How to tell if a Sig is German made or not?
- Thread starter Dumantepe
- Start date
Now here's a real twist!!!
This was a recent aquisition, it is a NOS 2009 Sig P226 that was completely made in German! Yes, they are still available to us. The X-Five and X-Six guns are completely made in German as well.
However, compare the price of a US made Sig to a German made Sig and you will notice a fair premium.
Notice there is a "U" prefix, also no external extractor and you will also see that the frame, slide and barrel all have the serial number on them. German Sigs are matched at the very beginning of production. The guns are hand fitted and QA controlled very closely. Something that the US can't claim!
You will also see that Exeter is not seen anywhere on the gun.
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Now I need a new Sig
, Is it from the last batch they got in the States, the "German P226"
There are 3 main SIGs you'll find:
Original W German made (80's+production); stamped steel slide, phosphate type coating, marked "made in W Germany"
US made, German Frame (modern production): Nitron Finish, 3 dot sights, machined steel slide, markings say "Frame made in Germany", "Exeter", etc..
German made (modern production): Ilaflon finish, test target (all German built SIGs come with test targets), dot the i sights, machined steel slide, typically add $1000 to price of US built SIG.
Original W German made (80's+production); stamped steel slide, phosphate type coating, marked "made in W Germany"
US made, German Frame (modern production): Nitron Finish, 3 dot sights, machined steel slide, markings say "Frame made in Germany", "Exeter", etc..
German made (modern production): Ilaflon finish, test target (all German built SIGs come with test targets), dot the i sights, machined steel slide, typically add $1000 to price of US built SIG.
I think it depends if it comes United States before it gets to Canada, or if it is directly imported from Germany.
AFAIK, the Sig Sauers sold in Europe (outside of the 1911 models) are all made in Germany, the most of the new ones in North America are made in Exeter.
I contacted the dealer, inquiring about how it is not German made, this issue was completely ignored. They did however apologize about it not being a R model, and said that the earlier batch they had were R models and they used the same advertisement on the website.
At least the gun itself is not bad the barrel fits very tightly at lockup, there is no play at all. Between the slide and frame their is some wiggle more so then my Ar-24, but I heard the Ar-24 is relatively tight compared to other production pistols. It does wiggle around more than my father's Beretta 92 but that has over 20, 000 rounds through it.
+1! It's nice that it's de-railified, but that 226 looks about as German as.... Ok, I can't think of an analogy right now, but not very German!
Out them! Burn the witch! Justice must be done!
PS, and this is important: What kind of mags did it come with?
Now here's a real twist!!!
This was a recent aquisition, it is a NOS 2009 Sig P226 that was completely made in German! Yes, they are still available to us. The X-Five and X-Six guns are completely made in German as well.
However, compare the price of a US made Sig to a German made Sig and you will notice a fair premium.
Notice there is a "U" prefix, also no external extractor and you will also see that the frame, slide and barrel all have the serial number on them. German Sigs are matched at the very beginning of production. The guns are hand fitted and QA controlled very closely. Something that the US can't claim!
You will also see that Exeter is not seen anywhere on the gun.
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this looks like the norinco np-22, guess thats the model they copied. of course fit would be no where close
All German Made Sigs, have the German Proof Stamp on them. Some may have it on the slide, some on the frame. If they don't have that, then you can almost bet they are U.S. made. all guns made in Germany must be proofed by a third party and must be marked as such with the stamp in order for them to legally be sold.
The OP's gun is not a German Gun, it was made in the USA. Many retailers claim they are made in Germany as the frame is marked made in Germany. Only the Frame is made in Germany the rest is U.S. made.
Blackacres gun has the German proofmarks on the frame, barrel and slide, some only have it on the slide, others on the barrel, others on the slide, as long as all the serial numbers match the other parts don't need to have the proof mark on them. As long as one part has it and the numbers match the gun is 100% German. This is the only real sure way to tell if it is a 100% made in Germany Gun. fwiw
The OP's gun is not a German Gun, it was made in the USA. Many retailers claim they are made in Germany as the frame is marked made in Germany. Only the Frame is made in Germany the rest is U.S. made.
