Like the Brady Campaign Against America, I’m downsizing. Now that I downsized my home by a couple of thousand square feet I’m all cozy and don’t have quite as much vacuuming to do. My cats are happier because they hate the vacuum cleaner, and I’m happier because I have more time to visit the range. I also downsized my waistline by six inches, and now I can actually tell whether my socks match without taking them off and holding them up to eye level under a strong light. And just to keep the theme going, I’d like to downsize my carry gun from my current compact .40 . . .
Finding the right small gun is not as easy as one might think. The choices have never been greater—or more bewildering. Some pocket pistols are good, some are average and some blow like Nancy Pelosi on a slide trombone. Many of the best compact handguns are not legal for sale in The People’s Republic of Massachusetts. Enter SIG SAUER’s tiny-niney, the P290.
My first impression upon opening the box: what a charming little toy. It’s 5.5” long and 3.9” tall; I can easily cover this pistol with my hand and I do not have large hands. SIG SAUER P290′s under an inch wide not counting the slide stop lever. So it’s quite slender, which is something that I wish I could say about myself. The slide’s black Nitron® finish is as stealthy as an undercover Mossad agent in Teheran. What, you didn’t know that there are Mossad agents in Teheran? See what I mean.
As soon as I removed the small SIG out of its plastic container I realized that the P290 is is a hefty little pistol, evidencing the liberal use of strong steel alongside the obligatory black polymer. The P290 weighs about 20 ounces with its magazine inserted, which is on the high side of light, but still light.
Handling the P290 was, well, curious. The test gun arrived with one single-stack six-round mag. The small capacity magazine shortens the stock to the point where there’s little room for even two of my fingers. My pinky was an orphan. Oh well. As Gunter Grass wrote, life is full of compromises. High capacity rapid fire assault clips are not available, which will please Frank Lautenberg, Michael Bloomberg, Carolyn McCarthyberg and the rest of the willfully ignorant knotheads who think they own the world.
When I saw the SIG P290′s external hammer, I assumed that the pistol is SA or DA/SA. According to the literature, the P290 has a DAO trigger with a nine-lbs. pull. Rack the slide and the SIG’s hammer is pre-cocked, or partially cocked. The hammer stays in that position until the trigger is fully depressed.
Firing the P290 requires a fairly long trigger pull to fully cock the hammer from the half-cocked position, disengage the hammer-block and trip the sear. There’s no de-cocker or external safety. None needed. Partial tensioning works to lighten the trigger pull and the gun’s quite safe. Still, carrying the P290 with a round under even a partially retracted hammer kinda creeps me out. And appendix carry could give an entire new meaning to the phrase “half-cocked.”
Dry firing revealed that the SIG’s trigger has plenty of take-up. It stacks, too. Not like a bunch of stevedores unloading cargo containers, but stack it does. I prefer a two-stage trigger on a carry gun for safety’s sake; the take-up cuts down on negligent discharges without slowing you down in the heat of battle. While I didn’t particularly like or dislike the way the P290′s trigger operated, I appreciated its smoothness.
At first, the P290′s solidly-built six-round magazine was a little stiff to load. The last round thumb-wrestled me until I managed to subdue it. While subsequent full reloads became easier as the springs loosened up, I decided to shoot five rounds to start.
SIG sells the P290 with bright three-dot night sights. Acquiring the target and lining up the shot is quick ‘n easy. The pistol points naturally; there’s no period of adjustment. I simply picked up the P290, shot it and hit what I aimed for. Palm-sized or smaller groups were the norm at fifteen yards. Recoil was the same or less than that of a full-sized 9mm pistol. The pocket pistol returns to point-of-aim as if it had ESP.
When I first started shooting pistols just after the flintlock passed into history, Jack Weaver was an unknown deppity from somewhere on the left coast, the Chapman Stance hadn’t been invented, and the isosceles stance was only for girls. I was taught to shoot one-handed, using a bladed stance with the strong-side leg forward and the weak hand clenched and rested on the trailing hip, making me look like I was ready to duel with Alexander Hamilton.
