I haven't seen these mentioned here, but SIG recently released some M18 pistols packaged in cardboard boxes similar to those the surplus M17s and commemorative M17 and M18 pistols shipped in. They appear identical to currently issued military pistols, down to the "TC" serial numbers. SIG customer service describes them as "overruns". I just received this one a couple of days ago. It will be interesting to see how many of these are released.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyEngineer:
SIG customer service describes them as "overruns".

Yeah, they played the same game with the NSW P226. After SIG saw that they should have produced more than 2000 of those trident-marked pistols, they put the trident on some more P226s and called them "contract overruns".

I don't believe that for one single second. All this is, is marketing. Call it an M18 and shooters will say "ah". Call it a "contract overrun M18" and people will fall all over themselves to pay top dollar for it.

If it's an overrun it should be sold at a discount.

Congratulations on a nice purchase.
Although I need another 9mm P320 like another hole in the head, and there’s that … magazine capacity restriction thing here, I have always been attracted to that model.

Very nice score! I hadn't heard about these so thanks for the heads-up and photos!

Do you plan on shooting it or will this stay a collectors piece?

I am happy to have it. I collect military type firearms and will not live long enough to see USGI M18s surplused, IF that ever happens. For now, these are the closest to USGI that SIG has released, and it will fit in well with my milsurps and my commercial M9 clones, as well as my NSW P226. SIG does have a history of offering "limited" editions followed by mass releases of similar pistols. For now, the prices are skyrocketing (going on the auction board for more than USGI-surplus M17s). I don't plan to shoot it in the near term, but would like to see this model released widely - then the prices would drop, and I wouldn't feel bad about shooting it

^^^ No M11B?

Btw, since I really don't follow the P320s, what is the significance of the "TC" serial number?

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
^^^ No M11B?

Btw, since I really don't follow the P320s, what is the significance of the "TC" serial number?

I didn't want to show off, Q! All of the USGI M17s have serial numbers starting with the letters "TF", and the USGI M18s have serial numbers beginning with the letters "TC". I've been told that the "F" is for full size, "C" is for compact, and "T" is for SIG, for some odd reason! The lowest documented Army surplus M17 serial number was TF000010, and the highest serial number was TF005901. I think 5,000 M17 and M18 commemorative pistols were released, with serial numbers starting at M17-0001, and M18-0001. As far as I know, SIG has never before released any M18 variants using the USGI serial number prefix. I'm a fan of the surplus M17s, since a FOIA request reveals where they were sent. I corresponded with the soldier who deployed to Iraq for a year with one of mine. I don't have any idea where my other military surplus firearms were sent. Of course, these M18 pistols never went to the military, but are still an interesting variant in my opinion.

I agree that the "contract overrun" is marketing. If these sell as well as they hope, they'll produce more.

Do they make it in black?

Very nice! My nephew just bought a SIG M18 as his first pistol, being a Marine and all. BTW, it seems that one flush fit magazine and two extended magazines has become the new military standard.

quote:

Originally posted by Mars_Attacks:
Do they make it in black?

I think they did make black M17s and M18's but they wouldn't be part of the "overrun".

Does anyone in the military actually field a black P320? Or, are the black "M17" and "M18" just more of SIG's gimmicks?

I think it was a distributer exclusive.

quote:

Originally posted by Paten:
I think it was a distributer exclusive.

So, just gimmicks. They are black whatever, but they ain't black M17/M18.

You could look at it that way. But it is just like an M17 or M18 down to the markings and loaded chamber indicator except for the color.

I don't care if it's military or not, I just like the manual safety on it.

No I’m the army fields a black M17/18

quote:

Originally posted by Paten:
I think it was a distributer exclusive.

Pretty sure the black M17 was a TALO exclusive. I vaguely remember getting emails for those from one of the distributors that works with TALO.

quote:

Originally posted by monoblok:
Pretty sure the black M17 was a TALO exclusive.

Like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7YAPh9LnAU