Blackacres gun has the German proofmarks on the frame, barrel and slide, some only have it on the slide, others on the barrel, others on the slide, as long as all the serial numbers match the other parts don't need to have the proof mark on them. As long as one part has it and the numbers match the gun is 100% German. This is the only real sure way to tell if it is a 100% made in Germany Gun. fwiw
As someone who has owned and put a fair amount through a number of 226s, 229, 220s and an X-5, I think there is quite a bit of nonsensical nostalgia associated with the all-German built guns. Granted, I haven't used a recent US made Sig, nor have I had any major QC issues, but $1000 premium? Come on!?
I will not name the Dealers name until I contact them tomorrow about what my options are, if nothing is done I will talk with a moderator of this website before I call them out, as they are a supporting dealer. I paid about $909.45 with shipping and tax. I could have gotten a new P226 from Cabelas for about $20 more with GST. If it really was a German gun, it would have been a good deal otherwise not.
I do not know if they are Checkmate mags or not, they are made in the U.S and they are all metal, they are pinned at 10 rounds, rather then having the plastic bottom. I will post pictures of them tonight.
I actually do not like the fact that it does not have rails, like I said earlier the ad on the website said it was a P226R.
The mags are all metal, says made in US. Has Sig Sauer Exeter markings.
Yes
I am aware of this, I had called the store before I ordered it, and I had asked if the Guns said made in Germany on them. He said no, but he said that it had German proof marks. Mine does not have any German proof marks. Their is an "E" mark on the barrel, which I am assuming stands for Exeter.
Also the same dealer sells other P226's which they do not advertise as being made in Germany. If the other new sigs were advertised as being made in Germany I would have not bought it, knowing that they were not aware that most new SIGs are made in the U.S.
Could you return the pistol?
I you could I would, and then pony up the extra cash for a real German made SIG later. That is if it keeps you awake at night wishing you had a real Germanic piece of engineering in your sweaty palms. The Exeter ones arent all that bad, but the price you paid is a little high for a CPO.
I you could I would, and then pony up the extra cash for a real German made SIG later. That is if it keeps you awake at night wishing you had a real Germanic piece of engineering in your sweaty palms. The Exeter ones arent all that bad, but the price you paid is a little high for a CPO.
I sent a e-mail explaining the situation, in the E-mail I said:
1. It is not a P226R, like it was advertised on the website.
2. It is not made in Germany, like it is advertised in the Store's website and on a thread here, and it does not have German proof marks on it like the Salesmen said on the phone.
In the reply they apologized about problem number one and said they reused an ad for an older batch, and gave no response about issue number 2. They also gave no solution to this problem. That is what I am going inquire to them about tonight in an e-mail.
The reason why I wanted a German made Sig p226 is because they are made of higher quality, they have a strict third party QC (German law requires it), and it is at this stage where the firearm gets the proof marks. I heard from people, and I have read many threads about issues regarding American made SIG's and how they do not meet the quality of German made ones.
That is what I am going to ask tonight. Their website does not have any information regarding return policy. When I e-mailed to tell them that the firearm I received is clearly not the same one advertised on the website. The response said nothing regarding returns, so I am assuming that they are not accepting any.
You paid the going rate for a CPO 226 ($800+tax and ship= about what you paid). Cabelas did have new ones for $879 (lowest CDN price I've ever seen), but are out of stock now, of course. Whether they misrepresented it or not, will be the issue. I don't think you were taken, as this is a normal amount of money for a CPO. If you are unsatisfied with it, keep at them and see what happens.
I paid $925+tax=$1045 for my new P226...
Wolverine has CPO's for $850...
I paid $925+tax=$1045 for my new P226...
Wolverine has CPO's for $850...
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