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P229 SigArms .40S&W

1856 Views 37 Replies 17 Participants Last post by  saolegion, 
saolegion
Finally got it home. Frame made in Germany, slide in Exeter. Factory box doesn't have a label and Sig can't tell me when it was made but based on the SN (AG 13 xxx) they estimated between '96 and '98. One factory grip has '95 and the other '96. Sights are dead so that's probably right around the born on date. Funny thing about this gun is that the barrel shows a light to moderate amount of wear but the frame looks unused, from the rails and the blocking insert, to the face of the trigger. And the slide looks pristine as well, including the breech face. Buying used guns can be a crapshoot but I think I got an excellent classic in this deal.

Question: Can I install a US made SRT trigger kit in this frame?

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Willard
Yes, the Short Reset Trigger will fit... is the Slide itself Nickel plated, as the last photo, the sheen matches the nickeled parts. Definitely a keeper!
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TXGRunner
saolegion said:
Finally got it home. Frame mage in Germany, slide in Exeter.
--snip--
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Where did you find it?

I am a sucker for two-tone pistols with rosewood grips.
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ni hao
I am the same as TXGRunner love the two-tone pistols or all stainless with rosewood grips.
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saolegion
Yeah I do believe the slide is nickel coated. Seems to look exactly like the Beretta 84 I had in nickel. A bit shinier all over than my P938 SAS with the "same" color scheme before I polished up its side's flats. And does seem to match the controls. I won't be doing anything to this one in terms of polising it. And that's probably for the best if it's a nickel coating, wouldn't you think?

I picked it up from my LGS, and it was the only one there :) Not real surprising given that it's more than 25 years old.

It makes the idea of using my P938 as a BUG instead of carrying an extra mag for the 229 an appealing option.

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A
Nice. Is it 100% factory/original?
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SMISSCCJ
Nice!
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saolegion
Near as I can tell yes. It's just curious though how the barrel shows some wear and the frame/slide do not. I called Sig hoping they could shed some light, at least on its origins but they couldn't. But while I can't tell for sure much about its past I can see that what I have is in great shape and should last me for a long, long time.

edit: oh, the grips are not original. I do have what appear to be the original plastic ones too though.
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saolegion said:
Near as I can tell yes. It's just curious though how the barrel shows some wear and the frame/slide do not. I called Sig hoping they could shed some light, at least on its origins but they couldn't. But while I can't tell for sure much about its past I can see that what I have is in great shape and should last me for a long, long time.

edit: oh, the grips are not original. I do have what appear to be the original plastic ones too though.
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Have a photo of the barrel wear?
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saolegion
Here's the barrel.
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Couldn't resist and took just enough Mother's to it to remove the tarnish on the flats.
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A
saolegion said:
Here's the barrel.
View attachment 459441
View attachment 459442

Couldn't resist and took just enough Mother's to it to remove the tarnish on the flats. View attachment 459443
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I’ve seen this type of barrel wear on unfired Sigs. Kind of weird but something I’ve seen before. Some think it’s from the pistol being repeatedly manipulated such as repeated slide racking etc. Maybe while being on the show room floor at some LGS or possibly a show gun.
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bblr
SRT is the best.
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saolegion
That would seem to make sense Maz given that the rest of the gun looks so fresh. The only other scenario that would seem to make sense would be that the barrel was not original to the frame. Though it has no wear on the barrel hood or the feed ramp. Even the mags show no wear. And only one of them showed the slightest marks of being in and out of the gun.
You many be on to something. I'd not have guessed that a barrel could show some wear from being cycled by hand but I guess it makes sense, especially if it wasn't lubed adequately. And over 25 years, if it was going to happen that would be long enough.
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B
Beautiful love that two tone
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jthrelf
Very nice
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S
I bought a practically unfired W German P226 at least five years ago for $550. It had no finish wear on the barrel, too bad the box and target wasn’t included. I’ve been shooting it occasionally, so it is showing the smileys on the barrel. It is one my favorite guns.
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saolegion said:
That would seem to make sense Maz given that the rest of the gun looks so fresh. The only other scenario that would seem to make sense would be that the barrel was not original to the frame. Though it has no wear on the barrel hood or the feed ramp. Even the mags show no wear. And only one of them showed the slightest marks of being in and out of the gun.
You many be on to something. I'd not have guessed that a barrel could show some wear from being cycled by hand but I guess it makes sense, especially if it wasn't lubed adequately. And over 25 years, if it was going to happen that would be long enough.
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I have a P229 40 I bought unfired with box and all the fixings and it had the same barrel situation. Perfect frame and slide and mags still new and in packaging. It is an older AC197XX so from approximately 1993/1994 ish. I feel like these older barrels were inherently more susceptible to barrel wear regardless of fired or not. I have newer Sigs that I’ve fired extensively and they still show zero barrel wear. Not sure if the barrels are different these days or if I just grease mine better. Anyone else out there observed any differences in the way old barrels wear versus modern day ones?
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bearone2
congratulations!
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T
AzMaz said:
I have a P229 40 I bought unfired with box and all the fixings and it had the same barrel situation. Perfect frame and slide and mags still new and in packaging. It is an older AC197XX so from approximately 1993/1994 ish. I feel like these older barrels were inherently more susceptible to barrel wear regardless of fired or not. I have newer Sigs that I’ve fired extensively. Not sure if the barrels are different these days or if I just grease mine better. Anyone else out there observed any differences in the way old barrels wear versus modern day ones?
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New barrels have some kind of DLC coating. It might even be the same Nitron finish as the slides. The older barrels were just blued, which wears off much faster.
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saolegion
Sounding more and more like I happened upon an unfired but frequently handled piece. I ain't complaining.
I have noticed that it being a .40 with wood grips leaves it with a much fatter grip than my 229 9mm with G10 grips. Feels just about the same in hand as my 227.

Thanks for the info Maz!
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