Here is my personal 'spin' on the whole Sig German made vs US made.
It is well known that Sig earned it's reputation of producing high quality, durable, well designed pistols years ago. When they were all German made, proofed and assembled with typical German percision.
It is also well known that lately (since a "bean counter" took over Sig US operations!) that Sig US has had a number of quality issues.
Not to say they don't assemble decent pistols, but they have had issues. To the best of my knowledge German made Sigs have not had these types of issues.
The only Sigs I have owned/own have been complete German made/assembled pistols.
For many years Sig produced their slides out of quality alloy carbon steel, using a forming, welding, heat treating process. This is a costly operation that takes skill and craftman ship.
When Sig US began to produce guns their quality was good, as Sig Germany sent a number of their people to the plant for start up.
The frames were still being made in German, and still are.
At some point, the US plant changed the core design of the slide, they dropped the long proven German method and began to load s.s. bar stock into a CNC machine and pick up bins of slides from the other end. From what I understand this was done as the US plant felt that the larger caliber rounds required a stronger slide!!!!
They also changed the proven internal extractor to an external one! I'll bet because it was easier to produce!
My German made Sig P220 .45 had a formed slide and an internal extractor and it seemed to survive well!
Apart from the German made frame, Sig US supplies all of the other parts for the guns. Some small part production is farmed out......................off shore!
German gun and small parts are all made in house.
I have owned two West German made pistols, they were all very well made and have functioned for many years. Sig P226 = 28 yrs, Sig P220 = 18 years.
However, and here is my main point here.
I recently I picked up a fully German made/assembled, brand new in the box, unissued, test fired only, full warranty, P226 from Calgary Shooting Center.
The gun sold for $830.00 plus shipping and tax!
This gun was produced in 2009, it still has the formed slide and internal extractor.
There is no Exeter stamp on this gun!
I just put my name down for one of the fully German made/assembled Sig P220 that Murdoc has listed for sale. These guns are also fully German made and assembled. Murdoc has them listed for $830.00 plus tax and shipping!!
On German made guns, the frame, slide and barrel each have the serial number on them, plus proof marks.
At the start of production, German made guns are hand matched, one of the reasons they all have the serial number on them.
The parts stay together during production, as they are all hand fitted by skilled tradesmen through the assemlby process.
If US guns use German made frames, how do they match parts?
If the frame only has the serial number on it, how does Sig US match/fit main parts?
As you can see above, I was lucky enough to purchase fully German made guns for the same, or perhaps less than a US made gun!
In the case of what Sig should I buy.
This was a "no brainer"!
All CGN'ers had the same opportunity and for that matter still do if they are looking for a GREAT fully German made Sig P220 .45 for the same price, or less than a US made gun.
Again, a "no brainer".
Would I pay the current cost to buy and import the above guns, approx. $1600.00 +?
If I had some spare dollars kicking around, perhaps! But I doubt it.
I suspect I would probably look for and buy a new (like I did) German made Sig, or lightly used one. As the prices are generally the same or a slight premium for a German vs US.
I would buy a privately owned West German or German gun.
Not a CPO refurbished gun, as although some of the original main parts, may, or may not be retained. A number of parts are original parts replaced with questionable parts, the gun may have had thousands of practice rounds fired out of it, it no longer has an original finish and any deep marks in the metal are just reblued/refinished over.
That all said. Last year a fellow at my range let me shoot his Sig X-Five in 9mm. I picked this gun up and ran two mags through it. Keep in mind I had just put down my P226. At the same distance, using the same ammo, my groupings reduced dramtically! That gun was one of the smoothest shooting, accurate guns I have ever shot!!!!
I'm sure many Sig owners have heard this about the X-Fives and X-Sixes, or experienced this as well.
My next Sig is going to be a Sig X-Five.
Now here's another point I really want to make.
X-Fives, and X-Sixes run $2000.00 - $3600.00.
All of the X-Fives and X-Sixes are made and assembled in Germany!
I'm done.
