I have a P229ST (40 cal), and I would like to have a 9mm upper assembly for it. In trying to find one, some vendors say that the X-change kits that are available will not fit on a German frame. I have never heard of this before. Are there now multiple P229 frames? Any knowledge is appreciated. Thanks.

TBK

Two different height locking inserts.

quote:

Originally posted by turtlebaykid:
I have a P229ST (40 cal), and I would like to have a 9mm upper assembly for it. In trying to find one, some vendors say that the X-change kits that are available will not fit on a German frame. I have never heard of this before. Are there now multiple P229 frames? Any knowledge is appreciated. Thanks.

TBK

There have always been at least two different P229 frames, the original 9mm frame, and the original .40 frame. Both of them were different sizes. The newer P229-1 frames are based upon the earlier .40.

I had an earlier p229 9mm w/German made frame (not the -1 frames). I bought a 9mm Romero X-change kit for it and it wouldn't fit on the 9mm frame. I did some research, and bought a new .40 locking block, replaced the original 9mm locking block with the .40 locking block, and the x-change kit slide fit fine after that. Only issue I had was the slide wouldn't always lock back on an empty mag.

Recently, I purchased a US made .40 frame and moved 9mm X-change kit to the .40 frame. The original 9mm slide wouldn't go back on the older german 9mm frame until I switched the locking block back.

BL: I think you will be fine as long as it is a .40 frame, it is the older 9mm frames that have issues with the x-change kits.

Don't know the possibility of any long term issues or damage doing that though.

Why not just get a Barsto 9mm barrel and use the original slide? Hell, even the 40/357 mags for mine have been 100% reliable shooting 9mm.