By: Ernie H, a Carryconcealed.net Contributor
What
do you get a man that has everything? A Mercedes Benz! What do you get
the shooter who has everything? A Sig of course! Sig Sauer is the
aristocrat of the firearm community and is the leading manufacturer for
firearms for military, law enforcement and civilian use. Sig Sauer has
a pistol for everyone, no matter what your needs or wants are; whether
you need a .380 or a large .45, a pocket size compact to race guns or
even a 1911 frame. Sig has got your back! All this from a company that
is over 150 years old. They must be doing something right.
HISTORY
In 1853, a small Swiss company, named Schweizer Industrie
Gesellschaft, started manufacturing small arms for the Swiss Army. In
the late 1930s, Sig started to produce a 9mm, the model 210. The Sig
Model 210 was considered the Rolls-Royces of center fire autoloaders,
regarded as one of the most accurate and elegant of all 9mm service
pistols. Due to the cost of manufacturing the Model 210 was doomed to
crash and burn.
SIG realized that if the company was to stay afloat, it would have
to be able to export to the world. Due to the strict Swiss export laws,
SIG united with the German firm J.P. Sauer & Sohn in 1970, birthing
the name SIG-Sauer. With the new collaboration, the thought went to
marketing an effective and cost efficient pistol that could be marketed
worldwide
In 1974, Sig released the P-220, chambered in 9mm, .38 Super and
.45ACP. This pistol was quickly put into service by the Swiss Army in
1975, chambered in the 9mm and called the Model 75. Japan and Denmark
quickly followed in adapting the P-220 into their military ranks. In
1975, the German Police Trials fathered the development of the P-225,
which was a smaller, lighter 9mm version of the P-220. In 1977,
Browning imported the P-220 to the USA under the label, "The Browning
Double Action" and later simply as the P220.
With the successful sales of the browning double action, Sig looked
into marketing itself to the USA. In 1979, the creation of SIGARMS USA
was introduced.
PISTOLS:
220
The P220 is the oldest firearm on the Sig’s current line up,
boasting over 30 years of service. The P220 is known as the most
accurate out of the box .45 on the market and has held that title for
years. The 220 is primarily a full size, .45ACP, but has recently
released a compact carry version that is. The modern P220 has an alloy
frame, with an M1913 Picatinny rails for a variety of attachments that
one may need. The P220 comes in DA/SA, DAK, SAO models in a wide
variety of bodies. Sig markets the P220 in a standard frame, a carry
frame, a compact frame, and the match frame. Each has a wide range of
features that make this a very user friendly gun. The only draw back to
this pistol is the single stack magazines.
Like many who have used this gun, I find it to be an enjoyable day on the range when I have a 220 in my hands.
225
The European Law Enforcement community desired a compact
semi-automatic service weapon. To meet this demand Sig designed the
P225 as a compact 9mm version of the P220. Like the 220 the 225 was a
single stack magazine, which limited it’s capacity. The 225 was chosen
as the service weapon for the West German Police Department and
undercover operatives in the law enforcement and intelligence
communities.
226
The P226 has distinguished itself as one of the best service combat
pistols every made due the reliability and durability of this work
horse. The 226 is a full size pistol that is chambered in either a 9mm,
.40 S&W or .357 SIG. As a pistol designed to replace the M1911A1 in
1984, its only shortcoming was the overall pricing. Due to the price
the US Army chose the Berretta 92F. I would like to mention that the
226 did out perform the 92FS, but as I stated earlier, pricing made the
overall decision on the contract. Even though the US Army decided to
pass up this business only pistol, it still found its way into the
hands of servicemen all over the world; serving in every conflict of
the past two decades. The 226 found homes in countries all over the
world from the UK to Singapore. The 226 became the chosen sidearm for
US Special Forces operators, including Army Delta Forces and Navy
Seals.
