OLDER SIG 226 9mm
- Thread starter cwlam3
- Start date
- Location
- Calgary, Alberta
How old? Guns prior to serial number U150000 or thereabouts don't last as long, after that they finally got the frame right.
The quality should actually be better on the older guns because they were made in Germany and subject to German proof tests (this is a matter of opinion, my opinion is that the German ones are better than the US ones). Also not top heavy like the current ones with the stainless steel slides.
However the grip size has never changed, so I'm not sure what you're on about there.
The quality should actually be better on the older guns because they were made in Germany and subject to German proof tests (this is a matter of opinion, my opinion is that the German ones are better than the US ones). Also not top heavy like the current ones with the stainless steel slides.
However the grip size has never changed, so I'm not sure what you're on about there.
cybershooters said:
Actually while the frame size hasn't changed, the older grips(checker plastic) are often noted as being slimmer feeling than the new grips. They are also not interchangeable as I'm sure you know(but that is more to do with the change of spring design).
If he's talking about a real difference in grip size, then it was probably a 9mm P220 instead of a P226
It is a Sig 226 for sure. The grips make the difference. I did not know they are not interchangable. It comes with black checker hard plastic grips. I am wonder whether the old model is better. The gun was made in W. Germany and was blued. It is a 85% gun and the dealer asks 700 for it. Is it a fair deal ? Thanks.
I understand that I can get a refurished Sig 226 for just a little bit more but I don't like the new grips. They are too thick for my little hand. I have some older models S&W revolvers and the quality are better than the new models Would that be the same with Sig ? Thanks.
- Location
- Calgary, Alberta
cwlam3 said:
The grips can be changed, but you have to change the spring too, and you can only find the new springs so that limits you to the current grips as well.
There are actually four main grip designs for the P226.
The first ones were checkered, and had an annoying swell under the decocker. The second ones were pretty much the same, sans swell and the best ones, IMO. They were discontinued in 1996.
Then they went with grips that looked similar to the ones on the P228, but they sucked because they were too slippery. And then after a few years they redesigned them to have deeper patterning, so they work better. These two types of grip require the coiled trigger bar spring which is the current design, although if you buy one ca. 1996 sometimes you will find it has the newer grips but the old spring, so you can swap the grips.
But bear in mind there is a reason they changed the spring - the old one had a habit of breaking.
Anyway, $700 for an 85% P226 isn't a good deal when Wolverine has 85% P226s for less than $600. And he's got them with the new and old grips, I think.
I have an older 226 and I changed the spring out and placed hogue grips on it. It needed a bit of fitting(cut a bit of rubber out around the slide stop but it functions flawlessly). If you do purchase this pistol I will give you the uncle mike's robber grips that the gun came with. I also have the armourer DVD to show you how to change the springs out yourself. I did a tune up/ extensive cleaning on mine and it did make a bit of difference. The only thing that the older models lack on is the nicer nitron finish.
I have a West German P226 (ser# in the U193 range)purchased in 1987 with over 100,000 rounds through it,no worries on the quality of them.Grip screws are however a pain in the ass to find as the use a small shank screw (metric) as opposed to the larger ones on the newer Sigs made in the US.
I have an older West German Sig that is in the 120 000 serial # range. I was happy with it until it broke the slide rails on the frame last weekend. You might want to get one of the newer ones at Wolverine if the serial number is below U150000 as mentioned earlier.
- Location
- Calgary, Alberta
capp325 said:
Mine is proofmarked 1984 and it is pre-U150000, but I got it for parts. The mags are all early to mid-90s and the picture on the website shows a P226 that is mid-90s too, so I assume they have plenty after U150000. They all have the sheet steel slide.
