Key Points and Summary: The Sig Sauer P226, designated the Mk. 25 by Navy SEALs, was their trusted sidearm for over 30 years. Chosen after issues with the M9 Beretta, the P226 won over special forces with its corrosion-resistant finish, chrome-lined barrel, and legendary reliability.
-Designed from the P220 platform, the P226’s ergonomic grip, smooth trigger, and outstanding accuracy made it ideal for operators working in harsh environments. Though now replaced by the Glock 19, the P226 remains one of the most respected combat pistols ever.
-Its track record in battle proves why elite forces depended on it for decades.
Why Navy SEALs Swore by the Sig Sauer P226 for 30 Years
The Sig Sauer P226 was a favorite of the Navy SEALs and other government agencies for over thirty years. While they have finally moved on to the Glock 19, the reasons for the pistol’s popularity are apparent to anyone who relies on it to protect their lives in combat.
As I’ve mentioned several times in different pieces here, Sig Sauer makes outstanding firearms. I have always been a big fan of theirs, especially the P226. It is yet another fantastic handgun that has it all. In fact, the Sig should have been chosen as the military’s next service pistol when the beloved M-1911A1 was retired.
However, the Beretta 92F was chosen over the Sig Sauer P226 because it was cheaper. Remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for.”
History of the P226
In the mid-1980s, the Army was choosing a new combat pistol to replace the Colt M-1911A1, and it was a sad day. The .45 caliber icon was a workhorse through two World Wars and other conflicts in Korea and Vietnam without a hitch.
However, Big Army wanted a weapon that would fit shooters with smaller hands, so it switched to the 9mm caliber used by our NATO allies. The test was conducted between the Beretta 92F and the Sig Sauer P226. Not surprisingly, the Sig won the test.
But in late November 1984, the Army asked for a final, best offer from the two contestants. Sig Sauer kept its bid the same, while Beretta dropped its bid by 18 percent. Beretta was awarded the contract, and the M-9 pistol was chosen.
Navy SEALs Flip The Script And Go With The P226
After adopting the M9 Beretta, the SEALs began to put the M9 through its paces and ran into problems. Slide cracks began to develop. During a VIP visit in 1986, a SEAL was injured when a slide’s rear portion broke off, sending pieces of the slide into his face. That was enough.
The SEALs decided to buy their own pistol and went with the Sig P226 after testing five pistols and putting them through a 5,000-round endurance test. The Navy dubbed the pistol the Mk.25.
The Navy’s special operators adopted the Sig in 1989. Since then, for more than thirty years, SEALs have carried the P226 into battle in Panama, Somalia, Haiti, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.
Meet the Sig Sauer P226/Mk. 25
The P226 was derived from Sig Sauer’s P220 design. The P220 was a single-stack .45, which was adapted to utilize double-stack magazines. The double action/single action P226 has been offered in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .357 SIG, with .22 conversions available, but the military pistol was chambered in 9mm.
The P226/Mk.25 features phosphate-coated controls and barrel, which creates an incredibly corrosion-resistant finish. For special operators who spend an inordinate time in the sea, that is an extremely important factor. The P226’s chamber and barrel are chrome-lined, which is also a plus for those who operate in wet or dusty environments.
What Sold The SEALs on the P226
The P266/Mk. 25 has a 4.4-inch barrel, nearly half an inch shorter than the Beretta M9, and the handgun is chambered for 9mm parabellum. It matters to have a more compact design for operators who fight in close spaces.
The frame is made from a steel alloy, the slide is made from stainless steel for increased strength, which avoids issues the M9 had with cracking, and the slide is finished in Nitron for corrosion resistance. The gun weighs 34 ounces with a fully loaded magazine.
Image of Sig Sauer P226. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Recoil is very light and easily controllable to reacquire the target. The trigger is smooth in double action and single action, which was light years better than the M9. The slight taper funnel of the magwell allows easy mag change.
The tritium sights are outstanding and allows super easy acquiring of the target.
And it is reliable as hell. If it wasn’t, the SEALs wouldn’t have used it for 30 years.
Personal Experience With the P226
I have personal experience with the P226. During the 1991-1992 time frame, I was working in Bolivia on a six-month counter-narcotics deployment with the 7th Special Forces Group. Part of that time was spent in the capital of La Paz. I met an FBI special agent, Bob Clifford, who was a fantastic guy and a great agent.
Bob was training Bolivia’s presidential security detail, which badly needed his expertise. Other than their commander, they couldn’t hit water out of a boat at the time. Bob asked another SF warrant officer, Mick Hogan, who was assigned to the MILGP, and me to help him during the combat pistol training. We gladly joined.
Sig Sauer Legion P226. Image: Creative Commons.
Bob and the Bureau were arming the Bolivians with P226. He, Mick and I spent a day on the range with the Sig Sauer. It was love at first sight. The full-size pistol fit your hand like a glove and after a couple of magazines of familiarization, we were knocking down steel plates on the combat range like we’d been shooting that pistol forever.
During the rest of my deployment, the M9 was put on the back burner. And I carried the P226. As anyone who knows me knows my feelings about the Beretta. However, the P226 was/is still an awesome pistol. When my deployment ended, I joked to Bob that someone broke into my vehicle and stole the Sig. He was too smart for that line, and I bid farewell to a great pistol. After returning to the home station, I wondered why SF couldn’t ditch the Beretta for the Sig. Sigh.
About the Author:
Steve Balestrieri is a 19FortyFive National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing for 19FortyFive, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
