SIG P226ST in .357SIG

SIG-Sauer is well known for their line of reliable and robust combat pistols. A list of their satisfied customers include the Secret Service, Air Marshals, Navy SEALs, Department of Homeland Security, British SAS, Army CID, and the Texas Rangers.

One of their most popular models is the P226. It was originally offered as a 9mm with an aluminum frame and stamped steel slide. It set amazing standards in both accuracy and reliability. They are not cheap, but they offer target gun precision with combat reliability. Later, the .40S&W and .357SIG were added to the line up.

As the name implies, the .357SIG was designed by SIG in an attempt to duplicate .357 magnum revolver performance in an pistol. The attempt was marginally successful, but more recent loadings have come very close to achieving the initial goal. Even if it isn't a perfect match to the magnum on paper, it is a very hot round that has wracked up an excellent record on the street and an amazing list of successes in the hunting field, a very unconventional place to find a semi-automatic pistol.
The version of the P226 you see here is one of the more unusual, though not terribly rare, is the ST in .357SIG. The “ST” designates a milled stainless steel slide, common to all current P226's, as well as a stainless frame instead of the more common aluminum one. This makes for a heavy pistol to carry, but one that is a joy to shoot. The extra weight takes the punch out of the typically snappy .357 round.

.357SIG ammo is expensive, over twice the cost of 9mm and about double that of .40S&W. Why use it, then? If you don't like the “small, light, hyper velocity” philosophy, then there probably isn't going to be much there to sway you. But, current self-defense ammo provides better hard cover penetration than the 9mm, .40S&W, and .45ACP due to it's velocity and sectional density. At the same time, it doesn't over penetrate in soft tissue, i.e. a person. If you want to use a heavy 147grn. bullet, you can push it along much faster than in a 9mm. And, if you want to go down to 115grns., 1500fps is achievable, typically faster than most manufacturers will push a 110grn. bullet out of a .357 magnum revolver. Most people and government agencies stick with a 125grn. load and find it to be a great all round choice.

Of the 125grn. offerings, the Speer Gold Dot is the most common. It uses a nickeled case to help extraction in abusive environments and the proven Gold Dot bonded bullet. Cor-Bon was the first to break the 1500fps barrier with their 115grn. Load and currently offer a 125grn. Barnes DPX bullet as their premium line. Double Tap Ammunition has a solid reputation with the 10mm crowd because DT loads to the maximum and seems to find an extra 100fps missing from other companies. And, they are some of the most reliable defensive ammo around,with fifty rounds selling for the same price as twenty from the other guy.

The P226 is one of my all time favorite designs. I have average-large hands and this SIG is a perfect fit. A person can gripe about the high bore axis, but that is typical of DA/SA autos. However, the muzzle flip that plagues guns with a high bore axis is virtually absent from all of the SIG line. Part of that is the excellent design of the grip frame, part seems to be magic, but no one complains about the result. Trigger reach is always an issue with DA/SA weapons, and here the SIG is running with the pack. The smooth trigger of the SIG (and the Beretta 92FS for that matter) are usually very smooth and light enough to be worked with precision, and not the “crunch/tick” of other designs. Think of it as more of a “slide/tick.”

You pay a premium for the stainless frame of the ST, but if you want an easy shooting gun for practice or competition, the benefits are worth it. Besides minimizing recoil, which minimizes dwell time between shots, the heavy frame should take a lot more abuse and last longer than the aluminum frames. And, if you want to explore the outer limits of handloading, the ST's are built like bank vaults.

An advantage of all .40S&W & .357SIG SIG's is that the arc of engagement for the extractor allows them to shoot 9mm, .40, and .357 simply by swapping out the barrels. In theory, this should be true for all .40 or .357 pistols with external extractors, but you will have to check out your particular model to see if it's feasible and if conversion barrels are available. For the record, you can't do this with 9mm guns because the breach face is too small.
The steel framed SIG's aren't for everyone, but if you want one, there's no reason to talk yourself out of it. They are just too nice not to like. It probably won't be your next carry gun, but then again, it might. The weight on your belt will also be the same weight that soaks up recoil and reduces that ever important dwell time.

Colt Python

Photo by Ken Lunde

The last time we looked at a gun on these pages, it was all about function. This time, we're going to look at the Colt Python, a revolver that is all about essence.

Built on the old .41 frame, Colt wanted to create the ultimate .357 magnum revolver, undoubtedly spurred on by the affluence and excitement of post-WWII America. They slicked up their tried and true action, put on a swanky full-underlug barrel with a ventilated sight rib and a legend was born.

The Python is notable for is excellent finish with a deep "royal blue" being the most common. It was also made with a bright nickel finish and later in stainless steel. People rave about the action of the Python as well. It is roller-bearing smooth with just the slightest hint of stack at the end of the double-action pull. Single action is crisp and light and darned near perfect.

Over the years it was made with 2", 4", 6", and 8" barrels to serve a variety of needs. The 4" and 6" are the most common. The barrels have a decreasing radius bore which means it's smaller at the muzzle than at the throat. The difference is very slight, but it is why Pythons are so amazingly accurate and why they often exhibit no loss in accuracy if the barrel is accidentally ringed due to a squib load.

The 2" went after the self-defense/plainclothes police crowd and competed against the 2.5" Smith & Wesson Model 19. The 8" version was built with an eye towards the hunting crowd. The problem is that with a gun as pretty and as costly as a Python, few people were inclined to submit their guns to the riggers of daily carry or the game field.