That old-fashioned stance worked perfectly back in the day, but that’s when we were all shooting High Standard .22s with minimal recoil. Since there’s not a lot of gripping room on the P290, I tried the old technique just for giggles. At one point, shooting the P290 one-handed from the strong side, I managed to put all five rounds in the ten ring from five yards [above]. I impressed myself.
Then I switched to my weak side just for guffaws. As a lefty, I’m as hopeless as Arianna Huffington. With a lesser gun firing left-handed, I’d be happy with a group the size of a manhole cover. What I got was everything in the nine ring. For me, that’s like hitting the lottery without buying a ticket.
The faster I shot, the tighter the groups. I credit the SIG SAUER’s P290′s trigger. When I pulled hard and fast, my point of aim was less disrupted than when I pulled through slowly. At ten yards, I was firing two inch groups and hitting the red. At fifteen yards, groups opened about the way I expected from a pistol with a barrel less than three inches in length. At 25 yards, which is an absurd distance for a popgun, I was on paper but not where I wanted to be.
The only problem: the trigger’s reset point. It’s too far forward, which slows the rate of fire. Otherwise, what I thought would be a problem trigger was no problem at all. Nevertheless, if this pistol featured a five-pound trigger, it would rule the world.
As with life, all was not perfect. I had one FTF using the Russky Brown Bear ammo that I love to shoot because, like me, it’s cheap. When I examined the unfired cartridge, I found that the primer had been properly struck, deeply and in the center. The round just didn’t go bang. There was no hang fire, and no squib. I blame the cartridge, which was obviously a dud. I’ve never had a dud shooting Brown Bear before, but stranger things have happened.
The second failure was certainly magazine related. I fired four of five, but the gun held open and did not return to battery after the penultimate round went downrange. That left the last soldier just sitting there in the dark, wondering where all his buddies had gone. I unlocked the slide, retracted the mag and struck it against my palm, then reinserted it.
Racking the slide again, the round chambered properly. I pressed the button and Five-of-Five flew away to join his pals. The cause of that little fun-fest probably was excess oil or a bit of dirt that impeded the magazine spring or follower. In the defense of the gun, I ran 350 rounds through it with only these two hiccups and no cleaning, before or after.
Why no cleaning? Here are the instructions for field-stripping the P290. “Manually pull the slide until the slide stop notch is aligned with the slide stop tab.” Okay, I can do that. “Retract the slide stop from the frame.” Well, I can’t. Why? Because I was born with only two arms and two hands, that’s why. Forgive me for my handicap.
Take-down seems to be a common complaint among P290 owners, at least on the SIG forum and other gun sites that I explored. I contacted SIG. Tim Butler, Sig’s Product Manager and nice guy sent the following email, to which I’ve added my own commentary in brackets.
Typically removing the slide from the frame gives one the impression that they will need three hands. [Roger that.] The method I found best is to lock the slide to the rear [OK] Place one finger on the right side of the slide lock and press on it while releasing the slide forward. [Done]. Slightly after the slide release you will feel the slide lock line up with the disassembly notch and will push to the left. [Safecrackers will have no problem with this step.]
Once the slide lock is drifted out it can be grabbed from the left and removed for disassembly [Wait, what? Once I release either hand to drift out the lock, the slide lock no longer lines up with the disassembly notch and slide lock removal becomes impossible. So how do I drift it out when I’m holding the pistol with my two other hands?]
I’m sure that P290 owners have figured out how to make two hands do the work of three. For those who are very dexterous and have a drift punch handy, field stripping is no more difficult than vascular surgery. But – how do I say this delicately – field stripping the SIG SAUER P290 is a royal flaming PITA and about as frustrating as an eight-minute lap dance.
