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Sig P226 or S&W M&P
- Thread starter phs2dent
- Start date
How do you plan on using the pistol? If it's for personal protection, I'd go with the Sig. I have both the P226 and an M&P. The 226 was my first pistol, used for USPSA matches. I put somewhere between 5-10K rounds through it without a hiccup but The DA/SA trigger was, for me, a disadvantage. It now resides in a safe in my night table. For competition, I bought an M&P that did not have a Mass trigger and sent it to Burwell for a trigger job. I shoot it better than the Sig but returned it twice to S&W for extraction issues (every 150-200 rounds it still fails to extract). The last time I used it in competition the trigger spring broke on my last shot. I happened to be squadded with a S&W armorer who told me that it was recommended the trigger spring be changed at 5K rounds. To make a long story short, I now shoot a Glock 34. I don't feel like the M&P is the most reliable for competition so, in my mind anyway, it's out of the question for personal protection.
I have a 226 Elite with the SRT. It's nice but I'm not convinced it solves the inherent problem of a DA/SA for many people. In fact, the SRT triggers tend to have a heavier DA than the normal reset SIG trigger. That said, I still shoot a 226 better than I shoot the M&Ps I've tried, so that's what I own.
BTW, you can put the E2 grips on any 229 or 226.
Negative.
Short Reset Trigger (SRT) changes the reset point of the trigger after you fire and before you can fire again. The stock Sig trigger has a pretty significant amount of release before resetting the trigger. For a P226 the kit contains two parts, a sear and a safety lever.
The Short Trigger (AKA Thin Trigger) is completely different and simply a trigger only replacement.
They do not need to be installed together, but can be and frequently are.
It'll be for personal protection. I would like to start competing for fun (research on competition types required), but will need to work on my proficiency first. When in a competition, does having DA/SA trigger come down to personal preference or do most people steer clear of them?
I got a chance to fire a Glock 22 and handle a few other Glock models, but they didn't "work" for me. The Sig and M&P felt like they molded to my hand and were much more natural to shoot. I'll be going with a Sig, but haven't decided on the used vs. new aspect yet.
everything is personal preference, but not a lot of folks use da/SA in IDPA. Some folks use them, but they are far outnumbered by striker-fired guns.
J
Jose
Yeah, I found out after I sold it.
If you live in MA the availability of pre-ban hi-caps should be the deciding factor. Seriously, why get a full-sized gun that's limited to only 10 rounds. Buy the SIG (or a Glock that has pre-bans), get some pre-ban mags for it and you're good to go. 15+ vs just 10 with the M&P MA cripple mags.
![[laugh]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/012.gif "Laugh [laugh]")
J
Jose
Most people can't manage a DA/SA trigger because most people don't learn to shoot DA revolvers any more.
Shoot 5000 rounds through a DA revolver and a DA/SA pistol will no longer feel weird on the first shot.
Most people find the first shot the worst, I, OTOH have more trouble with the second and third since the long heavy DA pull is something I am used to from shooting 1000s of rounds through revolvers.
J
Jose
![[angry]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/008.gif "Angry [angry]")
[sad2] 
I have no problem with DA revolver or the DA first shot on the sig. What I can't stand is the two different pulls. I prefer a gun that has one consistent trigger pull. If I ever get another sig it will likely be a DAO police trade in P226.
Agreed. I shoot a S&W 66 in IDPA. I don't have any problem with the DA trigger - all my shots are DA. It is the transition that I hate about DA/SA, well, that and the fact that the DA trigger on most DA/SA guns just sucks.
I love the double action single action. At the range if I take my time with the first shot is not bad at all and the following shots are sweet. In a defensive situation I like having the heavier pull. I might not hit the X ring but it is close enough.
You'll notice I said "inherent to DA/SA". As Eisenhow and M1911 pointed out, most people object to the transition, not the first DA pull.