Eventually US Law Enforcement was looking to replace their S&W
service revolver with a higher capacity semi auto pistol. Again the 226
was called upon to participate in a series of test to compete for
government contracts all over the country. The higher capacity, double
stacked magazines were an instant seller. The 226 proved its worth on
some of the toughest streets throughout the US and in the hands of
government officers and agents. The 226 has seen action with some of
the following departments: San Jose PD, Fremont PD, Alameda County SO,
San Joaquin County SO, Texas Rangers, Texas Highway Patrol, Dallas PD,
Federal Reserve PD, FBI, Michigan State Police, Ohio State Highway
Patrol, New York PD, Massachusetts State Police, Rhode Island State
Police, San Francisco PD, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, I think you get my
point, the list goes on and on.
The Modern 226 comes in a gambit of variants ranging from the
standard picatinny rail service model to the race ready X-five model.
DA/SA, DAK, SAO and SRT, whatever your flavor, the 226 has your answer.
The 226 was designed and built for action but "sex appeal," you better
believe it! This gun is one of the hottest things to look at,
Stainless, wood grips, nitron black, beavertails. This gun deserves to
look good considering the service it gas completed all over the world.
SIGARMS sure knows how to make this gun shine. If any of you out there
are like me, you love seeing guns in movies. The 226 has had many roles
on the silver screen and is one of the most filmed firearms in
Hollywood. Now why would they cast an ugly looking gun for a movie?
SIG market to versions of the 226 to raise money for the Special
Operation Warrior Foundation (SOWF), which provides free college
scholarship grants, along with financial aid and educational counseling
to the children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps Special
Operations personnel, who were killed in an operational mission or
training accident. The 226-9-NAVY has a NSW serialized numbers and the
sales of these guns have raised over 500,000. Showing that the company
was willing to give of itself to help impact the lives this nation’s
warriors.
Similarly, Sig also put out another 226 model, the C.O.P.S. which
helps support the ongoing efforts to help the families of fallen police
officers throughout the nation. The 226C.O.P.S. is a Two-Tone,
chambered in .40S&W featuring a DAK trigger, SIGLITE Night Sights
and custom wood grips. Each pistol is engraved on the top of the slide
with the year (2007), the C.O.P.S. logo, sequential numbers and the
words "Honoring the Fallen" on the right side of the slide.
SIGARMS also partnered with Blackwater Security in 2004 and produced
the 226 Blackwater. SIGARMS won the contract to outfit Blackwater
security personnel around the world with this built for business model.
When personal protection of world leaders in high-risk environments is
your job then you only want the best equipment. You want a SIG SAUER
pistol because it’s engineered to perform and built to protect. This
model comes only in a 9mm version with contrast SIGLITE night sights.
The slide is stamped with the Blackwater logo.
SIGARMS also partnered with Blackwater Security in 2004 and produced
the 226 Blackwater. SIGARMS won the contract to outfit Blackwater
security personnel around the world with this built for business model.
When personal protection of world leaders in high-risk environments is
your job then you only want the best equipment. You want a SIG SAUER
pistol because it’s engineered to perform and built to protect. This
model comes only in a 9mm version with contrast SIGLITE night sights.
The slide is stamped with the Blackwater logo.
SIGARMS also partnered with Blackwater Security in 2004 and produced
the 226 Blackwater. SIGARMS won the contract to outfit Blackwater
security personnel around the world with this built for business model.
When personal protection of world leaders in high-risk environments is
your job then you only want the best equipment. You want a SIG SAUER
pistol because it’s engineered to perform and built to protect. This
model comes only in a 9mm version with contrast SIGLITE night sights.
The slide is stamped with the Blackwater logo.
SIGARMS also partnered with Blackwater Security in 2004 and produced
the 226 Blackwater. SIGARMS won the contract to outfit Blackwater
security personnel around the world with this built for business model.
When personal protection of world leaders in high-risk environments is
your job then you only want the best equipment. You want a SIG SAUER
pistol because it’s engineered to perform and built to protect. This
model comes only in a 9mm version with contrast SIGLITE night sights.