The SIG SAUER P290 made me a better shooter and, if not a better person, at least a happier one. It’s a whole lot of gun for such a little gun. Even though I couldn’t clean the sumbitch, shooting that little jewel is about the most fun a person can have standing up. Fun equals range time equals proficiency equals safety. If you need to downsize to a compact gun, SIG says small is beautiful. I agree.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Sig Sauer P290
Caliber: 9mm
Magazine capacity: 6 rounds
Materials: Polymer frame, stainless steel slide
Weight empty: 20.5 ounces
Barrel Length: 2.9″
Overall length: 5.5″
Sights: Contrast / SIGLITE® Night Sights; optional custom laser.
Action: Double action only
Finish: Nitron black
Price: $758 msrp
RATINGS (out of five stars)
Style * * * * *
You’re the cutest little thing that I ever did see. I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree.
Ergonomics (carry) * * * * *
Fits easily in a pocket or can be carried IWB. Either way, it’s thinner than a poor man’s wallet and as comfortable as loose shoes.
Ergonomics (firing) * * * *
Barely a two-finger grip, but it lends itself well to the lost art of one-handed shooting. The recoil shy should apply here, where there are no recoil issues whatsoever.
Reliability * * * *
Three hundred and fifty rounds with two fails, both reflecting on ammo quality and cleanliness.
Customize This * * * 1/2
More customizable than one would think. Four major variants are available, including two different slide finishes. No rails, but the Laser model comes with a custom-fitted laser. On all models, the grips can be swapped out for something sexier, if so desired.
OVERALL RATING * * * *
Uncanny out-of-the-box accuracy elevates the P290 into the top tier of subcompact 9mm pistols. A half star was deducted for the frustrating field stripping experience.
I find that, after clearing the weapon, it is easy to take apart by locking the slide back, holding it firm with my left hand and just barely releasing the slide with rear pressure onto the slide. From there I grasp it as tight as I can with my left hand until I can see the little notch on top of the slide release and push the takedown pin/slide hold-open out with a pen.
This is uncomfortable if you do it 10 times in a row and definitely requires some strength, and it’s the same concept as the Kel-Tec P-11, but executed correctly.
Thanks for this great input. I just picked mine up yesterday it I was having a heck of a time stripping this little thing. I read your post and it took me 5 seconds. Thanks!
I guess I’m not doing something right because the trigger pulls back almost to the end of the guard before firing. Far from being a smooth ride till the thing goes Boom. It’s a very long pull. I own a Walther PPQ and Glocks 19 and 26. The Sig 290 is my least favorite and rarely gets shot. It’s a sweet handling and looking weapon….heck even came a builtin laser. No FTF’s or problems, but the trigger’s long pull really distracts negatively. I’ve put 50 rounds in it. Would love to move it on.
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Thank you for such a frank and well written review of the Sig 290. I was considering purchasing one at my local gun shop tomorrow. My place has them on sale for $499.00, which includes a free box of Lawman 9mm. As a disabled veteran, with osteo arthritis in both hands, I do not need to wrestle this mini 9mm every time I field strip it for cleaning. Thank you for the honest write up. Michael
i bought a p290 sig for a upgrade to the ruger lcp for my wife for ccw. i purchased 3 8 round magazines for it and shot it for the first time in our monthly idpa match. it is now my favorite gun for everything. i have every configuration of pistols and revolvers to play with in most calibers but this is one of my best. great piston. mine was 529 out the door with the lazer and nite sights.
First shot sold me!
The trigger is a bit long but nothing compared to my LC9, which has been a real disappointment. After the Ruger experience I decided to match my P220 Elite with the P290. Sure am glad I did. Exceptional accuracy and easy handling…. what’s not to like!?!?!?!?
I am still up the air on which sub-compact 9mm to buy. I’ve looked at almost all of them. LC9, Sig 290, Solo, Nano. I like the looks of the Nano but I’m not crazy about the long trigger pull. Who has had the best experience with all these mentioned weapons and came up with a most liked?
