By: Greg Chabot

Photos: Sasha Steadman

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the Sig Sauer P226, one of the original “Wonder Nines” of the 1980s. The P226 almost became the official side-arm of the armed forces of the United States, losing out to the Beretta 92 due to cost and politics as the leases on bases in Italy were up and the Italian government used that as leverage to secure the military contract for Beretta. Though not adopted for widespread use by the military, the P226 was procured by NSW (Naval Special Warfare) for use by the SEAL teams as they felt it suited their unique needs better than the M9.

As the needs of the SEALs evolved so did their issued P226, with the final evolution becoming the MK25 which will be the subject of this article. The MK25 reliably served NSW until being replaced by Glocks a few years ago. I have always liked the P220 and 226 having owned a few over the years. Sometimes due to foolishness of youth, or life throwing a curveball, I ended up selling them. I had been wanting another 226, specifically a MK25, for a long time. I got lucky, finding a new-in-box one in 2021 which I have been shooting on a regular basis for the past three years.

Differences between the MK25 and current-production P226:

I’ll cover some of the differences between the variants. They are all virtually identical besides small differences. The MK25 that you can purchase is the same as the military contract ones that NSW used in the GWOT. Full specs are available at Sig Sauer’s website, so I won’t bore you with weight, etc.

  • The MK25 uses a short extractor. Current production uses a long one.
  • The internals and magazines are phosphate-coated on the MK25 for corrosion resistance.
  • The barrel on the MK25 is chrome-lined.
  • The MK25 uses two-piece grips. The other 226 models use G10 or E2 grips.
  • The MK25 comes with standard night sites and trigger. Regular production guns, depending on model, may differ.
  • The markings are similar on all 226s with the only difference of the MK25 having an anchor on the slide and a UID sticker on the frame.
  • The MK25 has the standard beaver tail. Some models have a more 1911-like one.

Impressions

The MK25 comes in a black plastic box with three magazines and a well-written simple-to-understand manual. After fieldstripping I gave the internals a once-over. I noticed no machine marks or other defects in fit or finish. Classic Sigs like to run “wet,” for lube I used extreme weapons grease by Slip 2000. It is recommended to use grease on the rails of the classic P-Series Sigs.

The grips are aggressive and combined with serrations on the front strap allowed me to get a firm grip with gloves on. Slide serrations are deep and made slide manipulation easy. The de-cocker is easy to access with smaller hands as is the slide release. If you use the thumbs-forward grip, you may have to experiment with your grip as some complain they lock the slide while shooting. I use the tried-and-true thumb-over-thumb grip with no issues which is superior to thumbs-forward in my opinion.

Trigger

The P226 MK25 is a DA/SA hammer-fired weapon. The pull in double action came in at 10lbs. Single action came in at 3.5lbs on my example. The trigger is smooth and has a clean break with a decent reset. Folks used to a striker-fired weapon might have difficulty at first. With a little practice the trigger isn’t hard to master if you put in the work.

Range Report

I started my testing by doing my blood simulation test with mineral oil. The grips performed well, and I was able to keep on target in a one-handed grip. I had to make a few minor adjustments but nothing that would have caused me to lose control of the weapon in an “Oh s—!” situation. If you prefer more aggressive grips there are plenty of aftermarket options.

After the blood sim test it was time to shoot drills with mixed ammo. The MK25 ate everything it was fed including mystery ammo from who-knows-where. Sigs are known for their accuracy and the MK25 didn’t disappoint. I practiced the basics and had no problems hitting the steel. All misses were on me. For a holster I used an OWB from We the People holsters, and it wasn’t a bad kit for the price point. For drills I mostly shot Mozambique, and I was pleased with my accuracy and speed. Recoil is very mild due to the weight. Many complain that the high bore axis makes it hard to control a P226 and get back on target quickly. My advice is to go do some grip strength training instead of whining about bore axis. The P226 has a reputation for reliability, and it is not an exaggeration. I can honestly say I have never had a malfunction with West German or current-production P226s. The MK25 ran like a top no matter the ammo or how dirty it got. The 15-round magazines dropped free even with dirt and snow on them.

Though striker-fired guns have surpassed hammer-fired ones in sales and popularity, the P226 MK25 is still a relevant weapon in my opinion. It is a battle-proven design that I would have no qualms about taking into a dangerous situation. I would completely trust my life to this weapon as many around the world have for forty years.

If you are still not convinced of the MK25’s toughness and battlefield reputation, I suggest you read about Mike Day, a Navy SEAL who was shot 27 times in Iraq. Mike managed to kill the insurgents who shot him with his MK25 that had been hit by a bullet.

If you are uncomfortable with a striker-fired weapon or prefer DA/SA designs, give the MK25 a look, you won’t be disappointed.