In this Video I perform the field test shooting review for the SIG Sauer P229 pellet pistol. If you’re interested in the full specifications, features, and a closer look at the pistol itself, make sure to check out my tabletop review where I go over all the details on this gun.
For today’s test I’m going to be shooting SIG Sauer lead pellets, roughly 7–8 grains. Because these are standard lead pellets and not lightweight alloy pellets, they’re not going to produce the highest velocity numbers this pistol can achieve. With lighter alloy pellets you will definitely see faster readings.
You could also shoot steel BBs through this gun, but BBs sometimes don’t seal quite as tightly in the barrel as pellets do. When that happens, some of the CO₂ can slip around the BB as it travels down the barrel which can actually reduce velocity slightly. BBs also generally don’t carry energy to the target as well as pellets, so pellets are usually the better option for accuracy and performance.
With these pellets, I’m expecting roughly around the 300 FPS range, so let’s see how it actually performs.
Velocity Test
For the velocity portion I’m going to put five shots through the chronograph to see what kind of numbers we get.
Chronograph Results:
Shot Velocities: 320 FPS - 296 FPS - 303 FPS - 286 FPS - 277 FPS (Average of 296 FPS)
As you can see, the readings are right about where expected, generally around the 300 FPS mark, with a slight drop toward the last shot. That’s fairly typical for CO₂ powered blowback pistols, since some of the gas is being used to cycle the slide.
Accuracy Test:
For the accuracy portion I’ve set up my paper targets at 30 feet downrange.
The SIG Sauer P229 pellet pistol uses a dual rotary 8-round magazine, so instead of the usual 10 shots I normally use in these tests, I’m going to fire eight shots to keep things simple and consistent.
One thing I like about this pistol is the trigger operation. When you start the trigger pull, the first stage rotates the rotary magazine. This part of the pull is very light and smooth, so there’s very little double-action feel. Once that’s done, you reach the single-action hammer release, which is nice and predictable.
To keep the trigger as light as possible I’m going to pre-cock the hammer, which eliminates most of that initial rotation effort and gives you a much lighter break.
Accuracy Results:
After eight shots at 30 feet, the group measured approximately 1.5 inches.
That’s actually pretty good accuracy for a blowback pellet pistol.
The pistol was shooting slightly low out of the box, roughly about two inches low and just a little to the left at this distance. My aim point was just underneath the bullseye so I could see the target above the sights.
The sights on this pistol are fixed, so you can’t adjust them directly. The easiest solution is simply to aim slightly higher and a bit to the right if you want to hit the bullseye consistently at this range.
Sight Upgrade Options:
If you want more precise adjustment, you do have a couple of options:
Install a slide-mounted red dot using the removable optics plate
Add a laser to the accessory rail under the barrel
Either of those options would allow you to dial in your point of aim exactly where you want it, which is a nice upgrade path for this pistol.
Shooting Impression
The trigger feels really good, and the blowback action is solid and snappy, though not overly fast.
The slide actually has a bit of that heavier, slightly slower 1911-style blowback feel, which I personally like. Some blowback pistols cycle extremely quickly and can feel a bit artificial, but this one feels more substantial because of the heavier slide weight.
The pistol itself also has good weight and balance, coming in a bit over two pounds, giving it a very realistic feel in the hand.
Overall, it’s a solid, well-built pellet pistol, and like many of the SIG Sauer Airgun products, it feels like a lot of attention went into the design.
SIG doesn’t actually manufacture these Airguns themselves, they design them and partner with manufacturers to produce them, but the quality across their pellet pistols and rifles has generally been very good.
Final Thoughts
The SIG Sauer P229 CO₂ blowback pellet pistol delivers:
Around 300 FPS velocity with lead pellets
Realistic blowback action
Good weight and handling
Approximately 1.5 inch accuracy at 30 feet
Multiple options for optic or laser upgrades
Overall, it’s a very enjoyable pistol to shoot and a solid option if you’re looking for a realistic blowback pellet pistol.
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