Compared with its younger competitors like the P320 series, SIG SAUER‘s P229 handgun is something of an elder statesman. It evolved from the P226, which SIG designed in the early 1980s as their entry into the US Army’s XM9 Service Pistol Trials, under the Joint Service Small Arms Program, in an effort to replace the 1911 as the DoD’s issued sidearm. Although Beretta ultimately got the XM9 competition nod with their 92FS design, which became the M9, SIG’s P226 did gain success and adoption by a variety of worldwide military and law enforcement groups after the fact. This led to the development of a compact variant a few years later, the P228, which was subsequently upgraded in a few key areas and re-introduced in 1992 as the improved P229.

SIG SAUER P229 @ TFB:

• US Coast Guard Pick SIG P229 Airsoft Pistol for Training
• SIG SAUER P229 Blue Piranha
• Sig P226 & P229 Enhanced Elite
• NCIS upgrading to SIG SAUER .40 S&W P229 and P239 pistols
• SIG P226 and P229 E2 pistols

Another view of the new P229 Pro-Cut slide, this time by itself.

SIG is keeping up their support for these older handgun designs, indicating that there is still a customer base for these 1980s and ’90s hammer-fired pistols. They recently added a new optics-ready “Pro-Cut” slide option for the P226, which TFB reported in May of this year. Now SIG is following suit with the compact version as well. On June 29th, they announced the release of an optics-ready Pro-Cut slide assembly for this compact pistol model. Similar to the recent P226 variant, this slide is also a factory replacement for existing handguns, offered in a black finish with XRAY3 day/night sights. Is it optimized for SIG’s own ROMEO1PRO red dot, but should also be compatible with other manufacturer’s micro red dot sights which share the same footprint, like Trijicon’s RMR. SIG’s official product description for the new Pro-Cut Slide model reads as follows.

A closer look at a P229 wearing one of the new optics-ready Pro-Cut slides.

P229 PRO-Cut Slide Assembly, Optic Ready, Black

Enhance your P229 with this optics-ready PRO-Cut slide assembly.

Availability: In Stock
Price $399.99

Details

Factory replacement RX Slide Assembly for the P229-1 9MM.

Features:
-Optic ready with sight cover plate.
-X-RAY3 night-sights
-Stylized relief cuts

Compatible with 229-1* frames and barrels.
Optics Compatibility: ROMEO1PRO, Delta Point Pro, and RMR (requires RMR sealing plate)

This slide does not void your P229 warranty

Please Note
This slide is intended for use with factory SIG SAUER 9MM threaded or non-threaded barrels, guide rods, and recoil springs. Compatible with ROMEO1PRO red dot sight.

*229-1 pistols are the latest version of our P229. All P229s that shipped in a 40/357 configuration or a 9MM that has a rectangular barrel chamber when viewed from the top(vs trapezoidal) are 229-1 compatible. Most 229-1 9MM barrels are stamped “P229-1.”

Images courtesy of SIG SAUER.