Sig Sauer's P226 is available in 9 mm, .40 S&W or .357 SIG chambering. The P226 was designed in the 1980s to replace the U.S. military's M1911 pistol. This Sig is a full-size, double-action/single-action service pistol for military and law enforcement. It is built on an aluminum alloy frame with a milled stainless steel slide. Magazine capacities range from 12 and 14 rounds with .357 SIG and .40 S&W ammunition up to 20 rounds in 9 mm. Drift-adjustable white dot sights are standard. As a military and law officer's duty pistol, the P226 comes with no external safety. Single action trigger pull is 4 pounds and in double-action stage the trigger pull is a hefty 10 pounds. The barrel length of the P226 is 4.4 inches and it weighs 34 ounces unloaded. Field strip disassembly of this handgun is fast and efficient.
Confirm that the pistol is unloaded and point it in a safe direction.
Press the magazine catch release button on the left side of the P226 below the trigger and remove the magazine.
Pull the slide all the way back and push up the slide catch lever to lock it open. Visually verify that no rounds of ammunition remain in the chamber or the magazine well.
Rotate the takedown lever, located on the left side of the gun above the trigger, downward into a vertical position.
Pull the slide back to release the catch lever, then hold the slide and allow it to move slowly forward and off the forward end of the frame.
Flip the slide over. Hold the slide so the recoil spring assembly is pointing away from you. Remove the recoil spring and guide from the slide slowly to decompress the spring tension in a controlled manner.
Lift the barrel out of the slide. Your Sig P226 is disassembled.
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Writer Bio
Gus Stephens has written about aviation, automotive and home technology for 15 years. His articles have appeared in major print outlets such as "Popular Mechanics" and "Invention & Technology." Along the way, Gus earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications. If it flies, drives or just sits on your desk and blinks, he's probably fixed it.
