?....Please help a new shooter out that's trying to step into the game with a solid, reliable handgun


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## TDIllini (Jan 5, 2008)

budsgunshop.com

They have a ton of CPO sigs as well as some new Beretta 92's in stock.


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## JONSCH (Jun 13, 2008)

hideit said:


> i don't know of any handgun that has gone thru as much testing as the 92fs has
> of your two you can assure yourself that it is reliable and your mind can rest at ease


the HK mark 23 has more testing


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## babs (Nov 30, 2007)

TDIllini said:


> budsgunshop.com
> 
> They have a ton of CPO sigs as well as some new Beretta 92's in stock.


... Less than 4 c-notes for new-in-box FS's.. last time I looked.. Makes owning a slick Inox way tempting if I were in the 9mm market.

But I can say I'm finding myself NOT to be a manual safety fan.. In D/S action, Just a de-cocker and fire pin block and I'm a happy camper.. If some joker was in the house and the SHTF... I want that thing to go bang when it's supposed to, period. I had issues getting used to the 92FS at the range having to acknowledge if the silly thing was on Safe or Fire.. The less to have to deal with in SHTF situations the better.. One newbies opinion. :mrgreen:


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## bh1974 (Aug 14, 2008)

Love the Beretta's, But the 226 is in a different league!


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## Growler67 (Sep 8, 2008)

Owned both at the same time while stationed in Germany. Still have the SiG. The experience taught me the one thing I use to evaluate handgun purchases to date. If it fits well and feels comfortable, you'll shoot it well. I liked my Beretta, don't get me wrong, I don't have anything bad to say about it. I just spent a lot of time (and money in ammo and such) trying to get it to group like my SiG P226. Pachmyers, adding a weightlifting glove to my right hand and so on. I actually spent more time trying to get it to feel right that I missed the lesson early on.

The SiG was just a much more natural fit for me. The grip angle and the ergos fit and feel great to me. I eventually sold the Beretta 92S. Fine weapon and some great features, just didn't shoot it as well.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Wouldn't have to think about it...The Sig Sauer. I've had them both and the Sig for just shot better. I have never had a pistol straight out of the box work as well as my 226. It was the reason I wanted a 229. Now the two of them say I need a 220. I am not gonna fight with them...I'll probably get a 220 as my next purchase. At least my next auto loader buy will be anyway. I have been getting the hankerin' for another wheel gun lol.

Just one more honey..I'll have a perfect collection after that...Wow!! look at the price on that!! Oh my! I have to have it too! Just 2 more honey:anim_lol::smt082


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## babs (Nov 30, 2007)

Plus if they're just a drop-in.. Sig barrels all day long over at top gun supply. Buddy of mine has the hots for a Sig now.. All this gun talk is making me want to get to the range.. Box of range ammo burning my pocket.  Picked up a couple extra mags from above dealer also I want to get some time with to make sure they're sound.

Also... A sure enough yeeehaw for those uplula loaders. Came in the mail last week.. Makes filling up the 226 mags a breeze. :smt023


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

heh,,yeah..I'm getting a 357 Sig barrel for my 229 40 S&W..Be like having two guns in one.:smt023


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## babs (Nov 30, 2007)

That's sweet.. Numbnut here (that'd be me) got the 9mm (which I do love) but the .40/.357 Sig guns are interesting.

Is that caliber swap a simple drop-in deal? 
(just slap me if it's covered in grotesque length as I know I haven't searched yet) :mrgreen:


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

In my 229 it's just a barrel switch. I can use the same mags even.:smt033
Not all of them are that way but it is with the 229 Sig.


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## Mike_E (Nov 21, 2007)

DevilsJohnson said:


> heh,,yeah..I'm getting a 357 Sig barrel for my 229 40 S&W..Be like having two guns in one.:smt023


I've got the same set-up on my SIG P229R Equinox. The barrels are interchangeable and I've also added a Bar-Sto 9mm barrel. Three calibers in one gun - now that's a versatile gun! :mrgreen:

Regarding the choice between the SIG P226 9mm and the Beretta 92FS - both are great guns. I love my P229 Blackwater...but then, my 92FS Inox is right behind it. Can't go wrong with either one.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

I never even thought about a 9mm barrel for it. It can't use the 40-357 mags though then can it?