Richard, have you tried a Kahr compact? I have fallen in love with my CW40. I can’t wait to try out this P290! Every Sig I’ve shot, has a relatively long trigger pull. I wouldn’t expect this pistol to be any different. I’m a petite woman and require a petite pistol for carry. I have small hands, so grip length isn’t an issue. Though, I do believe the grip on my Kahr is a tad longer. I’d still love to see a .45 cal compact that’s closer to my price range! Yes, I’m aware of the 1911 compacts out there… Again, in my price range [under $1000]. I’ve gotten lucky with my pistols so far [as far as cost]. I paid $200 for my Springfield XD9 and only $350 for my Kahr CW40. I don’t mind previously owned….. At least I know they’re broken in by the time I get em. ☺
Like I said… Can’t wait to test drive the P290! Great article!
I just ordered my P290 w/o the laser sights. I was on SWAT for many years before the advent of laser sights so I guess I’m used to the OLD ways. I’ll be getting the Sig next week and I’ll report back on my findings. I purchased the gun at my reputable dealer for $600. Less than my 1911 but more than my Glock 30. I hope it’s as good as they say it is.
Can’t wait to hear about it. I don’t intend on getting anything with a laser. It’s more expensive than it’s worth IMO. Although, it’s just as intimidating to a home invader as the racking of a 12GA. Besides, it takes up too much space. It would make it more difficult for me to carry.
Hope to hear about it soon as far as the laser its not to big. Its contoured for just this pistol, mine came with a holster made for the Pistol with the laser mounted. The store I got it from had only one there and one at a few other locations. Thats why I jumped on it quick. They usually have a compact 1911 For $499 (Citadel, Has some pretty good reviews for the price). I like the grip surface on the P290 alot it seems to grip back and the choice of a 6 and 8 rds mag along with the holster/Night sights make a nice package for the price. I’m Left handed, the holster is righthanded. Might sell it.
I Got the P290 For $499 With a Laser and 2 mags a 6 and 8 rd w ext. I was a little upset the 1st group was shooting about 14 inchs low/left from POA at 15 yds after about 30 rds it came up to POA. I got to about 40 rds and the laser starts to shut off after every round at about 50 rds it lost its zero by about 12 inchs high. By the way the POA was changing using the siglite (Iron sights). It’s Groups are now higher then POA after another 100rds( Strange thing is the group is moving up and to the right but is still about a 3 inchs at 15 yds). I noticed that the slide is loose and tilts side to side a little and there are uneven wear marks on the muzzle end of the barrel. I own a P229 its a great gun slide to frame fit is still tight after 1500rds Sig makes a great gun but I think that i might have gotten a oops send it anyways Pistol. My local sporting goods store was good about sending it back to Sig to have it looked at and repaired. I hope that when I get it back its as good as its supposed to be. I’ve been shooting for 30 yrs with 8 in yrs in the military 4 of those as a armorer and 4 yrs in Law Enforcement and have never had a Pistol act the way this one has. I guess I was lucky.
Thank you for posting your review. I just ordered the Sig 290 for 600! without the laser. I retired from law enforcement after only 36 years. I was on SWAT for many years before the advent of the laser and chose not to get one for this gun. I hear both good and bad comments about the laser. I reside in Florida and do not have an FFL. How did you manage to get your 290 for only $499 !! Wow, that was a great price. I’m starting to have 2nd thoughts about the 290. I like carrying my P220 and was hoping for a similar quality gun. I hope I didn’t make a mistake by ordering this weapon.
No I Dont think that all P290 are like mine. Sig produce’s a great Gun in general. I Like alot about it and there are so many good comments that i’ve read about it. The grip on it is great it can handle +P just fine. The laser is from a vendor made for Sig. I got mine at Academy Sporting goods here in Texas they are a chain store. They have one I know about in P-Cola in the panhandle. I think that Sig will take care of it and get it Right. I think after you get it broke in you will be fine. Good luck
I’d have to agree with Tom. I don’t think this is a normal occurance for any Sig.
