SIG Sauer P226 Air Pistol ~ Test & Review

by Dr. Jim and Mary Clary
SIG Sauer P226 Air Pistol ~ Test & Review

United States -(AmmoLand.com)- Over the past few years several airgun companies have marketed air pistols meant to simulate the real thing.

They looked real enough but never really mimicked regular pistols, either in their design, weight, or function. They were just toys for kids to play with. THEN, SIG SAUER entered the picture. Their P226 semi-automatic pistol was already one of the best and most reliable guns on the market, which is undoubtedly why the U.S. Navy SEALS selected it as their standard firearm. It was only logical that SIG SAUER chose the P226 as their template for a new air pistol.

SIG spent considerable time and resources (in house – not licensed) in the development of a P226 Advanced Sport Pellet (ASP) “clone” that would mimic the handling and function of their “regular” P226 firearm. Their purpose was to produce an inexpensive replica that could be used by military and police units for training, avoiding the expense of high-value training weapons as well as costly ammunition.

With the development of the P226 ASP air pistol, SIG succeeded well beyond their expectations. They did it…. they designed and produced a superb training tool for law enforcement as well as a very fine air gun for the civilian market. Unless you look very, very closely at this gun, you could easily mistake it for the “real thing.”

Design characteristics of the SIG Sauer P226 Air Pistol :

This is a classic double action/single action pistol. And, as with all double action triggers, it has a heavy pull (~9 lbs 3 oz)… but the single action breaks clean at just under 4 lbs…. which is comparable to the real thing.

Because we don’t like double action triggers, we simply “rack” the slide back, as we do with our 1911s, to cock it and start shooting…. but, that is just us.

Per the original, the 3-dot sights make it easy to acquire the target for accurate placement of the pellets. As evidence of that, the following Dirty Bird Splash Target was set out at 20 yards …. if Jim were a better shot, the group would be tighter, but given that the red bullseye is only 1″ in diameter, the “old man” didn’t do too bad.

The magazine release and decocker function much like the P226 centerfire pistol. Since there is no spent cartridge to “throw out,” there is no slide stop/release, but that in no way detracts from this gun.

The magazine is a stick-type similar to others on the market and holds 8 pellets on the top and 8 pellets on the bottom, for a total of 16. Just make sure that you insert the magazine properly…. SIG etched the back of the magazine to make sure that we do it correctly. Once inserted, the magazine feeds flawlessly and ejects quickly for reloading, without hanging up. That makes for rapid reloading.

A unique and perhaps the finest feature of any air pistol on the market is the SIG cam lever loading system for the CO2 cartridge. No more tools, no nuts to tighten and no more wasted gas. Simply open the handle-chamber, “pop” in the cartridge, close the chamber and you are done. Finally, someone made it simple.

Depending on conditions and your individual gun, you should be able to get between 75 and 80 shots out of a CO2 cartridge. So, buy some extra magazines as soon as they become available.

And finally, we would like to address the velocity of the pellets. This pistol is NOT made for hunting. It is a training, plinking and fun gun, so do not be concerned that the velocity is only rated “up to 510 fps.” In fact, it is unlikely that you will achieve that given the effect of altitude and temperature on the pressure in the cartridge. At our altitude of 5,232 feet in New Mexico, we averaged 400-450 fps, depending on the temperature. However, the lower velocity does not affect the accuracy, as illustrated by our target.

SIG Sauer P226 Air Pistol Specifications:

• Calibers: 0.177
• Velocity:  up to 510 fps (our tests registered 400 – 450 fps)
• Cam Lever Loading System for CO₂ cartridge (no screws to tighten)
• Magazine capacity (16) 8 x 2 rotary magazine
• Overall Length: 8.25 in.
• Overall Height: 5.25 in.
• Overall Width: 1.25 in.
• Barrel Length: 4.75 in. rifled
• Weight:  2.4 lb loaded w 16 pellets
• Blowback action
• Fire Mode:  Semi-automatic
• Trigger: Double Action/Single Action
• Trigger Pull: DA 9 lb 3 oz pounds; SA 3 lb 13 oz. – which closely matches the P226 firearm
• Sights: 3-Dot blades (2-dot on rear and 1-dot on front sight)
• Picatinny Accessory Rail
• MSRP:  $110.99

The P226 ASP is a well-made all metal gun with polymer grips. In fact, we are amazed that SIG can sell it for so little. It definitely has to be one of the best air pistol buys on the market today, if not the best. If you get one, you won’t regret it.

The best feature of the SIG Sauer P226 Air Pistol is that you can buy it online and have it shipped to your house on Amazon : http://tiny.cc/xbixay

About Jim and Mary Clary:

Jim and Mary Clary have co-authored over three hundred and fifty articles, (and counting) on shooting and hunting. You can read many of them on AmmoLand News.