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A fortuitous find - How a Nickel P225 reunited with its consecutive twin after 24 years, plus other similar stories. Login/Join 
Oriental Redneck
Picture of 12131
posted
Consecutive numbered guns are not that big of a deal when you buy them as an already made set. I’ve had those.
To me, what’s much more fun and exciting is when you chance upon a gun and suddenly realize that you have its consecutive twin at home, and you get to reunite them. I’ve had the opportunity to reunite twins several times.

P225 Nickel twins

From my years following the Nickel SIGs, I saw confirmed factory all Ni P225s come up for public sale a total of four times, making them the most difficult to find of the big four (P220, P225, P226, P228 in Ni). The P220 and P226 come up with regularity. The P228 is a little harder, but the P225 is king of scarcity. By “confirmed”, I mean original docs/boxes with labels confirming they are factory original Nickel.

This following pair is from 1996 (KG date code). The first one (#15) was purchased new old stock, complete package (“NICKEL” stamped outer sleeve, etc.). Its twin brother (#14) was spotted sometime later in the wild. It looked real nice, like the real deal, but without verifying docs/box, I initially didn’t care to pay close attention. But then, I kept returning to it looking and looking. And with a KG one just like it in the safe, I said, heck, let me just check the serial numbers to see if they are consecutive. I couldn’t believe it when they actually were. Sure, no box/docs for confirmation on this one, but looking at it right next to its twin that is the confirmed real deal, what are the chances that it is not factory Nickel? Pretty slim to none, imo. Consecutive twin Nickel P225s, separated after birth, somehow got lucky and reunited 24 years later.




Following are the other reunited sets.

P228 SAS frame twins

The SAS frame P228 was a limited released gun in 2009, made from using left over frame of the SAS P229 (9) that year. First one I bought was from TGS in 2009. Several years later, I saw another one listed in the Classifieds. There were no takers, and don’t know why, but I just decided to check on mine’s serial #, and whoa, it’s consecutive. And, the rest was history. No longer own either one (sold one and Karma’ed the other).




P228 stainless frame twins

SS frame P228s were a special project initiated by member 220parts with SIG Germany in 2011, and that was picked up by the late Jaymie Smolens of Afton Arms in 2012. Afton Arms ordered 2 batches, and according to SIG’s records, there were 10 from the July 2012 order and 10 from the March 2013 batch. One was bought from a SF member in 2016. Almost 4 years later, I snagged its twin off auction. They (the two on the right) are from the 2013 batch.






P229 German made/proofed twins

These were made & proofed in Germany in 2004 (AE date code on barrel hood's left side) but did not get imported and sold by SIG NH until 2011. That’s a strange long lag time. Bought the first one 4 years ago right here in the Classifieds. A year later, another one popped up, also here.






Does anyone here have cool reunification stories? Cool


Q






 
Posts: 26203 | Location: TEXAS | Registered: September 04, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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i bought 733 from the attic, when they replaced the one i bought with 732 on gb, i bought it as well!



not a unification, i imported the pair of 229sl's from b&h!

 
Posts: 2207 | Registered: October 17, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
E tan e epi tas
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Not nearly as cool but I happened into consecutive numbered HK P2000s, bought separately at completely separate times.


"Guns are tools. The only weapon ever created was man."
 
Posts: 7631 | Location: On the water | Registered: July 25, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Misanthropic Philanthrope
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All very, very sweeeeeeet!. I am jealous and hate you Razz Razz Razz


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Posts: 6772 | Registered: June 14, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Very cool stories and pistols! Not nearly as challenging as putting together those pistols, but I was able to obtain a couple consecutive pairs of surplus M17 pistols offered by different sellers earlier this year. Since most of those pistols appeared on the market within a short timeframe, it was just a matter of looking out for serial numbers that were consecutive to the pistols I owned. The cool thing about one of the pistols is that I was able to identify and correspond with the soldier it was issued to during a deployment to Iraq last year. I offered to sell it (with or without the next consecutive pistol), but that soldier didn't have any personally owned firearms and decided not to accept my offer. I was disappointed that I wasn't able to reunite it with the person it served with, but feel fortunate to have it in my small collection.
 
