Good price for Sig P6?

[WoodchuckAssassin]

I'm looking for my first Sig, and I'd really rather not spend $1000. My shop has a old German police P6 with some honest holster wear, but in very good condition besides that. They want $530, and I can probably only dicker them down to $500 OTD.

I hear that people regularly come across them for $400 in the same condition...but I'm not so lucky. Would you pay the $500?

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Ive had my P6 for over a decade. It is my glove box gun, has been my nightstand gun, and occasional CCW and yard mowing gun.

It is accurate and soft shooting. It has never malfunctioned using any type of ammo. Not once.

If the P6/225 has any downside, it is magazine availability. I got lucky, mine came with 5 mags. The new-production P225 mags do not interchange. So grab a few extras when you can.


That said, would I pay $500 to buy it again today?

Hell yes. Do it!

 

[JR24]

Sad fact that only 10 or so years ago they could be had for $300.

But today, if its in good shape $500 is a good price IMO.

I might suggest looking at the Sig 2022 if you can. They can be had for cheaper (depending on area), are double stack, have more magazine support, and are really fantastic guns considering the price.

 

[PO2Hammer]

There's one down at my LGS that looks like heck and they want $450 for that. Very little blueing left.

 

[Paul7]

Recently found this pristine W. German P225 locally for under $500, probably not a typical deal. Buy the P6, they aren't making any more and I'm sure it will at least hold it's value.

 

[AK103K]

I had a couple of P6's when they first started dumping them on the market. One was an early date and well worn and apparently shot a good bit by the looks of the smiley on the barrel, the other, a later date, and near new, and looked to have been shot very little.

Both needed the mainspring replaced with a 225 mainspring, to bring the trigger more into line with the commercial SIG's I had. The trigger as they come is fairly heavy.

There is an approximate cutoff date for a barrel change that helps with feeding HP's. Dont remember when that was, but Im sure a search will show it. There were some pics floating around showing the differences in the ramps too. Both of mine fed anything I put in them. One had the early version, the other, the later.

I had a bunch of mags and I made out when I got rid of my guns. I sold the mags separately on EBay, and made a good buck doing so too. By then, they had pretty much dried up, and prices were at or above what a commercial P225 mag was going for.

Both of my guns were accurate and reliable, like all my other P series SIG's.

If you like it and have the change, go for it, I doubt youll be disappointed. They are an "old school" SIG, and great guns.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I had a couple of P6's when they first started dumping them on the market. One was an early date and well worn and apparently shot a good bit by the looks of the smiley on the barrel, the other, a later date, and near new, and looked to have been shot very little.

Both needed the mainspring replaced with a 225 mainspring, to bring the trigger more into line with the commercial SIG's I had. The trigger as they come is fairly heavy.

There is an approximate cutoff date for a barrel change that helps with feeding HP's. Dont remember when that was, but Im sure a search will show it. There were some pics floating around showing the differences in the ramps too. Both of mine fed anything I put in them. One had the early version, the other, the later.

I had a bunch of mags and I made out when I got rid of my guns. I sold the mags separately on EBay, and made a good buck doing so too. By then, they had pretty much dried up, and prices were at or above what a commercial P225 mag was going for.

Both of my guns were accurate and reliable, like all my other P series SIG's.

If you like it and have the change, go for it, I doubt youll be disappointed. They are an "old school" SIG, and great guns.

Mine was produced in 4/81 and has never had any problem feeding hollow points.

 

[AK103K]

Mine were in the late 70's and early 90's. Neither had trouble with HP's, but I remember hearing a lot of complaints back when I had them.

This is a pic of the difference in the barrels. The one on the right is the early, "ball" barrel. You can see the difference at the bottom of the ramps.



These are the two I had. The earlier gun is on the bottom.




This is the wear on the barrel of the early gun. The newer gun barely had any finish wear or hint of the smiley. You could actually "feel" the wear when you ran your finger across it. The closest thing I have that looks like that now, is my one Glock 17, that has just over 135,000 rounds through it, and it doesnt look near as bad as that. .....

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

I felt good about paying the 5 clams, but I'm very...very new to the sig market. Thank you for the great pictures and advise! There's so many little things about this gun that I love. I was told that the reason for the hammer cutout was so they could tell if the gun had been dropped (I assume a disfigure/bent hammer would show this), and that the gun would need servicing - and for some reason I find this very cool. I also like the long/heavy trigger in place of a safety. Not to mention the single action is as crisp as a snapping carrot...better than any other Sig in the store, even more so than most of the Sigs that are WAY out of my price range.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I felt good about paying the 5 clams, but I'm very...very new to the sig market. Thank you for the great pictures and advise! There's so many little things about this gun that I love. I was told that the reason for the hammer cutout was so they could tell if the gun had been dropped (I assume a disfigure/bent hammer would show this), and that the gun would need servicing - and for some reason I find this very cool. I also like the long/heavy trigger in place of a safety. Not to mention the single action is as crisp as a snapping carrot...better than any other Sig in the store, even more so than most of the Sigs that are WAY out of my price range.

Correct, the hammer cutout is a drop indicator.