Personally, I think I do ok with DA/SA and I'm willing to work on it given that I feel more accurate with a SIG than I do with the M&Ps and Glocks I've tried.
I know that the DA/SA concept of shooting a traditional DA semi-auto has always been an issue with many. My first semi-auto was a Smith & Wesson Model 39. I didn't know any better, so it wasn't a problem but for 1911 and Browning Hi-Power people the concept of a traditional DA semi-auto was something that was hard to adjust to.
I can understand how it might be an issue with a competitive shooter, on the street doing "serious social work"...perhaps less so, because when the adrenalin is rushing and fine motor skills go south, a ten pound trigger pull followed by a 4-5 lb trigger pull probably isn't going to be noticed as much.
I can understand how it might be an issue with a competitive shooter, on the street doing "serious social work"...perhaps less so, because when the adrenalin is rushing and fine motor skills go south, a ten pound trigger pull followed by a 4-5 lb trigger pull probably isn't going to be noticed as much.
dcmdon
NES Member
I'm not from MA, so this doesn't matter to me, but if I lived in MA, it would be a big factor.
dcmdon
NES Member
My first defensive gun was a Gen 3 6906. I didn't know any better. The DA pull was about what you'd expect. I had been a DA revolver shooter so it wasn't a big deal. In fact it was much lighter than the pull of my untuned 686.
I'd actually prefer the DA/SA (aka Traditional Double Action or TDA) to most of the striker fired guns with stock components. The only real exception is the G34 which comes with the 3.5# connector stock.
In the end, I think its all theoretical until you see what you shoot better.
And strangely, what feels good when you pick it up, is not always what you shoot better.
I do pistol instruction for people who want to get their CT permit. Its not a high volume thing. I prefer to do private or semi-private lessons. But what I've seen is that almost all people prefer the feel of the M&P to the feel of the Glock. But many shoot the glock better.
So here's another thought. For a defensive gun, I'd immediately rule out anything for which I couldn't get standard capacity mags.
if I was willing to go with something that only held 10 rounds, I'd probably include some of the better single stack guns in my search, like the Kahr TP9.
So here it is. I'd say the OP should look at the following:
Sig 226
Glock 17
CZ75 - or any of the newer variants that take the older mags.
some of the slick sided S&W Gen 3 derivatives that also take older standard capacity mags.
Don
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The problem I had on most of my Sigs (with the exception of the P228s / P220 I had and the X5) was always the SA pull more than anything else. I would end up slapping the trigger too hard in SA and pull the muzzle off target. A lot of the P series guns have an unusually hard breaking SA sear that just drove me batty. One of the P229/.40s I had was bordering on the absurd, the thing mustve been like 6 pounds.
I had little trouble with the transition from DA to SA, in and of itself, though. That was never really a big deal for me.
-Mike
dcmdon
NES Member
In europe, most of the open class IPSC guys shoot DA/SA guns. This is because there is a rule that requires a 6# trigger pull. But they only apply it to the first shot. So by having a da/sa gun, you can have a compliant 6# pull for your first shot and a lighter pull for followup shots. (the numbers are representative from memory, they may not be exactly right)
My point is that with the right training, and a properly tuned trigger, a da/sa gun can be workable.
Like mike said, a lot of da/sa guns' SA pull is not even very good. They typically have a harsh let off with a lot of overtravel.
My point is that with the right training, and a properly tuned trigger, a da/sa gun can be workable.
Like mike said, a lot of da/sa guns' SA pull is not even very good. They typically have a harsh let off with a lot of overtravel.
I was in the same boat. I was between the Sig P226 in 40 and the M&P 40. As of yesterday, I decided that the P226 was the better choice. Four Seasons is offering the P226 for $749 with night sights. Seems like a great deal.
Curtis
Curtis
dcmdon
NES Member
Ive not been to Guns N gear outlet in Agawam. But I shot with Judith one of the owners and some of her employees, for years. Nice people. I've sent a few people to see them and they were very pleased.
Don
Don
