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229 vs 320 suppress decision

3K views 13 replies 12 participants last post by  JStarX7 
#1 ·
Hello Everyone, looking for a bit of advice. I am very interested in suppressing my hand gun, so I need to decide my handgun route first.

I currently have a 229 combat, which has been flawless. I only keep one pistol for the time being, finances dictate this as a young guy starting out. With that said, if I take the time to save for a 229 threaded barrel and suppressor sights I will be in the hole a decent bit. Its not a bad option, just the longer and pricier option.

My other thought was to trade my 229 combat for a 320 tacops and some cash, or a 320 and cash and get a tacops slide to be that much closer to suppressing.

Is the 229 combat a special enough model I should hang on to it and build it up, or is it really just another 229?
 
#2 ·
Welcome to Sig Talk from NV!

I probably shouldn't answer this . . . but that's never stopped me before. :)

In the almost words of a past, nameless politician, "If you like your P229, you should keep your P229".

Really, the DA/SA, metal framed Classic P is, IMO, in a class of it's own. If it were me, I'd keep it and go the barrel and can route. But then, I'm not fond of strikers . . . others are, they'll be along shortly.

My nightstand gun is a P229 with Trijicon HD sights. They work well with the SilencerCo Osprey, due to the non-concentric silencer body, as the HD's are just a little taller than the stock Sig sights and not nearly as tall as suppressor sights.

 
#3 ·
I love P320's. I have two and plan to buy more. But Bumper is spot on. Selling the P229 to get a P320 would be a huge mistake. The Classic Series SIGs are a cut above any other handgun, in my opinion.

My advice is be patient and get a P320 down the road in addition to your P229. If you can only have one pistol in the world, in my opinion, you already own it.

PS- Welcome to the forum!
 
#6 ·
The P320 will suppress better, but it would be tough to get rid of your only hammer fired classic P series...

Maybe if you can find a friend or private sale that gets you a good price, but if you are going to a dealer for trade in, you are throwing money away... he will give you half the value of the pistol and probably overcharge you $200 for a P320...
 
#8 ·
The P320 will suppress better, . . . -snip-

How so? Why would a P320 suppress better than a P229 in the same caliber?

A "silencer" addresses the high pressure gas behind the bullet, giving it somewhere to go in order to expand and cool to dramatically reduce the pressure, speed and volume of the gas before it reaches atmosphere. Unsuppressed, this muzzle blast is responsible for the loudest noise when shooting. A side benefit occurs in reducing the velocity of the escaping blast, as it also reduces the "jet" affect called secondary recoil. Secondary recoil can account for as much as 50% of felt recoil.

A high pressure round, such as the 40 or 357 Sig, will typically have a louder blast noise unsuppressed, and a bit more residual blast noise, but it won't be much with a good can.

Lastly, velocity and caliber size plays a role in amplitude of the "ballistic crack". A projectile that is super sonic, roughly 1075 fps( IIRC (varies with altitude, temperature etc,) will not have it's ballistic crack sound reduced by the can. The bigger and faster the bullet, the louder the ballistic crack. The distance the bullet must travel, or the longer the bullet stays supersonic, the longer and more prominent will be this noise. So, it is true that slower sub-sonic bullets suppress better. Thus, a larger caliber, such as the 40, will deliver more energy to the target while staying under the speed of sound.
 
#7 ·
Warowl94;
bumper has offered some very wise advice. Your 229 is an excellent pistol, durable, totally reliable, at the very least, combat accurate and you are very familiar with it.
You can upgrade or modify it with a threaded barrel and slightly higher sights for a moderate cost while retaining all that is good about the 229.
I too am no advocate of striker fired plastic pistols.
 
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#9 · (Edited)
Is the 229 combat a special enough model I should hang on to it and build it up, or is it really just another 229?
Yes, the P229 Combat is really just another P229, essentially. But every P229 is very special!

Another way to think about your dilemma:

1. You already own your P229 (and holster and mag holster?). It's (they're) already paid for--I'm assuming.

2. An OEM Sig 9mm threaded barrel isn't prohibitively expensive (https://www.sigsauer.com/store/barrel-p229-1-9mm-threaded.html), and, besides, you'll have plenty of time to save up for it while you wait for your tax stamp (is that what's it's called?) for the suppressor to go through--assuming you don't already have a suppressor, of course. And you can continue to shoot the P229 until you purchase the threaded barrel.

3. You can shoot your suppressed P229 without first purchasing and installing suppressor sights. So, you can be shooting suppressed while you're saving up for the suppressor sights.

All this seems to suggest keeping your P229.

By the way, a tougher decision you'll have to make just might be whether to purchase a suppressor that will work with .40 S&W, too (rather than a 9mm-only suppressor)--you know, for when you purchase that .40 S&W P229 X-Change kit and aftermarket .40 S&W threaded barrel. Hmmm. Another option just occurred to me...

rx7sig
 
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#10 ·
I suppose I will spruce up the 229 and stick with it. If you guys could help me out with a couple more things I would appreciate it.

Did sig ever make a chrome lined threaded barrel? Is the gemtech barrel worth picking up over the sig threaded barrel?

I at one point had a 226 legion, and I liked the xray sights. Have they made suppressor xray sights available, and if so what size would I need to maintain my current POI. I can read a 6 on my front sight, I am unable to find a number on my rear.
 
#13 ·
I wouldn't get a SIG barrel unless you can find one that's not metric thread. It's easier to find a standard inch piston.

I'd just keep your 229 as is, but it's your money you have to save. If you can find the money, the 320 threaded version is one choice. Myself, I would go for a 320 RX in the version that comes with suppressor height sights. The one I got was under $700 including the Romeo1 sight. You really don't need suppressor height sights with a red dot. If your dot breaks, just take the can off. Anyway, this model 320 RX came with the suppressor height sights. You can find an aftermarket threaded barrel for a hundred bucks if you look around. Don't worry about top quality because shooting with a can is just screwing around fun time, or sitting in your nightstand anyway. What do you care what the 25 yard groups are if you're shootin burglars 20 feet away?

There are no .40 cans that I've heard of so if you want to shoot .40, you'll need a bigger and heavier .45 can. Just stick with 147 gr 9mm. It's subsonic and there's plenty of effective defensive 147 gr ammo around.
 
#12 ·
I have read quite a few times where 320s are having issues running with cans due to the extra weight on the end of the barrel. I think there are quite a few posts here about it. Hopefully someone comes along soon to chime in. I suggest doing some more digging on the subject. Regardless I would vote for the 229. The threaded barrels are not that much and you do not need suppressor sights. At least not right away.
 
#14 ·
Save for the threaded barrel. P320s will be around for a long time. You can always get one down the road, and any suppressor you get for your P229 will work for it as well.

Silencerco makes excellent barrels for the Sig P series. I love the one I got for my MK25 (P226). Be patient and wait for sales. They are normally $200+ but I got mine last year before Christmas for $120.

Depending on what suppressor you choose, you may not need other sights. You'll have plenty of time to save for them while your suppressor is in NFA jail anyway.
 
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