There are also questions about the Python's suitability as a piece of life-saving gear. All machines have a weakness and the one with the Python is a Catch 22. That action which I raved about is fairly weak. Something as minor as a drop onto a table top can knock it out of time. Because the secret to the precision and beauty of the Python is handfitting, a gunsmith can't simply drop a few new parts in and expect minor fitting. For example, most 'smiths have set prices for Smith and Wesson and Ruger repair work. It's not uncommon to see Pythons listed as "by the hour" because they could be working on that beast for quite some time in order to get it's delicate parts moving properly.

Now, for range use, light duty carry (not uniformed police or a ranch hand's pistol - both situations which tend to bang guns and see lots of abuse), and home defense, I wouldn't hesitate. And, since the 2" offering is so darned cool, I'd just have to carry it sometimes, provided I ever find one at a decent price. If you find a used one, make sure you check the timing. You do this by cocking the hammer with one hand while putting slight pressure on the cylinder with your other hand. Then, pull the trigger and let the hammer down slowly while feeling for the cylinder to lock into place. Colts don't reach full-lock up until the trigger is pulled, so it's easy to think one is out of time when it is actually just fine.

In the end, the Python is an elegant revolver, a product of the progressive engineering minds of 1950's America. It ceased to be a regular production item some time ago, but it will occasionally pop back up as a Custom Shot offering. As we progress farther and farther from hand work, tools like the Python become less common. They are never cheap but for the true handgunner and fine weapons connoisseur they are worth every penny.

Photo from ColtForum.com

Glock 17

I'm a gun snob, so it might seem odd that my current carry pistol is a Glock 17. Glocks are ugly, have awful triggers, and just lack a certain panache. Let's face it, "elegance" is not the first word that comes to mind when you look at a Glock.

Ok, so why carry it? I could ramble, but let's make this easy - you can shoot it really fast out of the holster and maintain great combat accuracy. I'm a sucker for a low bore axis mated with a consitant trigger. The trigger manages to be spongy and crunchy all at once, but it's consistent.

Try to beat a Glock up. The famous Tenifer finish is actually under the black phosphate surface treatment. I wish I could get this same finish on all of my social guns. It doesn't reflect and it never, ever rusts. If you get it to rust, my hat is off to you. My sweat could be marketed as an industrial solvent and I've carried a number of Glocks in the AZ heat and I've never had a speck of rust. Blood, salt water, sweat nothing affects it.

Not only doesn't it rust, it just never breaks. The abuse that these things will take is legendary. You really can throw them across a parking lot, toss them out of helicopter, run over them with a truck and other showman stunts. In other words, it will withstand abuse that your body won't. In more practical terms, they run no matter how much you abuse them. Fill 'em with sand, they run. Dunk 'em in mud, they run. Forget to lube 'em, and it's probably going to run if you have hot enough ammo. Just imagine how reliable it is if you take care of it properly. And, you do take care of your life saving emergency gear properly right?

Ok, everything breaks, so a word of caution. The rumors of Glocks going kaboom are based in fact though I think the hysteria is way over done. Again, without getting technical, just run factory, jacketed ammo and you will never have a problem. Don't sweat buying a used one. Scrub the chamber out well before shooting it, again, use only factory, jacketed ammo and you will be fine. You say you reload? Hey, it's your ammo and your gun, knock yourself out. I've known plenty of Glocks that run tens of thousands of handloads without a problem. But, you are increasing your risk. For my money, Wal-Mart 100 round packs are cheap enough that I'm not going to tempt fate even while practicing.

If everything breaks, and everything does, what are the Glock's weak points? The three most common parts to break are the trigger return spring, the extractor, and extractor spring. All are cheap parts, all last far more than the average person is going to shoot, and they are all easy to swap out. If you can do basic home repair, you can replace those parts. Of course, you void any warranty and you have to do it right. If you do it wrong, don't go looking to point the finger anywhere but at yourself. A gunsmith is going to charge you for an hour's worth of labor to do ten minutes worth of work, but if you are at all hesitant or unsure, consider it an investment in your peace of mind.

Ok, that says a lot about Glocks, but what about the Glock 17? Why did I choose it? After carrying a Glock 23, a 19, and a 35, I've settle on the 17. As common and popular as Glocks are in other calibers, I think the 9mm is their most reliable system (quick tip: guns are usually the most reliable and handle best chambered for the cartridge around which they were designed.) Out of all the 9mm Glock models, the 17 simply fits my hand the best. I most often recommend the Glock 19 to people, as it's a superb design and it's shorter frame is a bit more comfortable to most people. But, not for me. My hands are moderately large and I like the full frame of the 17.

So far, it's box stock and I could leave it be for years and never have an issue. I'm leaving the internals on this one stock because stock is always the most reliable. If your pistol requires gunsmithing to be made carry worthy, you may wish to consider a different design. Hey, look at that, I just got the 1911 guys foaming at the mouth. I love the 1911 and owned, well, let's just say I've owned a LOT of them, but it's a complete bill of goods that it's acceptable to need a "reliability package" on a brand new gun.

I stay away from the +2 magazine base plates. Again, stock is the most reliable. The magazine spring was designed to push up seventeen cartridges and can have an issue if it's asked to work over a longer distance. You might never have a problem, but wouldn't it suck if you were in a fight for your life and your gun malfunctioned because you wanted to be able to shoot two more rounds after going through eighteen shots (17+1 in the chamber.)

The Glock 17 pictured is my personal carry gun and sits alongside a Comp-Tac Gurkha holster, which I'll review after I use it some more.

Eighteen rounds of Federal 9BP hollow points in an utterly reliable and deadly fast package. You can sweat on it, you can bleed on it, you can abuse it, and it just keeps on working. Kind of hard to not love that, even if it is one ugly gun.