I posted this on The High Road forum (my main hang-out) but haven't found any helpful answers other than "it's after market", which it may well be. Your input would be appreciated.

"I just picked up a nice German P220 off Gunbroker, and the trigger is polished bright stainless or chrome. I am not a SIG expert by any means, but I don't recall seeing one like it before. I paid $600 shipped, and the only wear evident is on the barrel from being fired - the external finish is 98-99%, with only a couple of very light scratch-like markings on the slide. Manufacture date of the German eagle over N proofed frame is mid-1995; the German slide and barrel are not proofed, and the grips have the clock-like date marking for 11/91, suggesting it was made in Germany and assembled here. I am really pleased with it, but I was wondering if anyone can tell me about the bright trigger. I have become a SIG addict of late..."

A picture a worth a thousand words. But, sounds like a FrankenP220 to me.

Welcome the SIGforum, btw.

Here is an example of bright polished trigger, by TJ's Custom.

Other than a TJ's trigger. Early P220's Nickel plating was shiny polished. Nickel plated 8mm triggers were available in standard & short reach. I had a couple of the 8mm Factory polished Nickel short reach triggers but sold them on this forum.

It resembles the TJ's trigger - I'll take a pic & post it today. I have pics of the pistol, but no closeups. Thanks, gents!

Here are pics of it. I _really_ like this pistol, even more that my 226 MK25... (Not sure why the second pic didn't post, but the url is below the pic that did)

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbc...fafe8faa&oe=59AF71D1

^^^ Yeah, that's TJ's.

And, what's not to like about the old folded slide classic? Very nice.

quote:

grips have the clock-like date marking for 11/91

I'm a little puzzled about the grips. The grips as shown in your pic didn't exist in 1991.
1991 P220 grips are non-logo checkered, as far as I know.

The markings are on the inside of both grips - I was thinking I may have had a senior senility sighting and it was 11/90, but I'm pretty sure it was 91. I'll take the grips off today or tomorrow & take pics of them. Did I mention I love this pistol? Buddy of mine is ret'd FBI agent who keeps telling me to pace myself, but at 71 (next month) I don't know how many more paces I have left!

I was right - 11/90 on both. As I understand, SIG shipped a pile of parts from Germany to NH, and as they were assembled, parts like grips were pulled & used, manufacture dated not necessarily corresponding to the date of assembly. Kind of like USGI weapons made during wartime - Garands, carbines, BARs, etc. Anyway, what is the significance of a folded slide? My old eyes can't pick out a prominent feature...

Maybe the date on the grips is 11/06 - I am not an expert on the date markings for sure...

quote:

Originally posted by Maj Dad:
Maybe the date on the grips is 11/06 - I am not an expert on the date markings for sure...

Yes, '06. Orientation of the arrow.

So, what about the folded slide - still ignernt on that one. I presume the grips were replaced at one point, maybe with the TJ's trigger. I don't know the level of polish of the standard feed ramps on the bbl & frame, but this one is very bright. Could have been a dremel job (I have polished some feed ramps) with jewelers rouge or some other medium...

What is it that you want to know about the folded slide?

Specifically, that's a 8 mm wide TJ's Custom trigger. Our resident 'tan is dead-on as usual. TJ also offers a polished Sig P226 trigger that's 10 mm wide, which fits later series P220's such as the ST and Stainless Elite.

I plan on comparing TJ's polished trigger with GGI's intermediate custom trigger on my Stainless Elite w/o refining the factory trigger pull (w/o a custom trigger job). Once I decide which is best, I'll probably send my preference to Robert Burke for enhancing the action.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
What is it that you want to know about the folded slide?

What is it, as opposed to a non-folded slide (I'm guessing here)?

I can tell you the trigger is nice - my friend and I both noticed that it seemed lighter than the 10 lb on my 226, and smooth as it is, should be good for an afternoon shooting up the thousands of rounds I loaded up during the dark years...

quote:

Originally posted by Maj Dad:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
What is it that you want to know about the folded slide?

What is it, as opposed to a non-folded slide (I'm guessing here)?.

Folded slide SIGs - The original P-series SIGs (P220, P225, P226, and P228, oh, and P245) are all what we call the folded slide guns, meaning exactly that. The slides were made by folded sheet of metal (carbon steel material in this case) that is then welded to the front end to make the complete stripped slide. If you look real closely, you can see the evidence of welding of the 2 pieces together. A separate breech block is then mated to the slide to complete it. Pics below are just internet grabs, showing you the naked breech block and the top view of a folded slide with breech block in place (that's what your P220 slide looks like).





Machined/milled slide SIGs - Some time in the early 90's, SIG designed a new pistol that could take the pressure of the .40 S&W round. It is my understanding that the folded slide cannot tolerated this round extensively. The result? The birth of the P229, with the one-piece machined stainless steel slide. In subsequent years, the P220 and P226 eventually were also made with the one-piece machined ss slide. The P228 and the original P225 never had the honor of being made with this type of slide, as they eventually were phased out. And, the P245 was also discontinued.

The new P225-A1, that was released in late 2015, has the machined slide, but is not considered by purists to be a real P225. It's really more of a re-shaped P239.

The M11-A1, released in late 2012, is really a re-badged P229, and not a real P228. Its grip panel says "P228", but it was just SIG's marketing gimmick.

Btw, take a look at your MK25 (P226) slide and compare it to your P220. You'll see what I mean by one-piece machined slide vs. folded slide with a separate breech block.

Hope this helps answer your question.

Here is a pic I took a while ago, comparing the M11-A1 to the P228. The top view shows the obvious difference between the one-piece vs. 2-piece slide.

Welcome to Sig Forum Maj Dad!

I have found this forum to be the best source of information regarding all things "SIG".

12131 is one of probably five or six real outstanding, authoritative sources for Sig education.

By the way; thank you for your service to our country. I had aspired to be a USAF pilot; but
instead ended up as a U.S. Army ground-pounder.

Ah! I was aware that some slides were made that way but not sure which model or even which maker. I compared it to my MK25 & saw the obvious differences, just didn't know the meaning. I really appreciate your taking the trouble to show me all this!

Thank you, Michael - I can honestly say it's good to have found the forum, and like you say, 12131 is certainly a font of knowledge. I spent ~9 years in the army back in the 60's and 70's before getting out in 76. I was in MI (counterintelligence: we stamped it out ) The AF recruited me for 2 years before I came back on active duty in 91. What a long strange trip it's been...