Nice either way, I do like the 229 in 357.

Congratulations on a nice addition.

Hey Chipster. I just noticed the first photo you posted as an example was the one I just bought!

Nice guns.

Nice pick up OP- sucker for early 229 triples- congratulations.

DING!

It's funny the difference between the two barrels. The earlier one is a lot more purplish that reminds for the plum colored P7's, and it appears that the edges are sharper. It's seems that the barrel has considerable more wear marks on it than the gun does.

The mystery of the missing triple serial number narrows... yours is an AE, so early 95 probably.I finally dug my .357sig out and it's AD39650(frame and barrel only) putting it late 94. Most of the AD39###'s I've seen were triple serial numbers, but with mine at the end of the AD run seems to be about where they started with just two numbers..for a while at least.

Anyone have more specific info on why they did just two serial's for a while?

quote:

Originally posted by greyeyezz:

quote:

I seem to recall that there were early P229s with only two serial numbers.

Yes like my AE

P1010823 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/146780422@N05/][/url]

quote:

Originally posted by inspcalahan:
The mystery of the missing triple serial number narrows... yours is an AE, so early 95 probably.I finally dug my .357sig out and it's AD39650(frame and barrel only) putting it late 94. Most of the AD39###'s I've seen were triple serial numbers, but with mine at the end of the AD run seems to be about where they started with just two numbers..for a while at least.

Anyone have more specific info on why they did just two serial's for a while?

Actually I believe there isn't any agreement as to why there are even three serial numbers on the first P229s as they were made/assembled in the U.S. from almost all German parts except for the U.S. made stainless steel slide. One of the theories for the triple serial numbers was Exeter was trying to emulate the German-made SIGs. If that was true then maybe by late '94 Exeter decided to quit stamping the U.S.-made slide with the serial number since it served no purpose for SIGs sold here. Just a guess.

Maybe it is just me, but the font of the serial number on the slide, in my opinion, has always looked different from that on the German SIGs and on some of the early German framed P229s like the one listed on GB linked at the beginning of this thread. The letters and numbers are "rounder", especially the "D"

Here are some in 40. .357 and 9mm

Mine is AE144xx with the triple serial number and was from the first batch bought into SA around 1995/96. Carried it every day since. Never had any issues with it.