The P226 was my first handgun, and continues to be my favorite. But for some, the “stopping power” of a 45ACP cartridge is a requirement. And then they’re limited to the P220 which is a single-stacked handgun. SIG SAUER wanted to combine the power of the P220 with the capacity of the P226, all without sacrificing any comfort or making the gun much larger. And I believe they have succeeded . . .
The P227 might have a wider frame than the P220 or P226, but the grips make up for it. Instead of the standard two-piece plastic grips that come on the P226, the P227 comes with a set of one-piece grips that are much slimmer. While the overall result is still a slightly larger handgun, in reality I think it fits my massive bear paws better than the P226. Also included in the design is a cut under the trigger guard that makes the grip feel much smaller, as well as a redesigned mainspring housing that takes up less space.
The P227 Nitron will be the first model released, clocking in at right about a grand. After that, the next model on the market will be an SAS version that’s designed for concealed carry usage. The nice thing is the frame is exactly the same between the fullsize and the carry version, meaning that if you buy one gun and a replacement slide you’re good to go.
Also on the wall (but not talked about for some reason) is an SAS version with ALL the bells and whistles. It’s $200 more than the base version, but comes with the milspec rail, threaded barrel and apparently an extended magazine. If I were buying one, that would be the one I’d buy. And then a .45 ACP can.
The gun feels great. And yesterday at the range, it shot great. I think SIG has a real winner on their hands.