I'm pretty new to owning a handgun. Only one I've ever owned is a Beretta Bobcat. Looking for something to start taking some concealed classes and take some formal training. Until yesterday, I was set on a Sig P229. I like the idea of a SA/DA but am concerned about the size/weight plus I hear a lot about acquiring the target going from DA to SA? Still it looks like an awesome firearm. Now, I've started hearing a lot about the P320. Never really been a fan of Glocks because to be honest I'm a bit uneasy with striker-fires. But even Glock owners seem to really like the P320. So now I'm looking at the P320 RXP Compact. Any thoughts on the P229 vs the P320? I could really use the advice?

Take time to rent and shoot each at a local range. Best if you can do so while someone who knows both, is there.

Some prefer the "tick crunch" of a double action/single action. My opinion has always been that it was a fix to a problem that didn't exist, but it's also like anything; it can be learned, and you can shoot it as well as any other system. Some consider it "safer," especially coupled with manual safeties.

The P320 does offer a number of advantages, not the least of which is cost, ease of maintenance and simplicity to learn, and "modularity." it comes apart without tools and can be quickly altered with a variety of grips that practically make it feel like a few pistol. It comes in various sizes and shapes. It's reliable, light (can be made heavy if one prefers), and is available to attach lights, little electronic sights, etc.

The P229 is by any standard an excellent pistol with a long history of acceptance and use in private hands, military, and law enforcement. It can absolutely be learned and shot well. I have several in different calibers and and varieties and trigger systems. I quite like them. I do maintain, however, that the double-action/single-action system is as a gun rag writer once opined; "a solution in search of a problem."

I can't say for certain, but I think that the P226 (slightly larger version of the P229...or the P229 is a slightly smaller version of the P226) is more accurate than the P320. I think the P320 has it's practical limits for accuracy, and will likely never be quite the tack driver that the traditional P series might be. Whether that matters much, I can't say, but the P320 has also found widespread acceptance in law enforcement, private carry, and presently, the US military.

I have quite a few P320's presently, and am spending more time with that than my other firearms. There are a lot of good, modern designs to choose from; Glocks make excellent choices, as does the M&P line. Beretta's aren't in fashion as much today, but are still an outstanding, extremely reliable choice for a sidearm. A number of revolvers are also outstanding carry handguns.

I frequently carry a P365, which carries and shoots the same as the P320; it handles the same, just smaller. There is that plus for the P320, if you end up getting a P365.

You'll get widely differing opinions on the subject.

Good advice from sns3guppy.
P229 and P320 are two great choices. Shoot both and then decide. If the double/single is not to your liking, the 229 is also available with a DAK trigger which is double action all the time.

I have both a P229 DA/SA and P320C in .357 Sig/.40 S&W. Love both.

My dept carried the 229 .40 for 10+ years and its durability, accuracy and size made it an excellent all around gun for LE. A CPO 229 is a screaming deal!
The 320s striker fired modular system and good ergos is a great gun too.
You just have determine which gun best fits your overall needs.
Someone here will chime in and advise you to buy both.
Welcome aboard. One caution: Sig Forum can entice you to spend $$$. A lot. Be prepared!

In your quest, be sure to try the P320 variant called X-Compact.
After reading the tea leaves and looking into my crystal ball, I'm betting you'll end up with that one.

ETA
P320 is the New Sheriff in town.
It's an absolute great design .

I carried a 229 as a duty weapon for 12 years, both in .40 and 9mm. Made the switch to the 320 platform last year and absolutely love it. Full size with Romeo site for uniform, X-compact for plainclothes and subcompact frame with compact slide for off duty. I had to get used to the optics, and intalled the Sig flat triggers in the fire control units. Pretty sure the 320 will see me through retirement. Ditto to DirectDrive's post. The X-compact is the ticket.

Once you decide to go DA/SA or striker I would expand my search. I own a bunch of Sig P series but I think there are better DA/SA choices. Beretta 92, PX4, the CZ75 family. I like and shoot them better than the 226/229/228 stuff. I also prefer the control placement. As for the 320, now it’s just about perfect as is. X grip frames are a nice upgrade. Nothing bad to say about them. Except. I would try a Glock 19 and the better Glock 19, the CZ P10C which I prefer of the three.

Tons of great choices out there and if you stay with 229 or 320 you can’t go wrong either. Good luck.

And don't forget to check out the SIG SP2022.

My EDC for forever was my P229. It’s what I learned to shoot with. A couple years ago, I switched to the P320, after trying the SP2022, VP9, and PPQ. I switched primarily for capacity, but also for a slight weight reduction and I am faster to the first shot with the P320.

That said, I am so glad I learned on a DA/SA. I’m no top notch shooter, but I’m decent and I credit the DA/SA.

Can’t go wrong either way.

First a P229 then you'll get the itch for a 228, beware.

As a new pistol owner, I suggest the P320. There is no downside.

