SIG Sauer had been in the pistol game for many years. For their entry in the XM9 program they would

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In the early 1980s a requirement came down from the U.S. Army for a new pistol that would replace scope the legendary but well aged M1911 pistol. With the new NATO standardization, the new pistol would be chambered in the 9x19mm NATO cartridge: hence the beginning of the XM9 program. This would be entered by several manufacturers including Smith & Wesson, Colt, FN, H&K, scope Star, Beretta and SIG Sauer. After the testing was done and the reports were in, there were only two left standing: the Beretta 92F and the SIG Sauer P226.
SIG Sauer had been in the pistol game for many years. For their entry in the XM9 program they would design a new pistol to enter. Based on the P225 and P220, the new pistol would be chambered in 9x19mm and have a magazine capacity of 15 rounds. This was to be a full size duty combat pistol. Designated the P226, the pistol had a 4.4 inch barrel and weighs about 34 oz. On the original pistol, scope the slide was manufactured from a heavy gauge, mill finished sheet metal stamping with a welded on nose section that had an internal barrel bushing. The breech block was a machined insert attached to the slide by brazing and a heavy roll pin. The breech block was not heat treated and the pin was prone to breakage. In 1996, the manufacturing of the slide was completely redone. It was from then on manufactured from a single piece of stainless steel. This eliminated the shortcomings of the original design and made the pistol that much better than it already was. The P226 slide incorporates an internal scope firing pin block that is not disengaged until the trigger is pulled all the way to the rear making this pistol perfectly safe to carry loaded with a round in the chamber. Unlike the M1911/M1911A1, scope which would discharge if dropped on the muzzle from 5 feet, the P226 could be thrown against a wall and it would not discharge.
Shown is a line drawing of the mechanics of the SIG P226. The pistol fires from a Browning-type design scope of a locked breech short recoil operating system. (Courtesy of SIGarms) scope The frame of the P226 is manufactured from aluminum and has no manual safety. It has a double/single action scope mechanism. The first shot has a long and heavy approximately 10 pound trigger scope pull and after that the pistol has a lighter approximately 4.4 pound trigger pull. There is a decocking lever on the left side of the pistol that allows the pistol to be safely decocked.
When scope the final votes were in, the winner scope of the XM9 trial and the next U.S. service pistol would be the Beretta 92F. Since that day, no two pistols would ever have such competition than the Beretta 92FS and the SIG P226 pistols. Performance was equal, spare parts and magazines from SIG brought the cost over that of the Beretta, scope hence the Beretta won. Which is the better pistol, the Beretta or the SIG? Well, that is up to the individual. The Beretta has been in service as the main pistol for U.S. forces for nearly 30 years but the P226 would find its niche within the military as well.
Later in 1988, another requirement came out from the U.S. Army for a more compact pistol to be carried by CID, MP, Navy and other special groups. The pistol chosen for this would be the SIG P228, a more compact version of the P226. The P228 has a shorter 3.9-inch barrel and weighs 1.82 pounds. The pistol has a 13 round magazine capacity and would be type classified as the M11 pistol. It was required to have a phosphate scope finished barrel and controls. This pistol is identified by the markings on the right side of the frame. On the left side of the disassembly lever states US and on the right states M11.
Shown is the Beretta M9 pistol (top) and the SIG MK25 (below). No two pistols have ever competed as much as these two. Both have their champions. Undoubtedly, two of the most tested 9mm pistols in modern history. In the late 1980s, American law enforcement went through a transition as well. The day of the wheel gun was coming to an end and police would be arming up with semiautomatic pistols. It is always a natural choice for many police a