I held one today at one of the local shops.
I am impressed. It makes the 226 fit me like my M&P. My goal is now to try to duplicate the ergos of the E2 in my old-school 226.
I just ordered a set of Hogue checkered G10 grips. Once I put them on, the next step will probably be getting a short reset trigger from SIG.
BTW, the short reset trigger is fantastic. Like S&W 3rd Generation awesome.
I’ve seen some theorizing on SigForum that the pre-E2 Sigs could be converted to the E2 grips with only swapping a few parts (when they become available). Keeping tabs on that myself for my P229.
Yeah me too. I would really like a slimmer grip on my 229 and am anxious to try this if it works.
I’m the one who posted the pics of the E2 on SigForum.
The frame on the 226 is identical between the standard 226 and the E2. Converting to the E2 grip will require a new mainspring, hammer strut, mainspring carrier and grips. The E2 comes with the short trigger standard, but it isn’t necessary to get the grip reduction of course. Rumint is that parts will be available for order in quite some time (like a year).
The P229 E2 is being delayed while SIG is doing some design changes to the platform. The new 229 is getting a slide with full height cocking serrations, slightly modified frame dimensions and a roll pin replaces the cup head firing pin retaining pin. They should hit dealers at the end of March.
So with the slight frame changes to the 229, will you still be able to retrofit older ones to take the new grips? Replacing the mainspring assembly is easy if that is all it takes.
I am going to be really specific here because I want to provide accurate information to folks.
The frame for the E2 is the same as all current production P226 frames (forgiving strange options like SAS models or beavertail frames).
What SIG changed to make room for the E2 grips is the profile of the hammer strut and the length of the mainspring and the length of the plastic mainspring seat.
(Parts 33, 34 and 36 on the current SIG Classic handgun parts diagram).
Here is a shot of my 2008 production P226R Tactical and my brand spankin’ new E2 (regular 226 on top, E2 on the bottom):
Please to note: I do not know if the new hammer spring/strut/housing will work on really old frames (ones without the plastic mainspring housing). I believe the frame design has never changed significantly, but don’t quote me on that.
Of course, one will also need the new E2 grips. Unlike all other SIG grips, the E2 grips do NOT use grip screws. They are a single piece grip with two sets of studs that snap into the grip screw holes on the frame. In fact, one of the ways I was sure the E2 frame and standard 226 frame were identical is because my E2’s frame still had threads in those holes, even though the grips do not utilize them. Probably way easier for SIG to keep track of one production frame instead of 2 SKUs.
The P229s are 60 days out. I am planning on picking one up as soon as they hit the shelves. I always loved SIGs, but my girly man mits made other platforms more practical. My E2 226 fits my hand like a glove and I absolutely love it. The new 229 will be even better (especially as they are bringing back the old P228 style slide profile, though keeping it machined stainless steel).
The E2 is a really smart refresh of the Classic SIG platform. Whoever was behind the design did a good job of bringing some brilliant ideas to fruition. As a long time SIG fan, it is really great to see SIG USA begin to invest some real engineering back into the platform instead of all this bling pistol bullshit we’ve been seeing for the last few years.
I agree. The rainbow bright, beaver tailed, tacticool designs are almost a joke in my opinion. I’m sure that Sigs sells them, but for many of us utility minded customers, we just want a well designed workhorse that can compete with the best of them.
GKoenig, have you heard any info regarding an E2 P220 or a P220 redesign?
I’d love to check out the P229 E2 when they’re available!
According to ToddG’s SHOT Show report current P226 and P229s can be converted: http://pistol-training.com/archives/2416
If you’re stopping by the shop next week you can handle the P226 E2 we have in stock. It’s an amazing difference. I posted about it here a week or two ago.
Hell yeah, I’ll be by the shop mid-week.
Correct.
The E2 is a really smart refresh of the Classic SIG platform. Whoever was behind the design did a good job of bringing some brilliant ideas to fruition
I’ve got very high hopes for the E2, but it’s not so much an engineering feat as a company finally realizing it needs to start paying attention to years’ worth of customer feedback.