Congratulations! A warning though, classic SIGs tend to multiply:

 

[AK103K]

There were a couple of theory's on the hammer, the one you mentioned being one. Another, and one I believe to be more credible, was that it was for a "seal" of sorts that showed if the gun had been loaded. Appearently, they were carried on an empty chamber.

There was a pic of the plastic seals that they supposedly used floating around, but I haven't seen that, or it discussed in quite awhile. If I can find it again, I'll post it up.

That made more sense to me than the "drop indicator" thing.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

There were a couple of theory's on the hammer, the one you mentioned being one. Another, and one I believe to be more credible, was that it was for a "seal" of sorts that showed if the gun had been loaded. Appearently, they were carried on an empty chamber.

There was a pic of the plastic seals that they supposedly used floating around, but I haven't seen that, or it discussed in quite awhile. If I can find it again, I'll post it up.

That made more sense to me than the "drop indicator" thing.

There are several pages and diagrams in the owners manual devoted just to the hammer and sear- I need to find someone who reads German to see if they specifically talk about the cutout.

 

[AK103K]

Yea, there's been a lot of discussion about the hammer thing, and you'd think by now, someone would have a definitive answer.

The drop indicator thing never made much sense to me, but, who knows. I just don't see every P6 that was dropped, falling on the hammer. Seems kind of improbable.

I do remember seeing the pic of the seal thing, and sort of remember someone posting they actually saw it in use, but it's been awhile.

 

[1KPerDay]

The drop indicator thing never made much sense to me, but, who knows. I just don't see every P6 that was dropped, falling on the hammer. Seems kind of improbable.
.

IF the drop indicator is what is is claimed to be, it obviously wouldn't indicate whether the pistol had been dropped. It would indicate if it had been dropped ON THE HAMMER, which would ostensibly cause damage to the sear or hammer surfaces.

 

[Paul7]

I felt good about paying the 5 clams, but I'm very...very new to the sig market. Thank you for the great pictures and advise! There's so many little things about this gun that I love. I was told that the reason for the hammer cutout was so they could tell if the gun had been dropped (I assume a disfigure/bent hammer would show this), and that the gun would need servicing - and for some reason I find this very cool. I also like the long/heavy trigger in place of a safety. Not to mention the single action is as crisp as a snapping carrot...better than any other Sig in the store, even more so than most of the Sigs that are WAY out of my price range.

IMHO it's a better gun than the new P225s which are also way more expensive.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

IF the drop indicator is what is is claimed to be, it obviously wouldn't indicate whether the pistol had been dropped. It would indicate if it had been dropped ON THE HAMMER, which would ostensibly cause damage to the sear or hammer surfaces.

This was my understanding as well.

 

[JR24]

IMHO it's a better gun than the new P225s which are also way more expensive.

I agree completely. I dont know why they designed the new 225 the way they did instead of simply reproducing the excellent p6

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

I agree completely. I dont know why they designed the new 225 the way they did instead of simply reproducing the excellent p6

The vintage P6/225 used the old stamped and welded sheetmetal slide production method. Those were only made that way at the now-shuttered German plant. Also there have been internal changes over the years, mainly to the mainspring strut and mount which are not compatible with the classic grip pattern.
In short they would need all new tooling to produce new "old" SIGs. Lol.

 

[JR24]

The vintage P6/225 used the old stamped and welded sheetmetal slide production method. Those were only made that way at the now-shuttered German plant. Also there have been internal changes over the years, mainly to the mainspring strut and mount which are not compatible with the classic grip pattern.
In short they would need all new tooling to produce new "old" SIGs. Lol.

Ah, thanks!

 

[mgmorden]

I got mine when they were available as surplus guns for $275. Not my favorite shooter due to the heavy DA trigger but its has certainly always been a good reliable gun.

Word to the wise: any time any batch of surplus or closeout guns comes in at a decent price (which for a 9mm service pistol right now I'd consider sub-$350), grab it while they're available. Once they dry up you inevitably end up regretting not getting one while they were cheap.

 

[JR24]

Amusingly enough I was digging through an old box and found a p6 mag in it. I sold my p6 six years ago at least.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Amusingly enough I was digging through an old box and found a p6 mag in it. I sold my p6 six years ago at least.

Well....looks like Woodchuck Assassin might just need a spare.....

 

[Rubber_Duck]

I wouldn't want to pay $500 for a P6 but compared to modern polymer pistols selling for the same price or higher the SIG is still a quality purchase. The main concern is how much anodizing is left on the frame rails, before buying any alloy frame SIG always field strip it and check out the slide rails for wear. Prices will only go up so $500 may not be so bad when you look back on it in 5 years.

 

[WoodchuckAssassin]

Amusingly enough I was digging through an old box and found a p6 mag in it. I sold my p6 six years ago at least.

Soooooo hypothetically, I know someone who may be going to the gun store tonight to by a P6...would you consider selling your mag? Haha! I don't remember how many mags come with it, but if it's just the one, I'd be very interested in your mag.

 

[JR24]

Soooooo hypothetically, I know someone who may be going to the gun store tonight to by a P6...would you consider selling your mag? Haha! I don't remember how many mags come with it, but if it's just the one, I'd be very interested in your mag.

PM me if you do and we can work something out