hipowr: Since your folks want to go with a DA/SA semi anyway, the P229 would be an excellent choice.
I had heard that the NJSP had a problem with the S&W/Walther P99’s, but maybe it was the PA State Police instead. I’m convinced that if S&W took up making something as simple as a tent peg, they’d still find some way of screwing it up!!
As Colt-653 mentions, the P229 does have a high bore axis, which will give you a bit of muzzle flip. However, it shouldn’t be much different from the S&W’s you’re carrying now.
As Colt-653 also mentions, Sig has a “short” trigger that can be helpful for shooters with small hands. However, it’s not for everyone. Some shooters find that when pulling back on the short trigger, their trigger finger tends to hit the rear of the triggerguard before the trigger is far enough back to fire the weapon.
Also, the short trigger seems to slightly change the angle the trigger is being pulled, making the triggerpull feel a tad heavier (to me, at least). Fortunately, the short trigger is easy to drop in and remove from the pistol, so experimentation is no problem.
If you have not already done so, you might want to make sure the guns you order have the proper sights for the round you will be carrying. Sig has quite a few different heights available for both the front and rear sights (to include nitesights).
If you don’t specify, Sig will send you a standard sight setup. Granted, this is less of an issue with a .40 S&W than a 9MM, which has such a wide range of bullet weights available.
If you decide to get the Sig, be sure and get a Sig sightpusher or two. It makes adjusting and replacing sights a snap. They’re about $80 each.
Also immediately get yourself some replacements parts for the magazine release. When swapping the mag release for lefties, you’ll occasionally lose or damage some of those parts. Grip screws also have a habit of getting lost.
Try to get yourself into the Sig Armorer’s School. See: [url]www.sigarms.com/academy/index.asp[/url]