Posts: 152 | Registered: December 23, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
A man's got to know
his limitations
Picture of hberttmank
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There are some cool guns in this thread! Smile



"But, as luck would have it, he stood up. He caught that chunk of lead." Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock
 
Posts: 9357 | Registered: March 23, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Bookers Bourbon
and a good cigar
Picture of Johnny 3eagles
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I would love to find the REVERSE mismatched 228 to this one that I got in a Q karma:




BIDEN SUCKS.

If you're goin' through hell, keep on going.
Don't slow down. If you're scared don't show it.
You might get out before the devil even knows you're there.


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Posts: 7120 | Location: Arkansas  | Registered: November 06, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Based on this story, it seems likely that 12131 will one day run into his own separated at birth twin, 12132.
 
Posts: 301 | Registered: November 07, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I run trains!
Picture of SigM4
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Very nice find. I've looked for a Nickel 225 with a verifiable pedigree much like you noted on and off for a while but never run into one at the right time. To have a matching set like that is awesome. Thanks for sharing.



Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view.

Complacency sucks…
 
Posts: 5423 | Location: Wichita, KS (for now)…always a Texan… | Registered: April 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
teacher of history
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Several years ago at the SWCA meeting in Kansas City a police officer gave a presentation on his RM that was shipped in the 30's to the KCPD on a letter head order for 2 guns.

Another member had a RM on his table and it was the 2nd gun from that order. The officer bought the 2nd gun and now has a copy of the order and both guns.
 
Posts: 5610 | Location: Central Illinois | Registered: March 04, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Mistake Not...
Picture of Loswsmith
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I’m happy to be a small part of this, I’m the owner of the top P228 SAS twin. Love it!


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Posts: 1947 | Location: T-town in the 253 | Registered: January 16, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Amazing collection Q. I miss that P228 Stainless I sold you years ago, but I sold it knowing you'd enjoy more than anyone else on earth and I have no regrets. Selling a gun to you is like preserving Sig history. You have to have the best collection of Sig's of anyone in the World.
 
Posts: 1874 | Location: Southern California | Registered: January 16, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Man that is quite the collection as well as incredible regarding the Ni P225s! Beautiful.
 
Posts: 93 | Location: Gulf Coast, FL | Registered: September 19, 2019Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Wait, what?
Picture of gearhounds
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What a drool worthy thread- especially those rail-less 229 9mm's. I had an early one that was probably one of the smoothest, best shooters I have ever owned but as in all things foolish, traded it off. All those close siblings are amazing, considering they were not bought together.




“Remember to get vaccinated or a vaccinated person might get sick from a virus they got vaccinated against because you’re not vaccinated.” - author unknown
 
Posts: 15501 | Location: Martinsburg WV | Registered: April 02, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Those 225s are beautiful. Would love to find one to go with my Nickel P228. I Was hoping sig would have made some stainless or nickel p225-A1s before they discontinued.

Once again Q you have some of the finest Sigs ever -congratulations
 
Posts: 263 | Registered: January 22, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
7.62mm Crusader
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quote:
Originally posted by TrojanX4:
Amazing collection Q. I miss that P228 Stainless I sold you years ago, but I sold it knowing you'd enjoy more than anyone else on earth and I have no regrets. Selling a gun to you is like preserving Sig history. You have to have the best collection of Sig's of anyone in the World.
Agree 100% and, I'll bet he knows where the other 16 stainless framed P228s are at... Big Grin. It's just a matter of time. Seriously, I know of no other Sig pistol ever made with the folded steel slide mated to a stainless frame. And yes, those nickle plated P225s are a fine set of early pistols.
 
Posts: 17891 | Location: The Bluegrass State! | Registered: December 23, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Nickel deuce and a quarter?
Be still my heart!
That would call for increasing my credit card debt!


End of Earth: 2 Miles
Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles
 
Posts: 16004 | Location: Marquette MI | Registered: July 08, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Nickel finished SIGs have never done all that much for me, but I must say that the there's something to this with the lines of the P225. Must be the squared trigger guard...like a Glock Razz

Very appealing appearance with the bright metalwork.


-MG
 
Posts: 1931 | Location: The commie, rainy side of WA | Registered: April 19, 2020Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I purchased these over a year apart and did not realize they were consecutive numbers until months later.

 
Posts: 1096 | Location: Orange Park, FL. | Registered: November 26, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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