I also think the price has to do with location as well. In Michigan, I can find a P290 w/o laser, locally for under $600. But I’m sure that has some to do with our economy. A new pistol is a “luxury item” in the eyes of many. Out west say… Same pistol might be found in a local vendor for $625 w/o laser.
Don’t get me wrong, I do believe Sig has a set cap for any vendor, but it’s up to the vendor to decide how much over their cost they want to charge as long as it’s under that said cap.
Okay…..I just sold my children, half my house and my cars. I am now going to walk down to the store to buy my Sig since I now have the money for it.
Aw! The P290 is still far less expensive than a 1911. ☺
Got My P290 Back yesterday and they inclued the target and the end of the box from the test rounds. The group was about 2 inchs at 10 yards so it looks good. I Have to take it to the range so I can start to carry it. Still I think it is a good package for the price. Still waiting on the laser to get back it had to go a different place for repair. I can’t find a left handed concealment holster for this pistol with the laser.
I just picked up my 290 for 549 came with 8 rd and 6rd mag and laser. At first fire i found the trigger to be a lot longer then i was used to but after 200 rds i really found the reset and love it! Just went and got my conceal and carry permit cant wait to carry it. If anyone is looking for one i have found a few on http://www.gunauction.com for 400 or around that price you need to find an ffl near you to have them sent. really enjoy this little gem!
Just bought mine. Saw it and had to have it. Paid $499. Came with a hard case, laser, extra clip with a built in grip extension ( makes gripping much better) and a holster. Gun does fit in the holster with the laser attached. It was a little frustrating to install the laser since the slide had to be removed. Two person job unless you have a third hand. Very compact for carrying.
Wish I lived where you are. I was given the price of $635 without the laser. I told them to forget it. I think I’m going to get the Ruger LC9 afterall. I love the Sig but I have to think of food where my family is concerned. Good luck with your new gun.
Hey there check out the website on my above post! there pretty cheap on there.
Taking the slide off is a bit of a pain. I found a way that works for me and it’s not the way sig recommends but it works. Let me know how it shoots mine does not seem to like 115gr ammo. When I got it back from Sig they included a target and the end flap off the ammo box they used it was 124gr. The target showed a good group about 3 inchs at 10 yards. Still waiting for the laser to be returned to me. Sig told the manager from the academy sporting goods store early April, so I’m waiting.
I’ve found that Winchester NATO 9mm works best in my P290. It cycles the slide fast enough that I don’t even notice the recoil. And as for the trouble some people are having in disassembling their gun, look at my old post on this article; you should ALWAYS be proficient in taking apart and cleaning your weapon by yourself.
Disassembly of the P290 is only slightly more annoying than that of a CZ-75.
All I can say is wow ! Bought a Sig p290 for CCW, have a Glock 27 , Ruger Lc9, and Kahr Cm9 and XDS. Of all compacts I have owned and fired, this little beauty shoots as good as any of them, me and my wife both are shooting 2″ groups @ 10yds. And less than 3″ groups @ 15yds. not bad for DAO! I will add though we only get this accuracy with high end heavier bullets, such as the Federal white box Navy Spec-ops 147 gr JHP, and Remington Golden Sabre 147 gr. JHP.The Field stripping was an issue before much practice but once I found the sweet spot not so difficult. We were able to find the gun at a large retail store for $499.00. It came with a flush mount clip that is 6 rds and an extended one that gives you a full size grip with 8 rds.A nice hardshell case, and paddle type side holster much like a fobus, that is great for CCW. I will say this if you buy this gun for a CCW you will not be sorry, overall it is the best true compact DAO I have ever handled! I would give it a strong 4.75 out of 5! Hope this helps guys !
