To compare Glock 19 vs SIG P229, we need to bring it back to basic. Despite the “Better” is a subjective term, it is still a brilliant question. Both of these happen to be my favorites. I will not take an “agnostic” approach—not really definitively favoring one or the other. This article will be a testament to the quality of both.
Introduction
To me, asking me to pick between the Glock 19 and the SIG P229 is like asking which is the better car: The Audi or the BMW. They both have a great driving experience and they come down to what the individual likes. Sure, one has some attributes that are “better” than the other and vice-versa but again that comes to individual preferences. For both, I would depend on them with my life. I’ll get into details of what I like for both if that helps.
SIG P229
This is a pistol that was designed specifically with the .40 S&W round in mind. Sure, it’s a bit heavy but that’s the point. For something that shoots something as stout as a .40, the recoil is very soft. My favorite “vintage” is the half-serrated stainless steel slide and rounded trigger guard from the 90s—hardly anything to snag on if carried under a jacket. I don’t mind the high bore axis in terms of the sight picture. I don’t need to crane my neck forward for a sight picture.
I also like the grip angle as it resembles a natural “fist” if I were ever needing to use it in a stressful situation. I installed the newer E2 grip on it and it’s even better in terms of getting a good purchase on the grip as well as tactile feel. I also installed the Grayguns intermediate trigger on it. I also plan on installing the Short Reset Trigger kit.
I also have the 19 lbs mainspring installed so I have a smoother double-action pull while still guaranteeing a decisive primer strike of the hammer. It doesn’t need to be said but the single-action is crisp. I also had a chance to try the 9mm version. The recoil is very minimal.
Glock 19
I’m impressed that a pistol with this capacity is as slim and light as it is. I appreciate the no-nonsense slide. It’s relatively slim and the Tennifer nitro-carburized finish makes it unbelievably tough. I like the Glock 19 Gen 3 and 4 formats, personally (I appreciate the finger grooves). The low bore axis seems to make it a very instinctive point-shooting pistol. The stock plastic sights leave more to be desired, unfortunately.
But on the upshot, the name “Glock” is synonymous with the notion of “aftermarket parts”. There’s no shortage of the spectrum of sights and other mods that you can find with it. There’s also no shortage of treatments to reshape the polymer grip to your liking.
I like how easy it is to detail strip the entire pistol. If there’s any part that needs to be replaced, it can easily be installed by the user if they have the right tools on-hand. I also very much appreciate the uniformity of trigger pull from the striker-fired system.
Final verdict: Glock 19 vs SIG P229
In order to give a final conclusion and answer to the question, I need to point out again, that better is a subjective term, and that both guns are very reliable. As it was mentioned at the beginning of the article, both Glock 19 and SIG P229 are great pistols and hard to compare in their basic way. In the end, the shooter should find out which one suits him best.
In late 2015, Naval Special Warfare Command made the decision to add the Glock 19, the compact nine-millimeter version of the Glock series of handguns, to the Navy SEALs‘ handgun arsenal.
The biggest difference between the Glock 19 vs SIG P229 firearms is the firing methods; the Glock is striker-fired and the SIG is hammer-fired. This is the main difference when it comes to triggers and gives two very distinct triggers.
Personally, the Sig P229 is a better gun out of the box. Better trigger, better sights, better ergonomics. If you go from the beginning, but if you want to invest money, Glock 19 has far more accessories available to acquire and to build up a quite different gun which would be better than the SIG P229.
If you want a hybrid of both based on the above, also look into the SIG P320 or the Smith & Wesson M&P series.