Man I love a Sig!!


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## Growler67 (Sep 8, 2008)

DevilsJohnson said:


> I never even thought about a 9mm barrel for it. It can't use the 40-357 mags though then can it?
> 
> Man I love a Sig!!


If you get a SiG P226 or P229 chambered in either .357SIG or .40S&W, all you need to shoot the other caliber besides the ammo is the other barrel. The mags can be used for either. If you want to shoot 9mm in either gun, you will need the barrel AND the magazine(s). The P239 is the exception. The .357SIG mags and the .40S&W mags are NOT interchangable.

I do not know about the 92's. It's been a LONG time since I owned mine and I've not kept up with them.


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## Mike_E (Nov 21, 2007)

Growler67 said:


> If you get a SiG P226 or P229 chambered in either .357SIG or .40S&W, all you need to shoot the other caliber besides the ammo is the other barrel. The mags can be used for either. If you want to shoot 9mm in either gun, you will need the barrel AND the magazine(s).


Actually, the SIG P228 and the P229 mags are almost identical with the exception of capacity. The feed lips and the followers are exactly the same width on both the P228 and P229 mags. I just verified this by inserting 9mm bullets into the P229 .40S&W / .357SIG mags. Being restricted to 10 rounds in California, I was able to easily insert 11 9mm bullets into a 10-round .40S&W mags for test purposes.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

I have the 229 in 40 and a 226 in 9mm..I'd liek to get the 229 shooting all three calibers though. I didn't think the 40/357mags would work for 9mm though. This is an interesting piece of information:smt033


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## Growler67 (Sep 8, 2008)

DevilsJohnson said:


> I have the 229 in 40 and a 226 in 9mm..I'd liek to get the 229 shooting all three calibers though. I didn't think the 40/357mags would work for 9mm though. This is an interesting piece of information:smt033


You can use your P226 mags in your P229 if you like. Then all you need is a 9mm conversion barrel for your P229 and you are set.



Mike_E said:


> Actually, the SIG P228 and the P229 mags are almost identical with the exception of capacity. The feed lips and the followers are exactly the same width on both the P228 and P229 mags. I just verified this by inserting 9mm bullets into the P229 .40S&W / .357SIG mags. Being restricted to 10 rounds in California, I was able to easily insert 11 9mm bullets into a 10-round .40S&W mags for test purposes.


You said it yourself "almost identical". The P228 was chambered in 9mm ONLY. The geometry for the mag wells is identical to the P226 which is why those who do not live in Kommunist Republiks, can use the higher capacity mags for the P226 in their P228 (like I do, both my P226 and P228 are 17+1). The .357/.40 mags may load the 9mm, but will may not function 100%. There IS a difference between them. Just because they'll fit doesn't mean that it'll work correctly. General comparison between the P228 and P229 is one thing, provided the P229 is chambered in 9mm. Otherwise the comparisons aren't always accurate to be made. Check the follower notch where it contacts the slide catch.

Some things are interchangable, others are not. Get the right equipment for the job.


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## Mike_E (Nov 21, 2007)

Growler67 said:


> You can use your P226 mags in your P229 if you like. Then all you need is a 9mm conversion barrel for your P229 and you are set.
> 
> You said it yourself "almost identical". The P228 was chambered in 9mm ONLY.


Yes - I am well aware the SIG P228 was chambered in the 9mm ONLY...I've had one since '95. I also have a P226 Blackwater along with four P229s (Equinox, Reverse Two-Tone, and two P229R).

After inspecting the two mags, they look identical, down to the follower notch. You'll have to excuse my ignorance but, what impact does the follower notch have when both the gun and magazine was made for a P229 40S&W?

I do NOT make the claim that reliability will be 100 percent. A lot of aftermarket magazines aren't 100 percent reliable.

The next time I go out to the range, I'm going to conduct a field test on this subject and record the results on video.



Growler67 said:


> The geometry for the mag wells is identical to the P226 which is why those who do not live in Kommunist Republiks...


Hey, I take exception to this statement! :smt033 It's kind of hard to fix this state when the majority of voters are Liberal Democrats.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

I am going to have to run some tests. I can get a barrel for a day anyway. I am really interested in what happens..thanks for the info :smt1099


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