Hi all,

Several years ago I purchased a used Sig P239. It has an odd stamp right after the serial number, which I think (I'm not 100% percent sure) is a "g". I've included a picture. Does anyone here know what that means?

Thanks!

SFB

Looks like it was marked aftermarket and has nothing to do with something from SIG factory originally. The marking reminds me of the sloppy engraving of PW ARMS or CAI.

When I was stationed in Germany '97-'01 I sent the P229/.40 I purchased there in the Rod & Gun Club to Eckernforde to have a .357 Sig barrel fitted. When it came back there was an "A" suffix added to the three serial numbers on the gun, and the new barrel had the gun's SN with an "L" suffix. It came back with its own test target as well.

Here are some pix: (cell phone; sorry!)

^^^ SigFan, did they give you an explanation of what the letters meant?

12131, It was a long time ago now, but if I recall it had something to do with the required proofing, and by adding the additional barrel they had to alter the SNs.

At the time my biggest concern was in exporting this gun to the U.S. Along with all my others. Fortunately, I had no problems with that. Some guns I had shipped over with me and several I purchased there. This one with the altered SN made me a little nervous, but then again, I was probably not the first G.I. to ship a gun to the States with an accessory barrel either. The ATF didn't question it, so I was relieved.

I wish now I had gotten a better explanation of the serial number thing. I'll look in my binders for the paperwork where I ordered the barrel; maybe there's something there.

Interesting factoid. Love it. Thanks.

12131,

I found a fax from the factory to the Kaiserslautern Rod & Gun Club, but it doesn't really explain the reason for the SN alteration; it merely states that they do it.



These are the test targets. On the left is the original one as the gun came from the factory in .40; on the right is the one for the .357 Sig barrel. They didn't adjust the sights, and I've never actually fired with the .357 barrel. You may notice the .40 was tested with 5 shots at 15 meters, but the .357 was tested with 10 shots at 25 meters, and produced a better group, albeit offset from the presumed PoA, as the sights were regulated still for the .40S&W. It shows the inherent accuracy of the .357 Sig round, I think.



I had to chuckle when I found the fax -- I had left a sticky note to myself to write to Sig for a better explanation of the SN alteration, but I obviously never got around to it.

We'll just assume that the "A" is their code for original components, and the "L" for the fitted parts.

The letter is one explanation.

There is also the rare occasion when SIG is putting the same serial number on two different guns. When it's recovered in the final control the gun goes back and is getting an addinal letter or nuber behind the oringinal serial number. Such examples are discussed in depth in the often quoted reference books by Vetter and Döbeli.

I have a p239 with the same marking. Serial # sa4-59642 with the added 9. I bought it new in 1998 and was given the duplicate serial number story.

o5

What’s the saying? Even when you think you know everything, you can learn something every day?

Thanks everyone! I was always curious if this was a factory thing or something else, and since I bought it used I was hoping it wasn't some type of "blem" or re-build marking. Good to know I'm not the only one with the marking.

SigFan, does the .357 barrel have its own proof marks? It was my understanding that "replacement" barrels had to be proofed and proof marks then stamped on it.

wgsigs,

It's hard to see in the pic, but the accessory barrel does have proof marks.

^^^ Not hard to see at all. Can clearly see, from left to right, the "bug', the eagle-over-N in horizontal lie, and the KK proof date.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
^^^ Not hard to see at all. Can clearly see, from left to right, the "bug', the eagle-over-N in horizontal lie, and the KK proof date.

LOL... yes, now that it's posted it's easy to see; on my cell phone it wasn't. Tired eyes...

Just what does the ‘bug’ stand for? I’ve often wondered and always thought it looked like bug, but I don’t know if I’ve ever heard why. TIA.

quote:

Originally posted by fvyellowbird:
Just what does the ‘bug’ stand for? I’ve often wondered and always thought it looked like bug, but I don’t know if I’ve ever heard why. TIA.

Each proof house has its own individual proof mark, indicating where the proof testing was done. The mark depicted is not actually a bug but Nettle leaves representing the Kiel proof house.

The "bug" is the symbol of the Kiel proof house. Yes, not an actual bug. That's why I put it in parentheses.

Some time in 2015, the CIP countries started marking their proofed guns with the CIP over the N, and no longer marked them with individual proof house symbols.