I don't know why, but I have an "itch" for a P239. Never owned one; only handled my late cousin's example, which was his regular carry gun.

I've seen it stated that conversion between 9mm/.40S&W/.357SIG is a matter of switching barrels... True? No problems with extractors when using such a method?

For those that have run a quantity of .40 or .357 through the platform: Have you run into any problems or concerns with durability?

Thanks!

My dad has a ~1996 P239 .40, bought new.
I've put quite a few rounds through it & used it for my LTC course.

Can't say that it's ever had a single issue.
He just got his LTC as well & am pretty sure it's his EDC.

I may be wrong, but I think it's only the .40/357 guns that can take a 9mm bbl, not the other way around?

Most P239s I have seen seem to exhibit what appears to be accelerated frame rail wear/gouging towards the front but it doesn’t ever seem to get worse or cause issues.

The .40 / .357 is a pussycat with those calibers and built specifically around them and scaled down to 9mm. I don’t think you will see any huge durability issues.

I cannot answer the 9mm drop in barrel but every says just drop in barrel and go. I think some folks even use the .40 mags with 9mm. Again I have no experience with this though.

Honestly my ONLY complaint with my .40 is that it is the only SIG I ride the slide stop more often then not causing a “failure” to lock back. Actually one could argue it is a success to not lock back since the button is working GREAT.

Buy & use the P239 with confidence. It has a proven track record for reliability in all calibers.

I don't understand making a gun shoot a caliber it's not designed to shoot...but that's me. P-239s are easy enough to come by in 9mm, and you get the benefit of a smaller/lighter gun, and if you're going to carry it, you don't want a 9mm "conversion" for a carry gun.
The .40s are even easier find, and often cheaper, and if you're getting a 357 SIG barrel, you're shooting a hot 9mm anyway (which is what you want for shooting people). Whatever you're going to spend on another barrel honestly you can probably pony up just a little more and have another gun (if you even need all the calibers).
Plus you get two guns. So, just get a 40/357, and a 9mm.

I have had great success going from 357 to 9 mm using a Bars to 9 mm barrel and factory 357 mags.

I only have 2 complaints about my P239: no slide lock back and slide rattle. Otherwise, flawless.

You can put a 9mm barrel in a 40/357 but not a 40/357 barrel in a 9mm.

I haven't done any conversions. But I have shot plenty of .40 rounds in 239's. More than 30K rounds in the one with the highest round count.
Yes it rattles, yes the rails don't look perfect, yes the barrel smiley is really smiling. But it has no reliability issues and its just as accurate as always.
There is no downside to a 239 other than parts now sig has killed it.

quote:

I only have 2 complaints about my P239: no slide lock back and slide rattle. Otherwise, flawless.

Mechanically not locking back or are you riding it like I do? The P239 is the only SIG I do this with and it’s not constantly but sometimes under recoil I will bump/ride the slide stop. Early on I thought I had a magazine issue and then I realized I had ME issue.

If you buy a 40 or 357 SIG P239 you can also use a 9mm factory barrel. I have done it, as have others here. You must start with a 40 or 357 for two reasons. The 9mm breech face is too narrow for the 40/357 case head and the 9mm frame will not accept 40/357 magazines.

The P239 is a great little pistol. Buy one and enjoy it.

I like them very much and I am also a big fan of the 357SIG cartridge. This is a GREAT platform for the 357SIG. The P239 handles it very well.









The only time I ever bother to remove the 357SIG barrels is if I was to use the suppressor. Then I put in a Factory Original 9MM threaded barrel. Works flawlessly. I have never tried to shoot 9MM from a 40S&W magazine, but the 9MMs work just fine in the 357SIG magazines



While the 357SIG P239s will work with a 40S&W barrel, I am just not a fan of the cartridge so I never bothered to buy one.

A 9MM P239 can not use barrels chambered for the larger cartridges, but a P239 chambered in either 357SIG or 40S&W can be made to work with all three.

I have been shooting the 357SIG cartridge for two decades or so now with no durability issues other than those also experienced by any other firearm over time.

Myself, my family, associates and students have put many 10s of thousands of 357SIG rounds down range over the years.

I first started working with the cartridge and firearm in the early 90s when I was working Dallas County. That second from the top P239 is my Texas DPS piece.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: colt_saa,

If you want a good deal on a new in the box p239 Tactical 9mm go on gun broker and look for Tanners Sports Center. Mine was $579 plus shipping and CRedit card 3%.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockyriver:
If you want a good deal on a new in the box p239 Tactical 9mm go on gun broker and look for Tanners Sports Center. Mine was $579 plus shipping and CRedit card 3%.

Did you use the wrong image? Or did you mean a P229 Tactical?

Either way you got a good deal

I bought my Sig P239 new back in 95 i think down here in Florida. It was a 40 s&w. I then picked up a .357 sig barrel from Top Gun Supply. Later on a 9mm barrel and spring for the gun $150 for the barrels back then. I also have three mags in each caliber. Also CT laser grips installed.

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:

quote:

I only have 2 complaints about my P239: no slide lock back and slide rattle. Otherwise, flawless.

Mechanically not locking back or are you riding it like I do? The P239 is the only SIG I do this with and it’s not constantly but sometimes under recoil I will bump/ride the slide stop. Early on I thought I had a magazine issue and then I realized I had ME issue.

It is me, but like you, my P239 is the only Sig I have this issue.

I buy and sell a lot of guns and it says a lot I think wen the P239 was discontinued instead of getting rid of it I doubled down and put G10 grips on it as well as installed the SRT. One of the best guns in the world in this size/calibers.

I've only read about this recently, well after I bought a Bar-Sto conversion barrel. Can someone post pictures of a 9mm barrel in a .40S&W slide (ejection port & muzzle)? I always thought a 9mm barrel has a smaller outside diameter and is narrower in the hood area.

quote:

Originally posted by jjoe:
I've only read about this recently, well after I bought a Bar-Sto conversion barrel. Can someone post pictures of a 9mm barrel in a .40S&W slide (ejection port & muzzle)? I always thought a 9mm barrel has a smaller outside diameter and is narrower in the hood area.

From my post on this subject here in 2011:

"This is not the FrankenSIG that you might imagine. First, both the 9mm and 40 S&W P239 frames use the same locking insert. Second, both the 9mm and 40 S&W barrels are nearly identical in all critical dimensions. Using a dial caliper, I measured both my 9mm and 40 S&W barrels and obtained these results:
Muzzle: Both barrels measure 0.532 inches at the muzzle.
Barrel Hood Length: 9mm: 1.193 in; 40 S&W: 1.192 in.
Barrel Hood Width: 9mm: 0.656 in; 40 S&W: 0.659 in.
Barrel Hood Extension Width: 9mm: 0.405; 40 S&W: 0.432 in. "

A P239 9mm was the first Sig I ever bought, 10 years ago. It was a great pistol, but it IS big and heavy for the number of rounds it holds compared to more recent offerings that are made.

Mine was DA/SA, but I don't like that setup and I had it converted to DAK by Sig, and I liked it a lot. I recall selling it to purchase a Glock 19.

Good stuff, guys. Thanks!