The slide is stamped with the Blackwater logo.
I personally have two versions of this gun, a DA/SA service 9mm that
is my duty weapon, with SIGLITE night sights and Hogue grips. This
pistol has proven to be my best friend on the streets and reliable to
its core. I also own the Nitron DAK model chambered in .40 S&W,
with contrasting Tru-glo night sights. This gun has proven to be a
great carry weapon and the DAK makes a great addition to this pistol.
The new DAK trigger system delivers a safe, reliable and consistent 6.5
pound double-action only trigger pull. The DAK also features
double-strike capability making it fun to throw some rounds down range,
but I won’t lie, it has gotten me in trouble at some ranges.
228
The success of the 226 was more then SIG expected and demands came
pouring in for a compact model of the fabulous 226. Welcome the P228, a
compact version of the 226, which shared the same high capacity of the
226. Unlike the 226, the 228 was only made available in a 9mm. The P228
was welcomed with open arms, so much so that the U.S. military dubbed
it the M11 and was issued to Army CID, Naval Aviation and Air Force
OSI. The 228 also became the standard issue weapon for both German and
Swedish Police Forces.
Many agencies dropped the 225 and crossed over to using the high
capacity 228. Simple, because of the high capacity. He who has the most
ammo and can keep shooting can usually win a fight. Double stacks are
great. Reliability? Are you kidding? Out of the box, this gun is
supremely reliable. Accuracy is there, time and time again.
I also have a 228 and boy does this gun "kick tail". My 228 is
fitted with Hogue grips and MMC night sights. Which make for a great
feel and a hot looking sidearm. Sig no longer markets this gun, so
owning one turns heads alone. This is one clean looking compact gun.
Everything about it screams, built tough and with purpose.
229
Sig first put out the P229 as a .40 S&W version of the popular
P228 frame. Since many of departments and agencies wanted do upgrade to
a round with more stopping power then a 9mm, the 229 was a big hit. Not
only did you have the world class reliability, accuracy and ergonomic
design of the 228, but now you had more power in the punch using the
.40 S&W. This modern model also comes with picatinny rail and your
choice of .40 S&W, .375 SIG or 9mm since the 228 is no longer in
production. Like the other models in SIGARMS roster, the 229 comes in
DA/SA, DAK and a SRT (Short Response Trigger) which makes for a 60%
less trigger pull for faster trigger returns and surgical control
during high speed shooting. Like the 226 and the 228 before it, the 229
boast a heavy payload with its double stacked Mags.
I own a 229 SAS, chambered in .40 S&W with contrast crimson
trace grips. Now you want to talk about a sexy looking piece, this is
it. This 229 pistol from the SIG SAUER custom shop has gone through a
radical dehorning process resulting in an ultra smooth, snag free
profile that’s ideal for concealed carry. Each pistol utilizes the new
DAK trigger system and features a smooth, dehorned stainless steel
slide with front SIGLITE night sight and a contrast rear sight over a
light weight black hard-anodized alloy frame with rounded trigger guard
and dust cover. The P229 SAS come with wood grips, but I upgraded and
got the crimson trace grips, which I think gives a better feel to my
gun.
SP2022
SIGARMS realized that they were excluding a growing number of new
consumers from the Sig experience. Who are these people, those that
were looking for the ultimate polymer experience. Polymer firearms were
selling like hot cakes and Glock had pretty much cornered the market up
till the release of the SigPro 2340, Sigs first polymer handgun. The
2340 integrated the picatinny rail into a light weight, wear resistant
frame with standard SIGLITE night sights, made this gun the cats meow.
The 2340 was chambered in .40 S&W and with a switch of the barrel,
you could convert the gun into a .357 Sig. Two gun platforms on one
frame. SIGARMS also put out the SP2009, which was a 9mm version of the
2340. The 2340 could simply be transformed between the two calibers but
the 2009 was stuck in a rut and could only be a 9mm. Both guns had
interchangeable grips to fit almost any shooter. By pressing a release
inside the magazine well the grip would slide down off the gun and you
could slide up a different grip. Still both of these guns sold for
under $600 bucks.