Wes….Comments like those by you, have greatly influenced my decision into purchasing a P290. I thank you for helping me make up my mind. I also want to greatly thank Jason for his idea of purchasing the P290 from Gunauction.com. This was truly a fantastic piece of advice and I highly recommend this auction site to everyone out their. I finally purchased the P290 from this auction web site. It was less expensive from this web site than from my local dealers. I will be picking up the P290 next week. However, I purchased a bunch of 115 jhp ammo before I read about using 124 or 147 grain ammo. Hopefully, I won’t have the same feeding problems with the ammo as some of you have had. My next purchase will definitely be either 124 or 147 gr. I thank everyone for their wonderful insight regarding this weapon and the ammo. I will let you know how my weapon shoots with the 115 gr ammo. Thanks again to everyone for their advice….. which I wisely took.
The 115 grain ammo should work fine, it just doesn’t feel quite as good for my P290 as the heavier rounds. You’ll feel more recoil and the slide will cycle slower, but probably won’t compromise any reliability.
I just purchased my Sig p290. I have not fired it yet. I paid $476 plus $15 shipping and it came with: 6 mag, 8 ext. mag, night sights, laser, and holster. (Holster is functional enough) The breakdown took a second to figure out. The orange plastic breach stop thing that came with mine (new) is the perfect length when you flip it sideways to hold the slide (your third hand) open if you have to punch out the stop. (I used a pen.) I would assume that was by design, but maybe it’s just a sign that the universe wants me to own and be happy with yet another gun. So far so good. Thanks for everyone’s input!
Aaron,
You scored a fantastic deal on that gun. Same gun down here sells for $699 and up. With the laser and the eight rounder it would come to over $800. I got mine, thankfully, on gunauction.com for $512 + $15 s/h. The gun shoots GREAT. But (always a “but”), hold onto the gun real tight when you let that first round loose. It has a heck of a kick. But, (again), after going thru the first mag, you get used to it and I am very happy with the gun. Good luck.
I found my p290 on gunbroker.com. The same seller is letting them start in the 3′s with no reserve. I purchased 2 within 48 hours for less then $500. Both NIB, 2 mags (one extended), w/ laser, holster, and sig night sights. Shipping was $15. I’m very happy with the build and will be putting rounds through it in 2 days.
Great price. I know you will enjoy the gun. I am glad I bought mine as well.
I just bought my p290 and love it . Most accurate small pistol I’ve shot. Still trying to master the disassembly . Thanks for the higher ammo gr tip I will be trying that out. Has anyone else had a problem with the extended mag popping out and being really hard to clip in? I have to slap it in every time. Will not just push in like the regular mag. Anywy love my p290 so far though sounds like I could have got it a little cheaper. Paid $635 and I ordered a IWB w laser holster from holsterpro.com . I’ll let u know about that when I get it.
I just bought my p290 and love it . Most accurate small pistol I’ve shot. Still trying to master the disassembly . Thanks for the higher ammo gr tip I will be trying that out. Has anyone else had a problem with the extended mag popping out and being really hard to clip in? I have to slap it in every time. Anywy love my p290 so far though sounds like I could have got it a little cheaper. Paid $635 and I ordered a IWB w laser holster from holsterpro.com . I’ll let u know about that when I get it.
Just an FYI, there are 2 generations, Sig P290 and Sig P290 RS. It appears the lesser priced ones are the generation 1 Sig P290. The RS has a “restrike” trigger and some other minor differances. Is the RS worth the extra $200. You’ll have to decide. Either way the Sig P290 is the best cc gun out there in my opinion.
I just bought the Sig P290 today. I was also frustrated by the difficulty in field strip. Until I found the solution at another website. Now it’s easy: Unload, remove magazine, lock back the slide. Put the gun in your left hand with fingers over the top of the slide and thumb around the back strap. With left hand fingers, pull back slightly until you hear the click, then with right hand punch out the slide stop pin from the right side of the gun. Pull the slide stop pin the rest of the way out. Ease the slide off the front and it’s disassembled. Now I’m ready to take it to the range and then clean it afterward. Really looking forward to firing it.
Does anyone know if they make a cheaper 147gr bullet for targets? Just wondering.