We SIG aficionados, especially those who value the good old simple classics, often like to bash Cohen and all his gimmicky SIGs. You know, the Rainbow and Platinum and Diamond Plate and so on...

But, should we really blame him?? He didn't start the trend at SIG. He took over in 2005, and SIG was already 2 years into their gimmicky program, in the form of the >> GOTM <<. Just browse through it, and you'll know what I mean. The majority of these limited edition guns, with ridiculous add-ons, like a range bag or a knife or an extra mag or a hat, or a coupon for something, are really worth no more than their regular counterparts.

Then, we have the ridiculous desert camo finish on the July 2003 P228. And, don't forget that the bling bling was started before Cohen took over. Check out the gold controls on the December 2003 P232SL, the rainbow titanium on the May 2004 P239, the gold controls on the August 2004 P229.

The guy simply took the ball in 2005, carried it further, and in the process, pulled SIG out of the near financial bottom at the time, and they haven't looked back since. Not that he cares, but I'm giving the guy credit, although I'm not having any of his ridiculous offerings (imo).

yep, some were a bit odd, and some that were thought to be gaudy, turned out to be good buys investment wise Like the Mastershop X6 Blue Moon, I had one in my hand and kept debating buying it....



The new Rose line for the ladies seems to be doing well, it's not as flamboyant.

I've spoken with some SIG employees, and to a person, they love their CEO!

I always thought those camo 228's would turn out to be worth something extra someday so I've a few. The rainbow titanium not so much...

For all the weird, cringy stuff that's come out from Sig US, they were always trumped by the Mastershop and always by several thousand dollars.

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desert camo finish on the July 2003 P228.

I've never understood those 'collector' guns you usually see advertised near the front of American Rifleman magazine... usually gold finish with John Wayne, Trump or such engraved on them..... same for blue or pink on a pistol... let along gold triggers....

but I looked up that Cammo P228 and I kind of like it... the only problem would be the factory grips which are way too thick for me. But then I love my MK25 in Dessert Brown with Hogue G10 grips:

which I converted into 357 sig caliber

A few of the gun of the month GOTM guns were normal with a few cool features. I didn’t seek them out but have owned 3 of them. One was a P225 with Novak sights and a little range bag. I like Novak sights and wanted a P225 so I bought it. One was a 2 tone nickel P228, always like the P228 2 tone finish guns. Third was a P220ST with stippled Nills grips. The first two have been sold off, but the 220 remains.

As to the rest of the gimmicky Kimberization is Sig, I am not a fan. I own a 320 X5 Legion because I liked the TXG frame. I bought the P320 AXG Scorpion because I didn’t own a FDE gun and really liked the way it felt in my hand. My 24 y/o son likes the new P365 AXG Legion and has it on a short list. I’m not a fan of the whole Legion line but will admit I like a lot of the features on the guns. The Legion “premium” is my main reason for avoiding them altogether. I bought an MK25 because I liked many of the features, but if the same gun was available without “anchor premium” I would have never bought the MK25. I’m guessing all these gimmicky options appeal to the younger generation of gun buyers that grew up playing video games. I long for the gun store shelves of 30 years ago filled with Beretta, Sig, Glock, S&W, and Colt.

Looking online through the current offerings at Sig, there is not one gun that appeals to me. I’ll stick with what I have and move on to other brands.

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For all the weird, cringy stuff that's come out from Sig US, they were always trumped by the Mastershop and always by several thousand dollars.

I would say that the Mastershop's Prestige models were exceptionally on the cringe-worthy side, even if they did showcase the individual's craftsman-level talent. Remember the Samurai? Don't think I can forget it if I tried:



Weird stuff but interesting, if in a slightly indulgent, perverse way...really don't want to think what something like this is now worth, not that it was ever cheap.

Although I didn't follow SIG very much during the GOTM times, I think the difference that Cohen made after he was hired is that he took the "best" (highly subjective as to who thought what was actually 'best') of the unique stuff and ideas that had been limited to a month at a time and turned it loose on the regular inventory. Basically making it more available for general consumption; still limited but not THAT limited, giving the company more of an opportunity to generate revenue. Pretty much mimicking what he had done over at Kimber. No doubt that it worked and it brought in enough cash to raise all of SIG--and not just SIG USA--out of its financial doldrums. Most of this was of course just shades of lipstick on the various models, but it got buyers spending.

^^^I have never seen that before and now I can't forget it. Truly hideous.

The same thing happened at Porsche in the 90s. The company was circling the drain when they started developing an SUV. Purists were horrified, but without that move the whole company might have ceased to exist.

...though no 4 door Porsche was ever as ugly as that Samurai abomination. Wasn't there a Viking-themed one too?

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Not that he cares, but I'm giving the guy credit, although I'm not having any of his ridiculous offerings (imo).

You gotta give a man a break for trying.

Not every GOTM hits but some can be credited with giving boredom a kick in the ass.

I may even have one or two.

I despised Cohen when he came to SIG and thought he had ruined the brand.

Looking at where SIG is now I don't think it would exist (or it would be a total shell of itself if it did) without Ron Cohen.

SIG went from barely afloat to dominating the marketplace.

That says something.

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Originally posted by KevH:
I despised Cohen when he came to SIG and thought he had ruined the brand.

Looking at where SIG is now I don't think it would exist (or it would be a total shell of itself if it did) without Ron Cohen.

SIG went from barely afloat to dominating the marketplace.

That says something.

They have adapted to what the market wants. I don't like a lot of the stuff that comes out now, but they are making what a big part of the market is asking for. You. Have to think about it in context...15, 20, 25, 30 years ago the market was much smaller and homogeneous. Far fewer people were carrying guns. Far less "stuff" was out there. We also had less data on what works. Optics and suppressors were less common. Etc, etc, etc.

I always lusted after the original P226 and P220 Combats. Maybe they were pre Cohen and seemed a nice variant of a couple all business P series guns. Heck, throw in the P229 Combat as well. I love those pistols.

Wombat what now?

My middle daughters boyfriend just bought her the full up Rose P365, gun, mags, lockbox, weirdly stippled grip frame that looks like a rose if you squint a bit. Oh yea, it also has all the parts colored in an almost pleasing rose gold color. (almost is sarcasm)

It’s a great gun combo but it is fugly.

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Originally posted by monoblok:

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For all the weird, cringy stuff that's come out from Sig US, they were always trumped by the Mastershop and always by several thousand dollars.

I would say that the Mastershop's Prestige models were exceptionally on the cringe-worthy side, even if they did showcase the individual's craftsman-level talent. Remember the Samurai? Don't think I can forget it if I tried:


<snip>

Well, the grips are nifty. I try to find the best in everything.

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Well, the grips are nifty. I try to find the best in everything.

I will follow your comment by saying that of all the pistols I’ve seen in my life, this is definitely one of them.

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Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
I try to find the best in everything.

The grip screws are aligned....

They need a P2022 variant that will withstand drying in a 400° oven.