I need help from Sig experts!!!

[Biggums]

I am collecting some German Sigs. Mostly buying from GB and have been happy with most my buys.

My question is how does one know German Sigs Vs parts guns etc?

My first Sig was advertised as a German P229 Sig. It has a seriel numbered frame and a same numbered barrel. The frame has the Exeter stamp and reads made in Germany. The slide has no markings with the German make.

My other purchase is a P220 in 45 ACP. The slide says made in Germany but the frame has no inport markings or seriel numbers matching the slide. Thbis is an older P220 with the Exeter marking on the slide and seriel number on the frame.

Please educate me Sig experts !

 

[rellascout]

A P229 cannot be a German gun. The ones sold here have always been assembled here. Frame at one time were made in Germany but that is not longer the case.

You can tell an older true German Sig proof marks and date code. This was standard for Sigs until about 2006/2007 with the exception of the US made P229.



Newer all German guns will have triple serial numbers like this Sp2022. There is also one on the underside of the frame near the front of the trigger guard. I have a newer P245 which is a German gun without a date code or proof marks under the front but has triple serial numbers and a PW arms import mark. These came into the country via them not Sig in Exeter.

The Exeter stamp is not necessarily a stamp of origin. Exeter is the US Sig factory location but it has also served as the importation point for many years. Prior to that it was Herdon, VA and before that Tysons Corner, VA IIRC. The other factors which are dead give away for a US orgin gun is the milled stainless slide. The P226s, P228s, P220s etc... that were manufactured in Germany all came with stamped carbon steel slides. They also did not have light rails on the frame.

Personally these days I only buy Sigs with the German proof marks and date code.

 

[Biggums]

Thanks for the info! But I'm still confused! My P229 has a made in Germany frame and the barrel has the same seriel number as the frame.

My German bought P220 has a German made slide and I've been told by experts the frame matches the slide.

Can one find info on Sigs series and seriel numbers in one sourse that is dependable?

 

[rickd]

thank you for the exellent lesson...

 

[rellascout]

Thanks for the info! But I'm still confused! My P229 has a made in Germany frame and the barrel has the same seriel number as the frame.

My German bought P220 has a German made slide and I've been told by experts the frame matches the slide.

Can one find info on Sigs series and seriel numbers in one sourse that is dependable?

The P229 frames were originally made in German but the guns were assembled here. They milled the slides and made the barrels here. P229s are US origin guns. They were developed for the US market. Just because the frame was made in the Germany does not mean the gun was "made" in the Germany. The assembly point is the country or origin IMHO. It is where the fit and finish is applied to the gun.

The P220 it is impossible to say. If is is a carbon slide it should have the proof marks and date code under the hood unless it is a recent parts gun. Sig has sold a lot of those in the past few years and dealers took advantage of peoples desire to have "German" guns and sold them as such even though many were assembled here in Exeter. P220 frames until recently were all made in German. IIRC the introduction of the rail is a good demarcation point. P22o frames are now they are made in the US.

Post a pic of the run and I can tell you with about 90%+ certainty where it was made. There is not single authority and again IMHO Sig has muddied the waters a ton with left over parts guns which have been made in the last 3 years. P220s, P226s, P228s and P245s have all been put together from leftover parts.

 

[Biggums]

These are the so called German guns I bought on GB. The first one is a Sig 229 that is smooth as silk with a wonderful trigger.

The second one is a P220 with a German marked slide and a perfect reciever but other than the seriel number there are no markings on the reciever. I'm almost thinking someone is piecing these together as there is no seriel number on the slide to match the frame. The slide on the 220 has just a little wear but the frame is mint.

 

[thezoltar]

http://www.sigforum.com/

 

[rellascout]

P229 is US origin

P220 even though I do not see the proof marks or the date code is a German gun.

 

[Runningman]

The P229 frames were originally made in German but the guns were assembled here. They milled the slides and made the barrels here. P229s are US origin guns.

Humm....Bought my P229 S (Sport) 357 Sig new around 1998. Has German Proof marks on frame and slide (bird spreading it's wings with a N under it). And if I remember right there is also more marks that you can see on the barrel with it field striped.

 

[rellascout]

The sport is a totally different animal than most P229s it would be the exception to the rule.