SIG Sauer P226

History

Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG), now Sig Sauer AG, partnered with J.P. Sauer & Sohn in 1975 to develop the P220, the first SIG Sauer handgun sold in the U.S. The P226 was created for the U.S. Army's XM9 Service Pistol Trials in 1984, which sought a replacement for the M1911A1 and other handguns. Only the Beretta 92SBF and the SIG P226 completed the trials satisfactorily. Beretta won the M9 contract due to a lower total package price, though the P226 cost less per pistol. The Navy SEALs later adopted the P226 as the P226 MK25 with special corrosion protection.

For the trials, Saco Defense imported the P226; Interarms handled civilian sales. SIG Sauer eventually founded SIGARMS, Inc. in the U.S. for importation. In 2000, SIG Holding AG sold J.P. Sauer & Sohn GmbH to two German businessmen, with the SIG Sauer brand remaining at that company.

Manufacture

SIG Sauer firearms are made in Eckernförde, Germany by Sig Sauer, GmbH and in Newington, New Hampshire, United States by SIG Sauer Inc. These companies, along with Swiss Arms AG, Mauser Jagdwaffen GmbH, J.P. Sauer & Sohn, John Rigby & Company, German Sport Guns GmbH, and Blaser Jagdwaffen GmbH, are subsidiaries of Luke and Ortmeier Gruppe. Copies of the P226 are produced in China by Norinco under the name NP22, subcontracted to Zhejiang Xinhua Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Variants include the NP22, NP22A, NP34, NP56, NP58, SDM XM9, LP3, LP4, and NP762. The NP762 fires 7.62×25mm bullets and was exported in 2019. The Pc 9 Zoaf is a clone made in Iran.

Variants

The SIG P226 entered service with U.S. Navy SEAL teams in the 1980s, following successful trials by German Kampfschwimmer. In 1989, it was adopted by the SEALs and DEVGRU as the Mk25 Mod 0. The first public versions inspired by Naval Special Warfare were the NSW Commemoratives, released in early 2004. The SIG P226-9-NAVY model has a stainless steel slide marked with an anchor.

Through sales of these serialized pistols, SIGARMS raised $100,000 for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation; the pistol numbered NSW0001 fetched an extra $25,000 in a live auction on a nationally syndicated radio show. Later commercial variants added a universal rail but omitted the SIGLITE Night Sights. The P226 E2, introduced at the 2010 SHOT Show, was a major update. Its "Enhanced Ergonomics" aimed to improve the large frame for smaller and medium hands, with a reduced grip size and a trigger reach shortened by over 13 mm.

It also included a Short Reset Trigger, an aggressive grip texture, and a one-piece wrap-around grip. This model was discontinued from the P226 lineup at the end of 2010, though the E2 grip system was adopted on other P226 variants. The compact P228, launched in 1988, is used by various law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Armed Forces, where it is designated the M11. It has a shorter slide and barrel than the P226 and is chambered only in 9×19mm Parabellum, with a standard 13-round magazine, though it can accept P226 15- or 20-round magazines.