Selected Handgun Detail

Manufacturer
	SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG More Info

About the Gun

The P228 is a compact double-stack 9mm pistol with a 3.9-inch barrel and shortened slide. It features a side button magazine release, stainless steel slide on a black hard-coat anodized aluminum alloy frame, and was produced with both combat sights and SIGLITE night sights. Early examples typically have metal magazine baseplates, while later Nitron versions often use plastic baseplates.

Production

Production ran from 2003 through 2006.

Market value

MSRP at production was around $950–$1,100. Current used market value for examples in good to very good condition ranges $750–$950.

Cartridge Specifications
Cartridge:	9 mm Luger
Alias:	9 mm Parabellum
More Info

Analysis

The P228 was developed as a dedicated compact double-stack 9mm pistol rather than a shortened version of the P226. It features its own proportionally scaled frame and slide, providing a balanced combination of concealability, 13-round capacity, and shootability. Widely adopted by law enforcement and federal agencies in the 1990s and early 2000s, it earned a strong reputation for reliability and accuracy in a compact all-metal package. The black/blue, two-tone, and Nitron variants reflect evolving production finishes during its manufacturing run. The P228 remains one of the most respected compact 9mm pistols of its era and served as the foundation for the later P229.