Is the P229 in any way deficient? No! I would just go with the current striker fired platform. One trigger pull. Myriad of options. Excellent accuracy.

Carry on a tradition - get a "classic" P Series pistol!

If size and weight are an issue go with a P6, a 239 or a 228. I like the 'legacy slide' 229s the best.

I purchased an all German 9mm P229 from a forum member a couple of years ago (Thanks again Tom). It's got the cleanest breaking trigger of the five 229s I own - and it's the last pistol someone will pry from my cold dead hand.

I own a P320 with Romeo1 optics and a flat trigger. It's nice, not my fav. Maybe I just haven't shot it enough...

I carried a 1911 Colt Officer's model for a decade before my first SIG. I was immediately impressed with the SIG DA/SA manual of arms. Making the transition - shooting DA to SA has never been a problem for me.

And I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure DA/SA pistols (and revolvers) are statistically safer (for the user of course).

The classic P series SIGs are called "classic" for two reasons. They are and they will be.

First, I want to thank everyone for your advice!! I listened to every comment carefully and thoughtfully. Thought I'd share my choice... I'm going with a P229 Elite. Being new to handguns, I just feel more comfortable with the long first pull of a DA/SA. Hope I never find myself in a situation of regretting that decision, but being inexperienced, it just felt safer to me. That said I LOVED the P320 RXP XCompact with the Romeo optics!!! It just seemed too easy to accidently pull the trigger! But the ergonomics, feel, and weight were outstanding!! Anyway, found a P229 Elite with less than 100 rounds fired for $875. One note, it has interesting grips ... top part of the grip is wood, the bottom half looks like the G10.

Great choice. Im a Sig P220 fan, love the way they fit in my hand - and they are excellent shooters. Finally made to move into striker fired models and picked up a 9mm P320X-Carry. Great gun, fun to shoot, accurate, and eats any ammo I use. Unfortunately I was at the LGS recently whom had just gotten in a ANIB P229 Classic Carry ($499). Bought it and it is now the preferred carry gun. As you stated, it just feels and fits my hand better. DA/SA versus striker makes no difference to me, practice makes perfect. The P320 now has a Romeo1 and is the HD/bedside firearm (capacity).

The P229 is safer to carry, the P320 is better to shoot.

I still carry a 357 SIG P229 for the safety reason, but I have to force myself to take a Classic line SIG to the range these days rather than a P320. Under stress or when distracted by other things the P229 is more forgiving of handling mistakes than a gun with a lighter trigger pull and no hammer to keep track of. On the other hand, the P320’s trigger is easier to operate than the DA trigger of a Classic pistol, and even, IMO, better for controlled fire than the single action trigger pull.

All my Classic line SIGs that I actually shoot have DAK triggers, but mastering the traditional DA/SA trigger mechanism of most in the series is simply a matter of the practice we should be getting with any gun. Fire lots of drills that transition from the first DA shot to subsequent SA shot(s), and it will become automatic—as will decocking. I trained many shooters with DA/SA guns and although that’s not my favorite system, there’s nothing about it that’s insurmountable.

You'll not find a bigger advocate of the P226/P229 on this board than me. You'll not find a member of this board that will tout the advantages of the DA/SA pistol any louder than me.

The DA/SA pistol is not "safer" than a striker fired pistol. To say that it is, is like debating a choice on which home defense round you should choose because it is better to "miss" with. Or choosing a concealed pistol based upon which one you'd rather see in a police evidence locker.

The DA/SA pistol is no safer. Does it have a moderate advantage in one area? Yes. Will the untrained face the same perils as carrying a striker fired pistol? Yes. If we go back into time, we all heard this story that everyone "knew a guy" who was a 26 year police veteran who carried a P226 all of his career who was holstering his P226 and it just magically went off. Well, Mr. Ghettogunfighter failed to decock the pistol before he attempted to holster it, and then did something wrong on the way in and the gun discharged. Truth being, if Mr. Oldschool had a striker fired pistol, he'd probably done the same thing.

These unsafe gun handling procedures exist everywhere. Buying a DA/SA pistol does not make one immune from it. And from teaching a bunch of DA/SA shooters each year, the most common mistake isn't not being able to shoot that first shot well (that's actually pretty easy), it is instilling the 100 percent decocking of the pistol. The only advantage isn't the DA first shot in holstering, it is being able to trap the hammer when you holster 100 percent of the time.

Now, made up safety advantages aside, the OP made the smart move choosing the P229. The DA shot is such an advantage once you learn it to the amount of control that you can put into that first shot.

Really there's no wrong choice in this two horse contest. I'm normally a striker guy, but here I actually prefer the P229 over the P320. This 'compact' classic P-SIG just feels right in the hand for me, and is one soft shooter regardless of the caliber it's chambered in. Congrats on your decision.

There is nothing to choose between. Get both...

It doesn't matter, as long as you train with the one you choose.