I have a P230SL but I've been looking for a lighter version to tote around. Found this one earlier this month and picked it up a couple of days ago. It's date code is JE so I think that's from 1984. I didn't really care for the old style slide serrations but it looked to be in good shape. I had planned to send the slide to CCR since it didn't look so great in the sellers photos. Anyways, the insides looked like it'd never been cleaned! It cleaned up very well - just one handling mark below the "S" in Sauer on the left side. The frame is near spotless - except for a couple of very small marks at the end of the rails prolly caused by someone being too rough when they re-installed the slide. I had never seen the magazine style - it looked like it had been dragged down the street! It took about an hour with cold blue, steel wool and CLP but the body of the mag looks like new now. The one downside is the trigger has too much side-to-side play. I'm hoping that a new pivot pin, or trigger, or both will fix that. I haven't heard about the trigger pivot pin holes enlarging with use - but the frame is aluminum.

The slide is so good - for a 33 year old pistol - that I decided to not have it refinished. Now, I need some more money for a finish-challenged P230 to use as a carry pistol! Last but not least, I figured the SIG Pistols section needed a post, and picture, of an actual SIG once in a while ...



Edited to add: Thanks to another great SIG Forum member for hooking me up with two magazines. I figured I'd better not mention his name or he'd be inundated with mag requests. P230/P232 mags are ridiculously expensive on fleaBay.

Very nice

That is the early version of their 230 mags. Later they changed to the ones with witness holes.

The slotted magazine and the greater number of serrations on the slide are characteristics of early P230s.

You did well. I would not do a thing to that pistol. Leave it as is.

She is a beauty, congratulations on the nice find.

For what it's worth, I agree with your choice to not refinish.

I agree with Para, looks great as is. Would not touch it, at least not the finish.

That is a very nice looking gun. I have to agree with the rest to leave it as is.

I have the 230SL also - KE 94' date code. Bought it new to ride shotgun with my 226 when I was with the SO back in the day . Maybe 200 rounds total on it. It is a heavy piece of metal. But everything about the 230 is perfect for me. Fits my hand like a glove.

Just curious, what is the weight difference between your SL and the blued version?

Dang it's hard not to love those pistols, they just look so good!

Y'know, it might be blasphemy amongst diehard fans of a certain British spy serial, but the P230 is just simply a much better looking girl than that awkward, lumpy, bumpy little PPK....

sig226fan - I don't have a scale - but the spec's say 20.8-oz for the SL and 16.2 for the aluminum version. Just a little over 4-oz but the difference, in a pocket, is pretty noticeable. The non-SL 230 feels like it weighs exactly the same as my NAA .32 - but the NAA is a lot smaller. Sidebar on this is I just received the .32 back from NAA yesterday. I had also bought it used and it was too scratchy to suit me so NAA bead-blasted it ... for all of $50



Kind of a crummy photo. Woof-ey is on the warpath now so I don't dare borrow her portable makeup lamp to get better lighting ...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GeoJelly,

quote:

Originally posted by GeoJelly:
sig226fan - I don't have a scale - but the spec's say 20.8-oz for the SL and 16.2 for the aluminum version. Just a little over 4-oz but the difference, in a pocket, is pretty noticeable. The non-SL 230 feels like it weighs exactly the same as my NAA .32 - but the NAA is a lot smaller. Sidebar on this is I just received the .32 back from NAA yesterday. I had also bought it used and it was too scratchy to suit me so NAA bead-blasted it ... for all of $50

They did a great job, and a good deal to boot. Never handled one one of those, looks like a good pocket pistol to pocket carry. Enjoy.

Some day, I'll have to get around to photographing my P230 in 9x18mm Police to show to you guys.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Some day, I'll have to get around to photographing my P230 in 9x18mm Police to show to you guys.

Is that the Japanese version with the lanyard?

No, we're talking about something much scarcer.

Hmmmmm.... the plot thickens....

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Some day, I'll have to get around to photographing my P230 in 9x18mm Police to show to you guys.

Please don't wait too long.

They are as elusive as Walther PP Supers.

To the OP...really nice P230, the one I owned was exactly like that. Mine was purchased in the early 90's, At the time, it was the best of the best of the 380's. I prefer the original model over the later P232's, but both are great pistols. The SL's were too heavy for my liking.

Congrats! That is a sleek looking pistol!

quote:

Originally posted by Sunset_Va:
They are as elusive as Walther PP Supers.

Got one of those, too.

Congrats! Pretty as is. And I like the finer serrations at the back of the slide.

Very nice looking early 230. I too would keep it just like it is.

very nice! It sure looks clean for how old it is...pretty rare to see a Tysons stamped 230.