The slimmed grip idea came from DHS (ICE), which developed thinned P229 grip prototypes on its own years ago when SIG kept putting off its promise to do something in house. One real advantage for SIG, though, is that now they can claim to have “multiple grip sizes” for government contracts.
The SRT has been around for years, and was literally an overnight development by then-SIG (and now AAC) brainiac Ethan Lessard. It was developed to meet a LE procurement requirement that SIG ended up losing, but the SRT stuck because it’s absolutely the greatest advancement from SIG in decades. We pushed SIG to make the SRT standard from day one, but the company felt it could market it as a value-added thing in the Elites, etc.
The slide release lever has been a problem for a very long time, and while SIG aficionados simply learned to shift their thumb a bit, for people who are transitioning to the SIG or who go back and forth between numerous guns (or who just don’t want to change their grip), it’s always been a complaint. All the E2 does is utilize the lever that was developed for the X5.
Going back to the P228 slide contour will be a good thing, though it may cause holster issues for some.
Using the P2022 mag tube to get higher capacity in the P229 was pretty ingenious.
SIG may regret making the short trigger (not the SRT, but the actual short reach trigger) standard, however. Combined with the slimmer grips, it’s going to make the trigger reach too short for enough folks that I predict it will change back to a standard length (but still SRT) trigger eventually. We ran into the same issue with the Beretta Vertec… reduced the frame/grip area and put a short trigger in standard and suddenly a lot of folks were getting trigger bite.
I thought the SP2022 magazine was essentially a redesigned P229 .40/.357 mag with stiffening ribs to create a smaller internal diameter for 9mm cartridge accommodation, albeit with a more compact follower? Essentially no internal dimensional difference from a standard P228 9mm mag, mag follower withstanding.
If they are now using that magazine, the big advantage to me, would be essentially being able to use the same P229 grip frame for all calibers. As I recall ('cause I don’t own one anymore) I thought the P229 .40/.357 grip frame was flared on the inside over the 9mm versions to permit the wider .40 cal mag body.
Tim
Tim – Correct.
All the E2 does is utilize the lever that was developed for the X5.
Interesting… my E2 has a standard slide lever. My only annoyance with an otherwise excellent pistol.
GK – I know at SHOT, all of the display E2s had the standard lever. Only the behind the counter, know-someone-to-see-it ones had the full package. SIG’s marketing literature says the “modified” slide release lever will be an option, but the folks I spoke to at the SHOW seemed switched on enough to realize it should be standard. The folks I talked to at the show clearly didn’t get to make the final decision…
The P226 E2 we have at VA Arms has a standard lever.
There are no 40/357 versions of the E2 at present. The 9mm P229 E2 has dimensions that appeared identical to a P228, but I had only my eyeballs to perform measurements. While a larger caliber P229 could be modified with the E2 frame parts, the slide would still be the original size and shape.
Also, any word on whether Sig has any major design changes for the P220?
Nothing I noticed at SHOT. In the era of the HK45 and M&P45 (and within the next year or so, probably a Gen4 G21), a single-stack .45 simply isn’t as competitive as it once was.
I agree, and I sold my last P220 years ago. I was hopeful that Sig could enlarge the P220 frame just enough to allow for a 10rd double stack magazine(not a full stagger), and trim down the grip enough with the new E2 concept to make it a viable alternative to the HK45 and M&P. With the SRT and short reach trigger, such a combo might breath new life into the classic .45 Sig line and make it competative with the competition.
There is just nothing appealing about the P250 series to me…
There is an existing 9-shot wide mag prototype of the P220, but it was uncomfortably big even for people with large sized hands. When the 8rd P220 magazines came out, the idea of getting one extra round wasn’t worth the expense of retooling for a different gun.
If you think about it, a certain gentleman whose initials are LAV almost single-handedly caused the explosion in availability of high-capacity ergonomic modern .45 Auto fighting pistols… His work on the HK45 directly led to SOCOM’s interest in such a gun, which in turn spurred all of the major manufacturers to step up their .45 designs.