Difference Between Sig Sauer P229 & P239

Sig Sauer's P229 and P239 are American and European cousins, respectively. Both semi-automatic handguns were designed to fulfill specific law enforcement requirements. The P229 is the American-made version of the P228, a police-duty pistol used around the world made in Germany. The P229 was the first pistol produced in Sig Sauer's U.S. manufacturing facilities in Exeter, New Hampshire, and was created in response to demand for a compact backup pistol. The P239 is designed and manufactured by Swiss Arms AG in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland, ands imported and distributed in the United States by Sig Sauer.

  1. Calibers

    • Both the P229 and P239 are available in 9 mm, .40 Smith & Wesson and .357 Sig calibers. The trigger mechanism of both pistols is double action/single action.

    Magazine Capacity

    • The magazine of the P229 is a double-stack design that holds 13 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, or 12 rounds of .40 Smith & Wesson or .357 Sig. The thinner-profile P239 utilizes a single-stack magazine with a capacity of eight rounds of 9 mm ammunition, or seven rounds of .40 Smith & Wesson or .357 Sig.

    Safety

    • Like most law enforcement service weapons, neither the P229 nor the P239 have manual safeties. Both utilize a frame-mounted decocking lever to safely shift from single- to double-action operation.

    Recoil

    • The P239's smaller frame transmits slightly more kick to the shooter than the more substantial P229. Recoil from .40 Smith & Wesson ammunition is 7.178 foot-lb. in the P239 and 6.597 foot-lb. in the P229.

    Dimensions

    • Size contrast between the two models is modest, but sufficient to make the difference between holster-carry and a comfortably concealed-carry weapon. The barrel of the P229 is 3.9 inches long; the P239's barrel measures 3.6 inches. Overall length of the P229 is 7.1 inches vs. the 6.6-inch P239. The P229 is 1.5 inches wide, while the slightly more svelte P239 is 1.2 inches. Weight of the P229 is 32.4 oz., while the P239 weighs 29.7 oz.