SIG decided to stream line the whole polymer line and introduced the
SP2022, which could be chambered in either the 9mm, .40 S&W or the
.357 Sig. By simply changing the barrel you could have all three
calibers, but when converting to a 9mm you had to switch to the 9mm
magazines. The 2022, like its predecessors had interchangeable grips
that could be used for different size hands.
I owned a 2340 back in the day and it was a great gun, I loved the
interchangeable grips and the tactical look of the gun. I bought my
2340 for $520 with standard SIGLITE night sights and three magazines.
The gun performed great out of the box and the light weight polymer
really made a difference in the way this Sig felt in comparison to my
226 duty weapon. You could really tell the difference in weight on the
range with the recoil. But it had a clean crisp trigger pull. Magazines
for this gun only cost me $10 bucks, I remember I was floored by the
price, so much so that I bought 4 additional magazines. Wish I would
have kept that one.
239
Performance engineering is the key word behind this mighty mouse.
This sub-compact gun can also be chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W or .357
SIG. The Sig P239 boasted one of the smallest barrels on the market for
a higher caliber pistol. The P239 was engineered out of the demand by
agencies and officers for a compact secondary weapon with the
capability to be used in off duty situations without sacrificing power.
This is the smallest large caliber pistol Sig offers.
232
Do you remember that movie Men in Black? Remember the gun "the noisy
cricket? That is how I felt when I shot this lil guy. The P239 is
chambered in .380ACP and is the smallest, lightest gun on SIGARMS
current lineup. What a perfect little punch to hide on your body. It is
so small it fit right into my sweatshirt pocket no problem. At the
range, I was 10X shooting all day. The 232 comes in a 23oz stainless
version and a 18oz blued version, now that is a light gun. From what I
hear it is a great back up weapon, but a little too small for my
standards. I guess something is better then nothing, but at least give
me a 9mm.
1911
Now I am a 1911 lover from way back. So when SIGARMS released its
1911 line up in 2004, I jumped for joy. With all the great features we
all love on our 1911’s and with the Sig twist. No plastic parts, no
injected metal parts. Only Premium internal components that include a
match grade barrel, hammer/sear set and trigger. These
guns have been machined and honed to make these guns some of the
hottest on the market. No nonsense and straight to putting boot to ass,
if you love 1911’s like I do, these variants will make you fall in love
all over again. From the full size model to the cut to carry concealed
model, Sig has reinvented the wheel. With over 17 variants on the 1911
in the line up there is a model for everyone’s taste.
250
Now SIGARMS has given us a glance at the future of Sig. Imagine
having one gun that can change size and caliber at will, in a matter of
seconds. The P250, a modular gun that was designed specifically to
address the future needs of the military, law enforcement, and civilian
shooters. The P250 will be available in the most popular calibers;(9mm,
.357SIG, .40S&W and .45ACP). The P250's innovative design enables
the shooter to quickly remove the functional mechanism and place it
into the polymer grip of his choice. This allows an immediate change in
caliber and size;(subcompact, compact and full). Its modularity not
only provides incredible ease of maintenance, but also provides a
solution for accommodating different hand sizes - there are 6 different
ergonomic combinations for each size, this is done by changing the grip
circumference and trigger style.
Not everyone who owns a Sig Sauer is going to have their life depend
on their gun, but it’s nice to know that all Sig Sauer guns are built
with that in mind. Every gun on the Current Sig Sauer lineup has the
basics, high quality, ultimate reliability and unmatched performance
which have always been the cornerstone of the SIG SAUER name. One in
three law enforcement professionals carry a SIG SAUER. "To Hell and
Back Reliability," that is the way SIGS are made and that is why, the
only gun you’ll ever find in my holsters are SIGS.